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.

Complaint accuses councilors of ties to Holy Trinity School

As published in the Record Journal Friday September 28, 2012

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

WALLINGFORD — The resident leading the opposition to the town’s plans to repair the Simpson Court parking lot has filed an ethics complaint against two town councilors, saying they should not have discussed issues related to a retaining wall on Holy Trinity School property because of their affiliations with the school.

The retaining wall would be fixed as part of the town’s plan to repair and upgrade the Simpson Court parking lot, if it receives a grant the council approved applying for Tuesday night.

On Sept. 17, Robert Gross filed an ethics complaint with the town’s Board of Ethics and town attorney against Republican Town Councilors Tom Laffin and John LeTourneau. Both dispute Gross’ claims. A Board of Ethics meeting on the issue will be held on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Room 315 at Town Hall.

Gross could not be reached Thursday. LeTourneau said he’d prefer to discuss the matter in detail after the ethics panel meeting, but Laffin spoke freely, saying he felt the complaint was an ill-conceived and poorly researched political play by Gross, a Democrat.

The complaint says Laffin and LeTourneau should not have participated in conversations at two Town Council meetings, one on June 26 and another on Sept. 11, because of their connections to Holy Trinity School.

LeTourneau’s grandchildren attend the school. Though the complaint says that Laffin’s children also do, his 6-year-old son, Jack, only attends first grade Catholic education classes at Holy Trinity School, Laffin said. The classes are provided through Holy Trinity Church, not the school, and take up about an hour a week.

Laffin said he was frustrated that Gross appeared to have made a serious allegation against him without researching it.

“You’re calling into question my ability to serve? You did it based on a misunderstanding? You didn’t confirm (that my son goes to the school)?” Laffin said, adding that that Gross could have called the school or asked around to confirm his son’s involvement. “How am I going to take anything he says in the future seriously?”

The complaint cites the town’s Code of Ethics regarding conflict of interest and disclosure, which says: “No officer or employee shall have any interest, financial or otherwise, direct or indirect, which is in conflict with the proper discharge of his or her official duties or employment. Interest shall be as defined by the Code of Ethics or other ordinances, as may be applicable to an individual case.” The code also requires that officers or employees who believe they have an interest to tell, in writing, “their affiliation to the chairman or agency, commission or board of which he or she is a member.”

In a letter to the Rev. Dean Warburton, chairman of the Board of Ethics, Laffin disputed the charge.“I will in no way, personally and/or exclusively benefit from any decision made by the town on the Holy Trinity wall. I will not receive monetary compensation or elevated status of any sort, should the town be involved in the wall’s repair,” said Laffin’s letter.

“Had I believed even in the slightest that my relationships … have any impact on my decision any more than my decision is impacted by the fact that I am a patron of all of the downtown restaurants and shops, I would have sought the opinion of the Board of Ethics in advance of any discussion or vote involving the wall.

At the June 26 meeting, councilors voted to have the town attorney’s office look into ownership of the wall to see if the town had any liability for it, after building the parking lot above in 1961. Corporation Counsel Janis Small said at the Sept. 11 meeting, that after researching the issue, she had determined the town is not responsible for the wall. The councilors discussed the Simpson Court project, which would include repairs to the wall, at the Sept. 11 meeting for the first time.

LeTourneau and Laffin, along with other councilors, disclosed their relationships with the church and school at the June 26 meeting, with the exception of Laffin’s son’s Catholic education class, because he was not yet enrolled. Laffin said he is a parishioner and had attended Holy Trinity School, LeTourneau said that he is not a parishioner, but his grandchildren attend the school and his daughter is going to be taking a seat on Holy Trinity’s school board.

Republican Councilors Robert Parisi, Rosemary Rascati and Craig Fishbein each declared that they are members of Holy Trinity Church, and others Thursday said that they’ve supported church fundraisers or had connections in the past, including Councilor Nick Economopoulos, a Democrat, whose wife worked as a teacher at the school more than 20 years ago.

Councilors defended their colleagues, many saying that the two have no conflict because they have no direct financial ties to the school, since it’s LeTourneau’s grandchildren, and Laffin’s child’s program is run through the church, not the school. Sister Kathleen Kelly, the school’s principal, confirmed that the Catholic education classes are run by the church, and just the school facility is used.

