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Friday, September 18, 2015

BOB KILLIAN: IN THE END, HE DID THE RIGHT THING

Sometime in April I think, I received a phone call that turned out to be from one of the most honorable, ethical, inspiring people that I have had the honor to meet. The caller identified himself as Robert Killian. He told me that he heard a lot about me and that he was contemplating a run for Mayor of Hartford. He wanted to meet and introduce himself. I wasn't sure but I also wanted to meet him and hear what he had to say.

I knew of him and his family name. I had heard him speak once as the MC for the Southend Democratic Ladies luncheon a few years ago and his style was impressive. We met at a restaurant for lunch which eventually turned out to be a three  hour introduction. Being in the presence of Bob Killian was  like having lunch with Santa Claus and Mark Twain at the same time. I couldn't stop calling him Judge, a title of respect he earned. He kept correcting me and asking me to just call him Bob.  (I still call him Judge, especially in public)

His knowledge and love of everything Hartford was amazing. His family history and political history and knowledge was also amazing. And after being a Judge for 31 years, I quickly realized he was one of the most "down to earth"  people I had ever met. By the end of our 3 hour lunch, Bob came right out and asked me what it would take to get me as part of his team for his Mayoral run. At first I was hesitant to commit. We talked some more and before we left, he asked again. What would it take to get me as part of his team?

He wore me down, and my response was "lets do this". From that point on, he treated me like he had known me for years and I was immediately included as part of his inner circle and included in most major campaign decisions. He still continued to impress me everyday . No matter where we went I the City , or who we met, a brief history lesson was attached (well I quickly learned the Judge was never brief, but always informative) and he always had a lesson.Whether we were going to lunch on Main Street or passing the XL Center, there was Hartford history. Saint Peter's Church, the Charter Oak Cultural Center, the roof collapse at the Civic Center. How many people knew about the co-generation power plant on the roof of the G.Fox building powered by kerosene? Bob Killian does.

Ask him about political events on the front steps of the old Hartford Times building (soon to be UConn) and the street that used to run by City Hall where the Burr Mall and Stegosaurus are know. The Killian family was here and were part f Hartford's history.

My "what if " calls between the two of us became a regular nightly thing. What did I think about staffing at HPD? What would he do about the baseball stadium?  What were my thoughts on Hartford's small business environment? Any thing and everything was on the table and I have never talked to someone that knew more about finance and bonding and could explain it all in a usable , understandable way. Municipal law and his understanding  is amazing. The entire time we would talk, I always kept thinking this guy could run circles around Pedro Segarra . I just kept thinking , the sky is the limit as to what Hartford cold achieve with the Judge as Mayor

I will be honest, I was concerned initially if Bob had the stamina to run a campaign and be Mayor at his age. That was quickly dispelled in very short order. The first was a hone call from someone that was aware of my concerns, They asked if I knew Hillary Clinton's age? I quickly realized, both Hillary and Bob were the same age. If she could run for President, surely Bob could run for Mayor. Then the more time I spent with him the more I realized my fears were unfounded. One day we started off attending a funeral for a Hartford resident that both Bob and I had history with, then a luncheon meeting related to the campaign, an evening community event and I honestly think if it wasn't so late, Bob would have been ready to go out door knocking for a few hours.

His energy level was inspiring, He would wear me out almost every time. But at the end of the day you knew you were accomplishing something, meeting great people and learning more about this great City, You can't buy  that knowledge.

Bob's campaign was taking shape. His love for his family, his wife Candy, his two daughters and his grandson Calder I think was the only thing greater than his love for the City of Hartford. During all of this, Bob not only showed what a great Mayor he would be but also what a great friend he is. During this period, I had my stroke. Bob was immediately asking what I needed, Bo and Candy offered to take my dog Bailey into their home if needed. Bob called me one day and asked what I needed in the hospital. I told him the food was so bad, I would really like some fresh fruit.

