You want to know the power of a member of Congress?
Striding out of the marshland in Lordship, doing her part on behalf of the town of Stratford located in her Congressional district, Rosa DeLauro has quietly flexed the force of her seniority with the Secretary of the Army and Federal Aviation Administration regarding a one-acre parcel owned by the Army that is the center piece of a legal action by the city involving a safety zone at Sikorsky Memorial Airport.
The city of Bridgeport owns the airport located in Stratford and the municipalities have been at odds for more than 40 years regarding airport size, runways, commercial activity and safety improvements. The airport is located in the Lordship section of Stratford where most residents would rather see the airport shut down or taken over by the town to derail airport activity.
The city fears it’s just a matter of time before another accident claims more lives.
Stratford wants private developer Hollywood East to transform the Stratford Army plant into a film and entertainment destination. Bridgeport says $20 million in airport improvements have been thwarted by a town placing private development ahead of safety.
On April 7 DeLauro, who represents Connecticut’s third Congressional District, fired off a letter to Secretary of the Army Peter Geren and Acting Administrator for the FAA Lynne Osmus urging them to “consider a plan that would set aside the 1.07 acres to either be retained by the Army or the Town of Stratford until a compromise can be reached by the two municipalities on the runway safety areas.”
Translation: Don’t screw with my town.
In the letter DeLauro emphasizes that “my office intervened” on Stratford’s behalf in 2002 after a study commissioned by the Army recommended “4 acres of land be transferred to the FAA to be used to add runway safety areas to the Airport.”
This is a tricky balancing act for Rosa who has voted for a federal safety zone act and has pushed for commercial and safety upgrades for New Haven’s municipal airport. Do we detect a whiff of hypocrisy here? Help Stratford and screw Bridgeport.
For the city’s part Congressman Jim Himes, who represents Bridgeport, has also weighed in with a letter of his own, raising a number of legitimate questions about the federal government dragging its feet to resolve safety issues. (Is it because DeLauro urged them to chill?)
City officials say they don’t want to get in the way of the Hollywood East deal, they just want the safety zone for the airport. Lawyers for both communities are talking to try to reach a compromise. Stay tuned. Below see DeLauro’s letter followed by Himes’.
I am writing in response to the recent flurry of activity on the runway safety areas at Sikorsky Memorial Airport which is impeding further progress in the sale of the Stratford Army Engine Plant (SAEP). In my view, these issues are mutually exclusive. Both are important and I believe a compromise could be met in order to satisfy all parties.
Regarding the SAEP, as you are aware, we have all put a great deal of time and effort to ensure the best use of the property for the Town of Stratford and for the region. We have worked diligently with the community, the Town of Stratford, the State of Connecticut, the Army and GSA to publicly bid and sell the property. The winning bidder, an entity named Hollywood East, plans to build an international film and entertainment destination location that is to employ 11,500 people by the year 2014. At this point the next step of the process is for Hollywood East to close on the property.
You may also be aware that there are issues surrounding Sikorsky Memorial Airport that have not been reconciled between Stratford and Bridgeport for decades. The Army commissioned a study in 1999 that resulted in a 2002 recommendation that 4 acres of land be transferred to the FAA to be used to add runway safety areas to the Airport. Because this recommendation involved safety concerns about the repositioning of Main Street in Stratford; it was unsatisfactory to the Town and to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT). As this was the case, my office intervened on their behalf. Upon my request the FAA, Town of Stratford, ConnDOT and others came to a compromise of 1.07 acres to support the additional runway safety areas, significantly reducing the impact to Main Street. This compromise was made public in 2003 and rejected by the City of Bridgeport in 2004. I understand that the FAA made inquiries to the Army in 2008 about transferring the land, but these occurred after the Army had contractually agreed to sell the entire parcel to a private entity. The issue resurfaced in earnest just days before the March 27, 2009 closing on the SAEP in lawsuits filed by the City of Bridgeport and other entities.
There are two very difficult protracted issues; however, I think we can all agree that both the redevelopment of the SAEP and Airport safety are important to the economic growth of the region. In a time when the State of Connecticut is facing unemployment rates of 7.4% with Stratford at 8.2% and with Bridgeport at 12.1%, we should be working together to ensure that projects aimed at job creation, like the SAEP, are not impeded.
All parties are in agreement that the 1.07 acres is the appropriate amount of land to address the safety area concerns. However, there has been no acknowledgment by the City of Bridgeport to allow the Town of Stratford to have a voice in the present and future use of the Airport that resides wholly within its borders. While this issue remains unresolved, it should not delay the progress of the redevelopment of the SAEP.