“He’s not the legal guardian; he did not direct them to go to the school,” said Councilor Vincent Cervoni, a Republican, of LeTourneau and his grandchildren. “I think the allegations are a real stretch, and that there’s an ulterior motive to me.”

Economopoulos, an opponent of the Simpson Court upgrade plan, says he doesn’t have an opinion on the ethics complaint, but he called the complaint more evidence that the parking lot project will pull the town apart.

Wallingford Trash plant tour and Q&A session with staff, DEEP set for Oct. 4

As published in the Record Journal Wednesday September 26, 2012

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

WALLINGFORD – Ever wonder what happens to your trash when it leaves the curb? On Thursday, Oct. 4, residents will be able to tour Covanta’s Wallingford trash-to-energy facility and afterward ask questions of representatives from the company and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

The idea for the event was sparked by a petition filed by resident Robert Gross to contest the DEEP’s approval of Covanta’s application to renew its solid waste permit. Gross cited resident concerns about smells and emissions violations that have since been addressed. The tour will be held at 4 p.m. at Covanta, 530 S. Cherry St., and the informational session will be held at6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

The Record-Journal was given a preview tour on Tuesday by the plant’s local and regional operators, who answered questions and gave an overview of operations at the Wallingford plant.

The Cherry Street facility began operating in 1989 under the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority. New Jersey based Covanta bought it in 2010. Today the facility, equipped with three furnaces, burns 420 tons of trash each day from Wallingford, Meriden, Cheshire, North Haven and Hamden. The process generates 11 megawatts of energy, which is sold to the Connecticut Light & Power Co. That’s roughly enough to power 9,000 houses, according to Covanta literature.

Officials Tuesday stressed the environmental benefits of a trash-to-energy plant over depositing trash in landfills, and presented their continued efforts to support recycling.

“We’ve been doing green energy before people thought it was sexy,” said Cheryl Thibeault, business manager at the Wallingford site.

The site, staff say, produces energy equivalent to 100 tons of coal or 420 barrels of oil each day, reducing the need for either substance. Ninety percent of the trash it takes in becomes energy. The other 10 percent is ash, which is deposited in landfills. James Regan, communications manager for Covanta, said the company’s operations in some other countries use the ash in paving and other projects, and he’s hoping the U.S. will soon allow the same practices.

Waste company trucks roll in six days a week, stopping at a scale and then dropping off their loads of garbage in a warehouse-like room called the “tipping floor.” On Tuesday, the room, visible from Covanta’s offices through a pane of glass, was filled with about 2,500 tons of all manner of trash.

There was no scent of trash behind the layer of glass, and that’s because the plant both sprays a deodorizing formula and sucks air from the room into its processes so that it is burned with the trash.

Gross has said some residents have said they can smell trash emanating from the facility. Though the plant takes measures, Thibeault acknowledges that on a hot summer day, someone might smell a truck pulling in with contents that have been marinating.

Though it’s only open for deliveries six days a week, the plant processes waste 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. From the tipping floor, the trash is pushed into one of three graded furnaces, with higher temperatures the farther down each one sits; the temperature hits as high as 2,000 degrees.

The ash is collected below, and the hot air generated heats a boiler that sends steam that powers a generator that generates electricity that is transmitted to CL&P through an on-site transformer.

Air and particulates that are byproducts of the process are routed through other mechanisms that filter out unwanted substances before the final emissions are released as air and steam from a stack on the site.

A broken pipe in furnace 2 that was supposed to shoot a substance that leaches dioxins from the escaping emissions is what caused the plant’s 2010 DEEP violations. The company reported the problem after a compliance test showed the issue, and Covanta was fined $400,000.

The furnace was taken immediately offline and remedied, and emissions were not high enough to have had any effect on the health of nearby residents, Regan said.

“What happened in 2010 was unacceptable to us as a company,” Regan said. He said the company worked hard to ensure that the plant is now well under the amount allowed. It is also a site for new technology that is further decreasing dioxin emissions.

Business at the plant will increase in the next year, with the company adding trash from Newington, Madison, Guilford and Southbury.

Covanta staff say they’re looking forward to answering questions and concerns next week.

