MY TAKE - New concerns about old lampposts

I have a new post over on Wallingford Politico written by Laurie Rich Salerno from the Record Journal titled New concerns about old lampposts.

I am working on collecting some additional information I want to review and I will want to most likely wish to discuss at the next or immediately following Council Meeting.

At the end of the day it is really this: the Town Charter and the Wallingford Code are pretty clear on what is supposed to occur and in what fashion:

“The Purchasing Agent shall have the authority, with the approval of the Comptroller and the Mayor, to dispose of all unsaleable or unsold supplies, material and equipment.”

Not anyone else.

And the approval seems to require both the Comptroller and the Mayor (not “or” but rather “and”).

This was not the case as the Purchasing Agent was not aware that this activity was going on when I called Wednesday afternoon as he had indicated to me that “normally as part of his duties as the Purchasing Agent that he would otherwise handle “surplus property disposition” whether the decision be to recycle the materials or to try to sell them.

He also indicated on Thursday morning on a follow up call that to find out any further, specific details around the present situation that I should follow up with Mayor Dickinson.”

So this would seem to be yet another case of departments in the town doing what they want at will without respect for what the Charter and the Wallingford Code outlines especially now that I am watching the wagons get circled.

Sad part it – it wasn’t supposed to be a witch hunt; I was trying to get to the bottom of why there was no perceived value to these lights and all of a sudden when I asked why Purchasing wasn’t involved everyone got tight lipped and then suggested I call the Mayor.

There is a quote in the article that reads as follows:

Amadeo says the decision is up to Adair.

“It’s his call; if he’s saying it’s scrap, it’s scrap,” Amadeo said of Adair. “Stuff that is deemed saleable, they would send back to us to sell.”

So let’s take a look at the beginning of the Wallingford Code at 43-14:

The Purchasing Agent, with the approval of the Mayor, shall transfer to or between departments, office and agencies, or sell supplies, materials and equipment, determined, after consultation with the head of the department, office or agency concerned, to be surplus, obsolete or unused.

The Mayor gave no approval as the Purchasing Agent told me on the phone that he wasn’t full aware of the activity going on as the Public Utilities Director hadn’t been in contact with him regarding the work and that the Public Utilities Director was handling the activity and that if I wanted more details I would have to contact him.

Additionally, the way this reads, even if a prior discussion occurred the task should have been handled by the Purchasing Agent and not the Public Utilities Director or the staff.

The Purchasing Agent, with the approval of the Mayor, shall transfer to or between departments, office and agencies, or sell supplies, materials and equipment, determined, after consultation with the head of the department, office or agency concerned, to be surplus, obsolete or unused.

In my opinion the conversation, that never happened, should have gone like this according to our own ordinances, code and charter:

Public Utilities Director: “Hey Mr. Purchasing Agent, “We (the Wallingford Electric Division) don’t consider (these assets) suitable. We (the Wallingford Electric Division) do not want to perpetuate the use of them. We (the Wallingford Electric Division) consider them truly to be scrap.”

Purchasing Agent: “Thanks Mr. Public Utilities Director, let me get a hold of the Mayor and get the approval to surplus these obsolete assets.”

Purchasing Agent (dials the phone): “Mr. Mayor – I have the Public Utilities Director here in my office and he wants to recycle these obsolete assets; according to the Town Charter and the Wallingford Code, I need the “OK” first before I take on this effort”

Mayor: “If the Public Utilities Director says that they are inadequate, they are the department in charge of that asset, so I am good with that assessment and you can perform the duties as assigned.”

Purchasing Agent (to the Public Utilities Director): I have the approval to do this work; we can go ahead with the recycling if you think that is the best, most cost effective way to deal with the asset that is being retired.”

As to whether these assets really are “truly to be scrap” and have no value all I can say is “one battle at a time.”

Stay tuned.

New concerns about old lampposts

As published in the Record Journal Saturday October 27, 2012

By Laurie Rich Salerno
Record-Journal staff
lsalerno@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2235
Twitter:@LaurieSalernoRJ

WALLINGFORD — Jason Zandri has joined a small group of town councilors in questioning the decision by the Public Utilities Department to sell used ornamental lampposts for scrap instead of reselling them intact or reusing them elsewhere in town. Some other councilors say they trust the department’s call. Zandri has been talking to town staff and blogging in recent days about the lights, saying that he believes purchasing agent Sal Amadeo should have been the one to make the call as to whether the lights could be resold as is, not the Public Utilities Department.

“To me, the procedure should be that those are assets, the purchasing agent should have said these are scrap and then (utilities Director) George Adair should have been able to scrap them,” Zandri said.

Amadeo says the decision is up to Adair.

“It’s his call; if he’s saying it’s scrap, it’s scrap,” Amadeo said of Adair. “Stuff that is deemed saleable, they would send back to us to sell.”

The town-run Electric Division has been working to replace 37 ornamental lampposts that were originally installed during streetscape projects in the 1980s and 1990s. Adair says the poles are operational, but in poor shape, having been damaged by snowplows and weathering over the years. He said their construction also makes it difficult to get to wiring inside the base, forcing workers to lift the 50pound aluminum base to get inside.

The new poles have an access panel at the base. They cost just more than $3,000 apiece, and though a Wednesday Record-Journal article erroneously stated that that the funding for them came from a yearly town allocation, the replacement poles are part of normal operating costs that actually come from Electric Division revenues, Adair said.

The old poles are being disassembled and sold to a scrap dealer under a contract the dealer holds with the town.

Town councilors Craig Fishbein, a Republican, and Nick Economopoulos, a Democrat, said Tuesday that they felt the department could have reused the poles for other projects in town, such as the temporary Wooding-Caplan parking lot that is being constructed, or resold them intact for a higher price than they believe scrapping them would fetch.

Adair says the poles are basically unusable. “These are beat up; they’ve done their duty, they’ve seen their day.” Zandri said he believes the lights could have a higher resale value intact, comparing them to computers he has resold.

