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Thursday, May 26, 2016

CAN HARTFORD'S STADIUM DEAL GET ANY WORSE?

Thank you Pedro, you left one hell of a legacy
 
 
The answer is definitely yes. In fact, it is anticipated to get much worse after 1:00PM today

According to several sources familiar with the project, the votes are in place on the Hartford Stadium authority to "call the bond" at their meeting today. The bond is essentially an insurance policy that was required by the City to guard against default by the developers on the project. Performance bonds are a standard process in the construction industry.

If the  bond is called by the Stadium Authority ,sources say, it is anticipated that all work will cease on the project within the next 48 hours. The bond process would require a type of investigative procedure as to determine the cause and who is at fault for the delay.

There is where the plot thickens. Sources are also telling me that the Bond holder, the insurance company , will most likely refuse to pay. Apparently there is enough blame to go around and the insurance company is apparently claiming that the City of Hartford shares a large part of the responsibility for the delays.

It should be an interesting meeting. Let the litigation begin. In the meantime, the New Britain Bees are just a short drive away if you want to enjoy some baseball.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

PLEASE PAYUP CENTERPLAN AND DONO

Pedro Segarra guiding Hartford into the Donut hole
 
Does that sign look centered?
 
According to a City Hall source, no penalty fines have been paid by Robert Landino or Centerplan, the developer for Dunkin Donuts Park,  who is was on the hook for a $50,000 penalty for missing the "substantial completion" deadline last Tuesday and an additional $15,000 a day for every day they are late.

According to the Hartford Stadium Authority Chairman I. Charles Matthews at a special meeting last Friday, Matthews said that an account number had been given to Centerplan to begin wiring the money to the City's account. Apparently that has not happened at all.

According to my source " None of the late fines have been paid".

Centerplan... "SHOW US THE MONEY"

VENTURING OUTSIDE OF HARTFORD ISSUES

Eddy Conklin
 
I don't venture outside of Hartford issues too often, but this is just one that makes me question the bounds of human decency and makes me ask "why not?"

Eddy Conklin was killed in a car accident on February 28, 2016. He was a senior at Shelton High School and was on track to graduate this June. His parents have been working with the Superintendent, Board of Ed and Head Master since March 18th for Eddy to receive an honorary diploma in his name, handed to a family member, AT GRADUATION  along with the rest of his 2016 classmates, just as many other families in the state of CT have.

  The family has been told that this would not happen. They have been given the run around on this issue since March. They have supplied the BOE with other towns and facts to support their wishes for the honorary diploma and his name called with his fellow classmates during graduation.

The Conklin's just want to see this injustice to their son corrected. The BOE has offered to award it to the family at a different much smaller event. Sometimes we need to put politics and policy aside and do what is right. Setting a precedent to honor someone's child will never be the wrong thing to do.

 One song in particular comes to mind "Nothing More" which is on the Newtown Kindness video says it all - "We are how we treat each other when the day is done. We are peace, ... We are how we treat each other and nothing more." The right thing to do starts here. Be the person that changes things for the better.

Why would the Shelton Schools compound the loss to this family by their heartless actions? What would the harm be in recognizing this young man along with his fellow classmates, It might just bring a little closure to a few people.  You can sign an online petition to the Shelton School Board by clicking here

IT SURE IS GOOD TO BE POSTING POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT HFD.

ADVISORY: HARTFORD FIREFIGHTERS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
Hartford, Conn. (May 24, 2016) — Eight Hartford fire department personnel will be recognized ...for their part in going above and beyond the call of duty in service. On May 12, 2016, LT Anthony Healis assigned to the Tactical Unit, Tour D, at 275 Pearl St., heard a woman screaming from an open second floor window at the fire station. He ran downstairs and told the firefighters there under his command that he thought that someone needed help.

 Across the street in the parking lot at Ann Uccello St and Pearl St, a perpetuator was seen striking the woman in the face in an apparent robbery attempt. The four firefighters then ran across the street and chased the perpetuator approximately 2 blocks before subduing and restraining him until law enforcements arrival. The other members of the Tactical Unit on scene was Firefighter Timothy Mathis, Firefighter Travon Nickson, and Firefighter Bryan Riddick.


“The actions of these dedicated professionals demonstrates the “service before self” mentality that embodies the Hartford fire department. They put themselves in harm’s way to help a citizen who was being violently assaulted. I couldn’t be prouder of them and their actions, as Chief of Department,” said HFD Fire Chief, Reginald Freeman.

On Sunday, May 22, 2016, Engine 16, Tour B, staffed by Acting LT Lewis Daniels, P/O Martin Quirk, Firefighter Renaldo Rivera, and Firefighter John E. Rodriguez responded to a residence in the north end for a woman who may be giving birth to a child. Engine 16 personnel arrived on scene within minutes and successfully delivered the newborn girl.

 Engine 16 personnel cared for the mother and newborn baby for approximately 9 mins until the local ambulance provider arrived on scene to transport both the baby and mother to the hospital for additional postpartum care and evaluation.

“I turned to grab our delivery kit out of our EMS bag and as I was turning back to the mother, the baby was crowning already,” said Acting LT Lewis Daniels. Annually, 80-85% of the fire department’s 24,000 calls for service a year are EMS calls. “EMS is an important part of our mission here at HFD and I am proud that our trained professionals have once again, demonstrated their professionalism and multi-role expertise in the delivery of this beautiful baby girl,” said Fire Chief Reginald Freeman.

All members will be presented with the “Chief’s Award of Excellence” and a “Unit Citation” for their actions and efforts at their fire station during their next shift. Personnel from Engine 2 who delivered a baby last month will also be recognized with the same awards in their fire station.

HPD AND A GRIEVING FAMILY NEED YOUR HELP


WHY IS HARTFORD'S SUPERINTENDENT SCHIAVINO-NARVAEZ COVERING FOR A SEXUAL PREDATOR?

I can't figure this one out. The story of the sexual predatory behavior by Hartford's Schools Eduardo Genao came to light only after I was contacted by people that were trying to report his behavior and were ignored. The whole thing since that point stinks of a cover up, and more and more that stink is leading back to the person at the top, the Superintendent.

Immediately after the story became public, on May 7, 2016, I requested Genao's personnel records because I was told that the incident I was asked to help with was not the first incident of claims of inappropriate behavior with students or employees involved with the Hartford Schools.

After several weeks, I did get a response back with a few pages of documents that he Hartford Schoools purported to be his entire file. Since that time , I was made aware of another document that was never released. It was a heavily redacted transcript of an interview between Eduardo Genao and his Union rep and a DCF investigator.

Let me be clear though, I did not receive that document because the Superintendent released it as a public document. I obtained that document because a City Hall staffer happened to leave a file in a coffee shop, the file contained the Genao documents. The person that found that file in the coffee shop apparently copied all of the documents , and through "alternative means "the document  made its way to me. I think they call that karma.

Today a third document found its way to me and it is posted below. According to sources, additional documents are available spelling out details, but those are being withheld also.

The heavily redacted document, even from what can be read, is more disgusting than the previous statements. It clearly shows a pattern of inappropriate behavior by Genao. I find it hard to believe that at least three Superintendent's were unaware of the behavior. I think the statements and the documents show that the Superintendent's were extremely incompetent, as well as any staff that failed to bring it to their attention should be held accountable.

It is also very troubling that these documents are having to be pulled out of the Superintendent's office one at a time. It is only through confidential sources am I finding about these documents, and then when I question them , they are released one at a time. What else are they hiding? If I requested these documents through an FOI request on May 7, 2016, why are they released this way.

 The entire file, including the piece meal releases are not becoming "more public" as time passes and they get caught more in a cover up. They were either public on May 7, 2016 or they weren't.

I think the problem is that as more documents are uncovered, the documents will paint a much clearer picture of a concerted effort by Superintendent Narvaez, Gislaine Ngounou and others to cover for a Board employee , allowing him to continue to prey on children under his control.

The silence by the 9 Board of Education members is troubling. Although Craig Stallings, through his wife, had promised a statement to be e-mailed to me, I have received nothing yet. The only statement I have heard from any Board member was elected Democrat Michael Brescia, who told me last Thursday  to "get off my high horse" regarding the BOE. Where are the rest of them? Where is the Board of Education Chairman Richard Wareing?

The only statement released from Superintendent Narvaez was a lame explanation she issued, more with the Mayor's doing than her own. Where is her outrage that , as a parent herself, she was harboring a predator in her top staff?

 And let me also be clear here, this mess is not under the control of Mayor Bronin. As Mayor, he has very little control over the Board's actions, other than the majority he appoints to the Board. I think the Hartford School's may be pulling a slick move trying to channel all of these documents through the Mayor's Office so when this mess really blows up, they can sit back and say "We weren't hiding anything, the Mayor had it all, he is the one who didn't release it".

Wareing and the Superintendent need to come clean now. If they mistakenly covered for a child predator, now is the time to admit it. Review all of the policies and make us feel comfortable that you have implemented change to make sure this can't and won't happen again. I think people can accept some candor now, but to prolong the cover up won't go over well as more information continues to come out. I think it might also be time for Mayor Bronin to take a stronger stand on this also .

Take a look at the latest document below. I am pretty confident all of the redactions are not based in any exemptions allowed by law, but are more to avoid revealing embarrassing details. Even the name and date of the person who wrote the report at the end are blacked out.to prevent contacting that person. Those are not legal redactions. And hopefully the Connecticut FOI Commission will be reviewing this matter soon.