So the town of Trumbull has told the town of Monroe to go stick it up its backup.
In the latest chapter of As The Poop Plops, Trumbull sewage officials say they’re not opening up its sludge pipeline to Monroe as a pass-through to Bridgeport’s mothership sewage treatment plant system. Translation: we want more money to do this.
Okay, but when Trumbull must renegotiate its deal with Bridgeport in a few years to send the state’s largest city millions of gallons of untreated crap each day what do you think Bridgeport’s gonna say? Yup, we want more money too.
Trumbull says it already pays too much and as a side issue folks in Trumbull are rippin’ mad at First Selectman Ray Baldwin over newly announced sewer assessments that are much higher than advertised.
So, what’s next? Trumbull says it doesn’t want to be part of a regional wastewater authority that both Bridgeport and Monroe want. For Bridgeport it’s a way to transfer millions in debt service to the regional authority that would directly aid its fragile fund balance. For Monroe, it’s a way to accommodate developer Bob Scinto’s proposal to build a new Jewish Home for the Elderly in Monroe and also make way for other developments.
Meanwhile, Trumbull officials are looking at the possibility of building its own sewage treatment plant. Lots of luck getting DEP approval for that when the town is already hooked into Bridgeport. Where’s the treated water going to go, into the DEP’s trout-stocked Pequonnock River and right through Beardsley Park?
Yummy. Can’t wait to take those fish home for the grill. Yeah, I know it’s only treated water but just the thought of it makes me gag. And the cost to build a treatment plant in a town already heavily burdened by debt through a variety of projects including renovations to Trumbull High won’t sit well with Trumbull taxpayers and ratepayers.
As for Scinto, don’t be surprised if he says screw it, I’ll just build the Jewish Home in Trumbull. Yeah, but do residents want it?
Herbst Was Right
As first reported by OIB (don’t you love it when I toot my own horn?) Tim Herbst, chairman of Trumbull’s Planning and Zoning, notified city officials that its master plan could not be implemented because it was not signed off by City Council as required by state law. Herbst is also the GOP candidate for first selectman in Trumbull. See excerpt from Connecticut Post reporter Keila Torres:
BRIDGEPORT — A final vote on sweeping revisions to the city’s zoning regulations has been put off indefinitely when officials admitted earlier this week that the city’s Master Plan of Conservation and Development was improperly adopted last year.
Planning and Zoning Commission members, who expected to vote Tuesday night on the final version of the rewritten zoning regulations and map, were told by the city attorney’s office the vote had to be called off.
The brakes were slammed on the three-year-plus process after the chairman of the Trumbull Planning and Zoning Commission recently wrote Bridgeport zoning officials a letter, stating that the city’s adoption of the master plan appears to be null and void because the City Council never voted on the document.
The latest delay will also cost the city more in consulting fees, a figure that has already ballooned over $1 million.
Trumbull P&Z Chairman Timothy Herbst said he discovered the Bridgeport mistake during research for a case his law firm has taken up. “We have a pending appeal on a bank proposal in the North End. We have clients whose interests need to be protected. One of the issues raised by proponents of the bank proposal is that the master plan calls for it,” Herbst said.
Because Trumbull adopted a new master plan several years ago, Herbst was familiar with the process. “Here you do not have legislative approval [of the master plan] in Bridgeport. That has far-reaching implications.”
I have reviewed Mr. Herbst’s letter and the statute he cites. I believe that he did not put the entire portion of the statute he is quoting. In either case if one assumes he is right in his opinion of the statute sending the new master plan/zoning rewrite to the council is nothing more than a formality. The council can review the document, make recommendations for change and then send the document back to zoning for final approval.
Zoning can reject the council’s recommendations and pass the document they sent the council minus the council changes.
What’s bigger than all this is where the hell has the city attorney’s office been for the past 3 years? There were dozens of public hearings in front of citizen groups, NRZ zones and such. The city attorney’s office uttered not one word concerning the council or the need for the document to go there.
Mark Anastasi is busy trying to toe the company line and not offend Finch and company; he is not representing the city properly. Mark grow a set of balls.
The performance of the city attorney’s office at the most recent zoning hearing was disgusting. Someone please tell Greg Conti to pay attention.
P & Z got hoodwinked by the City Attorney’s office. Herbst was and is right in his interpretation. Barb Massaro never would have let this slip go by the wayside. Nidoh is a nice guy but I’m sick and tired of him whining about the consultant fees. He’s over budget and in over his head.
