NORWALK — A Norwalk Common Council member has labeled The Grasso Companies’ efforts to secure a $3.4 million paving contract with the city as a “switch and bait.”
Councilman Travis L. Simms, a District B Democrat, finds no reason to distinguish between The Grasso Companies and The Original Grasso Construction. The latter company owes the city nearly $300,000.
“The new company is under the son’s name, but the old company still has an outstanding debt to the city of Norwalk. This is a switch and bait,” Simms said. “If we allow this to go forth we’re setting a precedent for every contractor in the city. It would be wise and prudent for every council member to vote no on this.”
On Tuesday evening, the Common Council will consider, for the second time, the proposed paving contract between the city and The Grasso Companies, which is based at 314 Wilson Ave. But approval could prove difficult given the city’s history with The Original Grasso. The city and The Original Grasso have wrestled for nearly a decade over unpaid taxes and zoning violations.
Joseph M. Grasso Jr., president of The Grasso Companies, said his company is not liable for the debts of The Original Grasso. He said taxpayers should focus on the paving contract.
“The Grasso Companies LLC is the responsible low bidder by more than $110,000,” Grasso Jr. said. “The Grasso Companies LLC has completed more than $5 million worth of contracts for the city of Norwalk in the last three years on time and under budget.”
He said The Grasso Companies has proven itself to be a reputable contractor in Connecticut, working for more than 30 municipalities.
The council was scheduled to vote on the contract March 20, but Simms asked that it be tabled until the city’s law department provided him and other council members written information.In a letter Friday, Corporation Counsel Mario F. Coppola wrote that The Grasso Companies has no outstanding accounts with the city and is not in violation of any of the city’s regulations, based upon the law department’s inquires to the city’s tax assessor, tax collector and Department of Planning and Zoning.
“Finally, we concluded with staff in the Public Works Department who advised us that there has not been any concerns or issues with the nature and quality of the work performed in the past by The Grasso Companies, LLC,” Coppola wrote.
The Original Grasso is in bankruptcy proceedings and owes the city approximately $270,000 in business personal property taxes on office equipment, construction machinery and other items, according to the Norwalk Tax Collector’s Office.
Assistant Tax Collector Al C. Palumbo Jr. holds a three-inch thick folder full of paperwork referencing the unpaid taxes. He acknowledged the public frustration with the matter but reminded that the two companies are legally distinct. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Meriden Green wins statewide award for being catalyst to growth
MERIDEN — The Meriden Green was recently recognized by the Connecticut Main Street Center as a catalyst for economic growth downtown.
The $14 million flood control project exposed Harbor Brook and converted the former Meriden Hub site to a sprawling park, which opened in September. “It reinforces what most people agree was just a phenomenal accomplishment,” said City Manager Guy Scaife. “This is just one more confirmation that it really was a big deal and outsiders see it that way... I would hope that the local folks will see it and share in the pride of the accomplishment.”
Winners of the Connecticut Main Street Center 2017 Awards of Excellence were announced last week, with Meriden receiving the CT Main Street Catalyst Award. The award also recognized the city’s partners, including the State of Connecticut, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, Meriden’s Flood Control Implementation Agency, engineering firm Milone and MacBroom, AECOM and La Rosa Construction.Other winners include the cities of Bridgeport, Hartford and New Britain.
The Meriden Green project stood out because of it was designed to ease flooding and spur economic development, said John Simone, CEO of Connecticut Main Street Center. The statewide nonprofit focuses on creating vibrant downtown areas by working with municipalities.
“Rather than just turn it into a flood control situation, they turned it into this very beautiful green that will be right next to the commuter rail stop for the Hartford Line,” Simone said. “Meriden has put a lot of energy and focus and resources into turning downtown around and I think it’s doing a lot of the right things.
The success of the Meriden Green project bodes well for further downtown development, said Economic Development Director Juliet Burdelski.
“I would say this is really a once in a lifetime project, so it’s nice to be recognized,” Burdelski said. “Having the downtown park right next to the train station and new developments is really giving a lot of momentum to our downtown redevelopment.”