“A computer that might be scrap to me ... because I’m a power user ... I can rebuild it and sell it to somebody for 100 bucks because they just want to use the internet and do email on it,” Zandri said.

Other councilors said they had faith in the Public Utilities Department’s decision.

“I hope George Adair is making the best decision for the town of Wallingford, both from a fiscal standpoint and using good judgment here — and I’m sure he is,” said Councilor John Sullivan, a Democrat.

His Republican colleague, Tom Laffin, agreed, saying he doesn’t believe in micromanaging town staff.

“I trust the experts that carried us through the last storm and will this storm to know what they’re doing,” Laffin said, mentioning Hurricane Sandy, which is predicted to hit the area early next week.

Zandri said he wants to know what the actual procedure in place is and whether it’s being followed consistently by town employees and said he plans to continue to follow upon the issue, possibly requesting the issue to be placed on a future Town Council meeting agenda.

The town’s purchasing ordinance says that the purchasing agent has powers and duties, with the approval of the mayor, to sell “supplies, materials and equipment, determined after consultation with the head of the department, offices or agency concerned to be surplus, obsolete or unused.”

Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said he thought the old poles were handled appropriately.

“I don’t think very many people would see a used street light pole and fixture as something that would have general value,” Dickinson said. “If you have a table or a chair — that people can use — they can offer to other departments, they can be auctioned. In this case, I just don’t think there’s a market for used ornamental light fixtures that the department in charge of them are saying are inadequate.”

Wastewater treatment changes may be put off

As published in the Record Journal, Wednesday October 24, 2012

By Andrew Ragali
Record-Journal staff
aragali@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2224

WALLINGFORD — After months of negotiating with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, a coalition of municipalities that includes Southington, Wallingford and Meriden may not have to make expensive changes — an average of $56 million — to the facilities that handle their discharged water for at least five years.

The state has previously indicated that the phosphorus limits in water released from wastewater treatment plants would need to be decreased to 0.2 parts phosphorus per million. Relief from that requirement may be on the way, Southington Town Councilor Lou Martocchio said during Monday night’s council meeting, as the coalition is nearing an agreement that would provide a five-year permit from the DEEP allowing for phosphorus limits to remain at 0.7 parts per million, a limit set in 2008.

With the permit, Martocchio said, municipalities may see “literally in the millions of dollars in savings.”

Southington, Meriden and Wallingford have all said they would have to spend an average of $56 million in capital improvements and more than $2 million in annual operating costs to reach the new phosphorus limit of 0.2 parts per million.

“Six months ago, I thought this would never happen,” Martocchio said.

With nothing set in stone, leaders in Meriden, Wallingford and Southington are cautiously excited.

“There have been some good signs recently,” Wallingford Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said Tuesday.

He’s not convinced just yet though, saying, “We haven’t seen any language that at this point would confirm a breakthrough.”

“If you still have to commit to a process of removal within five or nine years, that would still be a concern to us,” he said.

Dickinson wants assurance he won’t have to upgrade the town’s treatment plant for phosphorus in the future, but Martocchio said that won’t be necessary after more testing is conducted to determine the effects of the nutrient on plant and animal life in the Quinnipiac River.

“The position DEEP took was at best arbitrary,” Martocchio said Monday night. “The standard or threshold won’t stay at the level it is now ... the threshold requirements are based on now will go higher.”

By possibly holding off on enforcing new limits for at least five years for further research, Meriden City Manager Lawrence J. Kendzior said DEEP is “doing what we had asked of them initially.”

“We’re encouraged by the department’s latest position,” Kendzior said.

Southington Town Manager Garry Brumback credited the DEEP for “stepping up to the plate” and considering a five year permit. The part that is still up in the air, he said, is further scientific research.

“We’ve got to have some scientific evaluation method as to whether or not the draconian and expensive steps we would have to take to get phosphorus levels down to 0.2 parts per million are necessary,” Brumback said.

Unlike Dickinson, Brumback isn’t worried about a commitment to upgrade the town’s treatment plant after the permit expires.

“We would have the ability to protest it, and we’re hoping if we get to that point, the handwriting will already be on the wall,” he said.

DEEP spokesman Dennis Schain said that the state agency understands the challenges faced by municipalities in trying to adhere to phosphorus limits handed down by the Environmental Protection Agency, a federal entity.

“We’re working with them trying to find new approaches that work for municipalities, work for us and the EPA, and serve to protect the environment,” Schain said.

He couldn’t comment further on negotiations because they are ongoing.

Cheshire was once part of the coalition, which also includes Danbury and Waterbury, but dropped out in April because it received $6.9 million in grant money from the Clean Water Fund to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant — a $31.3 million project.

“We’re happy with the way we went,” Milone said. “We couldn’t walk away from $7million in grants.”

He credited the entire coalition, especially Brumback, for its work in fighting new limits, but said “I’m not completely confident that there will be an immediate resolution.”

Brumback said that the permit, if issued, would come by the end of the calendar year.

Milone said that he felt that the best that could be achieved is a delay, and that the town would still have to go forward with upgrades five years from now. To partner the phosphorus upgrade with the Cheshire treatment plant’s overhaul saves money, Milone said, and it would be pointless to do the project separately.

“I’ve learned one thing,” Milone said. “It ain’t over till it’s over. Until the permit is signed, you can’t rely on it.”

Connecticut 85th State Assembly District Forum: Mary Mushinsky and Greg Bachand

Connecticut 103rd State Assembly District Forum: Alfred Adinolfi and Elizabeth Linehan

Scrapping light poles: Is it such a bright idea?

As published in the Record Journal Wednesday October 24, 2012

By Laurie Rich Salerno
Record-Journal staff
lsalerno@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2235
Twitter:@LaurieSalernoRJ

WALLINGFORD — The town is replacing 37 of its 160 ornamental streetlights and selling the used poles for scrap metal, but some town councilors believe the old poles could be reused.