Scinto’s gonna find a place to build his Old Folks Home For The Well Heeled. It probably ain’t gonna be in Monroe. Without a municipal waste treatment system that town ain’t prepared for much development.
How about Scinto builds in Remington Woods and as part of the deal he builds walking paths and bike paths. As part of the deal he has fishing and things that would utilize the 2 lakes.
This property was intended for assembling products brought in duty free from other countries. These products were to come into the harbor and have a direct route to Remington Woods. This is not going to happen so let’s do something else with the property that will benefit all the citizens of Bridgeport.
Would you approve of fishermen keeping–for consumption–the three-eyed fish from the lake?
Good to see that TC can see the light.
The simple rule of thumb is that when given a legal opinion from the City Attorney’s office and another opinion [be it from a practicing atty, disbarred atty, or a third-year law student] go with the one from an outside source. It will be based on much more legal fact and a lot less political motivation.
And this is why I was promoting the privatization of the city attorney’s office. If you hired someone from the outside they would not be wasting their time on promoting poor policy matters. The forces that be in City Hall did not want the council involved in any way shape or form in this process and would go to illegal means to keep them out until someone caught on to it.
And I will tell you Mark’s response will be that he still believes that it does not need to go before the council since it is an advisory opinion but they will send it there any way just so as to please everyone.
Now TC I like your idea about Remington Woods; however as you may be aware that under the current work being done on the Bridgeport side of the property the plan is to clean the ground of contaminants to a level approved for commercial use and not residential.
However, the way Scinto has everyone jumping through hoops over this development maybe he can broker the complete deal to build his development there, get Stratford to agree to allowing for a road to be cut through to Broadbridge Ave., settle the mess with the airport and Pleasure Beach and increase tax revenues for everyone!!!
Then we can send him to the Middle East and broker a peace deal there, too!
Bob I said at the outset if Herbst was right it was just an excersize sending the document to the council as the zoning board can still choose to ignore what the council recommends and go with the original document.
The problem with the city attorney’s office is that they are under the constant threat of firing by this vindictive administration. BTW the council has a role in this threatening atmosphere that pervades city hall.
Remember when hiring outside attorneys you get what you pay for. Who do you think this outside attorney would be loyal to?
I think the outside attorneys will be loyal to themselves.
Now you may think that they would do anything for a paycheck but if this is not their sole source of income and they realize that they do not want to put in writing totally outrageous legal opinions then you will see a change.
And TC I remember when the city attorney was first on the job with Ganim, versus where he is today and the change did not occur due to threats from this administration. It occurred halfway through the Ganim years.
Wanna weigh in Lennie?
Mark is an advocate for whomever is mayor, that’s always been his history, even in his early years with the city before Joe named him city attorney. He’s loyal to the person in charge, and this sometimes creates conflicts with the legislative branch of government.
Politics is all about conflicts. If you want to get rid of conflicts, hire or elect a dictator! Nothing’s perfect–that’s why we have representative government.
As I said, nothing’s perfect. That’s why we have representative government, checks and balances and (start cheering, people), blogs like this!
There is another Grimaldi blog at the CT Post site–the checks and balances have now doubled.
Not to change the subject, but I will like usual; did ya all hear that CC’s girl got a 2000 dollar raise to not make copies, or actually not do anything!!!
*** Wow that’s exciting Bpt. news; however sounds a bit like daytime soap operas, just a bit! ***
In all reality… while most of us are on a $0 raise for two years … and we are having furloughs, and threats of more layoffs, it is kinda big Bpt news … especially if all is true what has been said about her and her job skills and duties.
C’mon leave Lisa alone. Do you know how much make-up, bronzer and knee pads cost? She needs that money. Besides, she gets a raise every few months. How do you think she went from $25,000 to $65,000 in a few short years? Go back and check the budgets. She was hired in the later part of Ganim’s term to work in Labor Relations as a a secretary for $25,000. Fabs brought her over to the Annex because he liked her short skirts. He gave her a raise or maybe two. She then latched on to Charlie, broke up his marriage and received several more increases. I’m not making this shit up, check the budgets over the past 7 or 8 years.
You don’t “make shit up” you smoke them up!
NOTICE: Lennie Grimaldi’s new site at the CT Post is now in service. Are you tough enough to grade the mayor (Finch) on his 18 months in office?
See CHS, Lisa is saving the city big bucks in comp payments by using the knee pads and saving more comp payments by using bronzer instead of tanning during work hours and getting skin cancer. Obviously she is worth every dime of her raise and I commend CC for realizing her vast potential.
