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DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT ~B~ COMMITTEE SOUTH NORWALK OFFICIAL SITE Robert Burgess, Chairman Sylvester Maultsby, Vice-Chair Al Ayme, Secretary Phaedrel (Faye) L. Bowman, Corresponding Secretary Yvonne Rodriguez, Treasurer We appreciate your contributions. Please send contributions payable to: DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT ~B~ COMMITTEE ~click here~ STATE OF THE CITY | '2005 - '2007 STATE OF THE CITY | '2007 - Present CT. STATE NEWS | ISSUES NATIONAL NEWS | ISSUES MAILING LIST EVENTS | PICTURES VIEW | POST - BLOG STREET MAP OF SOUTH NORWALK |
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PRESS RELEASES VOLUNTEER to join our team of members and government officials. You can make a difference. We are glad to hear from Norwalk residents with their ideas, suggestions and/or concerns, and those who recognize the importance of engaging dynamic participation in the political process. |
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ILLEGAL DEMOLITIONS UNDER REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE IN NORWALK.
93 East Avenue (built 1750-60 a historical site, one of the oldest buildings in Norwalk)... 124 East Ave (a historic building across the street from
City Hall)... AND NOW, "THIS ONE IS DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS TO RESIDENTS' HEALTH"
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 8:57 PM Subject: Diane Knitwear Information Per our conversation, I want to offer my observations: I drove by site about three weeks ago and was shocked to see dust blowing offsite towards the Columbus Magnet School and the Ely Ave. Apts. I took pix and noted no apparent dust control was being used... I called Health and Building Dept. from my cell and then decided to actually go in and see each Dept. for quicker action... 1. Demolition Permit was given for this parcel, but appears to have been violated due to lack of proper dust control. I met with Bill Ireland and am going to offer his Dept. some addirtional language to hold the demolition applicant more accountable to doing a professional job. 2. Health Dept., including Tom Closter and Tim Callahan, were informed and Tom shut down the job about three weeks ago. I unfortunately did not roll by the site until about half of building was already taken down but my complaint offered enough reason for Health to take an interest. Tom told them, with the owner threatening a lawsuit, they could not restart until they had water onsite for dust control....the owner said that his contractor "could not get a permit to open a fire hydrant on street in time"..(Note:.Too bad, it is the Owner's and contractor's responsibility to CEASE OPERATING UNTIL ALL EQUIPMENT IS ONSITE, INCLUDING RENTING A WATER TANKER TRUCK...PAVING COMPANIES HAVE THEM...) 3. I am not sure that the Building or Health Depts. know all the alternatives to dust control methods...and they should, especially to id. violations. Health Dept. was told that a Building Inspector checked out the dust control the following week when the demolition co. restarted. I again rolled by and was shocked to see one lonely guy standing outside of building on public street with a little garden hose and safety equip. I again called Tom and Bill Ireland from my cell and filed another complaint. I will be checking to see what kind of complaint log they have...in order to help city Lawyers file charges. 4. There needs to be more review of whether there really was mercury on those bricks that were broken and knocked down....I heard 2nd Dist. did the most testing...Owner's consultant claims there was "little" mercury...Tim callahan has a copy of Owner's report...skeptical....of its results... 5. Laws being violated: Local: Building Demolition Regs. Public Health Law: Creating a Nuisance; Creating an Imminent Threat to Health and Welfare State: DEP Air Quality I called Hartford and an Inspector came by to investigate about a week ago. Creating Visible Emissions, Posible AQ violations of Mercury standards. Haz. Waste disposal Laws...possible... Hope this (info.) helps. WILTON REPUBLICANS OPPOSE THE EXPANSION OF ROUTE 7 WIDENING TO 4 LANES (Route 7 connects I-95 to I-84) ~THOUSANDS OF NORWALK RESIDENTS USE ROUTE 7 DAILY~ WILTON — Police closed Route 7 at about 2:10 Friday (October 5, 2007) afternoon after a car hit a utility poll at Sealy Road. The accident site is about one mile north of Wilton High School. According to police, wires are across the road. Traffic is being detoured and delays should be expected. Police don’t yet know when the road will re-open. It created major delays. |
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NORWALK FACING CITYWIDE NEGLECT , LIKE THE 14 YEARS OF ABANDONMENT OF THE REPUBLICAN
"ESPOSITO" ADMINISTRATION Recently, the Advocate reported a $2.4 million dollar surplus for Norwalk. This is good but, quite a few Norwalk streets have been deteriorating for years. DPW requested $400,000.00 for citywide projects, but the city limited the amount to $250,000. "Democratic mayoral candidate Walter Briggs issued a statement last week suggesting extra money in the fund balance could be put to better use fixing the city’s flooding problems caused by an aging storm drainage system" "Last year, they used some of the money to basically keep taxes down - they didn’t actually lower taxes, they just didn’t raise them as much" Briggs said. "That’s a disservice to citizens" "We have to use this kind of money to fix the sewers" "I don’t have a problem with returning money to the taxpayers, he said. The problem is, what this does is give taxpayers cause for hope they’re going to be able to manage our budget without raising taxes, and that’s not true" (Briggs said) (Republican) Mayor Richard Moccia stood by the choice to return fund balance money to the operating budgets. "We need to keep up the AAA bond rating and hopefully to cut the tax rate, he said. Even if the money were available for storm drain replacement and repair, engineering plans would have to be in place" Moccia said. REPUBLICAN LOGIC? - REPUBLICAN SOLUTION? They say... "TAKE THE FUNDS FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (school system)" The Advocate. During the City Hall hearing, held by the council's Finance and Claims Committee, several residents described persistent flooding, caused by poor storm drainage, that plagues them and their neighbors. In a special meeting after the hearing, committee members expressed concern about the flooding. "It's obvious they are suffering" said Democrat Carvin Hilliard, committee chairman. Committee member Douglas Hempstead, a Republican, said "the city could dip into Finance Director Thomas Hamilton's recommended operating budget for the Board of Education to fund a new position in the Department of Public Works to attack the flooding." THIS IS WHAT YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE SAYING..., turfboi said, "My kids have been in Norwalk schools for 10 years now. When I think back on how bad the schools looked back then and see how nice they are today, I'm pretty happy. They were real shabby and the teachers had a bad attitude cause their classes were grungy" "The schools look a lot better now and the teachers are happier. Thanks to Alex Knopp for doing all this work! Esposito did nothing and Moccia is doing even less. Guess that's what you get when someone wins by accident - just like Bush!!" (Moccia won the election by 170 votes) "Jerry Curti of Olmstead Place said he and other flood victims are 'held hostage by the weather" "When rain is coming, they stuff towels into toilets, tubs and showers to stop raw sewage from backing up into their homes" Curti said. "Flooding is not seepage into our basements. It's not wet yards" he said. "It's 1 to 6 feet of dirty, mucky water in our homes - in the living space we pay taxes on" COMMENT: The flooding continues. City administration shows complete disregard after property owners' plea for assistance. If Matthews Park neglected structures are an indication, our schools could go the same way in the near future. We need to continue with improvements of school facilities. |
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REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR JODI RELL VETOED FUNDING FOR SCHOOL PROJECTS (it includes funds needed for Norwalk schools) Republican Governor Jodi Rell has complained that local officials do not understand that the bond package is a “wish list” of projects, some of which never will be funded. She wants the package to reflect real spending priorities, which would shift pressure for local projects from her to legislators. Democratic legislators are hard at work to override Gov. Rell veto. FARMERS MARKET BEING DRIVEN OUT OF NORWALK ON PETTY ARGUMENT Republican Mayor Richard Moccia said "the farmers market is no different than any other Norwalk business whose customers pay to use the city’s metered lots" "He lives in Trumbull and he’s making money (in Norwalk)" the mayor said, referring to Plasko. "Certainly we want the farmers market here, but, on the other hand, we have regulations. We’re charging everyone else … He can’t be the exception to the rule" "Some film companies using city property and parking lots have paid up to $5,000 to the city" Moccia said. Plasko said "the market is the only place in Norwalk where low income families can use state WIC (Women Infants and Children) coupons for produce, and the farmers should not have to pay for parking because they provide that service" "We’re not just any other business in Norwalk," he said. "We take these WIC coupons and we take a loss on them" Plasko also said "he knows of no other farmers market in the state whose farmers and customers pay for parking on town or city property" Moccia said "Norwalk is not nearly a rural area where the farmers have lots of open space to pick from. We’re not in Durham, Connecticut, where there’s open fields — we’re in the middle of an urban center," he said. "The city has and still is willing to discuss an agreement with the farmer’s market" Moccia added, "whether its concerning the North Water Street lot or elsewhere" "I am willing to sit with him to talk about a situation where this can be alleviated," he said. THIS IS WHAT YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE SAYING... "It makes so much sense to support farming in Connecticut, The whole issue is buying locally." "There is certainly an interest in buying locally, Shoppers support up to 100 farmers markets that operate every week this time of year. It’s not because they can’t find food elsewhere. Still, the local farm remains threatened" "In a state where the population is essentially stable, we’re losing farmland faster than anyplace else in terms of percentage" COMMENT: The truth of the matter is that Norwalk residents from all parts of the city benefit from having the Farmers Market in Norwalk and it also represents a way of helping some families in need of the assistance. The above petty argument by the Republican administration serves as reminder of the senseless arguments and bickering of the Republican administration with the Board of Education during the 1999 - 2000 political seasons that resulted in a complete disruption of the school system and ultimately led to the election of a Democratic Board of Education.  NEXT»»» |