Wallingford Parking lot letter brings up issue again - Three councilors wrote to state, opposing grant

As published in the Record Journal, Wednesday January 30, 2013

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225
Twitter:@RussellBlairRJ

WALLINGFORD - Most town councilors learned recently that three of their fellow members sent a letter last fall discrediting the town’s application for a $500,000 grant to improve the parking lot behind the businesses on Simpson Court.

Republican Councilor Craig Fishbein joined Democrats Jason Zandri and Nicholas Economopoulos in sending the Nov. 1 letter to the state Office of Policy and Management. The town applied for the grant in late September.

“Components of the application do not appear to comply with the grant specifications and should be taken into consideration when reviewing the town’s application,” the councilors wrote.

The Simpson Court parking lot, near the intersection of Center Street and North Main Street, has been a subject of contention for more than two years, with politicians from either party supporting or opposing attempts to improve the lot. A plan backed by longtime Republican Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. and others was overwhelmingly defeated in a 2011 referendum.

Fishbein said he never intended for the letter to be kept private and believed fellow councilors were aware of it when it was sent, almost three months ago. But most councilors said they weren’t aware of the letter until last week.

Republican Councilor John LeTourneau, a supporter of the grant application, said the councilors are entitled to their opinions but feels the letter is misleading.

The letter points out that the property is not owned by the town, but instead is leased from private business owners. It states the property is not visible from the street and that a town-owned lot fronting the businesses on Simpson Court will not be upgraded.

The letter also says that many parts of the town’s plan do not conform to grant requirements.

While the parking lot is not visible from North Main Street, it is visible from Center Street, LeTourneau said.

“To put a statement out like that, signed by three councilors,gives it a sense of legitimacy, but not all of their facts are spot on,” he said.

Fishbein said his chief concern was that the lease agreement in the grant application was the same one quashed by voters in the 2011 referendum. Officials have said that if the town receives the grant, the property owners have agreed to enter into a 30-year lease allowing the town to maintain the area as public parking.

“They included the lease that was defeated,” Fishbein said. “That was the major objection that I have.”

The town’s grant application makes reference to the referendum,but said the project is still necessary.

“That defeat, however, in no way diminishes the importance of the project to the vitality and success of downtown for businesses and residents,” the application reads.

As for the upgrades, according to guidelines for the Main Street Investment Fund, “any renovations that are solely the result of ordinary ... maintenance” are excluded from receiving state funds. Fishbein argues that elements of the Simpson Court project, such as repaving, restriping and new drainage, amount to maintenance and should be excluded.

Fishbein said he worked on the letter because he was absent from the meeting at which the Town Council voted 6-2 to approve the grant application. Zandri and Economopoulos voted against applying for the grant at the meeting.

Zandri said he’s concerned that if the town receives only a portion of the grant amount, officials may attempt to fund the remainder with tax dollars. State officials said 64 towns submitted projects worth a total of $26 million under the new grant program. The state has set aside only $5 million.

“There’s zero interest by any taxpayer to put town money into that lot,” Zandri said. “The project didn’t have the full support of the council and the people in town.”

Democratic Councilor John Sullivan said he had no problem with the letter being sent, but questioned the language in it and said it could be misleading. The letter said 90 parking passes will be given to property owners for use by their tenants with no time limitations. But Sullivan said it’s not as if the parking spaces will be specifically reserved.

“It’s going to be first come, first served,” he said.

And Sullivan disagreed with the assessment that this project is the same as the one voters rejected. Physically the work is the same, but the money comes from the state, not locally.

“It’s totally different,” he said. “The funding source is completely different.”

The town is expected to learn whether it will receive the grant in March or April.

Editorial - Local bidders

As published in the Record Journal Monday January 28, 2013

If worded carefully, an ordinance allowing for local bidder preference in awarding municipal contracts would have benefited Wallingford. Town councilors rejected this concept on Jan. 22, after discussing it in previous meetings. The proposed guideline would grant local companies an advantage in seeking contracts put out to bid by Wallingford. If a business based in the municipality did not offer the lowest price, but came within a certain percentage of this bottom figure, the business could match the low bid and win the contract.

There are downsides. Aware of a local-preference clause, out-of-town companies might not make bids. This could mean fewer businesses competing for a contract and, thus, potentially higher costs paid by Wallingford for work.

Another problem, alertly brought up by Mayor William Dickinson, would be how to conclude which companies are and are not locally based. But, as wisely suggested by Councilman Jason Zandri, checking business filings with the state could definitively determine where a company is technically located.

Moreover, it’s unclear whether bids would actually dwindle after establishment of a local-preference ordinance. In Connecticut, 29 percent of municipalities have enacted a similar law, including Meriden and North Haven. And, as argued by Councilman Craig Fishbein, because of these existing ordinances, Wallingford companies could be losing out on contracts in nearby towns and cities, and, therefore, could use additional help in their own zip code.

As presented in our news account of Dec. 22, local preference protocols in Meriden and North Haven are reasonably worded. In Meriden, to enact the program, a city-based company’s bid cannot be more than 10 percent higher than the bottom bid. In North Haven, a local business’ bid has to be within 10 percent of the lowest on items under $1 million, 5 percent of purchases between $1 million and $5 million, and 3 percent on anything more than $5 million.

Which is to say that this can be done, if implemented correctly. Based on Meriden and North Haven laws, the key is to retain a fair, fighting chance for bidders from outside municipal borders. Those two civic governments give local businesses only a marginal advantage, as not to foster favoritism or impinge greatly upon free market economics. Should Wallingford leaders seek a boost for in-town companies — and why wouldn’t they? — they could do so with similarly worded regulations.

This is a concept councilors should reconsider. By granting local businesses a second chance to match low bids under still competitive circumstances, councilors could direct taxpayer money toward town based companies, allowing Wallingford to support better its own economy.

The rights of the Wallingford voters and the general public are trampled and your Republican Councilors could care less and are the direct cause of it

As the political cartoon depicts below, as published in the Record Journal on Sunday January 27, 2013, the Republican majority here in Wallingford has found a way to reach new lows.

In years gone by, they would at least shown the pretense of listening to their fellow Councilors and the public regarding an agenda item before voting along party lines as they would have at 6:30PM.

Now they have gotten so arrogant that they cannot even be bothered to listen.

Cases in point of this occur when the “Call the Question” option is made and it’s happened twice now in critical fashion (and I’ll get to that in a moment) and there are times when the Chair isn’t even following the rules and stretching / breaking his right to use “chairman’s discretion”.

So I’ll start with the motion on the floor at the past meeting (and if you want more back ground please see my prior post on my other blog - Generator Plan and Microgrids: there is more to the story).

I will also state that the procedure is allowed, however, what is allowed and permitted and what is the right thing to do are often two very different things.

When Councilor Laffin made the motion and called the question and it was seconded by Councilor Fishbein, Chairman Parisi indicated “I have a motion on the floor and we have to vote on it” (paraphrased) as if he was hamstrung by the action on the floor.

A year ago when discussing the use of the Wallingford Showmobile by the Wallingford Veterans, a motion was made by Councilor Fishbein and seconded by Councilor Letourneau (if I am remembering correctly, but it was two republican Councilors). The vote never occurred because Chairman Parisi never called the vote. Forget the obvious reasons why not, the simple fact remains – the Chairman either didn’t follow Parliamentary procedure and Robert’s Rules or there is enough wiggle room in the procedure to actually permit the action (as any lawyer will tell you – there are generally multiple ways to interpret things).

So back to the current action.

If Chairman Parisi genuinely felt hamstrung he could have taken the same action and allowed further Council discussion. He did not.

Additionally, Chairman Parisi votes last and all six votes are required to call the question. He voted to call it as well.

Calling the question stops the debate at the Council table but Chairman Parisi could still allow for public comment. He didn’t bother to allow it.

Calling the question also occurred a few weeks ago, stopping the debate regarding the decorative period lighting being replaced downtown.

At that meeting a resident asked during public question and answer period about the lights as was told by Chairman Parisi “we are discussing that topic later and you’ll be able to comment on it then; during Question and Answer we don’t comment on current agenda items” (paraphrased).

The public and Councilor Sullivan never got the chance in that situation because the question was called as well.

So as a public service reminder to all the Wallingford voters out there – these are the representatives you voted into office; I hope that if you voted for these Republicans you feel properly served.

It seems more important to them to get things over with and go out to dinner, which is where the majority of them went after they abruptly ended the meeting.

This wasn’t about the “lateness of the hour” either as it was barely 9PM when this occurred and speaking as the person who has to be up the earliest the next day (4:30AM) to go to work in the city – we can debate into the wee hours of the morning for all I care so long as the public is represented, heard and served.

But that is the difference between us and them and that is all this is coming down to right now.

What has been going on in Wallingford for some time is nothing short of a dictatorship and they aren’t even being bashful about it anymore.

New coalition’s goal: Keep youth off drugs

As Published in the Record Journal Saturday January 26, 2013

By Jesse Buchanan

Record-Journal staff

WALLINGFORD — Community leaders and parents are teaming to fight what they see as a growing prescription drug and heroin problem.

The Coalition for a Better Wallingford wants to distribute Narcan, which counteracts overdoses, to police, schools and health services. At the group’s meeting Thursday, members said more needs to be done to keep young people from getting into drugs.

The group is led by Jennifer Short and Ken Welch, parents of 20-year-old Taylor Short, who died of an apparent overdose in New Haven in November.

“The number of kids who have died is unacceptable,” Welch said Thursday. Research done by Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital researcher Traci Green shows Wallingford with above average rates of drug addiction and deaths in recent years.

“The numbers are skyrocketing, in her professional opinion,” Welch said.

The study has not yet been published.

While the group is working to prevent overdose deaths in the short term, Welch said its long-term work will be on ways to reduce drug abuse.

“We see our mission as much more broad-based than just keeping kids from dying,”he said.

Rich Figlewski, founder of sober cafe The Dry Dock, said Thursday that trends show young people getting addicted to prescription opiates and then switching to heroin due to the lower cost.

“What we’re seeing in town is a perfect correlation of that,” said Craig Turner, Youth and Social Services director.

“The challenge is completely different than it was before,” he said. “We can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing.” Town Councilors John Sullivan and John LeTourneau also attended Thursday’s meeting, along with School Superintendent Sal Menzo.

Based on drug suspension and expulsion numbers, Menzo said, in-school drug use hasn’t spiked. When drugs are found, the school acts.

“We act on what we know, just like everybody else,” he said.

The group discussed having drug-sniffing dogs in the schools, a drop box for unwanted prescription drugs and town wide organizations to promote healthy choices among youth.

Taylor Short’s parents, Turner and others have spoken at council meetings about the efforts to fight drug use. Town councilors asked what the group wanted the town to do.

“We need to be able to answer that question effectively for anyone who wants to get involved,” Turner said.

Recent drug-related deaths include those of a 26-year-old Wallingford woman and her 13-month old-child, who were found dead in December with drugs and drug paraphernalia nearby. Authorities determined that the child was accidentally smothered under her mother’s body.

Thursday’s meeting was the group’s third.

Generator Plan and Microgrids: there is more to the story

Despite the thug tactics used by the local Republicans to derail the conversation which ultimately prevented the public from speaking at all there is more to this story.

Below are links to the two articles from the Record Journal that I have cross posted over on Wallingford Politico and I will now be making this a campaign issue since I was being accused of it anyway.

You’ll be able to follow future commentary via my campaign blog.

Generator plan divides town council is the first of the two stories.

Wallingford Dems question GOP tactic is the second.

Both were written by Record Journal reporter Russell Blair.

Stay tuned.

Simpson Village: The wait goes on - ‘Affordable’ units in Wallingford condominiums remain unbuilt

As published in the Record Journal Tuesday January 15, 2013

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225
Twitter:@RussellBlairRJ

WALLINGFORD - More than six years after a special permit was approved for the development of condominiums on the site of the former Simpson School, construction has yet to begin on the affordable-housing portion of the project.

The Town Council voted in 2005 to sell the site to LaRosa Building Group LLC of Meriden for $100,000. LaRosa planned to turn the area into condominiums for adults 55 and older. As a condition of the sale, 30 percent of the units must be designated as affordable.

While construction of the market-rate units has been completed, the affordable units haven’t been built yet.

“It’s very frustrating that the project is a stalled project,” said Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Jim Seichter, “to have a project near the center of town sitting there without any progress.”

Robert LaRosa, chief executive of LaRosa Building Group, did not return a message left Monday seeking comment.

In 2011, the state legislature amended statutes to give contractors nine years from the date a site plan is approved to complete the project instead of the traditional five, in part due to the struggling economy. LaRosa’s plans were approved in 2006, so the company has until 2015 to complete the work.

Seichter said he understands that many projects have slowed in the tough economy, but said the town is willing to work with LaRosa. In July 2011, the Town Council modified the town’s contract with LaRosa to allow him to complete building all of the market rate units without constructing the shells of the affordable housing units.

Corporation Counsel Janis Small said she was in contact with LaRosa’s attorney in 2011 when the contract modifications were approved but she hadn’t heard from the firm since.

“It’s terribly disappointing,” said Democratic Town Councilor John Sullivan. “I was against changing the builder’s contract. I saw it just as a legal avenue to delay building any affordable housing.”

Sullivan said he is aware that LaRosa had until 2015 to complete the project, but is disappointed that the section of the site facing Center Street remains empty.

“It’s ugly,” he said. “I’d almost rather have the building back than what I see there now. I think we all expected a little more from Mr. LaRosa.”

LaRosa appeared before the Town Council in 2006 and asked for the affordable housing unit requirement to be waived, but councilors refused.

The Simpson Village project came up during discussions on a proposed Incentive Housing Zone at a joint workshop of the Town Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission last week. The Incentive Housing Zone would require 20 percent of new dwellings built in the zone, which is located in the lower downtown, to be designated as affordable.

The town has two developments classified as “affordable” under state statute. Simpson Village would be the third. At the 2011 council meeting, LaRosa said Simpson Village would contain 25 units with seven designated as affordable, meaning someone earning 80 percent or less of the area median income would pay 30 percent or less of his or her annual income toward housing.

Wallingford’s median household income in 2009 was $71,117.

Republican Council Chairman Robert Parisi said he didn’t believe the delay was a mark against LaRosa’s firm. He said when the developer last appeared before the council, LaRosa noted that it was harder to secure mortgages on affordable housing units.

“I’m not going to condemn the developer at this point,” Parisi said. “I feel he’s making an effort. If he’s having a problem, I’d like to hear it.”

Wallingford utility to buy new meters

As published in the Record Journal Wednesday January 9, 2013

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

WALLINGFORD - The Electric Division received a bid waiver from the Town Council Tuesday night so it can buy $57,000 worth of new meters for its three substations.

“These meters are the ones that are used by several power entities to register and monitor the flow of electric energy from the grid into our system,” said Public Utilities Director George Adair.

In a letter to Adair, Electric Division General Manager Richard Hendershot said the new meters are becoming common across the state and it is important Wallingford have the same equipment as neighboring towns. “At this time, CL&P and all of the other CMEEC-participating municipal electric systems are in the process of replacing their meters ... or are planning to do so in their next budget cycle,” he wrote. “These meters have become the de facto standard ... in this region.”

Republican Councilor Craig Fishbein asked if the Electric Division had investigated meters produced by other companies that may cost less. Adair said it had not, but he doesn’t believe the $6,366.57 price tag for each of the nine meters is out of line.

Democratic Councilor Jason Zandri said that, in future bid waiver requests, he’d like to see quotes from other manufacturers.

Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said the Electric Division’s request was based on standardization of equipment and working with a reliable manufacturer rather than finding the absolute lowest price.

“Our system has to fit in with others,” he said. “I’m not sure it would be appropriate on a subject like this for us to develop information about the pluses or minuses of other projects. The real issue is we need to standardize. Price is second.”

Adair said he would work with the Purchasing Department to see if CL&P or other companies had any interest in purchasing the old meters.

In other business at Tuesday’s brief meeting, the Town Council accepted two donations: $250 from resident Alice Souza to the Veterans’ Service Office to purchase gift cards for needy Wallingford veterans and their families and $3,500 from chemical company Evonik Industries to the police, fire, and health departments as a thank-you for their preparation and action during Hurricane Sandy.

“We hope this helps to keep everything running fine,” said Peter Stein, manager of Evonik’s South Cherry Street plant.

Wallingford zoning plans OK’d, with reservations

As published in the Record Journal Tuesday January 8, 2013

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

WALLINGFORD - The Town Council gave the Planning and Zoning Commission the go-ahead Monday to move forward with new zoning regulations targeted at redeveloping the lower downtown, but questions about the project still remain.

Proposals for the Incentive Housing Zone have been around since early 2008, when then-Town Planner Linda Bush presented the idea of creating an overlay zone for a 23.3-acre swath of downtown Wallingford that would allow the development of mixed-use commercial and high-density residential properties.

Plans call for the zone to include Quinnipiac Street, North Cherry Street, Hall Avenue, Meadow Street, North Colony and Center streets.

The zone would fall under an Office of Policy and Management program called Home Connecticut, which was approved in 2007 by the state legislature and would require 20 percent affordable housing.

Town Planner Kacie Costello said there was agreement that the lower downtown area needed help, but “the question is whether or not this is the right way to go.”

“Whether utilizing the Home Connecticut program ... is the best option available to the town of Wallingford,” she said. “I do believe that it is, but I also understand that there are some concerns or questions that are out there.”

Costello said one of the benefits of an Incentive Housing Zone is that the zone is coupled with design standards, meaning the area would have a more uniform appearance. Local zoning regulations cannot call for standardized design, she said. The new zone would also allow three- and four-story buildings with retail or offices on the first floor and apartments above.

The town would also receive payment from the state if the zone is approved and then again when building permits are issued. State statute calls for $2,000 for each planned unit and $2,000 for each building permit, but Costello said state funding had been reduced and the town could expect a total payment of about $70,000 for implementing the zone.

But several councilors and Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. expressed concerns that the state would have control over zoning regulations. Costello said the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management would have to approve any amendments or modifications to the zone.

