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Norwalk: While The Mayor Decides, Miklave Decided


by turfgrrl


December 5th, 2006 · 3 Comments

Matt Miklave, Norwalk Common Councilman and one of the Norwalk-outers, hit the papers with comments about how he was unhappy with the spirit of getting things done between the Democratic majority led Common Council and Republican Mayor Moccia. In particular, he mentions board and commission appointments. Leveling the microscope further, his beef swirls around the Historical Commission and affordable housing. Anyone who has read the local papers for the last few years would be surprised at his position concerning the Historical Commission considering that it is mostly known for it’s singular war against Norwalk Museum curator, Susan Gunn, and for challenging developers over questionable historical properties.

Case in point: When a famous architect’s home in Rowayton was slated for destruction, nary a peep from the Historical Commission. The home sitting on a few acres had been entirely custom built. Or how about the Golden Hill neighbors who protested the destruction of a granite cliff from a commercial development hoping to build a parking lot. Any commission is rendered ineffective when long standing grudges and personality conflicts dominate the proceedings, and it would seem that Miklave is ignoring the real issues in judging the fitness of the appointments that are up. Even the former mayor, knew it was a problem, and his attempt at an outside body to analyze the functions and management of the commission’s responsibility was a good attempt at finding a solution.

As to the issue of affordable housing, Miklave has never communicated his concerns to the Zoning Commission, who have been wrestling with the concept of a regulation to require a percentage of deed-restricted units to be built in developments of 20 units or more. Maybe Miklave will have something to say at the public hearing on the subject, held by Zoning on December 6th.

Meanwhile, Michael Geake, a Democratic Second Taxing District Commissioner has started the municipal races a tad early with his declaration that he will be running for common council as an at-large candidate. Geake apparently couldn’t get Bobby Burgess to part with a common council slot on the District B ticket.

Mayor Moccia spent a few hours before the editors at The Hour, to reflect on the past year and outline the challenges ahead. In keeping with his low partisan profile, he’s saying he’s still thinking about whether to run again as mayor or not.

Tags: Local · Norwalk

3 Responses so far ↓ “Norwalk: While The Mayor Decides, Miklave Decided”



  • 1 Michael Geake // Dec 12, 2006 at 8:51 pm

    Not really sure what you mean by “couldn’t get Bobby Burgess to part with a common council slot on the District B ticket”. I can’t speak for the Republicans, but the process we Democrats use is that each of the five districts nominates one of the candidates for the five at-large seats. In 2005, the Democrats won four of the five seats; only George Fludd, who had been District B’s nominee, lost, meaning only District B has an open seat next fall (assuming the four incumbents all run for re-election.

    District B is blessed with two excellent Common Council members already: Majority Leader Carvin Hilliard and Health, Welfare, and Public Safety Committee chairwoman Phyllis Bolden. I didn’t ask Bobby Burgess for one of these seats; I fully support both of them for re-election.

    As for getting an early start, running at-large means running city-wide. That requires more organization and, yes, more money, to become well known outside of the Second Taxing District. Like it or not, that’s the reality of this run.

  • 2 mvb // Feb 9, 2007 at 11:23 am

    Coming in late to this…but just want to clear up a factual error. Both the HC and NPT worked diligently to try to find a compromise with the developer on the Margart Hoyt Smith house in Rowayton. There were many, many conversations with the dveloper during the 90 day dealy to present possible tax credit or other ways that preservaing the hsoue could be worked into his plans. Where were you when we had the puibic hearing? Too late to speak up now. The HC and NPT (working together) had even found someone with preorpty down teh road who would take the hosue and move it. The developer was willing; the poerty ownr was willing. We got an estimate from a house-mover. But — the hosue was too big. The move would have meant cutting down most of the trees that line Rowayton Avenue — a Draconian solution that would not have pleased anyone, I’m sure. As I’m sure you know, beyond the 90 day delay, niether the HC nor anyone else has any rights to keep a property owner from doing what he or she thinks best for his prorpety. Our powers of persuasion and offers of alternatives were not good enough. We worked hard, hard, hard and used every possible reasonable option. The developer was open to everyhting except — the hosue could not, would not be part of his planned development. The hosue was not eligible for the National Regsiter (which would have given it a modicum of protection — not much but more serious consideration about demoltions) because it had been moved from its orginal location.

    It’s furstrating when so many of the knee-jerk “let’s trash the HC” old-liners hand on to this sort of “big lie”. You have no idea of how hard the HC has worked for the good of history in Norwalk — without any gain, ego, or personal agendas. And did it at the extreme disadvantge of having staff that is passive-aggressive and a blocker — while continuing to play the “poor little me” card. Ever read “Bartleby the Scrivener”?

    I hope you’re all happy. I wish the new Commissioners best of luck. Apparently, the marching orders from the Mayor are it’s shut up and don’t talk about private historic properties. So, no agency that can do anything about history in this 350 year old town. Zonign and ZBA can;t do it. Not within their legal purvue. HC could do it — it’s in the mission — but not with this “my chevy has more history” administraton.

    The fact that people who claim to be “with it” buy into a concerted “disinfomration” campaign is truly depressing.

  • 3 FCM // Apr 30, 2007 at 12:25 pm

    The HC has had the biggest turnover of any commission in Norwalk. It has completely turned over at least 3 or 4 times in the last 7 years since the incompetent and illegally “appointed or annointed” curator was hired. Many commissioners resigned in disgust, and they were replaced with people chosen to keep her in her job, but even they too learned how incompetent she was. Even if you get a job through cronism and corruption, you should be able to learn it in 7 years, which she has failed to do. The HC has been punished because they cannot or won’t defend the incompetence.

    You should at least show up to work, even if all of your time there is spent on trying to fiqure out a new way to sue your employer. All on the taxpayer’s dime. What a waste of over half a million dollars in salary, plus benefits. The taxpayers should be outraged to know that this year is not the only year she took off 5 months. Last year she was absent over 4 months, the year before that at least 3 months. No one keeps track at City Hall. Other people in the NMEA union should be outraged. How much money does Louis d. Brey make off the people in the NMEA that really do work by defending the same person year after year? Any what is his connection to her father?