An official award ceremony will be held May 18 at 5 p.m. at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
Town Manager Sean Hendricks and Town Attorney William St. Onge said they will draw up new language to reflect Town Council members' concerns about draft community benefit and tax stabilization agreements initially completed March 7.
Discussion on both agreements was tabled by the council earlier this month.
Several council members asked for a stronger plant decommissioning plan and that the "cash" payment be raised to $5 million.
"And that's an amount I see as a floor," council member Gail Oakley Pratt said.
Other council members requested language be included that explicitly prohibits the taking of any easements for the power plant project by municipal order.
"Even though none of this council would approve that kind of thing, there could be 12 new faces here in September," council member Dennis Alemian said. "I'm putting my foot down now until there's a no eminent domain clause added."
Council member Randy Duquette pushed for NTE to pay for mandatory air testing if the facility becomes operational.
"I'm not saying we squeeze every bit of juice out of this orange, but I don't want to sell the town short," he said.
Permitting approval for the $550 million project is in the hands of the Connecticut Siting Council, which is expected to render a decision in June.The council also requested Hendricks and St. Onge revise a tax stabilization agreement. The draft version of the plan called for NTE to pay the town $90 million in taxes over a 20-year period. Without such an agreement, the plant's yearly tax responsibility would be based on a straight taxation process and would be subject to variances in land value, equipment depreciation and the town's mill rate.
"A stabilization agreement like this is an inducement to companies whose investors are looking for predictability," St. Onge said. "And it also gives towns more stabilized income over a period of years."
St. Onge said there could be years when the town loses tax revenue in such a deal.
"These are not perfect agreements," he said. "We try and balance the protection of the town and getting an agreement like this done."
Resident John Sarantopoulos said he wanted a deal that "was best for Killingly."
"This is all in the hands of the Siting Council now, but $90 million over 20 years is real money," he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Motorists Advised To Be Patient During Route 6 Construction In Bristol
Route 6 motorists should brace for months of nighttime delays, but state officials say they will be rewarded when traffic congestion lightens.
Contractors are scheduled to start a yearlong road widening job this week
The work, at a cost of $12.8 million, will add a second eastbound lane between Carol Drive in the city and Peggy Lane in Farmington. For drivers who measure distances by retail landmarks, that's roughly the stretch between Joey Garlic's and the turnoff for Staples.
"That will be good. It's for everyone's benefit in the long run," said Crystal Gillum, a resident of the nearby Brook Apartments. "You can get embroiled in really long traffic here." Gillum and other residents, and businesses, on the eastern end of Route 6 in Bristol are accustomed to traffic backups, particularly in late afternoons and early evenings and virtually every hour during holiday shopping season.
"It's definitely a hassle to get in and out," said Toby Wesolowski, a manager at Pets Supplies Plus on Route 6. "In the mornings it's a little better, but it's busy from 4 or 5 o'clock and it stays like that until later. Traffic on Route 6 isn't surprising, because it is the city's primary east-west artery as well as its main commercial corridor. But the eastbound side gets worse because there is only one lane for most of the 1.3 miles between Carol Drive and Peggy Lane.
Motorists who slow to turn into the dozens of retail shops or private driveways bring everyone behind them to a stop. Shoppers and residents pulling out of parking lots or driveways also slow the through traffic. When emergency vehicles rush from one side of the city to the other, drivers on eastbound Route 6 often don't have room to pull over safely.
The city and state have discussed traffic improvements on the eastern end of Route 6 for years.
"This should help with a lot of the congestion. That area is a main artery and one of our top areas for traffic," said Lt. Todd Kozaryn, head of the city police department's traffic unit. "It will also help with traffic on side streets because a lot of that comes from backups on Route 6."
The parking lot of Gillum's apartment complex empties onto a side street where traffic quickly gets gridlocked when Route 6 is jammed. She said drivers should be patient during the coming delays.
"It's not like the DOT is doing this to annoy people. Progress and change can be annoying, but there's no other way to do it," she said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE