Posted by Bob on August 31, 2009 under Daily Blogs | 
The location of Tuesday’s Borough Board meeting (9/1/2009) has been changed to City Hill Middle School, 441 City Hill Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770. The change is being made to accommodate what is expected to be a larger crowd than usual.
The meeting will begin with an executive session at 5:30 P.M., with the public portion of the meeting to begin at the regular time of 7:00 P.M. Persons wishing to speak are asked to keep comments as concise as possible and not repeat sentiments already expressed by previous speakers. The meeting must end no later than 10:30 P.M.
Posted by Bob on August 27, 2009 under Daily Blogs |
Wednesday, August 26, 2009, marked the one hundredth (100th) day of our administration. During the campaign, we proposed several initiatives that we would attempt to accomplish early in our administration. Please view that post here.
The following is brief analysis of progress made in the areas referenced in the campaign post as well as other items addressed during the first one hundred (100) days.
Government Reform – A core group of individuals familiar with the Mt. Auburn process have met twice and exchanged numerous emails to plan the process for a Government Reform Council. Creation of such a larger, representative council will be formalized in the next few weeks, and the first order of business will be to discuss dissemination of a survey about local government to residents and the identification of focus groups.
Negotiate Contracts – The Borough has successfully reached agreement with the Local 1219 Firefighters Union and Chapter 90 Supervisors Union to extend their respective collective bargaining agreements for three (3) years. Both extensions contain wage freezes for the 2009-2010 fiscal years, which was a significant concession made by the bargaining units. The Chapter 90 agreement also achieved a historic concession in that all new members entering the bargaining unit will have defined contribution pension plans. Our administration has successfully restored a climate of respect and common sense to the negotiating process. We commend the bargaining units for understanding that we all are facing difficult economic times. Negotiations with the AFSCME public works employees continue to progress in a productive manner.
Senior Tax Relief Analysis – A Senior Property Tax Review Committee was appointed at the June meeting of the Board of Mayor and Burgesses and is being chaired by Deputy Mayor Tamath Rossi. The committee is currently reviewing existing Borough, senior tax breaks and programs from other municipalities. Recommendations will be forthcoming after the analysis is complete. Our administration would like to command Deputy Mayor Rossi for her time and leadership chairing the committee.
Appoint Burgess Leaders and Encourage Open Communication – Some Burgesses did not feel comfortable having regular caucuses and reporting through a designated leader. Respecting such opinions, our administration has instead communicated electronically on a regular basis to inform Burgesses of day-to-day and pending matters such as personnel, upcoming meetings, appointments to boards and commissions, contract negotiations and fiscal analysis of matters to come before the Board.
Community Policing – The Naugatuck Police Department currently engages in community policing in several forms. While ongoing discussions will continue regarding expansion of community policing efforts, our administration places high value on the professional operation of our police department under Chief Chris Edson.
Turf 2015 Council – A group of stakeholders have met twice, once on-site at Naugatuck High School, to discuss the logistics of implementation of synthetic grass at the complex. The consensus is to focus efforts on the upper field at Naugatuck High School, and play football, soccer, baseball and softball on a state-of-the-art synthetic field complex. The Borough Engineering Department completed a cost estimate of a complete synthetic grass renovation for both the upper and lower high school fields. Our administration continues to seek federal and/or state funding for the project as well as grant opportunities and potential business sponsorship.
Renaissance Place – The Borough, in conjunction with the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation and Conroy Development Company, have continued to pursue Renaissance Place in spite of extremely difficult economic times. While other projects in the Naugatuck Valley have stalled or been terminated during the recession, all partners continue to work towards implementing this historic process. Unlike other economic development efforts which suffer under the change of administration, there was a seamless transition from one administration to another despite a difference in party affiliation. The recent announcement of interest by Saint Mary’s Health System to construct a state-of-the-art, medical office building as part of Renaissance Place is a strong indicator that the project is very viable and progressing toward construction.
NauSSA Council – Representatives from Naugatuck’s youth and adult sports and support groups have met twice to create an organization to collectively address concerns facing all organizations, collaborate on common endeavors and increase communication. Organized under the Naugatuck Park Commission, the group decided to name itself the Naugatuck Sports and Support Group (NSSG). The next meeting of NSSG will be Wednesday, September 2, 2009, to discuss a potential field space ranking system proposed by the Borough Engineering Department.
Ethics Counsel – The Naugatuck Code of Ethics Commission met recently to discuss the possibility of updating Naugatuck’s ethics code. After consultation with a non-local attorney familiar with municipal ethics, our administration requested that our local commission review and possibly revise Naugatuck’s code. The commission decided to undertake a review of Naugatuck’s existing code and compare it to the state’s model code as well as codes from other municipalities. A September meeting has been planned to discuss future action.
Senior Student Mentoring – We have had brief discussions with the Superintendent and the Director of the Naugatuck Senior Center to gauge support for formalizing a senior-student mentoring program. Both were receptive to the idea, but further discussions are needed. Unfortunately addressing the Board of Education budget deficit and the yet-to-be-adopted 2009-2010 education budget has taken priority over any new initiatives. Our administration will increase efforts to establish such a program as school returns this fall.
End Work at Gunntown – Work to construct an active recreational field was halted in our first day of office. Our public works department is currently in the process of restoring the meadow at the Gunntown property.
Open Government – Our administration has taken unprecedented steps to disseminate information to the public electronically. I personally continue to use my blog as much as possible to inform citizens of local issues and activities. In addition, our office has undertaken efforts to electronically track all constituent contacts so that records will exist for future years regarding questions raised and actions taken by the Borough. As we look to restructure our public works functions, we will broaden this tracking system to other Borough departments. We are currently seeking grant funding and preparing a presentation for next year’s budget to increase online services to citizens and possible broadcast Borough meetings on the internet. More importantly, our office has worked with local and regional media to increase accessibility, provide the most possible transparency to our government and fully comply with the spirit and intent of Freedom of Information Act law.
Other Initiatives Taken but Not Necessarily Discussed During the Campaign
Blight and Beautification Council – Responding to numerous complaints and general disgust at the condition of blighted properties and littered streets throughout the Borough, the Board of Mayor and Burgesses approved the creation of a Blight and Beautification Council at our July meeting. The Council, which is divided into five (5) committees addressing legal, enforcement, resource, education and beautification components, is seeking to comprehensively attack this growing concern. The number of citizens expressing interest and a willingness to become involved is overwhelming and continues to grow. We hope to make Naugatuck a clean and green community of which we can all be proud.
Union City Revitalization – The Board of Mayor and Burgesses unanimously approved the creation of a committee focused on addressing the many needs of an important section of the Borough. Second Deputy Mayor Mike Ciacciarella has done a great job organizing the committee’s meetings, focusing the agenda and attracting interest from numerous Union City residents and businesses. While there is much work to do, our administration is confident that the committee is taking the appropriate steps to create a long-overdue plan for Union City revitalization.
Aging Infrastructure – Our administration has asked the Borough Engineering Department to create a list of priority areas in need of waste water and sewer pipe upgrades. Our infrastructure system is old, and a strategy must be developed to plan for necessary improvement.
We have worked hard to bring change to Naugatuck in the past three-plus (3+) months, but much remains to be accomplished. We look forward to the next hundred days.
Posted by Bob on August 24, 2009 under Daily Blogs |
The Connecticut Hackers, a Naugatuck-based adult baseball team, won its third consecutive
photo courtesy of www.cthackersbaseball.com
Southern Connecticut National Adult Baseball Association (NABA) championship defeating the Bridgeport All-Stars 3-2 in Sunday’s deciding game of the best-of-three championship series played at Quigley Field in West Haven. The victory ended another successful season for the Hackers, who also were the regular season champions.
Despite a brilliant pitching performance by Mike Fox, the Hackers trailed Bridgeport 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth. With runners on first and second with no outs, Catcher Craig Vincelette tied the game with a single to center field. One out later, Ryan Strout lined a single to right to score the winning run from third.
Many thanks to Hackers Player/Manager Mike Doran for inviting me to throw-out the first pitch. It did not take long to realize the Hackers were a great group of guys and fantastic ball players. While a scheduling conflict forced me to leave after the fifth inning, I thoroughly enjoyed the game and was impressed by the quality of play.
For more detailed information, please see Ken Morse’s coverage in this week’s edition of the Citizens News.
Posted by Bob on August 20, 2009 under Daily Blogs |
Saint Mary’s Health System and the Conroy Development Company announced their intention to
An aerial view of Saint Mary's Hospital courtesy of Saint Mary's Health System
collectively pursue a significant medical facility as part of the Naugatuck Renaissance Place Project. The strong interest demonstrated by an established and successful entity such as Saint Mary’s sends a strong message that Renaissance is moving forward despite difficult economic times.
The plan, which was released by the hospital late Thursday morning, proposes the construction of a state-of-the-art, outpatient medical facility in Downtown Naugatuck. It is envisioned that Naugatuck’s existing Saint Mary’s walk-in clinic would relocate and expand to the new location, and provide Class A office space for physicians and practitioners in direct proximity to Route 8 and the Metro North train station. It is possible that other retail and office components would be included in such a structure.
Such a facility would fit perfectly with the transit-oriented, mixed use Renaissance Place model. The constant influx of users would provide a base of customers who would undoubtedly patronize the retail establishments within and around the building.
Medical facilities contain significant, personal property in the form of diagnostic machines, computers and related equipment. Once in full operation, this will result in increased tax revenue to the Borough.
Despite the overwhelming support for Renaissance Place as expressed by Naugatuck voters during the 2007 referendum, some critics have questioned whether the project would ever happen. Certainly the historic, economic collapse of 2008 has impacted the pace of the project. The reality is, however, that progress continues in spite of the struggling economy. While similar but smaller projects have stalled in neighboring Valley communities such as Seymour and Derby, all partners to Renaissance remain committed to moving forward. Alex Conroy has spent and continues to spend significant, personal resources in pursuit of the project. It is highly unlikely that a developer with such a record of past successes would continue to invest in a project without intention and expectation of completion and financial viability. The Borough continues to perform its obligations in accordance with the development agreement such as the creation of a special development district, the recent acceptance of the Economic Impact Evaluation, and the pursuit of a municipal development plan.
While Renaissance Place remains the best and most comprehensive plan for downtown revitalization, the Saint Mary’s proposal would be a significant victory for Naugatuck even without Renaissance. Procuring a collaborative partner as respected as Saint Mary’s Health System in the heart of downtown would be a goal for any Valley community. Naugatuck elected officials have debated numerous proposals for downtown development over the years; this may be the best. The synergy created by the Renaissance Place Project and desire for Saint Mary’s to be part of a revitalized Downtown Naugatuck makes this possible.
The process moving forward will involve several steps. The initial discussion will take place at a pre-planned Renaissance Place update session before a special meeting of the Joint Boards of Finance and Mayor and Burgesses on Monday, August 24, 2009, at 7:00 PM, at Town Hall. All partners will undoubtedly solicit public input as to what residents would like to see included in the proposal. As more specific plans come forth, the development agreement between the Borough, Conroy Development and the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation will be reviewed to determine any necessary approvals required by the respective parties.
We look forward to public comment and questions.
Posted by Bob on August 13, 2009 under Daily Blogs |
The Naugatuck River entering the Naugatuck State Forest
The Naugatuck river Watershed Association, Inc. (hereinafter the “NRWA”), is actively seeking river stewards and other volunteers interested in helping to clean and beautify the mighty Naugatuck River. While the Naugatuck has come a long way since the height of its polluted state in the 1970′s, debris and other large hazards still litter the river in certain locations.
Mr. Robert Gregorski, President of the NRWA, is initiating a pilot project named the River Steward Partnership (hereinafter the “RSP”), which would solicit a couple dedicated individuals to take ownership of certain sections of the Naugatuck. In addition, stewardship opportunities could be available for some of the tributaries of the river such as Beacon Valley Brook, Hop Brook, Longmeadow Brook and Fulling Mill Brook.
This is not the first time Mr. Gregorski has participated in a venture promoting the health of the Naugatuck River. Prior to starting the NRWA in 1995, Mr. Gregorski was a founding member of the Naugatuck-Pomperaug Chapter of Trout Unlimited and has helped organize approximately fifty (50) clean-ups over the years. Such efforts helped to change the condition and perception of the Naugatuck, which have yielded successful events in recent years such as the Naugatuck Kayak and Canoe Race, the Rubber Duck Race, and recreational fishing.
Another component of the RSP will be to promote education about the river to the community. Everyone from students to seniors may be surprised to know about the complex wildlife and ecosystem that are part of the Naugatuck.
While much progress has been made, more work is needed to beautify this precious natural resource that flows through our Valley. For too long we failed to realize not only the beauty of the Naugatuck, but the enormous potential the river possesses to educate, entertain and promote economic development.
Anyone interested in becoming a river steward or participating in a river-related clean-up should contact Bob Gregorski at bobflybox@sbcglobal.net.
Posted by Bob on August 12, 2009 under Daily Blogs |
Naugatuck’s Connecticut Mastery Test (“CMT”) scores improved significantly in almost every category in 2009. The percentage of students in grades three (3) through eight (8) meeting both goal and proficiency standards set by the state was higher in all but four (4) of forty (40) categories when compared with 2008 scores. A breakdown of Naugatuck’s CMT scores on the Hartford Courant’s website can be viewed here.
The percentage of tenth (10th) grade students meeting goal and proficiency standards in the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (“CAPT”) dipped slightly after significant gains in 2008. CAPT scores remain strong however, when compared to dramatic progress achieved from 2007 to 2008.
While reasonable minds can differ with regard to the value of time consumed preparing for standardized tests, the reality is federal No Child Left Behind (“NCLB”) legislation imposes penalties for failure to achieve required scores. Districts are further burdened by the fact that the federal government has offered relatively little financial assistance to local boards of education to meet such standards.
Our teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, parents and most importantly students should be commended for these encouraging numbers. All have a role in ensuring students are prepared on testing days to do their best. It takes a commitment from everyone involved to achieve success and continue improvement.
Posted by Bob on under Daily Blogs |
We have added a new poll feature to the blog that will allow citizens to voice their opinion on various questions and topics. The poll has been programmed to allow only one vote per IP address.
The first poll, which is located on the right side of the blog home page, focuses on the ongoing debate over the Gunntown Property. Previous polls will be available by clicking the archive link below the current poll.
Please check for new polls which will be added every couple days.
Posted by Bob on August 6, 2009 under Daily Blogs |
Gunntown before the destruction of the meadow
Much attention was given last night to the concept of a passive park at the Gunntown property. Representatives from the Committee for a Cultural Environmental Center at Gunntown and the Naugatuck Land Trust provided the Borough Board a summary of a conservation easement pursuant to discussion during the July meeting of the Board of Mayor and Burgesses.
The plan proposes the conveyance of an easement to a legal entity like the Naugatuck Land Trust which would serve to conserve the property and restrict use to passive activities. Such an easement would be negotiated between the grantor, in this case the Borough of Naugatuck; and the grantee, a legal entity with an interest in assuring compliance. The grantor, which would be Naugatuck, retains ownership of the property and can do whatever the grantor would like provided it does not conflict with the restrictions contained in the easement.
Lively debate at Tuesday’s (8/4/2009) Borough Board meeting focused on returning to the old “Gunntown as a soccer field” argument, to using the park passively through a variety of methods, to selling the property.
Wetlands at Gunntown
Since ending the destruction of the Gunntown property on the first full day in office, our administration has taken significant steps to address the need for active recreational space. On June 10, 2009, we hosted an organizational meeting of representatives from Naugatuck’s youth and adult sports and support groups. The overwhelming consensus of the group was that Naugatuck needed an organization where all sports and support groups were represented to collectively address issues such as space, scheduling, fundraising and legislative support for initiatives. Our second meeting was held on July 15, 2009; at which time the group decided to name itself the Naugatuck Sports and Support Group (NSSG). Our mission statement can be viewed here.
In between the above referenced meetings, our administration requested that the Borough Engineer Jim Stewart and Assistant Engineer Wayne Zirolli produce ranking criteria for all publicly and privately owned parcels worthy of consideration as natural grass recreational areas. The purpose behind this request was to finally have an empirical system which analyzes all potential sites across a wide variety of categories including but not limited to size, ownership, utilities, neighborhood impact, parking, access to water, environmental impact and cost of acquisition and/or development. A group including Jim, Wayne, Burgess Mindy Fragoso, Park Commissioner Chairperson Pat Wagner, Mayoral Aide Ed Carter and myself met to review and add to the sites selected for review. Preliminary rankings in all categories will be discussed and finalized at the next NSSG meeting.
In addition, we held an initial meeting of our Turf2015 Committee on June 29, 2009. The purpose of the committee is to investigate the installation of synthetic grass at the Naugatuck High School athletic complex and any other applicable sites in the Borough. The consensus of the group is that the upper field at the high school (currently the football, baseball and softball fields) should be our first priority given the capacity of the field and existing infrastructure. Once synthetic grass is installed, the upper field would host football and soccer, as well as baseball, softball and marching band competitions. Committee members include high school coaches, band leaders, park department commissioners and superintendent, the athletic director, community activists and members of our office. A follow-up meeting was held at the high school on July 27, 2009.
Our administration has made synthetic grass a priority when seeking state and/or federal funding for projects. A preliminary cost estimate for both the upper and lower high school fields can be viewed here.
Providing quality, active recreational space for all our citizens is a high priority for our administration. Gunntown is not a solution to our problems. In addition to being a highly sensitive environmental piece of land with a long history, the property at Gunntown is isolated on a windy road, with no utilities, no water and could host one (1) field for one (1) season at most, requiring significant construction expense. Given the lack of water, it is likely that the field would deteriorate in a season or two after tax dollars, which we do not have, are expended. Before our administration ended construction at the site, the Naugatuck Park Commission plans designated the field to be used by Pop Warner football no earlier than 2010; not a soccer field.
When we talk about “doing it for our kids”, we should be certain that the actions we take and tax dollars we spend will achieve the desired result. In this case, one (1) field at Gunntown used for one (1) season for a couple years at most is not worth the investment and will not solve the problem. I will be on our fields this fall and next spring, like I have for many years, coaching kids and working with the many friends I have made throughout the years to advocate for better fields for our citizens.
The time has come to end the divisive debate surrounding Gunntown and focus our efforts on actually solving the recreational field space problem in an intelligent manner. Naugatuck has never had but deserves a passive park and nature preserve. Gunntown provides the perfect opportunity to provide such an area at little to no cost to taxpayers.
A conservation easement will prevent shortsighted attempts to put fields at Gunntown in future years. This is not a unique concept, but one replicated in several communities within and beyond Connecticut.
If you support a permanent, passive park at Gunntown, please contact your local elected officials and local media to voice your opinion.
Posted by Bob on August 5, 2009 under Daily Blogs |
The Board of Mayor and Burgesses voted unanimously to approve a three (3) year extension of the Firefighters Local 1219 collective bargaining agreement on Tuesday’s (8/4/2009) meeting. A copy of the Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) may be viewed here.
The significant highlights of the agreement are as follows:
Wages:
- No wage increase for this fiscal year (2009 – 2010);
- A one and one half (1.5%) percent increase effective as of July 1, 2010 with an additional one and one half (1.5%) percent increase effective as of January 1, 2011; and
- A one and one half (1.5%) percent increase effective as of July 1, 2011 with an additional one and one half (1.5%) percent increase effective as of January 1, 2012.
Health Care
- No changes to existing plans were made.
Pension
- No changes to existing plans were made.
Sick Time
- Members of the bargaining unit will be allowed to cash-out an additional ten (10) sick days upon retirement. Said additional sick days may not be used to calculate pensions.
Uniform Allowance
- Members of the bargaining unit will receive an additional FIFTY and 00/100THS ($50.00) DOLLARS for uniform allowance per year.
Drug Testing
- The negotiating teams will meet no later than September 1, 2009, to continue negotiations establishing a drug testing policy for the department.
The cost of wage projections may be viewed here. The following documents, with names redacted, projects the costs of the additional ten (10) day, sick day payout.
Our administration would like to thank Local 1219 for negotiating in a respectful and responsible manner during these difficult economic times. Both sides negotiated with knowledge that nothing had been budgeted this year for wage increases. It is unlikely the Borough would have received a zero (0%) percent increase during year one (1) if a contract was decided through arbitration.
Splitting the wage increases for years two (2) and three (3) into two (2) installments allows the Borough to save taxpayers funds in the first (1st) half of both years.
Posted by Bob on August 3, 2009 under Daily Blogs |
The following is a link to the Draft Agenda for the August 4, 2009, meeting of the Board of Mayor and Burgesses. The meeting will convene at 6:00 P.M., with an executive session. The public portion of the meeting will begin at approximately 7:00 P.M.
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