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Wednesday, November 6, 2013

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

 
Mayor Segarra in the Hooker Day Parade, followed by his "scheduler" Jalmar DeDios walking alongside


Apparently now it is not just enough to invite the Mayor to a Community meeting, now you have to explain "Why" as well as prepare talking points for the Mayor. I think the answer to the question "Why?" should be because we elected him, we pay his salary and he answers to us.

I am not sure what goes through this Mayor's mind, he has insulated himself with a Secret Service style detail and even travels with his detail on out of state trips. This is not the same person that many were hoping would turn this City around after his divisive and felonious predecessor was forced out of office.

 Now a form has to be completed to invite him to meetings and events. I honestly think Pedro has lost sight of who he represents and why he is there. This is a small City yet Segarra thinks he is on the level of our Governor or greater . As I write this, I am told Segarra is in Chicago, travelling once again for the same organization that sent him to Puerto Rico recently.

We need a leader for this City who is in touch with his constituents.  A Mayor that understands the difficulties his residents face day in and day out, and is in his City fighting for change to attain a better quality of life for his residents.

Put down the caviar spoon and get out and talk to the people in this City that are struggling to make ends meet. In the meantime Pedro, you don't need a screener before you visit in the community, get out there and listen to the honest truth.

According to the City Charter the Mayor may appoint a Chief of Staff, legislative assistant, research assistant personal secretary and receptionist or equivalent positions for which the Council may appropriate  sufficient funds. I don't recall any request to the Council recently for the new position of scheduler. But then again, when has the Charter mattered

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS GOES

The latest UCONN Party House
 
 
Last month I posted about an effort by some, including Mayor Segarra's partner, Charlie Ortiz, who were attempting to shut down a food pantry at a West-end church on Prospect Avenue. The main objections seemed to be that the operation brought increased traffic to the neighborhood and that the operation was possibly perceived as a misuse of the property in violation of local zoning laws.

Ortiz and members of the West End Civic Association had apparently held meetings with City Officials in their attempt to shut the operation down. You can read more on that here
Grace Seventh Day Adventist Food Pantry


Now it seems that less than three blocks east of the food pantry another zoning violation as well as increased traffic may be taking shape. The word came out yesterday that the UConn Foundation has just purchased a party house for UConn President Susan Herbst on Scarborough Street. According to news accounts, the primary function of the mansion listed at $660,000 would be for fundraising events and cocktail parties at the house  in one of Hartford's most affluent neighborhoods.

The secondary use would apparently be as a part-time residence for President Herbst who may use the house half a dozen times a month when she is in Hartford.

Scarborough Street is far less equipped to handle parking and traffic than Prospect Street is, but only time will tell if there is a push to enforce zoning regulations on Scarborough Street the same as there was on Prospect.

DAN NOLAN IS AT IT AGAIN

When it comes to fundraising and compassion for charitable causes, Dan Nolan is the go to guy.  I think he has been involved in raising funds and awareness for just about every charitable event known in Hartford. Nolan is able to juggle his time between his position as Deputy Chief of Training for the Hartford Fire Department and his military commitments, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dan recently contacted me for assistance in getting the word out for his latest charitable act. As someone who has a nephew that lives with Cerebral Palsy, I can definitely appreciate this cause and the challenges faced by the parents of children with CP. The flyer below speaks for itself and if you are interested in making a donation , the information is in the flyer.

Monday, November 4, 2013

AUDITORS ISSUE HYBRID REPORT, MORE BAD NEWS

An Internal Memo issued today by Hartford city Auditors painted a picture of very lax or nonexistent adherence to City Policy in the release of over $800,000 to the Hybrid Insurance Group. The wire transfer has most likely become the subject of a Federal Grand Jury Investigation.

