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Friday, June 6, 2014

DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN

I have had a hectic week so I haven't put out my thoughts yet on the poaching, I mean acquisition, of the New Britain Rockcats by the Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight ( The Segarra Administration). I will take some time over the weekend to put my thoughts out, for whatever they are worth, but here is a start.

Here is a link to Colin McEnroe's column in today's Courant which raises some great points about credibility and the way this has been handled or more accurately mishandled.


Economists, environmentalists criticize Hartford stadium plan


Posted: Sunday, December 13, 1998


HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Government predictions that a stadium for the New England Patriots would be an economic boon to Connecticut are drawing fire from some economists.
In a study for the governor's office, KPMG Peat Marwick estimated a stadium would create some 2,700 jobs in and around Hartford.
But more than a dozen economists interviewed by The Hartford Courant said those assumptions are flawed and have created too rosy, best-case scenario.
The projection was based on assumptions that the stadium would fuel $107 million in direct spending when it opens in 2001 for everything from parking, to tickets, to meals and hotel rooms.
Ninety percent of that spending would not happen in Connecticut without the stadium, the study said, and it would lead to an added $74 million in "indirect" spending and the need for more jobs.
"This resembles more of a wish list than it does a statement of precise impact," Robert Baade, a sports economist at Lake Forest College in Illinois, said of the KPMG study. "I've looked at every single city that had any kind of change in its professional sports industry between 1958 and 1992 ... and we just don't see any kind of impact at all."
The stadium plan also is drawing criticism from environmentalists.
The proposed bill, to be voted on by lawmakers Tuesday, states that environmental and other permits will be granted automatically if applications are not reviewed within 10 business days. And those reviews would be done and decided on by the commissioner of the state agency looking at the applications. State agency commissioners are appointees of the governor.
"It would be impossible to conduct an adequate environmental review of a project of this magnitude within 10 days. The idea to me is ludicrous," said Donald S. Strait, executive director of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment. "You can't look at a project like this and make the correct determination in a two-week period."
The fast-track permitting process was defended by a key legislator who is still undecided on the stadium proposal.
House Majority Leader Moira K. Lyons, D-Stamford, said she believes the DEP and other state agencies should be able to meet the 10-day deadline for reviewing applications without taking shortcuts.
A report released by the Phoenix Home Life Mutual Insurance Co. this week estimated the cost of an environmental cleanup on the site at $20 million.

Monday, June 2, 2014

A JOB WELL DONE

This past weekend had the potential to be a very trying one for Public Safety in Hartford.

Luckily, due to the efforts and planning of Chief Rovella and his men and women of the Hartford Police Department, both the Rascal Flatts Concert and the Puerto Rican Day Parade went off with out any major problems. There were some traffic issues in Frog Hollow, but overall the drinking and tailgating was address early on and the word got out that HPD was taking it seriously this summer and the large crowds downtown for the parade were orderly.

Once again, a job well done

TIMES CHANGE, PEOPLE CHANGE

It seems like a few short months ago Mayor Pedro Segarra was opposed to the UConn location downtown .Actually it was.  If I recall correctly so was Council Presidents Shawn Wooden.

I was not surprised though today when I received the press release that tomorrow Segarra will be hosting the ceremony finalizing the development deal for UConn Downtown.

I guess when no one is listening to your opposition you realize you need to cave in and settle.

(June 2, 2014) On Tuesday, Mayor Pedro E. Segarra will host a ceremony on the Alfred E. Burr Memorial Mall, formalizing the creation of UConn’s new Downtown Hartford campus. At the event, state officials including Governor Dannel Malloy, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, UConn Board of Trustees Chairman Larry McHugh and UConn President Susan Herbst will sign documents officially formalizing the new campus, which will be housed across Prospect Street from the Burr Mall, in the historic Hartford Times building. The event will immediately follow a Board of Trustees meeting at City Hall in Room 100. The meeting is open to the public.

ANOTHER CITY HALL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

Sources have confirmed that an employee at Hartford City Hall is the subject of a criminal investigation being conducted by HPD. Charles Dean, the City Hall Mail room employee, is currently on Administrative leave while the investigation continues.

The charges allegedly involve Dean stealing items of financial value out of the mail received at City Hall. The items were apparently meant as donations intended for fire victims , donated by a local business. Dean is apparently accused of intercepting the items and then being caught converting them for their cash value at the establishment that donated the items. I know it sounds cryptic, but I don't want to jeopardize any criminal investigation by putting all the details out  until the criminal aspect is complete. According to another source familiar with the situation, this may not be an isolated incident.

It s unclear at this point if federal authorities will get involved in the investigation for the theft from the City hall mail room of mail delivered by the US Postal Service.

Friday, May 30, 2014

THIS SHOULD BE FUN

Hartford's IT Department, MHIS (Metro Hartford Information Services) has done a tremendous job in moving forward to put City Information on line.

The Hartford Open Date site appears to be up and running, I haven't done too much exploring on the site yet to see what information is actually available, but it looks interesting.

Take a few minutes to check it out, let me know if you find anything interesting and since I know City Hall are regular readers, feel free to leave constructive comments and suggestions on what else you think could be added.

https://data.hartford.gov/

REMEMBERING A FRIEND

 
From the Hartford Courant:
 
A memorial celebration of the life of Janet Ann Appellof, who passed away on April 16, 2014, will take place on Saturday, May 31, 2014 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown, 200 Columbus Blvd, Hartford from 1 - 4pm. The family invites all whose lives were touched by Jan to come and share your memories.

There are people that everyone says something good about after they die, and then there are people that you don't have to say much about because the way they lived their life told the whole story.

Jan was the latter. She was one of those people that was valuable as a friend because she wasn't into sugar coating her message. If you were right she would tell you and support you and if she thought you were wrong, she made that clear also, usually in no uncertain terms and in her own very colorful way. And she also was a big enough person to admit when she saw the other side and was not ashamed to admit her mistakes. That usually came with a few weeks of not speaking. but in the end, friendship would win out and you agree to move on

Jan and I had several such times over various issues, but her love for her City was something that could not be questioned. She had an energy for community events and worthwhile activities and was a regular fixture at various meetings, including the Maple Avenue NRZ monthly meetings. She was very focused on initiatives she believed in including Saint Phillips House in Plainville, a residence for people afflicted with HIV/AIDS and raised countless dollars for the services offered there.

Jan was also a huge part several years ago of the 25th Anniversary Of the Connecticut Pride Festival and was instrumental in bringing a weekend long block party to Main Street  in front of Hartford City Hall that the City has not seen the likes of since. Jan was notorious for her love of a good party and was well known for her annual Holiday Party that she threw every year at her south end home, Any one that was anyone in Hartford politics, or wanted to be someone, in Hartford politics coveted that invite.  Jan was the life of the party wherever she was invited and was always sure to show up loaded with desserts and the promise of a lively conversation.

Jan is someone that I was fortunate to have met by living in Hartford and someone that also kept me focused on what is important on many occasions with a phone call or a sharp conversation, but I always knew her intentions were correct. She will be sorely missed but her actions definitely made Hartford a better place,

Stop by tomorrow and celebrate her life

Rest in peace Jan, job well done