BASEBALL NIGHT IN HARTFORD , SORT OF

At least someone is getting use out of the Dunkin Donuts Park baseball field, just not the YardGoats.

Four men, one of them an employee of a contractor working on the stadium, were arrested tonight for Criminal Trespass 3rd degree after they attempted to get onto the new field for a friendly baseball game earlier this evening.

I. Charles Matthews, Chairman of the Hartford Stadium Authority, was quoted earlier in the week as predicting baseball would be played at DDPark by June. Maybe he was right, although I don't think he meant by trespassers.

You can't make this stuff up.

MAYOR BRONIN VETOES SOME COUNCIL BUDGET RESOLUTIONS, RESTORES LIBRARY FUNDING

FY2017 Amended Budget Transmittal

HARTFORD STADIUM AUTHORITY SPECIAL MEETING INTERVIEWS- RAW VIDEO

For your Friday evening viewing pleasure , enjoy

THE MIAMI TRIP, THE REAL NUMBERS

"They Went to Miami and left me here" my bags were packed and I was ready to go

"$61,275.45 and all we got was this plywood award?"

"These conferences are grueling, pass the sunblock"

 

 

The totals are in, at least what they are willing to show me. for the Miami Trip. It looks like they sent over 30 people to Miami Florida to pick up a "Magnet School Award". In a budget crisis, has no one heard of Fed Ex? More on the Miami junket here http://wethepeoplehartford.blogspot.com/2016/05/my-apologies-to-drunken-sailors.html

And like I said, in the numbers that they are willing to share, it looks like travel, hotels and registration fees alone were in excess of $60,000. Yes $60,000 dollars for one trip for one award, actually  $61,275.45 to be exact  How many times a year are staff traveling and what is the additional costs they didn't reveal for staff time, food  and who knows what else.

To those teachers that are about to lose your jobs due to budget lay offs, you have my sympathies. I only hope you can find some consolation that your fellow teachers and administrators really enjoyed their junket to Miami, it was a blast. #hatersgonnahate

Magnet Schools of Amercia Conference Report 2016

SHAKING MY HEAD OVER BUDGET DECISIONS

We all know the City of Hartford is a budget mess. A 'Dire" mess as the Mayor repeatedly states, but some budget decisions make me wonder if the Hartford City Council realizes what the word "Dire" actually means.

The "giveth and the taketh" of the budget process is detailed in the Financial resolutions below. Lets try to put everything else the Council does throughout the year aside for a bit, the contract s and deals they give away regularly. The $1.00 property development sales that never happen once the parcel is given away  for a buck and all the other ridiculous spending.

Look at the resolutions below and look at all the crazy requests for spending and look at where money is cut, less than $20,000 cut from the Council, but almost $2.5 million from the Police budget.. On "Financial Resolution Dems#2, at the bottom of the page you will see $22,000 for the Hartford Pro-Am. The Hartford Pro Am is the same group that City Auditors in March  said owed the City in excess of $50,00 in unpaid fees for use of Hartford gym facilities.

That $50,000 they owe us plus the $22,000 we are going to give them is probably the cost of one of the Animal Control Officer's that had been laid off

Here is NBC Connecticut's story on the March audit investigation,http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/troubleshooters/Auditors-Report-Details-Hartford-Money-Management-Woes-373400881.html

I realize that giving away money we don't have for parades events  and the pro-am means votes from those politically beholding to the check writers, but we need to have decisions made for the right reasons, not political reasons.

Closing libraries to garner votes, shameful.

Financial and Non Finacial Resolution Budget FY 16-17 (1)

SOME ANSWERS FOR THE HFD EMPLOYEES

One of the biggest issues I keep hearing from the potential 85-90 possible retirees from the Hartford Fire Department is the lack of information they are receiving.

Here is a memo I received today addressing some of the Frequently asked questions.

Retirement Clarification 2016-5-16

HARTFORD FIRE (Frequently Asked Questions) 2016-5-16

TRY OUT THE NEW KENEY PARK GOLF COURSE AND SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE

This blog is all about transparency. One of the biggest things involving transparency is being able to obtain accurate documents.

 When it comes to Hartford City Hall, many of those documents are filed and maintained in the Office of the Town and City Clerk, John Bazzano.  John Bazzano also served on the Commission to resurrect Hartford' two golf courses.