In the memo, Internal Auditor Craig Trujillo states that  numerous policies were either mot followed or were totally ignored. The memo, posted below, speaks for itself, but it seems to show that City Hall is a free for all with no regard to policy or using sound business principles for the operation of city government

   HYBRID AUDIT

Thursday, October 31, 2013

WINTERFEST COAT DRIVE KICK-OFF TOMORROW

WinterfestLogo_blue

 

MAYOR SEGARRA JOINS OTHER CITY LEADERS TO ANNOUNCE

SKATE, COAT, HAT & GLOVE DRIVE FOR

WINTERFEST HARTFORD

 

---NEWS ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013--

 

WHAT:          Skate, Coat, Hat, & Glove Drive

WHERE:       Hartford City Hall Atrium

WHEN:          1:00 p.m. – Friday, November 1, 2013

 

Hartford Mayor Pedro E. Segarra, iQuilt Chairwoman Bonnie Malley and Bob Crawford of Champions Skating will join East Hartford Mayor Marcia Leclerc and West Hartford Mayor Scott Slifka to announce that the City has teamed up with the towns of East Hartford, West Hartford and Simsbury to collect gently used figure skates, coats, hats and gloves for the fourth annual iQuilt Presents Winterfest Hartford.

 

Winterfest Hartford, a free, public ice-skating rink under the canopy of historic Bushnell Park, will officially open with a festive celebration the evening of Friday, November 29,, 2013 and will run daily through Saturday, February 1, 2014.

 

At this news conference, donation sites will be announced. Also, an updated skating schedule, additional corporate sponsorships and business support will be discussed.  

 

Last year, over 100 pairs of skates were donated and 58,000 skaters enjoyed the rink. More than 55,000 others visited the park and participated in Winterfest festivities.

 

Contact:         Mary Coursey                        

Cell: 860-305-0476

Email:  mary@courseyco.com

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

HARTFORD POLICE SERGEANT FAILS TO REPORT SHOOTING INCIDENT AT HIS HOME

Some days it just seems like Hartford's Police Chief James Rovella just can't catch a break.

The latest incident just seems to defy common sense.

On September 25, 2013 a Windsor resident called the Windsor Police Department to report that his 12 year old daughter found a metal item in her bed that she thought was some sort of "capsule". The father, Marc Simpson recognized the "capsule" as the spent round from a gun. Simpson also found a hole in the outside wall of his daughters bedroom that appeared to be a gunshot hole.

Simpson called Windsor Police to report the incident and turn the round over to the Windsor Police . They conducted an investigation and determined that the round was fired from the home of Simpsons next door neighbor , Hartford Police Sergeant Eric Smith. Although Smith knew he fired the round, according to the timeline in the Police report, he never notified the Windsor police or the Hartford Police department that he had fired his weapon.

Smith only admitted to firing the shot from his Glock 40 caliber weapon after being confronted by Windsor officers.

The Hartford Police Department was only made aware of the incident apparently after a Windsor officer called Hartford IAD Sergeant Marty Cunningham, who assured Windsor that the matter would be handled "internally". Windsor Sergeant Spencer then  informed Cunningham that if they were "handling" it "we" , Windsor, would not be taking any further action.

The report also mentions that Hartford Police Union Vice president Nazario Figueroa was at the scene, but mentions no other response by any HPD supervisor.

The amount of time between the shooting incident and the actual reporting by Simpson is unclear. At one point in the report, Smith states it was the day before and at another point states to Sergeant Spencer it "was a couple days ago"

The troubling part is that Hartford Police Sergeant Eric Smith, despite his experience and training, did nothing after the shooting. The fact that the round was found in the bed of a 12 year old girl could have been disastrous if she was actually laying in her bed sleeping at the time. Smith apparently made no efforts to check on his neighbor and make sure that no one was injured or even make an attempt to apologize for the bullet hole in his neighbors home.

According to sources, in the report it mentions  Smith's wife Betty Perez, she is a Hartford 911 Dispatcher Other sources have also confirmed that Smith apparently has a friendship with Windsor Police Sergeant Spencer.The incident was provided with the complete addresses, I have chose to redact the house numbers.

Also, according to sources, the HPD Internal Affairs report has just recently been completed and is making its way though the chain of command for Chief Rovella's review and potential discipline.

Here is the Windsor Police incident report: