Letter to the editor 8-29-14

Time to ‘Get it done!’

As a former selectman for the town of Winchester, I am “sick to death” of campaign lies and spins distortion of facts, toxic behavior and the fear of change. I used to regard my 20-plus years of public service as something everyone should perform, and now I am repulsed at the lows people will stoop to in an attempt to gain public office.

Upon viewing a few of the shows on Charter cable channel 13 I have decided to compose this letter to at least give the people and my former constituents of our community the true and very important facts of the past few years since I have been retired from office.

When I and the alleged “gang of five” (proclaimed by the illustrious so-called “community lawyer” and Nader mouthpiece) took office in 2007 our fund balance was totally depleted by the former administration, and you probably guessed it, they were Democrats. The five of us worked very hard to put the community back on track, experiencing some bumps in the road along the way because of proposed change and I left in 2009, leaving with a plan to consolidate our school system and about $780,000 in our fund balance.

The community then elected a majority of Democrats and educators in 2009, and guess what: Yup, no consolidation of schools (although conceptually approved on a local level as well as the state of Connecticut); and, yup, they spent the fund balance $600,000-plus, to put back to the schools’ budget. I suspect the educators couldn’t bear the thought of trimming down the work force, and oh by the way, the electorate never got to vote on a $600,000 transfer of funds in this debacle, trouble reading the Charter, I imagine. Then four long agonizing years of spend and tax, incomplete audits, and the fox is pillaging the hen house. Coincidentally, our finance director decides to dip in and grab a few dozen, what the heck, amid this kind of disorder I might as well get mine. So, so lucky for the “D’s”, now they have someone to pass the blame on to, although to date the town has recouped all that they could prove, from bonds and insurance.

Time for a pause, are you getting it? We still have an election in 2013, a supplemental tax, an interim election and the discharge of a town manager, as well.... Who are you going to vote for? 

Well, here we go ... in November 2013, a fine group of mostly new and some novice Republicans were elected as the majority to the board of selectmen, to their surprise and probable dismay they realize the town is short approximately $2.5 million dollars, even though bonds and insurance have paid for Henry’s mess. Although politically, not the thing to do, but morally and ethically the correct thing to do, they immediately impose a supplemental tax and bring it forward to the community for its approval. Four years of mismanagement, incomplete audits and a town manager who openly admits “I’m not a numbers guy,” surely had an impact.

Let me continue. In the midst of all this, two members of the BOS resign, probable stress and personal reasons, I can attest, “it’s a real job, and you do bring it home with you.” The Republican town committee met immediately and identified through caucuses two probable candidates to fill the now vacant Republican spots, Glenn Albanesius and Marsha Sterling, who this writer is so very grateful that each would accept the nomination to serve, as their qualifications are overwhelming. Would have had open arms to have had them serve with myself, an honest gentleman, and true financially educated lady.

To the dismay of most, as these appointments have happened in the past to both parties, the Democrats, in my opinion, decide there was an opportunity for political party control and hence lobbied through petition for a special election, not being aware of whom their candidates will be, as well and most importantly, costing the tax payers approximately $5,000.... Narcissism? At its best.

The town manager: He, who at best, has led a shaded past, being removed from a Michigan town manager’s position, and a not-so-clear stepping down from another, would have demonstrated to this writer an insufficient reason for his hiring to the town of Winchester initially. Not to belabor this issue, as most have seen the list of reasons for his dismissal as the Board of Selectman has put forward, I’ll only add one last opinion. It seems a significant amount of credit has been bestowed upon him in regards to Henry’s larceny to the town of Winchester, the process Henry initiated was first discovered by the town’s auditors and sorted out by them and our own finance department, not the self-admitted “I’m not a numbers guy.” Let’s put credit where credit is due. 

In closing I ask the question: Who are you going to vote for? This writer will certainly be voting for Marsha Sterling and Glenn Albanesius GETTING IT DONE! Sept. 13, Row “A” and Row “C.”

Michael J. Hamm

Winchester

Need openness, sanity

I would like to point out some facts concerning the ongoing controversies clouding the government in Winchester/Winsted. I have lived in Winchester for 47 years and have been a registered Republican for almost as long.

Concerning the suspension of Dale Martin, a competent and effective town manager. The resolution adopted by the Republican selectmen to effect Dale Martin’s suspension is a disgusting collection of “corporate style weasel words” designed to mislead the voters and assassinate the character of a valued town manager. No doubt who wrote it.

It was Dale who acted on the discovery that our former finance director was cooking the books for years so he could loot town coffers of millions of dollars. By doing due diligence and stopping this theft Dale probably saved us countless more millions. Our former finance director probably would have continued this theft for many years to come. How many town managers (some good, some not so good) have cycled through without discovering this theft? We owe Dale a profound debt of gratitude for taking decisive action, not the shabby treatment given him by the five Republican members of the Board of Selectmen.

Concerning the Lambert Kay deal. We had a genuine offer on the table by an Arizona corporation registered with the Arizona Secretary of State. The deal went south because of meddling by our appointed mayor, who it appears attempted to increase the sale price already approved by the Board of Selectmen. Our Town Charter clearly spells out the duties of the mayor and negotiating any aspect of real estate transactions is most definitely not one of them. The past legal problems of the volunteer middleman are meaningless. He had no official connection to the company’s proprietors. Don’t forget the fact that the final word concerning the sale of this property would have been up to the voters after a comprehensive review and recommendations by our town attorney.

We now have a $500,000 state grant specifically earmarked to remedy environmental problems at Lambert Kay. Our five inexperienced Republican selectmen seem to be on track to screw this opportunity up. I am sure the state of Connecticut has a very low tolerance for shenanigans regarding grants of this magnitude. No matter what is ultimately decided concerning Lambert Kay; environmental cleanup is step number one. Nothing can happen until this is done — and remember to thank the Republicans for buying this white elephant and taking it off of the tax roles in the first place.

Concerning credible information; there are all sorts of smoke and mirror shows going on in town, and it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. A reliable source for accurate information is our community lawyer, Charlene LaVoie. Any information obtained from Charlene is impeccably researched and thoroughly documented.

Please go to the polls on Sept. 13 well-informed and vote for the team of Steve Sedlack and Virginia Shultz-Charette. Let’s put openness, sanity and common sense back on the Board of Selectmen.

Charles E. Whelan

Winchester Center

Restore civility and trust

About the Winsted Board of Selectmen’s special meeting on Aug. 14:

Raggy, or Raggie, however you spell it, is these days better known as a derogatory term to define one who is of “poor or uncivilized character.” Well, many individuals who attended that meeting on the 14th, better known as “The Mob,” without question deserve to be called Raggies.

Ruckus, ranting, raving, disruptive, discourteous, uncouth, etc., are just a few adjectives that describe their actions. Candy and George lost a significant opportunity to show real leadership when The Mob got highly vocal. They could have stood up or signified to The Mob to accord to the other members of the BOS the same courtesy they were given to speak.

Nope, didn’t happen. Instead they reveled in the uncivilized performance of The Mob. Was it deliberate or just plain ignorance on their part? I don’t know. But, my suspicion is it was probably the first. Without a doubt, though, I can say that the fiasco was obviously orchestrated.

The Republican members of the BOS showed great restraint by not retaliating in kind when pummeled with foul language from The Mob. I and many others at the meeting were highly ashamed that some of our fellow townspeople would act in such a callous and uncivilized manner. Truly disgusting.

The display The Mob put on that night, in front of the media, did further harm to the already seriously diminished reputation of Winchester. It makes one wonder why anyone would ever consider moving to this area, which has thrown on the trash heap all reason and civilized activity. 

The Sept. 13 special election will delineate this town and its residents for a long time. The Democrats have a substantial list of failures and their candidates for the special election are, in my opinion, nothing more than a fire sale with damaged goods. 

Lastly, the most serious question to be asked by all Winchester residents is:

Can the leadership of Dale Martin (if reinstated) as town manager ever be trusted again? In my opinion, the answer is “No.”

A dark cloud of suspicion shall forever be over his head much like the Sword of Damocles, hanging by a hair.

It is time Winchester gets a new town manager, properly and independently vetted with proven honest leadership ability, who all can have trust and confidence in.

Capt. Stephen Kosinski

Winchester 

Winsted needs a higher standard

As everyone interested world-wide now knows, due to a series of poor financial decisions along the years and some theft by its former finance director, Winsted is in deep financial trouble and will be for a very long time to come. Thanks to the election in November 2013 with two appointments along the way, the town now has a very strong and capable Finance Board led by two appointed Republicans, Marsha Sterling, a retired financier, and businessman Glenn Albanesius.

On Sept. 13, the voters in Winsted have a choice, in a state statute-approved special election, to elect to the Board of Selectmen/Finance one of the strongest financially educated and experienced mayors, Marsha Sterling (R), that the town has probably ever had or will have on the Finance Board, and her financially astute Republican teammate, Glenn Albanesius, or the voters can elect two more professional educators that are, in my opinion, financially weak comparatively.

In addition, because of the poor financial condition of the town, Mayor and Finance Board leader Marsha Sterling has recently been devoting her education and 20 years of investment banking experience full-time (usually 50 or 60 hours a week between home and office) to her mayoral position, a free service and experience that the town badly needs at this stage of it’s evolution and is not in the position to pay for.

The majority on the current Finance Board has lost confidence in the current town manager (hired by the liberal Democrats reportedly after being released from two previous management jobs) for many stated reasons and has suspended him for 30 days with pay. If they win the September special election, Mayor Sterling and Selectmen Albanesius and their fellow Republican selectmen want to appoint a much stronger town manager as they believe it is essential to raise the current town manager form of government in Winsted to a much higher standard as they are doing with the Selectmen/Finance Board now, and will continue to do if re-elected. 

I also believe that it is essential to raise the Selectmen/Finance Board and the current town manager form of government in Winsted to a much higher standard, so I will vote for them in the election in an attempt to prevent a slide back to the financial failing ways of the recent past. I believe that other voters from all parties and political affiliations should consider voting for them, too, if they want to continue to get things done on the road back to success utilizing their expertise.

Brian O’Heron

Winsted

Personal courage, independent thinking

I watch the Board of Selectmen meetings on the local cable channel. I watch them very carefully. Have you seen what I’ve seen?

The purpose of this letter is to call out the four Republican selectmen, who with Marsha Sterling, form the supermajority on the BOS. They should be ashamed of themselves. 

Where is any independent thought? Where is real participation and discussion on issues of importance? Where is there any evidence of personal courage to actually fulfill the duties of selectman on behalf of the citizens of Winchester? 

I do not blindly support the town manager because I don’t have all the information; nor do I discredit every single thing Marsha Sterling has ever done because that would be stupid. However, from having served with her on a commission, having information as to her activities previous to being appointed to the BOS, and also from what I have seen since she has been on the BOS, my opinion is that she has an obsessive need to control — everything — and will do whatever it takes to do that (and not in a good way). I believe she has been the architect of several decisions that have hurt Winsted.

BOS meetings are the Marsha Sterling show with the other Republicans playing the roles of extras with no lines. She continually interrupts and tries to quiet the Democrats if they try to speak and goes on to the next agenda item with light speed. She often takes credit for things not of her doing. If you ever hear from any other one of the Republican majority, it’s usually on one of the least substantive matters. Otherwise, it’s simply a matter of rubber-stamping what Madam Mayor has proposed.

In my previous career I was in a courtroom for several years, so I tend to want to strip away extraneous stuff and look at the facts. Some of the best sources of facts are fully executed documents like contracts or other authenticated communications. Concerning the most recent upheaval in Winsted with regard to Lambert Kay, I’m interested as we all are in getting to the truth of the matter, but remember that a self-serving “memo” written on one’s own behalf is not fact.

There have been comments on social media supporting a change to a “strong mayor” form of government in Winsted. We have someone right now trying to conduct business that way contrary to what the Charter states. I have no doubt that she wishes there was a strong mayor form of government (and no pesky other selectmen to have to deal with, either).

Understand that the issue here is not the single issue of Lambert Kay. The issue is one of character. Marsha Sterling ignores the fact that each of the selectmen has equal power under the Charter and the only additional duty she has in her role as first selectman is to conduct the meetings. Even if you should personally agree with one or more of the things she has done, it’s so important to be alert to the way she has done them. This kind of behavior, I believe, can and will be dangerous to the future of Winsted if the BOS remains the same.

I will vote for Steve Sedlack and Virginia Shultz-Charette on Sept. 13 because they will act within the Charter; they will listen and include all of the BOS; and they will bring personal courage and independent thinking back to the business of representing us. As for the Republicans now on the board, I do not want any more of Marsha Sterling and the potted plants.

Shirley Allshouse

Winsted

This is not leadership

The Winchester Land Trust has a 26-year record in preserving open space. The 367 acres protected by the trust include preserves on Highland Lake, Park Pond, Winchester Lake, Rugg Brook and the Still River. The Land Trust protects important natural resources and provides public access to these beautiful places for passive recreation. This is a valuable asset for our community.

In 2010, the Winchester Land Trust was awarded a state grant to buy conservation restrictions on several parcels of land in Winsted. The town would continue to own the land but the Land Trust would pay $450,000 to Winsted for the easements to preserve it from development.

Twice in 2010, the Republican Board of Selectmen supported this grant. But in February 2011, Selectmen Albanesius, Fracasso, Beadle and Smith rejected it and so the application had to be withdrawn. Why the about face? Marsha Sterling did NOT support it, and she used her resources to kill it.

Marsha Sterling did the same thing for the state grant to purchase Hurlbut Field where she repeatedly made derogatory public comments about the Land Trust in her attempt to prevent the state from awarding the grant. But her efforts failed and the grant was awarded.

Citizens were in favor of the $450,000 Land Trust grant and petitioned for a public vote after the selectmen rejected it. Marsha Sterling hired her own lawyers in Hartford to prevent citizens from voting on it. 

This isn’t leadership, it is the tactics of a bully.

Charlene LaVoie

Winsted

Behind the Lambert Kay discussions

I was a participant in the first meeting held at the college involving the first presentation of the Lambert Kay development. To the best of my recollection there were seven people in attendance. These included members from town agencies as well as representatives from XS4D. Present were Lisa Smith, Kevin Nelligan, Dale Martin, Dick Labich, Craig Sanden, Bob Simmons (HRP) and David Cusick (Howd, Lavieri & Finch).

We were presented with a full rundown of their proposed use of the building, the product line as well as how they would propose to remediate the site. The most telling point involved the potential of jobs at the site. They indicated 50 to 100 people hired within one to two years.

At the end of the presentation, they collected the prospectus, and we all agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement, primarily based on the fact it was a new product and their distributors wanted their activity to be out of the public eye until they were prepared to launch their product line.

Included in the discussions was an agreement that the town would make every effort to apply for any grants that would help remediate the site. It was not implied that the grants would be used for anything but remediation.

I do not recall the exact time frame, but shortly after the above discussion, the applicant made available to the town $10,000 to start cleanup of the property. The money was donated anonymously and without duress from anyone involved.

In subsequent conversations I have had with Bob Simmons, he indicated that his company (HRP), an environmental engineering firm, has had many dealings with David Viens on at least six occasions. In all cases they were paid in terms and had no questionable clients or concerns. I might add these clients represented a broad base and were not limited to any one industry.

I would also like to stress that David only acted as a front man, securing passage through the bureaucracy. As with Lambert Kay, he had no financial involvement in the companies he represented. So, his supposed checkered past had little impact on the financial solvency of the companies he represents. Mr. Fracasso, who took umbrage with David, supported one of the biggest scam artists in Connecticut, Tony Silano. He has been arrested multiple times and has left many millions unpaid.

I read with great interest that on July 18, Gov. Malloy came to Winsted to announce a $500,000 STEAP grant to help remediate the Lambert Kay site. Marsha Sterling, Jay Case and Sen. Clark Chapin all were vociferous in their acclamation that the money would further the remediation of the site to encourage XS4D Entertainment to establish a manufacturing entity in Winsted.

Little did we know that Marsha would unilaterally change the terms of the agreement and in her usual inimitable fashion drive the XS4D group out of town and blame it all on Dale, who had the audacity to take a long-planned vacation.

To cap it off, when the townspeople gathered to express their interest, she again unilaterally misrepresented the facts and said the company wanted a 30-day delay. Wrong. They said her actions were a deal breaker.

As a footnote, I would offer that the Republicans have attempted to victimize David for whatever reason because it is the only means by which Marsha can justify her actions. No other excuse works!

Craig Sanden

Winsted

Getting ‘what’ done?

One of the slippery ways politicians and financiers like to speak is to use a relative pronoun. Marsha Sterling’s campaign does it with her new red signs proclaiming: Getting it done. But just what does “it” refer to: the minimum patchwork being applied to roads neglected for years (that is estimated to last no more than another two years)? Making the town an appealing place for people to move to by underfunding education? Stamping on due process when single-handedly suspending the town manager? Tromping on the Town Charter by exceeding her authority as mayor and negotiating land sales?

Let’s look at what this mayor has cost our town by comparing the horrible cost of Henry Centrella over the past 20 years: $2.5 million. She orchestrated the rejection of a State Land Grant of $450,000, and Glenn Albanesius voted to insure that. Marsha Sterling along with James Roberts orchestrated the underfunding of the MBR to the tune of $1.3 million, which later was confirmed as illegal, resulting in a budget shortfall that required former Mayor Lisa Smith to charge us a surtax of $2 million. Glenn Albanesius voted to support both of those ventures. She stomped on using the DPW lot as a school bus parking, costing us another $125,000. Marsha Sterling and Glenn Albanesius: $2.525 million.

Dale Martin, as town manager, has been instrumental in uncovering Centrella’s theft. He has been a major supporter of merchants on Main Street. He advocated for a STEAP Grant to make Whiting Street more hospitable to the two thriving opportunities in Winsted: Whiting Mills and The American Mural Project. He has not been the puppet of either political party and has been an effective leader in our town.

The time has come for Win-sted citizens to step up and demand Mayor Sterling’s resignation or to vote her and her cohort Albanesius out of office on Sept. 13. Vote for Steve Sedlack and Virginia Shultz-Charette!

R. Glen Zeh

Winsted