That afternoon, when Bob should have been out campaigning. he showed up in my hospital room. He was carrying a large insulated bag from Whole Foods loaded with fresh fruit, some of the best bananas I have ever tasted, white flesh nectarines, cherries, strawberries. I made friends with the nursing staff at snack time, they loved the cherries especially. Unfortunately the potassium in the bananas and nectarines damn near killed me, but like they say, it is the thought that counts. (Thanks Bob)

Bob made several visits to my room while I as in the Hospital and during rehab. Shortly after my release from rehab, I was staying at my Mother's house in Windsor Locks. One afternoon Bob called and asked if he could visit me that night, he wanted to talk to me. I immediately could tell by the tone of the conversation it wasn't good. I looked at my mother and said to her, "He's dropping out" It was devastating because all I could imagine was what he could do as Mayor. He arrived at Mom's house and he had some papers in his hand.

I think besides his wife, I was the only other person to get the news yet. He had decided to drop out of the race for Mayor. His reasoning was sound. As with everything Bob Killian.does, the decision had been well thought out. Bob had contracted a poll. Based on that poll,to the best of my memory, it showed that Bob Killian would give Luke Bronin a run for his money. It also showed that Pedro Segarra would most likely pull out a victory if the voter base was split three or four ways between Killian, Bronin and possibly John Gale  if he didn't drop out , which he eventually did)  Bob said that he loved Hartford too much and cared too much about its  future, to be the spoiler in the race.He had made the decision to drop out of the race. Clearly there was no changing his mind.

 I was asked by Bob to keep the decision confidential until he was ready to announce it later in the week, Several people weren't happy afterwards when they found out I knew in advance. That was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do 

He didn't make it any easier when he told me that as much as he wanted to be Mayor, at least one good thing came out of the campaign, he met me and he made a good friend for life. (Right back at ya' Judge )

. And I couldn't really argue. I had seen his love for Hartford from day one, and his reasoning was sound. It was a tough pill to swallow but the decision was his. In the end it was the correct decision. If Bob had stayed in the race and split the vote, Wednesday's outcome would have been much different. We would have been headed for another four years of incompetent leadership. The 15 or 20 percent of the vote the poll predicted, at the very least would have guaranteed Segarra a win over Killian and Bronin. Things might have changed, Killian's numbers might have swelled, but based on the preliminary poll numbers, Judge Killian wasn't willing to take that risk. He is not ego driven like some and was unwillingness to risk the future of 120,000 people on his desire to be Mayor is commendable.

It is more than commendable, it is honorable. And that is exactly what I expected when I signed on with the Honorable Robert Killian. Bob Killian would be a definite  asset for turning this City around.



AN OPEN MESSAGE TO MAYOR SEGARRA

I know for a fact Pedro Segarra and his staff are regular readers of this blog. So let me give this a shot.

Pedro, you as well as most. know very well I am not a fan of yours. I have told you from the very start I have been disappointed with you . So many people , including myself, were praying or the conviction  of your predecessor, just to usher in a new era of change. Well, as the old saying goes, you don't always get what  you wish for.. We gave you a few years to try, Admittedly under very trying circumstances to you, but that is what leadership is about, rising to the challenge when needed.

Hopefully you are sitting down right now, but I want to thank you for your efforts. On behalf of myself an many others in Hartford, thank you for stepping in under difficult circumstances when the City of Hartford needed someone different to serve.

As I said to you the day you and I met in your office, along with Dave Panagore, right after you took office, one of the basic rules of management is that as a leader , you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Pedro if you are being honest, you would have to admit you made some terrible choices in that respect.

I won't rehash everything, but many of your pitfalls were pointed out here on this very blog and I would have gladly worked with you on many of these issues to avoid the embarrassment and damage to our City. No one person can claim exclusive love for this city and its people and I would have been more than willing to work with you to move this City forward, but you made the choice not to. Again, as they say hindsight is 20/20 vision. Maybe knowing what we know today, things might have been different.

Let me get to my point. You had your shot at leadership and you fell short. This is not just my opinion, but an opinion shared by more than 55% of Hartford's voters. Now is not the time to draw this out. I understand you have been through a difficult contest, I also understand you need time to regroup and consider your future.

When considering your future, please also consider the future of the City and the people you say you love. Remember the city you claim gave you your future 41 years ago. Now please don't hold that same City back. This is not about your ego or your political future. Make your decision for the right reasons. Allow Hartford to move forward or the right reasons. Allow the voices of Hartford's voters to be heard. Allow the choice of the people, Luke Bronin an his Council slate, to take the reins of leadership and mold the future of Hartford.

