The winds of change are are picking up steam heading into November’s election with the Norwalk Federation of Teachers filing the law suit to end the complacency of the BOE. The details of the suit are worthy of of the kind of charges that Henry Waxman should level at the Bush administration; “context of secrecy”, “without any discussion”, “stifle the plaintiff’s and the public’s right to free speech”, positively scintillating.

The cloak of secrecy is about to ripped from Dr. Evil Corda. And his little BOE minions too. WIth a very public law suite filed, all the issues that they hoped to be swept away from teh public’s eye will be under the microscope of discovery tactics in the courthouse. Which means open season on the evidence mounted to present the issue of “retaliate against the plaintiffs for their prior exercise of free speech rights against BOE policies and Corda.”

Can you imagine what that list will look like? Every decision rendered by Corda subjected to legal scrutiny, every document filed to present a story of deception, while bringing out the hard truths of how Opdahl and Morris manage to keep their jobs amidst the barrage of questions about accountability and job performance. The favoritism of the fiefdom is about to be exposed.

The four incumbent BOE candidates have largely been chief enablers of the fiefdom and certainly deserve no free hall pass back to the BOE. They include: Sue Hamilton District A, Migdalia Rivas District B, Marina Rivera District C and Jody Bishop-Pullan District E. Tom Vetter of District D is not running again, but his son is.

Meanwhile the pace of the case of the Norwalk Inn and 93 East ave has been dealt another setback with the judge requiring more information form both parties. It looks like judge Nadeau has punted on a quick decision. Perhaps not surprising considering that two attorneys from National Trust for Historic Preservation were on hand. The Norwalk Inn is finding itself in a nationally scrutinized case, which would be great marketing exposure for them if they could figure a way to tap into historical tourism by offering a group rate for preservation activists to stay at the Inn while the case attracts attention. Alas, instead they have a lawyer who hasn’t yet mastered the art of winning over public opinion.

Defining “prudent and feasible” alternatives to demolition proved more difficult.

Nadeau asked attorneys for their understandings of the term and about a court’s role in imposing alternatives, especially if such alternatives force property owners outside their careers.

That issue resonated with Stewart I. Edelstein, Handrinos’ attorney.

“It’s not for the court to tell any private property owner what business they can engage in,” Edelstein said.

Nadeau rejected several alternatives put forward by preservationists, including selling the house and converting it into a bed-and-breakfast. He labeled a plan put forward by Silvermine resident and architect Lee Levey as the only option. That plan would save the house, build a 42-room room expansion in the Inn’s existing parking lot, and locate the additional parking underground.

Edelstein labeled it and other alternatives put forward beforehand as unworkable.

“The property cannot be sold … it cannot be relocated,” Edelstein said. “So we’re down to the Levey plan. All require various zoning approvals. We don’t have permits to put a parking garage in the front of this property.”

Smart money would have had Edelstein citing the need for many dollars to save the house, build the addition and get the Save Our History Channel film crew documenting the challenge. The irony here?

A&E Television Networks
250 Harbor Drive
Stamford, CT 06902

source: The Hour, Teacher federation files lawsuit against BOE September 19, 2007
source: The Hour, Fate of historic house remains uncertain September 19, 2007