Mojo, City Hall is one big soap opera. You got sex, drugs, deceit, adultery, blackmail, lies, nepotism, favoritism, racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, threatening, lying, stealing, cover-ups, jealousy and conflicts of interest. All we need is an earthquake or someone to fall down a well or lose their memory. As the clock ticks so go the days of our lives … in City Hall.
I wonder if CC realizes that one of his blue vans spends more time at a north end liquor store than it does at any other building in the city and the driver never leaves there empty handed!!!
I don’t understand why Charlie doesn’t find me attractive. I can wear a wig, shave real good and apply lots of bronzer. I can fit into a real short size 12 skirt with some cheap shiny pantyhose and heels. I can attach myself to Charlie’s arm like a Siamese twin. And I can definitely sit there all day and do nothing. What’s a guy gotta do to get a raise around here???
CHS, you can’t do that for obvious reasons; the city would have to give CC a raise to afford the Viagra to handle you and Lisa.
Nah, I bet it’s covered under our prescription plan.
I would like to change the subject for one moment. Yesterday my 4 grandchildren who attend Thomas Hooker school stopped by. They were all wearing red t-shirts. I asked where were their uniforms. In chorus they all stated that Friday was the day they honored fallen firefighters that died in the line of duty.
They asked me if I knew any of the guys that died. I had to stop and swallow hard as I knew LT Lattanzi, LT McGovern, Capt Federici, FF Keough and FF Flyntz. Four of the 5 died while I was on the job and FF Walter Flyntz joined the department at my urging. These heroes died at fire scenes; I will not forget them. Thinking about them again and looking at my grandchildren brought tears to my eyes and I realized how lucky I was to have survived.
I don’t know who sponsored this event; I am sure the FD and the union had something to do with this event. In any case I want to thank those involved for honoring our fallen heroes. My grandchildren are in 3rd 4th and 5th grade. They made me proud.
Great story TC, thanx for sharing something good about Bridgeport.
Ditto. I’m glad that someone is teaching our children right. Those men should not be forgotten.
My daughter goes to a Bridgeport school and it does make me feel good to hear good things about them, usually it’s mostly negative stuff. There are a lot of caring and good teachers at her school but the worry is they will leave for the ‘burbs as soon as they can; hope not.
Andy, of those honored fallen firefighters that died in the line of duty, McGovern was a Captain assigned to Engine 14 at the time of his death.
Thanks Ron, memory is getting bad. For some reason I always remember Al as a Lieutenant. Don’t know why. In either case the ’70s & ’80s took a terrible toll.
Hey Guys!!! Just figured it out, Seaside is my favorite park in the city even though I had to pay 5$ to get in. First time going there in years and the atmosphere is way better than St. Mary even though I live 1 minute away from St. Mary. I am so upset that there is no primary in the Black Rock District.
Shame on Auden that she could not attend the meeting on what to do with the church that is closing down and the land. Once again shame on you Auden you sure will never get a vote again from me or anyone in my family!!!
Here’s the difference between Connecticut’s 2-year budget, which is late, and the 5-year plan of the former Soviet Union:
Connecticut’s plan is based on a revenue model that is inaccurate and relies on wishful thinking. Remember, too, that the most recent budget had a so-called surplus that was immediately spent by gleeful politicians. However the current budget is already in arrears and nobody is calling it dysfunctional. Whereas the 5-year plan of the Soviets was based on revenues that could be produced on demand and never produced a surplus or a deficit.
The Soviet model collapsed of its own weight yet arrived on time every 5 years, while Connecticut’s model is late and remains unfinished.
What’s the point?
That’s the topic of my next post.
*** Lennie, some OIB bloggers are running out of people to talk about, or blame, for goings on in politics and city hall. Would you please find something new happening in the state or federal government level to report, so some of us local readers don’t have to read the same old song & dance. Thanks! ***
Huge thanks goes to Charlie Carroll and the public facilities and park department teams for the great job on the WWII memorial. Yesterday’s dedication was a true tribute to those vets that lost their lives 65 years ago, those that are still living, the ‘Rosie the riveters’ who are so proud of the part they played and the companies that made Bridgeport the true ‘arsenal of democracy.’ Ted Grabarz, city employee and Commander in the Navy designed the memorial. For those who missed the dedication, take a ride down to McLevy Park and spend a few minutes. It is a wonderful tribute. They still need money, so buy a brick and make your own personal tribute. Bravo.