The City Clerks Office has been hit by layoffs also, but they still seem to be doing their best with the workload. If you are a golfer, consider a day of golf at Keney with the Town Clerk's

Town Clerk Golf

THE HARTFORD LIBRARY NEEDS YOUR HELP

THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA, "WE THE PEOPLE" MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Mowing the hayfield at the Affleck Street Police Substation, could it be done by a yardgoat?

Yesterday I posted about the terrible condition of the lawn at the Affleck Street Police Substation, A building that should be a solid anchor in the neighborhood by its presence was contributing to the blight.

You can read that posting here, http://wethepeoplehartford.blogspot.com/2016/05/is-this-another-blighted-property-for.html

Well, apparently someone at DPW reads the blog or maybe it was just a coincidence, but either way, crews showed up to mow the Affleck Street hayfield at 8:30am this morning.

Thank you for the effort, maybe we can get it on a regular schedule for maintenance.

I. CHARLES MATTHEWS, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT, PLEASE USE IT

I don't think I.Charles Matthews, Chairman of the Hartford Stadium Authority, has made an accurate statement in months, except maybe when he claims "meeting adjourned". I am not sure I. Charles has the capacity  needed to understand what it takes to complete a construction project or to be able to recognize the scope of a project mas large as the Stadium.

All comments regarding completion, home game dates and anything else related to the Stadium should be coming from the Mayor's Office who might actually have a better grasp of the situation than Matthews.

 Hasn't this project already been enough of an embarassment for the people  of Hartford without Matthews compounding the ignorance by reckless claims and completion dates with no basis in reality? Maybe because Matthews bailed on Hartford years ago when he moved out,he doesn't feel the same commitment as residents that actually live here.

Matthews should have been removed months ago as Chairman, especially when the costs were allowed to run over by $10 million dollars  (and most likely more when all is said and done)

Enough is enough, Mayor, please put the muzzle  on  your Stadium Authority Chairman and release some real information. Information that we the public can actually trust that what is being said is true and see there are some realistic goals for completion.

HartfordStadiumAuthoritySpecialMeeting5.20.2016

FROM HPD

HARTFORD POLICE TO CONDUCT DUI ENFORCEMENT CHECKPOINT (Hartford, CT.) –
The Hartford Police Department Traffic Division will conduct a DUI Enforcement Checkpoint on Friday, May 20, 2016, from 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., in the area of 1000 Maple Avenue.

 This checkpoint is part of the Hartford Police Department’s ongoing expanded DUI enforcement program supervised by the HPD’s Traffic Division and funded through a grant from the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation DUI Enforcement Program.

For the most up to date traffic information visit the State of Connecticut interactive traffic map including statewide traffic cameras. The Hartford Police Department encourages you to protect your vehicle and belongings by “putting your junk in your trunk.” Click here to view car break prevention tips from the HPD.

IS THIS ANOTHER BLIGHTED PROPERTY FOR THE LIST?

Has someone forgotten about the Affleck  Street Police Substation lawn?

I know things are tough but this sets a terrible example for the neighborhood, the grass is over a foot high and loaded with weeds.  While taking the picture , DPW crews were half a block away mowing the Zion Hill Cemnetary. I know thjey have specific functions , but what would it take, 2 minutes to mow this little patch of grass?

And as a sidenote, I am told that all the debris I posted about last night from the Stadium has been cleaned up this morning. Someone does read "We the People" I guess. Maybe Affleck Street will be mowed before the weekend.

THE HELL WITH SAFETY, PUSH FOR COMPLETION

A concerned resident walking around the Dunkin Donuts Park tonight sent me the pictures below. These areas are unsecured and no fencing or barricades are in place to protect the area. The stadium is also unsecured exact for one police officer outside, who can't possibly see all entrances and areas.

The steel left in the street and on the sidewalk, the hazardous, flammable materials left out in the open and the pallets and debris all make for hazardous conditions as well as possible OSHA violations. A lawsuit waiting to happen.

The safety of the pedestrians and motorists, as well as students from Capitol Prep I guess aren't a concern in DONO. Where is the City and its inspectors allowing these hazardous conditions?

Has Centerplan ever run a construction site before?

This isn't too flammable, left on the sidewalk outside the stadium

Steel on the sidewalk and in the street, no caution tape, sidewalk still open to pedestrian traffic

This is how the sidewalk and the street are left

Someone really needs to pay attention before this stadium cost us millions more than it already has, from injury lawsuits

MY APOLOGIES TO DRUNKEN SAILORS

Apparently as many in City government are looking for ways to save and cutback, the Hartford School System is on a spending spree. This is nothing new for Hartford's Schools from what I am told. Apparently administrators  and others at the Board are encouraged to spend any surplus rather than risk losing that money back to the City at the end of the fiscal year.