“‘Not in my backyard’ is real,” Regan said, and he and other staff hope they can help change negative perceptions of the plant.

Those interested in the tour before the hearing should call Thibeault at (203) 294-1649, ext. 3029, well in advance.

Zandri plans debate-watching party

As published in the Record Journal, Thursday September 27, 2012

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

WALLINGFORD — Democratic Town Councilor Jason Zandri is inviting the public to a viewing party at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn for the first presidential debate on Wednesday, Oct. 3.

Zandri organized a similar event in 2008 that drew 50 to 60 people. He’s hoping for a bigger turnout this year.

“I wanted to see if we could do it more formally,” Zandri said. “I want it to be as nonpartisan as possible. The debate itself is always interesting. And when you get 100 people in a room you get to hear different perspectives, which are always refreshing.”

The event is scheduled from 7 to 11 p.m. at the banquet hall, at 1074 S. Colony Road.

The debate between Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney will take place with five weeks remaining before Election Day.

“Debating is a muscle that doesn’t get used very often,” said Alan Schroeder, a journalism professor at Northeastern University and the author of “Presidential Debates: Forty Years of High-Risk TV.”

“Mitt Romney is better toned because he came off 20plus primary debates,” Schroeder said. “President Obama has not been on a debate stage in four years.”

Zandri said he supports Obama, but he is still looking forward to hearing what both candidates say.

“There’s always more substance,” he said. “This gives more background and depth and helps you understand the candidate’s line of thinking. It divulges better what they are running on.”

Republican Town Councilor John LeTourneau, a Romney supporter, said the presidential debates are usually informative, “but it depends on how it’s done and what are the questions asked.”

“If there are hard questions and hard answers, you get to know the person a little better,” he said.

LeTourneau said he doesn’t want to see the candidates attack each other.

“I want to hear what you are going to do to fix the fix that we’re in,” he said.

Wednesday’s debate, to be held in Denver, will focus on domestic policy. A second debate, a town hall-style session, is scheduled for Oct. 16 in Hempstead, N.Y., and the final debate, on foreign policy, is slated for Oct. 22 in Boca Raton, Fla.

Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan, and Vice President Joe Biden have a debate on Oct. 11 in Danville, Ky.

Several national polls show Obama leading by three to six percentage points, but the president has a wider margin in Connecticut.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll last month, Obama leads Romney 52 percent to 45 percent among likely voters in Connecticut. Twelve percent of Obama voters and 12 percent of Romney backers said they might change their minds.

Information from the Associated Press is included in this report.

Wallingford will seek state grant for Simpson Court parking lot

As published in the Record Journal Wednesday September 26, 2012

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

WALLINGFORD — After lengthy and often contentious periods of public comments at a regular meeting Tuesday, town councilors gave the green light for the town to seek a $500,000 state grant for upgrades to the Simpson Court parking lot.

“I’ve never seen so much energy expelled trying to kill a good project for … Wallingford,” Councilor John Le-Tourneau, a Republican, said of statements by opponents of the plan. “This is the front yard of our town, we have to fix it up. If we do nothing, we will have nothing.”

The council voted 6-2 to allow the town to apply for the grant and again for a separate resolution supporting improvements to the lot, with councilors Nicholas Economopoulos and Jason Zandri, both Democrats, casting the “no” votes. Republican Craig Fishbein, another opponent of the project, was absent. The grant would come from the newly created Main Street Investment Fund that’s administered by the Office of Policy and Management. Friday marks the deadline to submit the grant application. There is no guarantee the town would receive the grant. Projected upgrades include new lighting, a new retaining wall, drainage work, paving and other improvements.

Councilors said they’ve considered the proposal carefully since it was first presented at a Sept. 11 council meeting, with some saying they’ve taken time off from work to research the topic.

The vote followed a lengthy public comment period with both supporters and opponents of the project, and the specter of another referendum loomed large.

Last November, residents rejected a plan approved by the Town Council to use $500,000 in town funds to repair and up-grade the same lot, which is owned by Simpson Court property owners but was built by the town and has been leased year by year by the town since 1961 for public parking.

This year’s plan is similar in scope but differs in funding. Money would come from the state grant, and there would be a $25,000 contribution from each of the four Simpson Court property owners and $10,000 from Holy Trinity School. The Simpson Court owners would receive reimbursement for half the cost, but Holy Trinity would not. If the grant is approved by OPM, the lot would be leased by the town for 30 years.

Despite the difference in funding sources, some say the public still opposes the project.

Resident Robert Gross, who, along with Geno Zandri, led the petition drive to call a referendum last year, asked Town Attorney Gerald Farrell Sr. at the meeting to have paperwork for another referendum ready for residents who “are upset by this and want a referendum.” Last year Gross and Zandri collected more than 2,500 signatures from registered Wallingford voters to force the referendum.

Zandri said the community made its message on the project clear last year, and councilors should reject the new plan.

“Think about who you’re representing in this town — this referendum, the parking lot thing, was definitely overturned overwhelmingly. If you do, you’ll vote this thing down,” Zandri said.

Representatives of business development groups such as Wallingford Center Inc. and the town’s Economic Development Commission overwhelmingly supported the plan, along with several residents.

“This is a community resource, it is not a parking lot,” said EDC Chairman Joe Mirra. “When you take into consideration the amount of world headquarters this town has, Choate right down the block … that parking lot is giving a statement every day.”

Resident Shauna Simon-Glidden said that if the town does not try for the money, it will just go to another area.

“The money’s going to go somewhere. This is going to invest in our town,” Simon-Glidden said. “I think it’s really important to look at some of the surrounding areas where people have to pay for parking — which would be a detriment for Wallingford.”

Resident Richard Caplan said he thinks the town should apply for the grant, but use the funds for the town-owned lots — most notably the lots behind businesses farther down Center Street, where there are more business vacancies, rather than North Main Street properties that he said are doing well.

“This is a matter of priorities. The mayor has found those who need it the least to give the most to,” Caplan said, alleging cronyism among councilors and the mayor. “These are million-dollar properties … we’re going to spend half a million dollars when the town’s parking lots are in such crappy shape.”

“I kind of resent some of the statements that you made, Mr. Caplan,” said Council Chairman Robert Parisi, saying the councilors would vote their consciences — not because of any backroom deals or friendships.

Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. said that because the town had already done the planning, design and other preparatory work for the Simpson Court site, it was the only project far enough along to be submitted, considering the grant’s time constraints. Town officials say they heard about the grant in late June, but didn’t have details until an early August workshop held by the state.

“We have something that is already designed and there is no way we can put together our grant applications for other sites (in time),” Dickinson said. Upgrading the other parking lots farther down the hill on Center Street would also likely call for public-private partnerships, as the public lots are small and separated by private lots. “Otherwise we’ll be doing little small areas within private areas.”

Other residents asked what would occur if the town received the grants but had hidden costs, or wasn’t given the full amount. Dickinson said the project would not begin if there was not enough money for it — that he wouldn’t supplement with town funds.

Don Roe, of the town’s Program Planning staff, said he believed there was a contingency fund within the cost estimate.

In other business, the council approved a one-year agreement with Local 1183, representing 135 town clerical staff and employees in the Sewer, Engineering, and Public Works departments. The contract comes with a 1.75 percent pay increase, according to Personnel Director Terence Sullivan.

Councilors also approved a transfer that would allocate $100,000 to the town’s Workers’ Compensation reserve account from excess funds from the last fiscal year’s insurance funds for the town and the Board of Education.

Will there be another referendum over a Wallingford parking lot?

As published in the Record Journal Thursday September 27, 2012

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

WALLINGFORD – The Simpson Court parking lot could be the subject of another referendum, after the Town Council gave town staff the go ahead to apply for a state grant that could provide $500,000 for repairs and upgrades to the site.

Several residents vocally opposed the town’s plans for the lot at Tuesday night’s meeting, and resident Robert Gross requested during public comment that Town Attorney Gerald Farrell Sr. provide him the paperwork to start the referendum procedures.

Gross, along with Geno Zandri, led last year’s fight against the town’s plan to make $500,000 in repairs, using town money, to the privately owned but publicly used Simpson Court lot. The two led a group that gathered more than 2,500 signatures of registered voters on a petition to force a November 2011 referendum. Residents voted down the plan, 4,120-2,768.

In this year’s plan, the repairs would be the same, but the funding source would differ. In a 6-2 vote Tuesday night, the council gave the town the green light to apply for a grant from the state’s Main Street Improvement Fund, administered by the Office of Policy and Management. The town built the lot in 1961 on the land of Simpson Court property owners and has since been leasing it year to year for public parking.

Each of the four Simpson Court property owners would contribute $25,000 toward repairs under the current proposal, with half of that to be reimbursed by money from the grant. Holy Trinity School — which would as part of the project get repairs to a retaining wall on its property — would put in $10,000, without any reimbursement. If improvements are made, the owners would grant the town a 30 year lease.

Gross could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but Geno Zandri said that the group was discussing whether to petition for a referendum now, or wait to see if the town received the money or not. The public would have another chance to oppose the lot improvements if the money came in and the council made a resolution to accept it for use on the lot, Farrell said Tuesday night.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that if they get the grant, there will be a referendum,” Geno Zandri said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s identical to what we had before. It’s taxpayers’ money no matter where it comes from.”

If residents decide to petition for a referendum on the resolution, they will have 30 days from Wednesday to obtain about 2,460 signatures, or 10 percent of those registered to vote, according to Town Clerk Barbara Thompson.

From there, the names need to be authenticated by the clerk’s office, Corporation Counsel Janis Small said. Then, councilors would have another meeting in which they would be given the opportunity to repeal their vote. If they choose not to, an election must be held within 60 days, Small said.

The last referendum cost the town about $30,000 to pay for ballots, installation of phones, poll workers, costs of renting special trucks for deliveries and other costs, Republican Registrar of Voters Chet Miller said.

It would be “a couple of months at least,” before a vote would be held, according to Small.

At the meeting, some councilors said they felt some residents who signed last year’s petition and some who voted had been provided misinformation or partial information by people working to overturn the decision.

John Sullivan, a Democrat, said Wednesday that he had seen this first hand at last year’s Celebrate Wallingford.

“What I have a problem with is when people don’t tell residents, voters, the facts. I’m sure that the greater majority of those soliciting told the truth and answered questions honestly,” Sullivan said. “However, I witnessed several instances where the solicitor was not telling the truth.”

He said he heard a solicitor embellish the plan in speaking to residents, saying there were connections between councilors and the mayor and the business owners at the site, and that he shouldn’t trust Sullivan when he came up to talk to him.

Geno Zandri denied Sullivan’s claim. “We were above board on everything we did,” he said. Zandri did say some voters may have been confused when voting because people had to vote yes to say that they didn’t want the project.

Though confusing to some, the wording was done by statute, Small said. Residents were voting to repeal a resolution, not voting in favor of something, she said. So residents were voting “Yes” to repeal the council’s decision to repair the lot, not “yes” for repairs on the lot.

Town Councilor Jason Zandri, a Democrat, who was one of two “no” votes on the mayor’s proposal on Tuesday, said he thinks it would be logical for those interested in holding a referendum to wait to see if the town receives the money or not. Jason Zandri is Geno Zandri’s son, and was heavily involved in the last referendum, before he was elected a town councilor.

Jason Zandri said he figured the Tuesday vote would go as it did. “I think everybody up there voted their conscience,” Zandri said.

He said he thinks the approval sets a bad precedent for future public-private parking lot repair projects.

Tom Laffin, a Republican, said it all comes down to the perception of the Simpson Court parking lot, saying these projects should not be portrayed as spending public money on private land.

“We’re going to lease it — in a sense we legally own it for 30 years,” Laffin said. “You can’t make the argument that it’s private property.”

The town clerk’s office and the Law Department each said no one had been by to pick up the paperwork for a petition as of late afternoon Wednesday.

WALLINGFORD TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ADDENDUMS for Tuesday Spetember 25th

11. Consider and Approve a Resolution of the Wallingford Town Council approving the improvement of public parking in the Simpson Court parking lot located between Center Street and Church Street.



12. Consider and Approve a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to submit a grant application to the Office of Policy Management of the State of Connecticut for the Simpson Court Rear Parking Lot Improvement Project under the Main Street Investment Fund Program and authorize the Mayor to sign the Main Street Investment Fund application and to administer the Project - Mayor