The Electric Division has spent the last few weeks replacing what Public Utilities Director George Adair says are the oldest decorative aluminum light poles in town.

The lights were erected during streetscape projects over the last three decades, said Mayor William W. Dickinson, Jr. The earliest was in the late 1980s, the most recent in the early 2000s.

Adair said the poles being replaced are in poor shape, having taken a beating from snowplows and the elements over the years. They are also difficult to fix, he said. Their 50-pound aluminum bases need to be lifted every time workers need to get to the wiring inside.

“They were just a pain in the neck for maintenance,” Adair said.

The new streetlights have a panel at the bottom that can be removed so workers can more easily get to the wiring. The old lampposts are being disassembled and will go to scrap metal dealer Albert Brothers in Waterbury, with which the department has a standing contract, Adair said.

Town Councilor Craig Fishbein, whose law office is on South Main Street where poles have been replaced, said they look nice but he thinks the still-operational streetlights should be reused by the town.

“I guess it’s typical of government to take a working product and reduce it to scrap metal as opposed to recycling,” said Fishbein, a Republican.

Fishbein and fellow Town Councilor Nicholas Economopoulos, a Democrat, said they think the old poles should be placed around town, perhaps at the town-owned Wooding-Caplan site, which is set to be paved as a temporary parking lot.

“Since that’s supposed to be a temporary fix, why couldn’t we use those lights temporarily?“ Fishbein said.

Adair said the division wants the old poles out of circulation.

“We don’t consider them suitable. We do not want to perpetuate the use of them. ... We consider them truly to be scrap,” Adair said. “It’s not something we have interest in at all.”

The change, he said, will allow his workers to deal with streetlight problems more quickly.

Town Councilor John Le-Tourneau, a Republican, disagreed with his colleagues, saying restoring the poles might be more costly than replacing them. “It’s not just a matter of we’ll put them in storage and take them,” LeTourneau said. “When you reach into rehabbing something that’s been problematic anyhow, what’s your cost savings? At the end of the day it might just be cheaper to replace them with something that’s going to function better.”

Dickinson said the new streetlights do not have any specific energy-efficient technologies, such as LED lighting, which Fishbein said he’d like to see.

For ornamental lights, though, “there is not a LED product that the department has confidence in now,” Dickinson said. The new poles cost just more than $3,000 each, Adair said. Though the Electric Division is an enterprise fund, much of the funding for the new poles came from a yearly town allocation, Adair said, as approved by the town council in the fiscal year 2011-12 budget.

About the project, Dickinson said, “this grows out of the whole effort to ensure that the lights were on. It’s progress, we’re trying to make them better.”

Christopher Zajac courtesy of the Record-Journal

A new streetlight stands along South Main Street in Wallingford, one of 37 replacements scheduled.

Connecticut 86th State Assembly District Forum: Vincent Candelora (2012)

Connecticut 90th State Assembly District Forum: Mary Fritz and Guy Darter (2012)

Connecticut State Senate 34th District Forum: Leonard Fasano and Steven Fontana (2012)

WALLINGFORD - Fur flies at forum for 85th, 90th

As published in the Record Journal, Friday October 19, 2012

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

WALLINGFORD — Republican Greg Bachand says state spending has grown 700 percent during the 32 years his opponent, Democratic state Rep. Mary M. Mushinsky, has held office.

“Her voting record speaks so loudly, it doesn’t matter what she said here tonight,” he said.

But Mushinsky called Bachand a “tea party aficionado” and said with the cuts he proposes, he’s putting dollars before people.

“There’s a clear choice between the two of us,” she said. “He looks at numbers, not people.”

Bachand and Mushinsky, who are vying for Wallingford’s 85th state House district, were the first of four pairs of candidates to face off in candidate forums sponsored by the Wallingford Community Women at Town Hall Wednesday and Thursday night. The forums were taped and will be rebroadcast on Wallingford Government TV.

On an issue that has financial implications in the millions, Bachand and Mushinsky also disagreed. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection adopted a phosphorus reduction strategy in response to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and compliance with the current standards will cost Wallingford $19 million.

Mushinsky, who has been a longtime environmental advocate, said the legislature passed a bill to give municipalities more time to comply with the standards and to receive up to 30 percent of the cost of the upgrades from state grants.

“I think more time and good technology should allow us to solve this problem at a reasonable cost,” she said.

But Bachand said unfunded mandates are “not sensible.”

103rd House District: Parts of Wallingford, Cheshire and Southington

Democrat Elizabeth Linehan agreed with her opponent, Republican state Rep. Al Adinolfi, on several issues throughout the forum. Both candidates said they supported reducing state government spending and suspending the Risk Reduction Earned Credits Program, which allows inmates to take courses and earn time off their sentences.

“It’s too inefficient on who they allowed to be released early,” Adinolfi said.

“I may be a Democrat but I am tough on crime,” Linehan said. “I have kids who live in this community ... I’m not messing around.”

But Linehan, a mother of two, said she felt she was more in touch with the concerns of residents in the 103rd District, which includes portions of Wallingford, Cheshire and Southington.

“Mr. Adinolfi, as nice as he is, does not fully represent the values of our district,” she said. Adinolfi said he has been elected five times, and votes based on what he hears from his constituents.

“I know what’s going on up there and I know what needs to get done,” he said.

90th House District: Parts of Wallingford and Cheshire

In one of the sharper exchanges of the night, Republican Guy Darter criticized the record of his opponent, Democratic state Rep. Mary Fritz. Darter said Fritz has been part of Democratic leadership that, through increased spending and taxes, “has driven the state into the ground.”

“Sometimes I wonder how you sleep at night,” he said.

But Fritz defended her record, saying she voted against the state income tax when it was proposed in the early 1990s and also voted against Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s most recent budget, which included $1.8 billion in new taxes.

When Darter called for spending cuts, Fritz pointed out that his company, Darter Specialties, has earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in state contracts.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have spent that money,” she said.