The saying " spending like drunken sailors is an annual tradition. It seems inconceivable that anyone could morally condone this behavior at a time when upwards of 250 employees are in dander of losing their jobs. But, then again, as we have seen lately, moral behavior seems to be a foreign term in the administration.

The Board and the Superintendents Office are very slow to answer questions and FOI requests regarding spending, but I think they are quickly finding out that my "alternative means" work just as well. I am still waiting for the specific numbers on the Miami trip, but thank you to all that have provided information, names and details for the trip. Just because Jill Cutler Hodgman refuses to speak or provide documents, plenty of other well intentioned people will. I sincerely thank those of you who have assisted me, putting the well being of children and their education above the nonsense that goes on under the watchful eyes of the Board and the Superintendent

Apparently the Miami trip to pick up a Magnet school award included teachers and the Principal from the Noah Webster School as well as the school's "Operations Manager". I know it was a long time ago, but when I was in school we called our operations manager the Principal.

 

The Miami trip, looks like fun. Paid for by the Hartford Schools apparently, since they refuse to release any information. Noah Webster school employees identified as Kelly Sousa, center, Heather Zottola , right

The Miami trip is just one example of spending like drunken sailors, but another example is in line with the nautical theme, possibly as a tribute to drunken sailors.

I received an e-mail Monday telling me about a $4,000 ( yes you read the zero's correctly, four thousand) a $4,000  fish tank purchased by Hartford' Schools for the lobby of Noah Webster School. Today I received another phone call about the Miami trip and also telling me about the $4,000 fish tank. The caller also explained that the School (Principal) has also hired a contractor to come in regularly to clean and maintain the fish tank.

THE $4,000 FISHTANK (the extension cord running across the floor is a lawsuit waiting to happen and likely an electrical code violation also)

Let me go back to the morals again for a moment. How can anyone think about laying off educators while taking trips to Miami and buying $4,000 fish tanks. How do those expenditures relate to educating children .What is more important, paid vacations and fish tanks or actual teachers in the classroom.

It is also ironic that at the same time that I am typing this blog post, teachers at Noah Webster School are preparing for a vote of no confidence in the Principal. Maybe  a vote of no confidence would be more appropriate for the Superintendent and the Board for allowing this nonsense to occur unchecked in the first place.

Keep the confidential  information coming.

Hartford Fire Department Responds to Report of Fire at Legislative Office Building Tuesday

Hartford, Conn. ( May 17, 2016 )  — Yesterday at 11:45 A.M., the Hartford Fire Department responded to a reported fire that was extinguished on the 2^nd floor of the Legislative Office building.

When fire crews arrived on scene they confirmed that a small electrical fire involving a power strip had been extinguished prior to our arrival.  The building was evacuated as a result of the fire.

Fire crews worked along with building maintenance to clear the smoke from the building.  A city electrical inspector as well as State Fire Marshal responded to investigate.

There were no reported civilian or firefighter injuries and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

FROM HPD: ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF OFFICERS DOING SOMETHING GOOD, GREAT WORK BY HPD

Double Homicide

Location of Incident -100 Cowles Street Hartford, Connecticut

Date and time of Incident -May 16, 2016 : 2226 hours

Case # 16-14029

Victim -Cortez, Joshua, Date of Birth-03/04/1994

Victim -Ocasio, Alysha, Date of Birth-05/02/1993

On Monday, May 16, 2016, at 10:26 P.M., Hartford Police Department Patrol Officers responded to the area of 100 Cowles Street in response to a Shot Spotter activation.  Several citizens also called 911. reporting shots fired and  person on the ground. 

Upon Officers arrival, two victims were located at the intersection of Cowles Street and Campfield Avenue.  The first victim, identified as Joshua Cortez, Date of Birth-03/04/1994, was located lying in the street. Cortez sustained what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced deceased on scene. The second victim, identified as Alysha Ocasio, Date of Birth-05/02/1993, was located inside of a vehicle parked at the same intersection.  Ocasio sustained several apparent gunshot wounds to her torso.  Ocasio was transported to Hartford Hospital where she was pronounced deceased. 

