Uptown Redevelopment Recommending a Strategy
Matt makes reference to Jurassic park by invoking the idea that at one time someone thought 50 Washington street was a good idea. He said, “we don’t want to make the same mistakes …. We want to make new mistakes.†Funny. The room chuckled.
TIghe & Bond studies omit the two parking garages and land acquisition costs.
Stamford and Bridgeport considering TIFF financing … [check into it]
Tax revenues are at a rate that’s less than vacant property.
Tax base currently at 1.3 million and with project 13 million.
West ave plan
4 new public parking garages …. (maritime)
new and refurbished streets and sidewalks
new/refurbished public utilities (underground)
transportation/ traffic infrastructure
street lights and landscape (streetscape)
special service district to raise $3,417,000 in supplemental tax revenue
public parking revenues: $4.1 million year (preliminary)
Timing 18-24 month pre-development period, 36 month construction period, permanent financing not expected till 2010-2011.
Separate funding source (revenue) too instead of general fund.
Krummel asks a great question about why the limit fo the second taxing district being limited to west ave. He asked how can you limit the infrastructure improvements and connectivity to just west ave. Sheehan says that $20 million in state money was being used for certain parcels on the 95/7 project.
Council Meeting 7/10/07
All present except for Nick Kydes. Jefrrey Spahr instead of Peter Nolin.
They accept the minutes form 6/26/07 unanimous.
Public Participation:
John Lombardi: Speaking on appointment on Oak Hills. Thinks that council should not remove present chairman. Thinks it’s a political move that the city will suffer form. Other issue is on the 900k state funds to the board of ed. The council has the prerogative to look at the BOE budget, and has not done so. The last finance chairman that held numerous meetings was Andy Conroy. The council has chosen not to do that job. Their projects show 1000 students in the next 2 years, but in fact enrollment declined by 500. Thinks its time to replace Corda.
Dave Davidson: $962k to BOE issue. At council meeting where the cap was discussed, asked to hold to the cap and real budget would come through. Thanks to Bruce Kimmel questions, special ed funding was not required, enrollment not what was projected. Corda admitted that he needed contingency funds and so did not budget tightly. We can assume that the budget that the BOE after the budget reconciliation was a tight budget. But they have gotten an additional 600k in priority school funding. Set up the 962k money as a contingency fund that they can tap if they cant live within the budget and need to access the funds. Amend the resolution to achieve the result.
Bobby Burgess: Hartford says you can use the money except for the education purposes. Then speaks in favor for Joe Tamburi, good friend and he works for the city. Says that code book of city that the mayor can appoint the oak hills authority. Claims that Coffey is upset with Tamburi because his name was not on Oak Hills appointment. [Mayor interrupts, no personal attack]
Resginations:
They take 5 minute recess.
They take 5 minute recess.
They Return, Moccia announces they return after 12 minutes.
Coffey moves to nominate Martha Lemmon.
Hilliard moves to table the Oak Hills Appointment.
Miklave, Prouban, Sutton, Bolden, Hilliard, Briggs, Krummel vote to table the issue. Moccia breaks the tie.
Bondi does a point of order that Miklave represented Martha Lemmom.
Matt Miklave responds that it was a long time ago.
Mick Coffey speaks to Lemmon’s background as an athlete and businessperson.
Mikalve: Thinks the world of Martha Lemmon, as a client he issue was successfully resolved, (second time he mentions it to much laughter) Mentions that Lemmon was treasurer of re-election campaign, and says that he’s played golf with Lemmon and can testify that she needs much more time on the golf course, he jokes, but it didn’t go over that well. He says that despite that he can’t support her because Joe Tamburi has done a yoeman’s work regarding the driving range and restaurant there, so he won’t vote for her thought she’s his friend, but he wants to support Tamburi.
Briggs: Also thinks Lemmon is a fine person, but winders why her name was submitted for one of the other two appointments. She says regretfully she will vote against Lemmon.
Hilliard: Thinks Tamburi has done a fantastic job and regretfully will vote against Lemmon because he supports Tamburi. Thinks there’s no reason to replace Tamburi and thinks it’s a political ploy.
Krummel: Will vote against Lemmon though he has great respect for Lemmon, but Joe Tamburi represents a success in appointments deserve to be continued. He ahs worked with the community, helped West Norwalk kept the Oak Hillls community fit in with the community.
Hempstead: Thinks Martha must be a nice personal. This a mayoral appointment, and that he was replaced by people on the other side. People come and go an these commissions. That’s reality. Hats off Joe Tamburi, he’s nto going anywhere, he’ll be back. This is someone new, the mayor put forth the name it’s a normal part of the process.
Poruban: Known Martha a long time, surprised about the appointment. Thnks that there’s an issue over a plaque at Oak Hills. Tamburi was the person who brought forward that they need more female board appointments. As much as he thinks she’s a friend he will not be voting for Lemmon.
Roll Call Vote:
Miklave, Prouban, Sutton, Bolden, Hilliard, Briggs, Krummel against, Moccia breaks tie and votes for Martha Lemmon.
Tree Advisory Committee:
Mike Coffey motions, David Tracy.
Krummel: Applauds Moccia for nominating Dr. Tracy. Applauds the service of Laurel Lindstrom on the committee.
Poruban: echos Krummels comments.
Unanimous vote.
Zoning Commission
Karen Spencer
Bondi moves Karen Spencer for renomination on Zoning.
Coffey: Happy to put her out as a regular
Unanimous Vote
Fair Rent: Marty Bernard
Unanimous
Straniti Motions for Maria Lopez
Unanimous
McQuaid for Patricia Genurario
Unanimous
Coffey: Moves Trish Gibbs to be reappointed to the Maritime Authority.
Hempstead: Thinks she’s an excellent choice for the maritime Authority
Moccia: Had to convince her to stay on.
Unanimous:
Moccia: Any time a mayor makes changes there’s concern & appointments tonight 5 were Democrats and 2 were Republican, in the spirit of bipartisanship.
Coffey: Thanks Lindstrom and Tamburi. Says in the first 2 years he was on the council there was never submissions to be on boards and commissions., he thinks he’s worked well with Hempstead on getting great people to serve on the commissions.
Consent Calendar
Mikalve removes item 7. B 1.
Council votes unanimously on the Consent Calendar.
Miklave: Recuses himself because of 7. B. 1.
Krummel retrieves Miklave.
Hilliard: On last week of leading up the BOE fiancé committee had 3 meetings about the budget. Motions V1 2. Says that he thinks BOE deserves extra money and votes to approve it.
McQuaid: Is supporting the funds, but still has concerns about the budget. Thinks we can do a better job next year.
Coffey: Has a few questions for Dr. Corda. Explain where the budget savings were form the budget sent over to the council.
Corda: Didn’t bring reconciliation with him.
Reduced 4 literary specialists and two teachers in Brien McMahon and ??? schools. Reduced health insurance savings. (see earlier BOE finance meetings) Reducing aides in special ed by 10, result of youngsters that left the district or a reduction of special education plans that are concluded at the end of the school year. And nickel and dimes the budget and reduced the athletic budget in both high schools. Then some special ed students moving out or aging out of the district. Purchases were made that the end of this school year were proposed for next year.
Coffey: Questions the role of the finance committee of the BOE. Applauds Bruce Kimmel for raising the issue.
Corda: The board of the finance committee will determine it for itself. Claims that he does the best job based on estimates. In some cases the finance committee may have some meetings determined on their own. Unless the finance committee changes, it has served fairly well. Budget detail is more available at the end of the school year, instead of the earlier as it is now. [of course this is b.s. because corporations do this all the time]
UPDATE: Coffey: Does those factors get looked at by the finance committee.
Corda: No its an erratic schedule. Questions whether a more frequent meeting of the finance committee will have any impact on the process.
Coffey: But we have a committee on the council and go over these numbers all the time. Don’t you think that’s a better way.
Corda: I think you ask these questions during the process at the end. Uses an example of the athletic department reductions. Claims that the purchasing agent expanding the bidding the pool to and that Opdahl changes the way that transportation as being handled. No impacts were made to athletic programs. He claims that now people will say that the results were that holding the feet of the BOE to the fire worked. Corda claims that they do that anyway. We run a business 145 million dollar business. He tries to use good business practices in labor negotiations, and purchasing. He says they are still not locked down on the need for elementary schools. He won’t know the answer for the next couple of weeks. That’s the kind scrutiny that has to take place. In terms of the finance committee he doesn’t know if the outcome will be any different. Jack Orchulli spent 3 months learning the education business, hiss assessment that the operation was run extremely well. The mayor brought him in, so Corda feels confident that he knows what he’s doing. A budget is a blueprint, it’s a plan that needs to be modified.
UPDATE My battery died and so the remainder of the common council meeting of 7/10/07 continues on the post here.