I strongly urge you to consider a plan that would set aside the 1.07 acres to either be retained by the Army or the Town of Stratford until a compromise can be reached by the two municipalities on the runway safety areas. This would allow the closing on the SAEP property to move forward, signaling the beginning of one of the region’s largest economic development projects, while providing the necessary time for the two municipalities to reach a mutually beneficial agreement on the issues concerning the Airport.
Congressman Jim Himes’ letter to Secretary of the Army
Re: U.S. Army’s planned sale of U.S. surplus property to a private party, which includes small section essential for FAA required safety zone at Sikorsky Memorial Airport.
Dear Secretary Geren and Assistant Secretary Eastin:
The City of Bridgeport (“City”) owns the Sikorsky Memorial Airport, which is located entirely within the bordering Town of Stratford. The Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) has repeatedly advocated that improvements be made to the end of Sikorsky Memorial Airport (“Sikorsky”) runway 6/24 in order to improve public safety. Pursuant to its duty to protect public safety, the FAA has consistently supported the City of Bridgeport’s application dated February 18, 1999, for a Public Benefits Transfer (“PBT”) of a portion of the Stratford Army Engine Plant property (“SAEP”).
Although the Department of the Army originally decided to “…transfer approximately 4 acres of the remaining SAEP property to the City of Bridgeport for airport purposes” on November 5, 2001, that decision was apparently withdrawn on April 3, 2002, “…in order for the Army to further evaluate the effects of this conveyance on the redevelopment of the Stratford Army Engine plant property by the Town of Stratford, as well as for the information presented by Bridgeport and the Federal Aviation Administration in support of a public benefits conveyance”.
Through subsequent efforts, the amount of land required to meet essential safety considerations at the airport were reduced to a 1.07 acre parcel.
It is my understanding that the FAA wrote to you on July 3, 2008, to request that this public benefit transfer, which is necessary to improve public safety at the airport, be approved. The FAA wrote to you again on November 20, 2008, and attached a survey of the requested 1.07 acre transfer, and again requested that the Army act upon the City and the FAA’s pending application for a PBT. It is also my understanding that the FAA has attempted, with no success, to follow up with your office on this matter. To date, the Department of the Army has yet to act upon the request by the City of Bridgeport and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The City learned through a tenant, and then by correspondence from the Army dated March 19, 2009, that a rapid sale of the SAEP was planned for March 27, 2009. To its surprise, the City learned that the Army had included within the property to be conveyed the 1.07 acres that the FAA and the City included within their PBT application, and which the FAA has determined are critical to upgrade the safety conditions at the airport. As a result, the ability of the City and the FAA to take those steps necessary to improve public safety at the airport will be lost through the Army’s transfer of this SAEP property to a third party, notwithstanding the pending request by the City and the FAA for a PBT transfer.
There have been at least three serious aircraft accidents at this location since 1992. These accidents have resulted in eight deaths, two injuries, and have destroyed three aircraft. I am greatly concerned that the Army has thus far failed to address this PBT and the legitimate issues of public safety that have been repeatedly raised by the FAA and the City of Bridgeport.
Kindly be advised that I am officially inquiring as follows:
● Why has the Army failed to act on the pending PBT from the City of Bridgeport, or responded to the FAA’s inquiries regarding this matter sent in 2008?
● Why wasn’t the essential 1.07 acres removed from the parcel to be conveyed to a third party? Given the pending PBT, and the obvious safety issues involved, what justification is there to further delay action on this PBT?
● Given the present situation, will the Army delay the present sale so that appropriate analysis and consideration be given to the public safety concerns expressed to the Army by the City and the FAA?
● Why did the Army fail to complete a review and approval process of a PBT application filed by a City and the FAA prior to offering for sale land identified by the FAA and the City of Bridgeport as critical for the improvement of safety for the public?
These are appropriate questions, particularly given the significant issue of public safety, and my office would appreciate written responses prior to any closing being effectuated between the Army and any third party involving this disputed 1.07 acre parcel.
I’d put my money on Rosa. She knows this is the perfect time to get it all with a neophyte in the next district.
But is a solution to all this such that no one can see the forest for the trees?
Let Stratford sell all but the 1 acre or so. If the proposed project is “so good” it would be easy to sell an acre in 2013, presuming the economy gets better, the Hollywood deal goes through, all the jobs are created, and Lordship residents are thrilled with all the traffic that they want another acre developed to bring them more traffic. Almost make you want to increase the buffer to the original 4 acres after all!!!
Where were Chris Shays and Paul Timpanelli on this deal for the last several years?
Natera’s should change their name to “Nada”.
Hey Rosa! Go get a nose job and keep your beak out of our business.
Does anybody really believe that 11,500 people are going to be employed at that location?
Marcia Stewart should change her name to Marsha Stewart and go jump into the Great Marsh.