HPD Major Crimes Division and Crime Scene Division Personnel responded and assumed the investigation.  Several spent shell casings as well as one live round were located in close proximity to both victims.  A car tire was located one block north of the scene. This tire was suspected to belong to a vehicle involved in this incident. The suspected vehicle missing a tire was located a short time later parked across from 141 Freeman Street, unoccupied. Witnesses in the area reported that the occupants of the suspect vehicle exited the car and got into a second suspect vehicle and drove away. This second suspect vehicle was located by HPD Patrol Officers a short time later. This vehicle contained five occupants who were believed to be involved in this incident.

Interviews of the five occupants were conducted by HPD Major Crimes Detectives. The interviews led to the arrest of one of the vehicle occupants- Joseph Silva, Date of Birth-09/22/1995.  Silva currently resides at 25 Montrose Street in Hartford, Connecticut.  A search of Silva’s residence was performed by HPD Detectives and a K-9. During this search a firearm was located in the yard. This firearm is believed to be the one used in both homicides. 

The investigation revealed that the suspect was an acquaintance of both victims and the shooting was related to emotional circumstances. 

Silva was charged with violating Connecticut General Statutes; 2 counts of Murder, 53a-54a, Unlawful Discharge, 53-203 and Altering or Removing Identification Marks on a Firearm, 29-36.  

Silva has one previous HPD arrest. His bond was set at $3,000,000. His arraignment is today. 

The Major Crimes Division is continuing to investigate this homicide. If you have any information to assist in this investigation please call Sgt Reginald Early at 860-757-4248. 

WHAT NOW? YARD GOATS DEADLINE PASSES

Whatever happened to ACMAT. You remember them, the New Britain Company based in the same town we stole a baseball team from.

Does it look complete?

It has been a while since I have heard their ads but the tagline was always "on budget and on time". Isn't that a novel idea. Instead  we got Landino and Centerplan. Maybe their tagline should be " no completion without litigation".

Centerplan has been a disaster from the start and the Dunkin Donuts Stadium was most likely a project they were never equipped to tackle from the beginning.

A quick trip around the perimeter of the project today should tell anyone that they are in over their head. The video below shows how far the project is from completion. Some contractors I spoke with today at the site suggested August might be a more reasonable completion time.

The big question is where to go now? I think everyone will agree that Mayor Luke Bronin inherited a major mistake when he took office. With that being said, he now has to fix it. The project was too far along and we were already on the hook for Segarra's Follies to back out in December.

But now it is Luke's. I don't think Mayor Bronin can pass the mess off on the previous Council and Mayor any longer. Bronin has to accept ownership and he has several remedies open to him to gain the trust back from his constituents., To do nothing and coast hoping completion will eventually happen is not one of those options.

As I said before, Centerplan is a disaster. Landino was never equipped to do projects of this size. Just because you are a former State Rep. and have political connections does not necessarily make someone a developer. It might grease the skids to be awarded government contracts, but Landino has already proven he can't deliver on several State of Connecticut projects.

But yet Deller and Segarra awarded him one , if not the, largest development project in Hartford in years. And once again, Landino failed. Even if there is no baseball played in Hartford this year ( which I am told there will not be) Landino and Centerplan needs to be sent on their way tomorrow and the performance bond they provided needs to be called and recover as much as possible of Hartford's potential losses.

I am not optimistic that Saundra Kee-Borges and Pedro Segarra protected us well enough legally to prevent major losses.  Something tells me the Solomon's had better lawyers than SKB to protect their interests.

The Stadium Authority should have been replaced months ago by people that recognized a B/S storm when they were fed one. Anyone that knew anything about construction should have known months ago this wasn't going to happen. Too many critical deadlines were missed and just walking by the site, any of the Authority members should have seen the construction was not progressing properly.

Name me one member of that Authority who has ever been involved in a project of this size before or even has any construction experience.  When Police Officers working outside the site tell me it was the most disorganized project they have ever seen months ago, someone on the Authority should have been hearing the same thing, and been concerned.

I. Charles Matthews has been a total failure to the people of Hartford when he was entrusted to chair the Stadium Authority.

The law suits will begin flowing soon on this one, and Mayor Bronin needs to be a Mayor of action on this one, not a politician rewarding people that delivered votes and donations. Too much is riding on the reputation of our City to sit balk and just talk.

The time for talk has long passed, the plan of action  should have been already worked on and  in place to start tomorrow to remedy the situation. This requires some tough and decisive actions on the part of Mayor Bronin but he was elected to protect the interests of the people of the City of Hartford and not Landino or Centerplan or anyone else.

Go YardGoats, goodbye  Centerplan.

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU

Some of Andrew's medals on display last night

I was just wanted to put up a quick posting to thank all of those people that turned out last night to support my nephew Andrew in his quest to qualify for the 2018 Paralympics in South Korea. Just the travel expenses for training and qualifications are expensive, never mind the equipment  requirements.

Your support and donations are helping Andrew to realize his dreams and show that even with Cerebral Palsy, anything is possible. Andrew is an inspiration to many.

It  was great to see Hartford faces there and top hear from blog readers. One person that came in said he saw it on the blog and immediately put it on his calendar to attend. After I introduced him to Andrew, he wrote out another check for a donation. One of the Hartford people, who shall remain nameless, cleaned up on  the raffle prizes, and no it wasn't rigged. I guess that is what happens when you buy over $100.00 in raffle tickets.

Another person showed up as the event was breaking up, but  he wanted to drop off a check  to "Andrew Races" for $250.00.

It was a great, well attended event. The food was very good, and plenty of it. On behalf of my family and especially Andrew, I would like to thank everyone that showed up, my blog readers and all. This is why I always tell people why I love living in Hartford, I have met so many great people here, and continue to see the good in our City every day.

You can learn more about Andrew  or keep track of his endeavor's at http://andrewraces.com

AN EASY WAY TO SOLVE THE DIBELLA DECEPTION

The question is once again rising to the surface, like raw sewage from a broken MDC pipe.

Where does William DiBella call home? It is a key issue because Dibella, as Chairman of the MDC, is required to reside in a member town. Old Saybrook, Connecticut is not an MDC member town. The Fed's listed Dibella's address in a federal investigation several years ago as "William A. Dibella, a resident of Old Saybrook, Connecticut". Yet Dibella still claims Hartford residency.

 Dibella also claims to be a Hartford resident since he pays Hartford taxes on a 2012 Hyundai. I thought Dibella drove a Jag, but I could be wrong, For some reason I don't see Bill DiBella as a Hyundai type guy.

I guess some people might be willing to believe that Dibella sleeps on a futon in the living room of the Condo of his son Marc and Marc's  wife instead of at his $3 million dollar plus home on Connecticut'\s shoreline in Old Saybrook. It is kind of like Santa Claus, we all want to believe, but eventually we accept reality and admit it was all a myth.

In this day of technology, this should be pretty simple to track down. People all the time are using their cell phone "pings " to prove an alibi, and police also use those same "pings" to track a criminal's whereabouts.

 A release from William Dibella to access his phone records should be able to prove where his phone is "pinging" at night and the location of the cell tower it is hitting most nights. Is it a tower in Hartford or a tower in Old Saybrook. Lets go back a few months and see who is telling the truth.

If Dibella comes forth with the records, I think it might show he is telling the truth, If he refuses, I think that is all the answer  you need as to who is trustworthy.

I went before the MDC Commission several years ago and testified regarding Dibella's residency issues ,  That fell on deaf ears before the Democratically controlled Board, but several of the Republican's in attendance also told me that they knew I was right and Dibella was not a Hartford resident.

 A Hartford City Councilman also admitted that the majority of the Hartford City Council knew Dibella lived in Old Saybrook, but they ignored it and reappointed him because they didn't want to lose his "clout" politically. That same Councilman last year introduced the resolution to reappoint Dibella to the MDC, knowing full well that Dibella was not a Hartford resident.

How much has that "clout" served Hartford's residents? I think the answer would be very little, unless of course you are a politician , and that is where Dibella's "clout" really lies, in the political favors he delivers.

This matter is now before the Hartford City Council to look into Dibella's claims, in the form of a resolution brought forward by Councilman Larry Deutsch. Duetsch is a Working Families Party member not beholding to Dibella (except maybe for the water that flows into his home, but I think he would be entitled to that even as a Republican) but the Majority of the Council are,beholding to Dibella and his son Marc, who is  also the chairman of Hartford's Democratic Town Committee.
(more on how that is even allowed is a story for another day)

Many of Hartford's politicians owe  their positions to the DiBella-esque style politics that have had a stranglehold on Hartford's Democratic party for years.

If Hartford is ever going to move forward, this Council needs to make a statement that integrity matters , they need to push that handle down and flush this matter once and for all, unless of course they enjoy the stink.

You can read more on the Dibella issue in Jon Lender's recent article in the Courant   http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-lender-dibella-residence-0515-20160514-column.htmlue