YourCT.com header image 2
← Norwalk: Dastardly Vandals Set Fire To NHS Band Building Friday Open Thread →

Norwalk: Fire Opdahl


by turfgrrl


August 17th, 2007 · 12 Comments

The list why is long, but the latest bad decision making was a contributing factor in the likely arson incident that burned the Norwalk High School Marching Bears music instruments and uniforms. Opdahl oversees all construction projects, and yes, I am using the term oversees loosely here. The proverbial buck is supposed to stop with him, but as we know, it gets tossed around like its was free money or something. He is solely responsible for allowing the band gear to be stored at an unprotected site, with a history of vandalism , while the construction project displaced the , and then making no effort to see that extra security was deployed and that the insurance policy was adjusted to cover any loss.

Yes, the community will come together and help the Marching Bears get the gear they need. But the community must not allow the reckless Opdahl to bumble his way through another disaster. He must be fired.

Tags: In the News · Norwalk

12 Responses so far ↓ “Norwalk: Fire Opdahl”



  • 1 Neighbor // Aug 17, 2007 at 11:03 am

    Do you mean that there was NO insurance coverage at all? I may not know better about dealing with insurance, but an expert hired to oversee these important projects must have that expertise.

    Parents were set up by the field last evening and were very grateful for the donations coming in.

  • 2 anon // Aug 17, 2007 at 11:06 am

    How is insurance handled by the city? I know that many corporations and large municipalities are self-insured becuase it works out cheaper to pay for the occassional loss than to pay the regular premiums. What’s the scoop with Norwalk? Anyone know?

  • 3 Aunt Bertha // Aug 17, 2007 at 1:52 pm

    Ahhh, but Turfgrrl do you really think he will step up and admit he fummbled this one up? I think he will go on vacation and ignore it. That is my call, I’d like to know why Corda has not spoken about this horrible blunder? Why are the Band parents screaming at the situation? I give the kids credit for going on with the show! The youth of Norwalk has to keep shinning through. Go Bears!

  • 4 Anonymous // Aug 17, 2007 at 2:44 pm

    There is insurance and it is a matter of inventory and having an exact amount to claim. As far as security I am not sure how you secure such an open area. Even if it had been fenced off, if it is arson then the nuts would have gotten thru the fence. Not defending everything Opthal has done in the past, but this might be a strech. Lets not lose focus that if this is arson, then the persons need to be caught and punished and made to pay. One more item, on the Movie production studio, please #13 read the whole article, the city did not give them a penny. The state offers tax credits to entice companies to come to
    Connecticut. This is not reducing what they already pay, since they are not here anyway, but offers them the incentive of a 20% tax credit for anything over 1 million in infastrucure investments. Rembemer 80% of something is better than 100% of nothing. Also they paid 6 million for the property which means they paid a nice conveyance tax to the city. These are the facts on both issues.

  • 5 Silence Dogood // Aug 17, 2007 at 3:00 pm

    A few points:

    1. I have no doubt that Jeff Smith and his group of dedicated parents will be able to produce an accurate inventory for the insurance company. I am no fan of Mr. Opdahl and I’m not saying that he doesn’t deserve to be discharged from the employment rolls of the Norwalk Public Schools; I just think that he deserves it for other offenses, not for this one.

    2. Congratulations to the community for stepping up. Whatever its issues, this community can be very supportive. I will be optimistic that insurance will cover most of the losses. The trophies, unfortunately, are probably irreplaceable.

    3. I commend the McMahon band for its generosity in turning over its $1,000 check, money that the McMahon band no doubt needs, to Norwalk’s Marching Bears. We all need to look hard and recognize that others sometimes have greater needs than we do. Mr. Secchi and his band are a fine example of people who can do this.

  • 6 morris must go // Aug 17, 2007 at 3:02 pm

    Maybe Bruce Morris might want to do something about helping the band, or does he just worry about himself?

  • 7 Vet Park Junkie // Aug 17, 2007 at 3:35 pm

    While reading the schedule at Norwalk Marching Bears Inc., I see that there is an event next Friday called “Spirit Night @ Andrews Field”

    Last year’s Hour had it going from 7:00 – 10:00 PM and described it as “A musical and visual journey at Andrews Field. Wear green and white.”

    Is this going on this year as scheduled and at that time? Perhaps it’s a place for us newbies to show support? I did learn on the NMB, Inc’s Infoline not to park in the private lot near the field.

    (Sorry TG for the thread digression.)

  • 8 Aunt Bertha // Aug 17, 2007 at 4:06 pm

    Mr. Secchi is a really big hearted man that does step up to help everyone all the time! I wish more people were like him. Talk about setting a good moral example!

  • 9 Vet Park Junkie // Aug 17, 2007 at 8:52 pm

    I went to Andrews Field to ask about the band’s performance schedule. Smith was chatting with some students but a helpful man said that Spirit Night will, indeed, be next Friday night.

  • 10 anon. // Aug 18, 2007 at 11:03 am

    I think Opdahl is just blowing his horn!

  • 11 Norwalker // Aug 18, 2007 at 12:30 pm

    Ron Secchi and Steve Fasoli, Roton MS band director, both loaned tubas to NHS the day of the fire. Both of these gentlemen are products of NHS and Jeff Smith’s band program. Also, George Gianetti is doing a great job of expediting the needs of the band during these tough times.

  • 12 CYA // Aug 19, 2007 at 9:19 am

    #10 - I think Opdahl is just blowing his horn!

    How right you are! It is amazing to us that this man is still employed by the BOE. Anyone else would have been let go many months ago for the blunders he has pulled, the coverups he has been behind, the false and misleading information and data that he has distributed, and the outright lies he has been caught telling. What the hell is the BOE waiting for? Are any of the BOE members former OJ Simpson jurors?

Leave a Reply