Darter countered that he would be in favor of eliminating his own contract — which covers pens, pencils, coffee mugs and other promotional material for the state.

“It’s one of many of the frivolous ways we’re spending money,” he said.

34th Senate District: Wallingford, East Haven and parts of North Haven and Durham

Democrat Steve Fontana, a former state representative from North Haven, criticized Republican state Sen. Len Fasano for not working hard enough to support the middle class.

“He’s become too close to millionaires and corporations,” Fontana said. “On issue after issue Len sides with millionaires and corporations. What we really need ... are people that side with the middle class.”

But Fasano said that Democrats had supported a budget that increased the sales tax and made clothing purchases under $50 and over-the-counter drugs taxable.

“That hurts the average person.”

He agreed with Fontana that the middle class is in trouble, but said Democrats were to blame.

“We’ve had 26 years of one party rule. ... It wasn’t me, it wasn’t my party that got us here.”

Fontana, who served in the General Assembly from 1997 to 2011, was defeated by Republican David Yaccarino for the 87th state House District seat in 2010. He said in the two years since, he has learned to reconnect with his community. “Too often when you’re at the Capitol, you live in a bubble,” he said.

This year is the first time Fasano has had an opponent since he joined the state Senate in 2002, but the Republican said he wasn’t changing his message or his campaign strategy.

“I want my kids to stay in the state of Connecticut,” he said. “I have to make this place desirable for them to live here.”

AGENDA WALLINGFORD REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT

REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Town Council Chambers

TUESDAY

October 23, 2012

6:30 P.M

AGENDA

Opening Prayer –Reverend Dee Ann Dodd, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Wallingford

1. Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

2. Correspondence

3. Consent Agenda

3a. Consider and Approve Tax Refunds totaling $5,446.31 (#266 - #293)Acct. # 001-1000-010-1170 - Tax Collector

3b. Consider and Approve a Budget Amendment in the Amount of $26,800 from Appropriation to Cash to Various Accounts (eleven) – Sewer Division

3c. Consider and Approve a Budget Amendment in the Amount of $4,800 to Appropriation and to Cash from Various Accounts (twenty) – Water Division

3d. Consider and Approve a Transfer – Local 1183 Wages in the Amount of $120,019 from Contingency-Accrued Expenses Acct 10019000-58821 to Various Accounts (twenty-three) – Personnel

3e. Consider and Approve a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to make application to the Department of Social Services for a Human Resource Development (HRD) program in the Amount of $53,844, effective January 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014, to provide additional information as may be requested, to enter into and amend contractual instruments in the name of and on behalf of the Town and to act as the authorized representative of the Town of Wallingford – Program Planning

3f. Consider and approve an Agreement between the Town of Wallingford and SCOW to fulfill all terms and conditions of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Grant - Program Planning

3g. Approve minutes of Regular Town Council meeting of October 9, 2012

4. Items Removed from the Consent Agenda

5. PUBLIC QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD

6. Consider and Approve a Budget Amendment in the Amount of $80,000 to Appropriation from Cash to Maintenance of Structures & Improvements Acct # 43100651 – Water Division

7. Consider and Approve a Bid Waiver for online services from SchoolDude – Board of Education

8. Report out on performance of the Ambulance Transport Division for 1st Quarter of FY 2012-13 – Fire Chief

9. Acceptance and Appropriation of FEMA Grant to Ambulance Transport Enterprise Fund in the Amount of $151,494 to Grant Revenue Acct (New Line to be established) and to Cardiac Monitors Acct (New Line to be established)- Fire Department

10. Acceptance and Appropriation of Wallingford Energy, LLC Grant to Ambulance Transport Enterprise Fund in the Amount of $3,500 to Grant Revenue Acct (New Line to be established) and to Cardiac Monitors (New Line to be established)- Fire Department

11. Consider and Approve a Transfer in the Amount of $11,650 for Ambulance Transport Enterprise Fund to Cardiac Monitors Acct (New Line to be established) from Regular Salaries and Wages Acct 50020155-51000 – Fire Department

12. Discussion and Possible Action with regard to the latest bid submission for 41 South Main Street property and the former American Legion Building – Chairman Robert Parisi

13. Discussion and Possible Action for Appointing a Town Parking Authority – Councilor Nick Economopoulos

14. 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

15. Executive Session pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes §1-225(f) and §1-200(6)(B) to discuss the following tax appeals:

(a) Respironics, Inc. v. Town of Wallingford

(b) PMC Realty, LLC v. Town of Wallingford

(c) Plaza 15-5, LLC v. Town of Wallingford

-Law Department

16. Motion to consider and approve the settlement of the Respironics, Inc. v. Town of Wallingford tax appeal matter as discussed in Executive Session – Law Department

17. Motion to consider and approve the settlement of the PMC Realty, LLC v. Town of Wallingford tax appeal matter as discussed in Executive Session – Law Department

18. Discussion and possible action regarding the matter of the Plaza 15-5, LLC v. Town of Wallingford tax appeal matter as discussed in Executive Session – Law Department

Oct. 23 is last day to register to vote

WALLINGFORD — The final day to register to vote by mail is Oct. 23. Applications must be received by this date.

All registrations must be in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24 through Oct. 30, in the registrars’ office, Room 211, Town Hall.

The office will have extended hours until 8 p.m. Oct. 30.

Visitors may enter the Town Hall after 5 p.m.by the automatic doors in the left rear of the building.

For assistance with absentee ballots, contact the town clerk’s office.

34th State Senate District race: Fasano, Fontana are all business

As published in the Record Journal Wednesday October 17, 2012

By Laurie Rich Salerno
Record-Journal staff
lsalerno@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2235
Twitter:@LaurieSalernoRJ

NORTH HAVEN — Candidates in the 34th Senate District race differed on how to foster economic growth in Connecticut during a business- focused Tuesday morning forum.

Incumbent state Sen. Leonard Fasano, a Republican, championed tax credits and small business loans, while his opponent, former state Rep. Steven Fontana, a Democrat, said that lowering health care and energy costs would better help businesses.

The candidates fielded questions from panelists at a forum sponsored by the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce held at Ulbrich Steel headquarters in North Haven. The event was moderated by chamber member Christine Mansfield, of Wallingford.

“I think taxes are one of the most important issues facing businesses. We’ve got to change the tax structure, it’s just impossible for small businesses to survive,” said Fasano, answering a question from chamber lobbyist Betsy Gara asking how the candidates would resolve the top issues facing state businesses.

Fasano, a small business owner, also said the state should be assisting community banks with making small business loans.

Fontana said tax policy has“extreme limits” in terms of encouraging business. He champions lowering small business costs for energy and health care to help level the playing field.

“It costs small businesses a lot more to compete than it does large corporations. We can use the ability of the state to pool customers, to negotiate better rates on behalf of customers as well as to promote energy efficiency and conservation,” Fontana said.

Fasano disagreed with Fontana’s plan, saying that a pooling health plan had been passed but vetoed by former Gov. M. Jodi M. Rell, a Republican, and purposely never taken up by Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy upon taking office. He said this was because businesses with high-risk insurance costs would weigh down the state system.

Fontana said Rell’s veto was another example of Republican obstructionism in the state legislature, and added that there were different ways pooling could work.

Both candidates agreed that the state should invest in educational programs to better equip students to take on high tech jobs. Each has said in previous interviews that they’ve talked to high-tech business owners who say it’s tough to find qualified job candidates in the state.

On energy issues, Fasano said he believes in the state’s recent push to promote infrastructure for natural gas. That, along with tax credits for alternative energy technologies like fuel cells, he said, would make energy more affordable for businesses and energy-saving more attractive. He said that as a small business owner, he’s looked at some of the energy saving technology and found it cost-prohibitive, and that tax credits would help people in the same position purchase that technology.

Fontana, who chaired the state legislature’s Energy Committee for four years, said he agrees with what he has heard from residents, that tax credits don’t move people to do things like invest in alternative energy. He said he believes the state’s procurement manager should negotiate state-wide purchasing rates for energy for the state’s utility companies to obtain lower bulk costs.

Fasano said this type of bulk procurement is already in place. “That’s sort of happening on a private scale,” Fasano said.

He also said the state had the highest rates for power in the nation while Fontana was chairman of the energy committee, and said the legislature’s vote to deregulate electricity was a mistake, another measure Fontana voted for. The state deregulated electricity in 2000, prior to Fasano being elected.

“I’m not blaming the people who voted for it. ... I wasn’t there, so I’m not going to second- guess anyone’s vote because I wasn’t there to hear the arguments,” Fasano said.

Fontana, who had previously acknowledged that deregulation has not worked well, defended his vote, saying when the legislature voted on the issue, energy prices in the state were already the highest in the country and the business community came to legislators and testified that deregulation would lower rates.

“The business community came up to us and said you have to do something that will lower our rates,” Fontana said. “And it did temporarily.”

Both men voiced support for upcoming upgrades to the New Haven-to-Springfield rail line, and each had issues with the state’s proposed bus way.

The candidates also agreed that the state’s bipartisan jobs package passed late last year contains good plans, and time will tell whether all the projects within it work.

The candidates will appear together again Thursday at 8 p.m. at Wallingford Town Hall for another forum.

Laurie Rich Salerno / Record-Journal

Sen. Leonard Fasano, left, responds to a question while his opponent, Steven Fontana, takes notes.

Election 2012

---

Steve Fontana Democrat for State Senate – Plan for Making Higher Education More Affordable

Steve Fontana is the Democrat Candidate for the 34th District State Senate seat that covers Wallingford and East Haven as well as part of North Haven and Durham.

Steve’s website is http://stephenfontana.com/2012/ and he has forwarded his Plan for Making Higher Education More Affordable which is available for download.

Oct. 23 is last day to register to vote

WALLINGFORD — The final day to register to vote by mail is Oct. 23. Applications must be received by this date.

All registrations must be in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24 through Oct. 30, in the registrars’ office, Room 211, Town Hall.

The office will have extended hours until 8 p.m. Oct. 30.

Visitors may enter the Town Hall after 5 p.m.by the automatic doors in the left rear of the building.

For assistance with absentee ballots, contact the town clerk’s office.

Winsley: Only a debate will do; DeLauro’s staff says forums are good enough

As published in the Record Journal Tuesday October 9, 2012

By Laurie Rich Salerno
Record-Journal staff
lsalerno@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2235
Twitter:@LaurieSalernoRJ

WALLINGFORD — Wayne Winsley says he’s being ignored.

The Republican candidate for the 3rd Congressional District seat said that his requests for debates against 11-term Democratic incumbent Rosa DeLauro were not acknowledged for weeks by her campaign — until 30 minutes before a press conference in New Haven he had planned to hold on the topic last Wednesday.

The email he received from DeLauro’s campaign staff that day said that they were setting up a debate on WFSB’s “Face the State,” but a date had not been confirmed. Winsley said Monday that he hasn’t heard anything since from his opponent’s campaign.

“We are 29 days out from the election and I believe that Congresswoman DeLauro is trying to run out the clock,” Winsley said.

But DeLauro campaign officials say that, while there isn’t a date yet, the “Face the State” debate is on — and that they’re the ones who called the station to request it.

“I reached out to them on the congresswoman’s behalf to initiate a debate,” said De-Lauro campaign spokesman Jimmy Tickey. “They have been in touch with us — we have confirmed.”

WFSB assignment manager Chris Collibee said Monday that DeLauro’s campaign had contacted the station, and that he is working on scheduling a debate between the two. He couldn’t confirm at this point that the debate would definitely occur.

Winsley, a former radio host turned motivational speaker, from Naugatuck, said he believes DeLauro is dodging him.