Safety?? My Ass!! There are two ends to that runway. The other end is marsh. Who are you kidding Bridgeport? Nobody seems to want to answer the question as to who owns the property that Finch wants to acquire in the name of safety. Sounds a lot like the caper 20+ years ago when airport expansion at the west end of the field was absolutely necessary to ensure “safety”.
The runway can be extended to add the buffer zone easily by increasing the length at the OTHER END; you know; the part that that is wasteland. No disruption of traffic flow.
This week’s Philistine award goes to all the dumb sons of bitches that think it’s a good idea to divert MAIN STREET, for crying out loud!!!
OK. OK. OK.
I’ll admit when I’m wrong.
I just got a call from a friend (from Stratford) who is involved with this deal.
#1. ALL of the property that is to be acquired belongs to the federal government (DRAT!!!)
#2. The runway cannot be expanded at the other end to accommodate a buffer zone because to do so would require incoming planes to approach too low from the sound side creating a noise menace and thoroughly pissing off a few motorists who regularly use the Burm Road.
My next cause célèbre …
Ramos to give up a week’s pay to take an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel (of all places) to study how to make improvements in urban schooling.
Israel!! Indeed!
Mr. Ramos. You should forget about Israel and go to New York City where they made real progress in improving an inner-city school system. If you want the All Expenses Paid schtick, I’ll give you the $32 for a round-trip train ride.
One more thing.
I did not know that Israel had a largely hispanic and black school population with a dropout rate of nearly 70%.
Oy didn’t know that either.
If this truly is an “All expenses paid” trip, there better not be any vouchers presented to the BOE for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Ramos. Remember, he is on furlough this week he is away.
Now here’s a piece of news that has me down on hands and knees thanking the Holy Trinity: The Black Rock Art Center is no more. International Performing Arts Joe “I’ll get the volunteers to do it for free” Celli’s so-called nonprofit arts group is to vacate the city-owned building at 2838 Fairfield Avenue as of June first. Good riddance. (Even the former general manager of BRAC has taken to referring to ol’ Joe as “the devil.”)
A few of the regular patrons at Matty’s Corner want to throw a “going away” party to celebrate the fact that Joe Celli is indeed GOING AWAY and will leave us alone.
The nonprofit arts community of Bridgeport is undoubtedly breathing many sighs of relief.
Goodbye Joe Celli
Bridgeport’s gain is New London’s LOSS.
*** Joe Celli will be running for city council or maybe Mayor if he gets the GOP’s backing! *** Danny Roach will be new Police Commissioner Pres. *** Bpt. CitiStat’s Dept. will be unfunded for 2009-2010 budget. *** Bpt. Park Sticker prices will be increasing for city, Ct. state & outside Ct. state residents this summer or after July 1st 2009. *** And the beat goes on; oh & before I forget, I have the Pink Panther following C.H.S. to see if she’s been misbehaving after calling me an A-Hole a few blog-days ago! ***
Sorry I called you an A-hole, Mojo. You are entitled to your opinion just like I am. Just sometimes your opinions drive me crazy especially when you stick up for Mario and his homeboys. Sometimes, tú tienes Mario’s cara en bolla. My Spanish is a little rusty but you get my point.
Where did you hear that CitiStat will be unfunded? That will be a shame. Instead, the Council should listen to some of Gomes’ recommendations to save money and increase efficiency. He’s worth his weight in gold if they’d only listen to him. The problem is, he sees the political waste and the Council doesn’t have the balls to eliminate those political jobs.
Himes is turning into a total douchebag. First he “wrestles” with the AIG votes because he wants to pander to his rich Wall Street friends as they were rolling in the dough from their bailout bonuses and now Rosa DeLauro has Himes’ balls in a total vise.
So much for Bridgeport here Jimmy Boy.
*** Jimmy boy has just started to realize that it’s going to be tough balancing on the divider fence between rich & poor as a Congressman. And it pays to check first how your Ct. fellow seniority federal legislators feel about certain issues bordering your district, so you don’t step on toes. *** C.H.S., “my opinion” had nothing to do with Mario, etc. but as I said, the actual statement about no education, ex-felons, etc. to oversee or work @ a weight station. *** Also, it’s not written in stone but some council members feel CitiStat will never really get off the ground due to certain employee patronage in different Depts. Lack of support from the Mayor’s Admin. and tainted CitiStat workers along with the hands-tied approach! So, if it’s not to be, then cut & give the funding to a dept. that can generate solid revenue instead is the thought! And it makes sense because as you say, if the council (and during budget season is the time) is not going to support Gomes & CitiStat ideas, then why pretend & spend that “$” unwisely? *** Yahooy is right, Israel’s school system does not compare to Bpt.s in many ways. However, N.Y. does & has made major progress forward in many areas of education. This trip has P/R written all over it in many ways & may be helpful only in a comparative way due to the different lifestyles & overall actual use of educational “$” funding! ***