“We live in Wallingford; we know what Wallingford should have,” Dickinson said. “I don’t like relying on people 23 miles away in the Capitol to determine that.”

Republican Councilor Craig Fishbein had concerns over parking and the fact that parking garages would be allowed under the new regulations.

“Perhaps we can try this, but on a much smaller scale,” he said.

Costello stressed that the proposition was an “overlay zone,” meaning current businesses and residences wouldn’t need to change. But if a developer bought property, it would be able to build under the Incentive Housing Zone.

Rich Figlewski operates The Dry Dock, a sober cafe on Quinnipiac Street. He’s open to the idea of redevelopment in the lower downtown, but doesn’t want to see the current residents and businesses priced out by higher rents.

“Not a lot of people down here are making a lot of money,” he said “People are struggling as it is.”

Figlewski recalled time he spent in Boston, where developers came in and rehabbed the Back Bay.

“A lot of the people couldn’t afford the new apartments,” he said.

But Figlewski agreed with others that the town needs more affordable housing.

According to Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman James Seichter, just 6 percent of the town’s housing stock is considered affordable. The state has set a goal for all cities and towns to have 10 percent of their housing stock affordable, he said. Affordable housing means that someone making 80 percent of the area’s median income has enough money for rent.

Planning and Zoning Commissioner James Fitzsimmons said zoning changes can spur new development, but it takes time. He pointed to the Yalesville Limited Business District, where new rules were drawn up to encourage businesses and housing developments to move in.

“It took 15 years,” Fitzsimmons said. Seichter said his commission would take councilors’ concerns into account and present modified plans later.

Photos by Dave Zajac – Courtesy of the Record-Journal

Above : Rich Figlewski, owner of The Dry Dock sober cafe, stands next to defunct coal silos behind his business. The lower area of downtown Wallingford is part of a proposed Incentive Housing Zone.

Below : The corner of North Colony and Center streets is also included in the zone.

AGENDA WALLINGFORD REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING – January 8, 2013

TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT

REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Town Council Chambers

TUESDAY

January 8, 2013

6:30 P.M

AGENDA

Moment of Silence

1. Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

2. Correspondence

3. Consent Agenda

3a. Consider and Approve Tax Refunds totaling $1,738.40 (#445 - #462 )Acct. # 001-1000-010-1170 - Tax Collector

3b. Consider and Approve an Appropriation in the Amount of $6,085 to Miscellaneous Revenue Acct # 1009052-47040 and to Replacement Pay Acct # 10020150-51500 – Fire Chief

3c. Consider and Confirm the reappointment of Mr. Robert P. Blanchard to the Pension Commission for a six-year term Effective December 31, 2013 – December 31, 2018 - Mayor

3d. Consider and Approve a Request for a Bid Waiver to extend the Farmland lease for open space property (Field 18A) located at 995C East Center Street for a term of five (5) year – Environmental Planner

3e. Set a Public Hearing for 7:00 P.M. on January 22, 2013 to repeal Chapter 75- Bicycles of the Code of the Town of Wallingford – Vincent Cervoni and Craig Fishbein, Co-Chairmen of the Ordinance Committee

3f. Approve minutes of Regular Town Council meeting of December 18, 2012

4. Items Removed from the Consent Agenda

5. PUBLIC QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD

6. Acceptance of Donation and Appropriation in the Amount of $250 from Mrs. Souza to Revenue Miscellaneous Donation Acct # 1009052-47040 and to Veteran’s Aid (new account to be established in Veteran’s Budget) – Veterans’ Service Officer

7. Acceptance of Donation from Evonic Industries and Appropriation of Funds to new Special Revenue lines in Fund #250 as follows:

TO:

$500 Wallingford MRC Fund #250 Revenue

$1,500 Wallingford Fire Department Fund #250 Revenue

$1,500 Wallingford Police Department Fund #250 Revenue

TO:

$500 Wallingford MRC Fund #250 New Line to be established

$1,500 Wallingford Fire Department Fund #250 Revenue New Line to be established

$1,500 Wallingford Police Department Fund #250 Revenue New Line to be established

8. Consider and Approve a Request for Bid Waiver for the purchase of ION-8600 Substation Class Revenue Meters – Electric Division

9. Executive Session pursuant to §1-200 (6)(D) of the Connecticut General Statutes with respect to the purchase, sale and/or leasing of property – Mayor

In accordance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act- Individuals in need of auxiliary aids for effective communication in programs and services of the Town of Wallingford are invited to make their needs and preferences known to the ADA Compliance Coordinator at 203-294-2070 five days prior to meeting date.