“I can only guess that she assumes that people will just vote for her anyway,” Winsley said, adding that her reticence could also be because of the state of jobs and the economy since she’s been in office.

Tickey said that isn’t the case.

“The congresswoman has always taken part in events that give voters an opportunity to hear from the candidates,” Tickey said, adding that in every election she has participated “in forums and debates and things that bring the candidates together.”

State Democratic Party communications director Elizabeth Larkin said DeLauro has historically done two debates, one on WFSB and one on Channel 30, and that Channel 30 had not seemed interested in a debate this year.

“She’s always done these specific things, and that’s kind of how her schedule goes,” Larkin said.

Tickey said Winsley requested the debates for the first time two weeks ago, and his team responded a week later — a common timeframe, he said. Winsley said he first called the campaign to discuss the debate a month ago.

In addition to the “Face the State” debate, the two are also scheduled to both appear at two candidate forums, in which they will not go toe-to-toe, but respond to questions from the audience.

The first is the Westfield residents forum on Oct. 22 at Third Congregational Church in Middletown at 7:30 p.m., the other is on Oct. 28 at Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden at 9 a.m.

But Winsley said forums aren’t as revealing for voters as debates.

“The forums are opportunities for the candidates to give a statement and be asked some questions, but they’re not on the stage at the same time — you don’t engage each other,” Winsley said.

Tickey disagreed, saying the forums are valuable.

“Often the folks who attend candidate forums are the residents,” Tickey said, adding that it’s a “great opportunity to have an exchange of ideas — to talk about policy.”

‘Wallingford Empowered’ makes debut with eye on 2013 election

As published in the Record Journal Tuesday October 9, 2012

By Laurie Rich Salerno

Record-Journal staff

lsalerno@record-journal.com

(203) 317-2235

Twitter:@LaurieSalernoRJ


WALLINGFORD — Many visitors to Celebrate Wallingford this weekend witnessed the debut of a new town political group. It’s called “Wallingford Empowered,” and organizers say it’s devoted to getting out the vote, promoting transparency, strong ethics, and the use of technology in local government.

Over the weekend, volunteers from Wallingford Empowered handed out voter registration forms and flyers at the festival urging residents to “Spark the Conversation.” The group has been a registered Political Action Committee for about six weeks, and this was its first formal event, according to organizers.

“The whole goal is to try to encourage people who haven’t voted to try to come out and vote,” said Geno Zandri, a member and former towncouncilor, and Democratic candidate for mayor in 1999.

Zandri is one of the wellknown local Democrats in the group, which was started by local resident Richard Caplan. Caplan said the group has two functions: spurring more residents to vote and increasing discourse between the two parties that he feels has evaporated through the years.

“It’s just a group of people who’d like to re-establish ... the political conversation betweenparties that seems to have completely dissolved,” Caplan said, and “simultaneously increase the voter turnout.”

Though the members skew Democratic, Democratic Town Chairman Vincent Avallone said it is separate from the town committee.

“We’re entirely separate — although there are a lot of the same ideas and thoughts and goals,” Avallone said. He said that he is not part of the new group.

Caplan acknowledged that some of the group’s 20-plus members are Democrats, but he did not say whether the group had a political preference. He said the group advocates for better government.

“Certainly the flavor of this group is advocating significantly more transparency in government than is currently being displayed in town,” Caplan said.

Avallone, who said he had spoken with group members,said he could not say whether the overall group is Democratic.

“I don’t think they’re a pro-Dickinson group,” Avallone said, referencing Republican Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. Dickinson was unavailable for comment, as Town Hall was closed Monday for Columbus Day. The mayor has been frequently criticized by members of both political parties for not embracing technology.

The big push right now for members is to help people register to vote or encourage those already registered to vote — but though the national election is just a month away, members say they’re actually focusing on municipal elections a year from now.

“Our goal is the local election, however we did already register people that will qualify for the presidential election,”Zandri said. Zandri is in charge of the voting effort, Caplan said. Zandri said he and other volunteers would be knocking on doors and calling registered voters who didn’t vote in the last election, and non-registered voters, to encourage them to vote. Most efforts will begin after the Nov. 6 election. The idea is to improve voting rates in solely municipal elections; in 2011, voter turnout was just 39.4 percent.

“To help people understandthat local elections are as important, if not more important, than national ones that seem to attract a higher turnout,” Caplan said.

Though for now the group’s intent is to get out the vote, Caplan said that could change, intimating larger aspirations for Wallingford Empowered.

“I think the group will evolve,” Caplan said. “Two months from now, three months from now it may have a different focus.”

The group has a website and a Facebook page. Reached Monday, Republican Town Councilor Craig Fishbein said he hadn’t heard much about the group, but after looking at its website said he welcomed its stated goals.

“Transparency and openness are always good for better government — I welcome whoever to our process,” Fishbein said.

Connecticut Senate Debate: Linda McMahon vs. Chris Murphy - 10/7/12

Same boards, different looks; Ethics panels vary in makeup, duties, depending on municipality

As published in the Record Journal Sunday October 7, 2012

By Laurie Rich Salerno
Record-Journal staff
lsalerno@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2235
Twitter:@LaurieSalernoRJ

WALLINGFORD — In his opening statements at last week’s ethics hearing, resident Robert Gross called into question the independence of ethics boards appointed by a mayor or a government council — which is how Wallingford, Southington and Meriden ethics boards are constructed.

Gross read a letter from a nonprofit municipal ethics group he had consulted. The letter, from Robert Wechsler of City Ethics, said that “It is bad enough that the Board of Ethics’ members were elected by the mayor and approved by the council and, therefore, are not seen by town residents as wholly impartial,” and suggested that board members be chosen by community organizations.

Wechsler, a North Haven resident, is director of research at City Ethics, a nonprofit organization that analyzes local government ethics programs.

Gross ended up withdrawing his complaint, but left the letter with the board.