Not to be blunt, but you had five years to prove yourself and you fell short . Now give Bronin his shot and see what he can accomplish. I will give you my promise here, Pedro. If he doesn't do it, I will be very vocal about it. I held you accountable and I will do the same thing to a Bronin Administration if they fall short. I will also make the same offer to Luke Bronin that I made to you, I am willing to give my heart and soul to see this City succeed and see my neighbors and friends here thrive .

Take your needed rest and please decide to end the divisiveness now. Unify behind the people's choice to lead the City, and lets get started now to  move the City that all three of us, you, Luke and myself , along with thousands of others love and car about.

Please rise to the occasion and show us the real Pedro Segarra. Make the right decision and please step aside  with grace and dignity.

Thank you again for your service to our City and thank you to Charlie  for his support of your service.

OPTIMISM FOR HARTFORD'S FUTURE

The following is an e-mail I received today from  Luke Bronin and the Bronin campaign, I was not asked to post it here, but I am so that we can all understand and accept this opportunity to move Hartford forward. Luke may not have been your candidate, and I can respect that, but as the results showed , he was the choice of the majority of those that voted Wednesday. Rather than continue to complain, we need to rally behind Luke and we all need to bring all that we have to offer to the table to make the City we love great once again

I have always said that Hartford's greatest resource and strength is its residents. We don't need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars every year on consultants. We need to utilize our free resources, and that's our residents The Hartford style of divisive politics only benefits certain specific recipients. We now need leadership that is able to pull it together to benefit everyone. I think Luke Bronin along with his Council slate have the potential to show us what we have really been lacking for years, and that is LEADERSHIP and VISION.

Get involved, start working with your are NRZ. Apply to serve on a Board or Commission for something you are passionate about. Become a Hartford cheerleader, Make a difference.

I will repeat here what I said to Luke and his new Council members Wednesday night at the Polish home, "The voters of Hartford have shown tremendous confidence in you today, as well as their desire for change, now you have to do something with it"

The time is now to begin the new direction for our City.



We did it! 
 
This week, Hartford Democrats voted decisively for change.
  
You voted for a City Hall that works for all of Hartford.
 
You voted for the team that is determined to tackle our tough problems head-on and work every day to make our city stronger.
 
We could not have done it without the help of every single one of you.
 
To those of you who knocked on doors and made phone calls, to those who contributed to our campaign, to the thousands of you who voted yesterday -- thank you.
  
This race is not over yet, and we still have plenty of hard campaigning left to do.  But I wanted to pause and thank you for helping us get to this point.  I am deeply grateful.
 
This campaign is about getting Hartford working again, and your support has gotten us one giant step closer.
 
Thank you!
Luke

HARTFORD HOMICIDE #26

On Thursday, September 17, 2015, at approximately 2152 hours, the Hartford Police Communications Center received a 911 report of a person stabbed and bleeding at 69 James Street inside apartment 103. On arrival, police located two persons bleeding and suffering from stab wounds to their upper torso, head and neck area. Both persons were transported to Saint Francis Emergency Room via ambulance. One of the persons was pronounced deceased at 2235 hours by the attending physician in the emergency room. The other person was being treated for non-life threatening injuries to his head and neck area. A crime scene was immediately identified and secured by patrol officers. Major Crimes detectives and Crime Scene detectives responded and assumed the investigation. The investigation is very active and progressing at this time.

No other information is available from HPD at this time

ADDITIONAL INFO FROM HPD

On September 17, 2015 at approximately 9:52pm Hartford Police Department Patrol Officers were dispatched to 69 James St. on a 911 report of 2 people bleeding due to a fight. Upon arrival Patrol Officers found the victim, a 55yo male from New Britain, suffering from a severe stab wound to his arm. He was provided first aid as EMS personnel transported him to St. Francis. At 1035pm the victim was pronounced Deceased.

 

In the same apartment, HPD Patrol Officers also located a 67yo male from Hartford, bleeding from the head. He was transported to St. Francis, treated non-life-threatening injury, and released into police custody.

 

Initial investigation is indicating that:

The 55 yo Victim is the nephew of the 67yo Suspect (uncle). The two live together at 69 James St. This entire incident occurred within their apartment. Allegedly, the two had been consuming copious amounts of alcohol. Both engaged in an argument that soon became physical. At some point, the suspect severely stabbed victim in the arm with a kitchen knife. The victim then was able to gain control of the knife and stab suspect. A witness then called police.

 

The Hartford Police Major Crimes Division is investigating. An arrest is likely to occur today.

Monday, September 14, 2015

MORE SEGARRA QUESTIONS: ZONING VIOLATIONS OR VOTER FRAUD?

SEGARRA TO CONSTITUENTS: DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO

This past weekend, a commenter on the blog questioned donations made by at least two persons listed on the Segarra campaign filings submitted last week. The two donors listed their address as 760 Prospect Street, but neither appears to be related to Pedro Segarra. Now, after checking more data, it appears that 760 Prospect Avenue, Segarra's home, is a very busy address. According t sources, an absentee ballot has also been submitted for an individual not related to Segarra but claiming to reside at Segarra's home.
The two donors claiming to use Segarra's home address, apparently are  Teofilio Ortiz and Delio Rodriguez. According to sources,  neither Ortiz or Rodriguez are registered to vote in Hartford.


SCREEN SHOTS OF DONATION LISTINGS FROM SEGARRA CAMPAIGN FILINGS
According to records on file with Harford's City Clerk, another individual Stephen G. Sullivan lists his address on his absentee ballot as 760 Prospect Avenue, the Segarra homestead.
LINE LISTING FROM HARTFORD CITY CLERK ABSENTEE BALLOT REPORT SHOWING STEPHEN SULLIVAN BALLOT
 The use of Segarra' home address by these people claiming to live there, at the very least appears to be a violation of relevant zoning regulations,  according to one attorney familiar with Hartford's Zoning laws. This would be interesting if Segarra is breaking the same laws that he has taken a group of Hartford residents to Federal Court to enforce.

The group, known as the Scarborough 11, is in a legal battle with Segarra's Administration at this present time.To read more about the Scarborough 11, click here http://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-hartford-scarborough-zoning-0326-20150325-story.html

  Assuming any of these people actually live at Pedro’s house and are not related by blood or marriage, that means Pedro is almost certainly violating the same regs that the Scarborough 7 have violated:

Here is the legal analysis -  Pedro’s House is in the R-8 zone, the strictest zone in the City.   

Section 182:  1 Dwelling Unit Per Lot - meaning you CANNOT have a separate rental apartment.  So, none of these people can be renters. 

— Section 2:  “Dwelling unit means a room or suite of rooms designed for living, cooking and eating, and sleeping, with a bathroom and a separate means of egress, and a kitchen for use by a family.” - meaning, 1 dwelling unit = 1 family.   

— Section 2:  "Family means, one (1) person; a group of two (2) or more persons living together and interrelated by consanguinity, marriage, civil union, custodianship, guardianship, or legal adoption; or a group of not more than two (2) persons who need not be so related, occupying the whole or part of a dwelling unit as a separate housekeeping unit with a common set of cooking facilities…”  - So if there is more than 1 person living there who is  not related to Pedro/Charlie (assuming they are married or are in a civil union), then they have a problem because this section means that EITHER the people in his house have to be married/blood relations/etc. OR there can only be a maximum of TWO unrelated people OPERATING AS A HOUSEKEEPING UNIT.  This means that they can have 1 unrelated person living there but only if they operated as a family; i.e. eat meals together, share expenses, etc. 

Nor can they say one or more of them are living in an apartment because R-8 doesn’t allow renters or separate apartments and they can’t get a CO for an apartment b/c it is a single family zone.   

Section 731:  "The purpose of the R-8 district in the city is to provide for and protect single-family residences sited on a lot having a minimum area of twelve thousand (12,000) square feet. The R-8 district provisions encourage the future development of these very low density residential areas for primarily residential purposes by prohibiting conversions, roomers, most institutional uses and all business uses.”  - meaning you CANNOT have roomers or boarders.  NO ONE can pay them rent, even if somehow Delia Rodriguez/Teofilo Ortiz ARE actually related to Pedro and/or Charlie and it’s just Stephen Sullivan who’s the 1 unrelated.  If he’s unrelated and living as a roomer/boarder, he CANNOT pay them rent.  That’s illegal.  

Of course it is also possible that none of these people actually live there, meaning there is no zoning violation, but if Sullivan doesn’t that is a huge problem since he has already voted. That is called voter fraud. 
HARTFORD ZONING REGULATIONS