“So what community group has no conflict with anyone?” said Wallingford’s Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr., questioning the suggestion on Friday. “Certainly we all have to be concerned with conflicts of interest, but you have to use some reason with evaluating what can work, what makes sense.”

In Wallingford, Southington and Meriden, board of ethics members are appointed by the mayor or council. In each municipality the board takes up ethical issues dealing with municipal employees and elected and appointed officials.

In Wallingford, five Board of Ethics members and three alternates are appointed by the mayor and then go before the Town Council for approval. Members can be from any political party or unaffiliated, but there can’t be a majority political party on the board, Dickinson said.

Meriden’s five ethics board members are appointed the same way, but Southington’s Town Council appoints members and requires their party affiliations to be split, with two Democrats and two Republicans on the board and two alternates of opposing parties.

Cheshire does not have an ethics body, and routes all complaints to its town attorney or town manager.

Cheshire’s town attorney, Dwight Johnson, agrees with Wechsler that politics can play an unappealing role on ethics boards and recommends that a town attorney — as long as he or she is not a political appointee — field ethics questions or complaints.

“Virtually all towns have an ethics and conflicts policy. When a question arises, you don’t need a committee to analyze the issue, vis-à-vis the policy, you need a lawyer to do it, or the town manager,” Johnson said.

Attorneys for the other municipalities disagreed.

“I wouldn’t want this department to be the be-all, end-all,” said Wallingford’s corporation counsel, Janis Small, “You can look to seek some advice from your law department, but they’re not the end decision.”

Meriden Corporation Counsel Michael Quinn said that in the city having legal counsel act as an ethics board would carry the same ethical concerns Johnson is voicing – because he is a political appointee of the city council majority, and City Attorney Deborah Moore is an employee who could be considered to have a conflict of interest dealing with ethics claims for another employee.

“I don’t know that there’s ever any really 100 percent absolute way of preventing any possible political conflict like that. It’s just a reality,” said Quinn. “Every community has to do it the way they think works best for them. In Meriden, this is how we’ve done it and I think it’s worked well.”

In Meriden and Wallingford, the Board of Ethics handles charges of ethics violations and advisory opinions, in which the board considers whether a person has a conflict of interest that preclude ruling or voting on a specific issue.

In Southington, the town attorney gives advisory opinions, but the ethics board still adjudicates complaints of violations.

If someone who has received an advisory opinion is later called up on an ethics complaint “that particular person could submit that to the ethics committee. That would help them immensely in front of the ethics board,” said Town Attorney Mark Sciota.

In Southington the board’s opinion is presented to the committee or council the member serves on, and they must vote whether to accept it. In Wallingford and Meriden the opinion is sent to the town or city council with recommendations for disciplinary action.

The boards have recently weighed in on high-profile cases in each municipality. Most recently, in Wallingford, Gross lodged a complaint against Town Councilors Tom Laffin and John LeTourneau, both Republicans, saying they shouldn’t have discussed an issue regarding Holy Trinity School because the two had ties to the school. He withdrew the complaint.

In Meriden, former 12-year City Councilor George McGoldrick was ultimately cleared of ethics charges in May 2011 regarding his role as a consultant with architectural firm Fletcher Thompson while the city was interested in hiring the firm.

In Southington, Parking Authority member Matthew Florian was censured in September 2011 for voting on an overnight downtown parking plan that would have affected his business.

Full HD version of my CNN appearance discussing the first Presidential Debate of the 2012 campaign

My buddy Nick D'Emanuele was able to pull of his DVR my CNN appearance as well as get me a nice clean HD version so with that I am reposting it below

Thanks again Nick D'Emanuele from Endecom Computer Services

26th Annual CELEBRATE WALLINGFORD is this weekend

Quick note – I will be there this weekend, weather permitting – Sunday may be up in the air. I will be collecting donations for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund. Hope to see you there

 

As published in the supplement to the Record Journal on Friday October 5, 2012

By Elizabeth Landow , Executive Director, Wallingford Center Inc.

Once again, it is time for CELEBRATE WALLINGFORD!! The first weekend in October marks the biggest event of the year. It is the time of the year that we can truly appreciate this wonderful town we live in!

After five years in our Hall Street location, we are excited to be holding the event up at the South and North Main Streets location.

This is a wonderful opportunity to 'taste' the specialties of many of Wallingford's finest restaurants and recognize the civic and non-profit organizations that help make this town what it is! Please stop by and admire the handicraft of the many participating crafters and be sure to check out the businesses that are participating this year – there are several new local entrepreneurs who have decided to showcase their businesses at the festival.

For the fourth year, we will be hosting a Homemade pie contest – the judges can't wait to taste the wonderful entries this year and as always we have a delightful selection of music scheduled to entertain you.

WCI is thrilled once again to join forces with the Health Department and the Wallingford Family YMCA to present the 3rd Annual Activate Wallingford Health Walk and we are happy to announce that theca will be hosting a 'Fitness Fun Zone', in the Holy Trinity School parking lot. Please stop by to see what all the excitement is about!

A new addition this year is the 'New' Car Show!! Several of Wallingford's car dealers will be displaying the exciting new models of cars in the parking lot behind Simpson Court.

Another exciting feature this year is the 'Harvest Fair' down at the gazebo – please walk down to the railroad station green where you can find several of the local farmers selling pumpkins, mums and all sorts of things to get you into the Autumn mood and along the way be sure to stop by the local stores and shop a bit and pay special attention to the youth groups that will have a tent on the sidewalks – these kids will be showcasing their organizations and selling their fundraisers.

And last but not least – please walk through the Cemetery and view the wonderful artwork done by area adults and children and organized by Easel Works and take a moment to admire the beautiful Cemetery that is so well – maintained and is a truly a treasured part of Wallingford's history.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Wallingford Center, Inc., I would like to thank our major sponsors, Stop & Shop, Mid-State Medical and Ferguson &McGuire As well as our other sponsors: Nucor, John J. Kovacs Insurance and Plunske's Garage for their continued support to Celebrate Wallingford. WCI is fortunate to have the support of Mayor Dickinson and the town officials. If not for the help of our volunteers and dedicated town employees this event would not be possible. On a personal note – I would like to thanks all the WCI Board members who selflessly dedicate their time and energy to do whatever is needed to make this a successful event year after year.

Please come down and spend the day with us and CELEBRATE WALLINGFORD!!

Jason Zandri, Jerry Labriola comment on first Presidential debate

As published in the Record Journal, Friday October 5, 2012

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

WALLINGFORD — The airwaves Thursday morning were full of pundits and politicians discussing the first debate between President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, and town residents had a chance to hear a familiar face weigh in on the contest.

Democratic Town Councilor Jason Zandri appeared on “CNN Newsroom” with anchor Carol Costello, discussing his own take on the debate and the feeling of the 80 to 90 people who attended a public debate watch party he organized at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, his family’s banquet facility.

“Voters were there, they were watching Obama, and some people say he appeared rather lifeless, so what was their reaction to his performance?” Costello asked.

“I think a lot of the people that were in attendance, they were set to see a full-on charge by President Obama and I think they were a little bit surprised at how strongly candidate Romney came out,” Zandri said.

Republican State Chairman Jerry Labriola Jr., a town resident, said he believed the strong debate performance would help Romney in the polls.

“I think we’ll see a swing that puts Gov. Romney in the lead nationally and trailing by single digits in Connecticut,” he said.

Polls by Quinnipiac University this week showed Obama leading Romney 49 percent to 45 percent among likely voters nationwide and 54 percent to 42 percent in Connecticut.

“I think Romney did well,” said Republican Town Chairman Robert Prentice, a Romney backer who watched the debate from home. “I think anytime there was a statement he thought was incorrect, he came back quickly. I liked the fact that he wasn’t getting pushed around.”

But Zandri, an Obama supporter, said that even if the president didn’t perform as well as Romney, with the election a month away, most voters have made up their minds, though there are still a small number of undecided voters up for grabs.

“I think, with these debates, the people are already set in who they’re going to vote for,” he said. “They’re there trying to solidify the reason they picked their candidate.”

Zandri’s advice for Obama was to “double down on what he’s already good at, take this as a learning lesson and keep moving forward.”

Taping at CNN’s Manhattan studio at Columbus Circle wasn’t difficult for Zandri, who works at Bloomberg, about six blocks away. The show’s staff found him through the debate watch party, which he organized online.

The appearance lasted about two minutes, but Zandri spent substantially more time preparing, putting on makeup and getting ready for the segment, which started at about 9:40 a.m.

“I was a little bit nervous,” he said. “I think the biggest thing I did prior to this was a little interview on News Channel 8.”

rblair@record-journal.com (203) 317-2225 Twitter: @RussellBlairRJ

CNN

Jason Zandri talks with CNN’s Carol Costello Thursday about the presidential debate.

WALLINGFORD – REMINDER - Covanta, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to hold meeting TONIGHT

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Covanta, the owners of the town’s trash-to-energy plant, will hold an informational public meeting TONIGHT October 4th at 7PM in the Wallingford Town Hall to answer questions about the facility.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

TONIGHT - Public Presidential Debate Watch -Wednesday, October 3, 2012 7:00 PM

If you are already planning to watch the presidential debate please consider joining us - one and all - and engage in the discussion and participate.

The event is free - the doors open at 7PM and the debate starts at 9PM

https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gsbdg2

Public Presidential Debate Watch (2012 Debate Watch Party)

#2012debates: The first presidential debate of the 2012 election is Wednesday, October 3rd. The public is invited to gather to this free event to watch the debate together and make plans to get involved for the final month of the election. Join us for what is sure to be a fun evening!

While not actually nonpartisan one and all are invited to watch, discuss and debate.

Time: Wednesday, October 3, 2012 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Host: Jason Zandri

Location:
Zandri's Stillwood Inn
1074 South Colony RD
Wallingford, CT 06492

Jason Zandri scheduled to appear on CNN's Newsroom with Carol Costello on Thursday, October 4th at 9:30AM

I was contacted by Turner Broadcasting / CNN and asked to appear on CNN's Newsroom with Carol Costello on Thursday, October 4th at 9:30AM as part of the discussion around the Presidential Debate planned for Wednesday evening and the public response to the candidates’ dialog.

As you may know, we are hosting the Public Presidential Debate Watch at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn. It was through the posting of the public event that facilitated the contact and I’m excited for the opportunity.

We have seating for up to 350 people so we are really hoping for a lot of participation and now with this invitation I will be looking for constituent feedback for the discussion the following morning.

We hope you can join us Wednesday October 3rd; the debate starts at 9PM but the facility will be open at 7PM for people to come on down and engage in dialog and discussion.

If you cannot join us but will be watching from home please tune in to CNN Newsroom with Carol Costello on Thursday, October 4th at 9:30AM for the news and review.

 

REMINDER - Public Presidential Debate Watch -Wednesday, October 3, 2012 7:00 PM

If you are already planning to watch the presidential debate please consider joining us - one and all - and engage in the discussion and participate.

The event is free - the doors open at 7PM and the debate starts at 9PM

https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gsbdg2

Public Presidential Debate Watch (2012 Debate Watch Party)

#2012debates: The first presidential debate of the 2012 election is Wednesday, October 3rd. The public is invited to gather to this free event to watch the debate together and make plans to get involved for the final month of the election. Join us for what is sure to be a fun evening!

While not actually nonpartisan one and all are invited to watch, discuss and debate.

Time: Wednesday, October 3, 2012 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Host: Jason Zandri

Location:
Zandri's Stillwood Inn
1074 South Colony RD
Wallingford, CT 06492

WALLINGFORD - Covanta, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to hold meeting

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Covanta, the owners of the town’s trash-to-energy plant, will hold an informational public meeting on October 4th at 7PM in the Wallingford Town Hall to answer questions about the facility.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend.