[Correction: The number of hours worked by Beth Paul is 20 hours for Burlington and 20 hours for New Hartford, not 15 hours for New Hartford as our reporter assumed in the original report.  The information regarding the breakdown of her hours was not forthcoming from the First Selectman's Office, therefore our reporter assumed that Beth was working the 35 hours specified by the employees' union contract since Beth is a union member.  Today our reporter confirmed unofficially that Beth's work hours are 20 hours for Burlington and 20 hours for New Hartford.  We have not been able to confirm officially whether the additional 5 hours are being paid to Beth as overtime; nor have we been able to confirm officially whether the town is being reimbursed by Burlington for a proportion of her salary and benefits, as has been customary when the town has contracted out its employees to other municipalities in the past; 7:15 p.m., Friday, July 23]

[Correction: The union representative corrected the statement regarding the union not being approached for concessions during the budgetary process as stated in this report.  The union said that the First Selectman had asked for concessions on the health insurance, the union wanted to negotiate saving the Administrative Assistant's position in the Land Use Office; this was not made negotiable by the First Selectman and no concessions were made by the union.  Subsequently, a part-time Administrative Assistant position was reinstated in the Land Use Office and has been filled; 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 23]

[Correction: The number of hours worked by the Registrars of Voters is 10 hours per week, plus any additional days required for elections; this number was incorrectly given as 15 in this article and has been changed to 10.  The corrected total hours worked by Lila Tuxbury are 20 hours per week, which still make her eligible to qualify for the town's pension plan.  We apologise for this incorrect number; 1:00 p.m., Thursday, July 22]

By: Maria Moore

With the Jerram administration now well into its 7th month in office, that is, over a quarter through its term, NewHartfordPlus is looking at the functioning of Town Hall to see what that might tell us about the current administration. Following is Part II of a two-part report that looks at the way the Jerram administration has handled personnel changes at Town Hall. Part I, published yesterday enumerated the changes in staffing at Town Hall that have occurred since the Jerram administration came into office on December 1, 2009.

Over the past 6 months or so our reporter has spoke many times with First Selectman Dan Jerram regarding personnel changes at Town Hall and the manner in which those changes are being handled. The last contact she had with him regarding staffing at Town Hall was at the beginning of last week, the week of July 12. On Thursday, July 15 she stopped by his office to speak with him about the vandalism at Brodie Park; on Friday, July 16 she stopped in again a few minutes before noon to ask him personnel-related questions for this article; however he had just left for his one-week vacation. Our reporter also speaks with Christine Hayward, Dan Jerram’s administrative Assistant several times a week regarding municipal personnel matters. Her last conversation with Christine regarding personnel matters at Town Hall was this afternoon, Wednesday, July 21.

Our reporter mentioned to First Selectman Dan Jerram this report on personnel changes at Town Hall that she was working on and he said that he had stepped into “a particularly challenging time” when his administration came into office.  He pointed out the fraud that he had had to deal with and also the recession which had a huge impact on his budget for this fiscal year. Our reporter acknowledged the challenges he faced but also pointed out that each administration has had to face its own challenges; for example, his predecessor, Earl MacInnes had to deal with getting the approval by the townspeople for the sewer plant and then getting the construction of that plant off the ground.  Dan emphasized that there are more positive things for our reporter to focus on, such as the road repairs that are ongoing.  A report on the road repairs will be forthcoming; however, this report will concentrate on how changes in personnel are being dealt with by the First Selectman since we believe this gives valuable insight into the management style of the Jerram administration.

Following is how some of the personnel changes outlined in Part I of this report have been, or are being handled by the First Selectman:

1.  The replacement of the Highway Superintendent

The day after the Highway Superintendent was suspended without pay on January 7 First Selectman Dan Jerram appointed fellow Republican Selectman Bruce Gresczyk as Interim Highway Superintendent.  Beginning January 8, Bruce was paid $30 per hour, without benefits and with the use of a town vehicle and a gas card.  Dan pointed out the need to have someone with experience step into the position immediately since it was the middle of winter and the town was almost out of salt.  Bruce had been First Selectman in town from the early ’90s through 1998 when he left that position to move to one at the state Department of Agriculture.

Selectman Bruce Gresczyk served as Interim Highway Superintendent from January 8 through March 12, when he resigned from the position to go back to work full-time on his family’s farming business.   During his two-month stint as head of the Highway Department, Bruce reported to both the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance that he had undertaken an extensive survey of the town roads, most of which he said were in “deplorable condition”.  Bruce completed that survey and helped set priorities for the roadwork to be done with the newly-elected First Selectman. Our reporter asked for a copy of Bruce’s report on the town roads and was told that Bruce had not produced a written report, neither was there a written list of priorities for road work to be undertaken; the First Selectman did show our reporter a photocopied map of the town with roads to be worked on highlighted in yellow.

Bruce also began a major tree-cutting operation in town because, as he reported to the Board of Selectmen and to the Board of Finance members, the town had neglected to keep up with tree maintenance and there were many trees that were a danger.  Our reporter asked at the end of a selectmen’s meeting what happened to the trees that were being cut down around town and she was told that they were left where they were cut and that the property owners normally took the wood.

On March 22, one week after Bruce had vacated the Interim Highway Superintendent position a new Interim Highway Superintendent (or Interim Highway Foreman as he corrected our reporter) was appointed by the First Selectman. That second Interim Highway Foreman is Doug Spencer, a 37-year veteran of the town’s Highway Department and the head of one of the town’s two road crew groups.

Our reporter checked in with the First Selectman’s Office about the “Interim” status of Doug Spencer’s appointment as Highway Foreman and she was told that it would continue for the foreseeable future.

2.  Resignation of the Town Hall Custodian and His Replacement

Norm Paul, the part-time Custodian at Town Hall worked early morning hours, completing his work before Town Hall staff arrived at work at 8:00 a.m.   Norm was informed in February by First Selectman Dan Jerram that he was needed to work during the hours that Town Hall was open.  Norm agreed to change most of his work hours to accommodate the new requirements, but not all.  This was unacceptable to the First Selectman and Norm resigned.

Our reporter asked what Norm’s work hours were when he was hired and she was told that he had been hired to work while Town Hall was open; however, he had been allowed to change his hours to early morning hours under a previous administration.

Norm’s position was not advertised as being available but rather was filled by word of mouth.  An Interim Custodian, who is related to a road crew member has been hired for the position.  However, since she is not available to work during the summer ~ she works at Brodie summer camp ~ the First Selectman’s Office advertised for a temporary summer Custodian.  A college student has been hired for the summer until the Interim Custodian is available to return to the position.  Our reporter asked whether there were any plans to hire someone permanently for that position, and was told that for now it was an interim position.

3. The suspension and retirement of the Land Use (Zoning) Officer

The town’s Zoning Officer, Karl Nilsen was suspended without pay on the basis of an internal investigation by the First Selectman of alleged time card fraud; please see our coverage of Karl’s suspension which led to his retirement.  At the beginning of this year our reporter had asked Karl about his retirement plans and Karl had responded that he had “another 5 years” before retiring.  Karl, however was openly unhappy with the new administration’s plan to eliminate the Administrative Assistant from the Land Use Office.  Like other office heads at Town Hall, he had not been asked to submit a department budget for the new fiscal year as had always been the practice of previous First Selectmen.   This year Karl and other other department heads were informed of what their budget would be and what cuts were being made.   The department heads were concerned about what the cuts proposed for their offices in the new budget and three of them attended the Saturday morning workshop held by the Board of Finance this past March; however, no public input was allowed at that workshop.

The internal investigation carried out by the First Selectman centered around Karl’s allegedly billing the same work hours to both New Hartford and Burlington.  While the investigation was ongoing our reporter asked the following questions of the First Selectman’s Office:

• Has there been a specific policy regarding employees to sign in and to sign out when leaving the building, as the new administration was now requiring all employees to do?  From what our reporter could gather, there was no set, written procedure; each First Selectman handled it differently, with the most recent First Selectman, Earl MacInnes not requiring anyone to sign in or out.
• Do employees have regular job performance reviews where they receive input regarding their performance and the expectations of their employer are clarified?  From the information our reporter was able to gather, it appears that employees at Town Hall do not receive job performance reviews or evaluations, nor have these been instituted by the Jerram administration.
• Is there an employee policy handbook, with specific guidelines and requirements of the employees at Town Hall?  Our reporter was told that there is no  employee policy handbook, nor are there any plans to put one together; rather, the response was that “we’re too small an organization” to put together an employee policy handbook.

Following the acceptance of Karl’s retirement request by the First Selectman on June 6, an Interim Zoning Officer was appointed.  Rista Malanca, who previously worked as the Administrative Assistant in the Land Use Office, has been appointed to the interim position.  A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding which was just signed last week was not available to our reporter.

4.  Bookkeeper’s Assistant Position

Roxanne Helt resigned from the Bookkeeper Assistant position in May.  Her resignation was not communicated generally to the other staff at Town Hall; however, Lila Tuxbury, the Republican Registrar of Voters, was observed being trained for the assistant bookkeeping position.

Roxanne’s position was not advertised as being available internally or in general, but rather was filled by the wife of the Vice Chairman of the Republican Town Committee, who is a close confidant of the First Selectman.  Our reporter asked about the lack of advertising and she was told that Town Hall is not required to advertise open positions.  Our reporter observed to the First Selectman and to his Administrative Assistant that, if only for appearance’s sake, she would have advertised the position.  Asked about Lila’s qualifications for the position, the First Selectman answered that she was qualified for the position, having in the past worked as a bank teller.

As noted in Part I of this report, the Bookkeeper’s Assistant position was cut from 15 hours per week to 10 hours per week;  however, since the Registrar of Voters also works 15 hours per week as a Registrar [ corrected to 10 hours per week plus any additional hours as required], the 25 hours per week make Lila eligible to qualify for the town pension plan.  [The corrected total, 20 hours per week still make Lila eligible to qualify for the town pension plan.]

However, the Assistant Bookkeeper position has not been officially filled.  Since May, the First Selectman’s Office has said that Lila Tuxbury is working as the Bookkeeper’s Assistant “on a trial basis.”  When questioned further about this, our reporter was told that they wanted to see if the position worked out for both parties.  As of the beginning of last week, July 12, the First Selectman confirmed that the position was still being filled on a trial basis.

Part-Time Administrative Assistant Hired For Land Use Office

The First Selectman commented several times since he took office that he believes that certain offices at Town Hall are overstaffed, specifically the Assessor’s Office and the Land Use Office.  At the time that he eliminated the Administrative Assistant position in the Land Use Office he said that support staff would be cross-trained to work in different departments, and that the Land Use Office would receive administrative support in this way.  However, a part-time Administrative Assistant position for the Land Use Office was advertised at the end of June and a new person has been hired for that position.  The position is now a 15-hour per week position.

Our reporter checked in with the First Selectman’s Office about the original plan for the administrative support for the Land Use Office to be provided by other employees at Town Hall.  She was told that that idea had been met with resistance by the employees concerned.  The First Selectman’s solution appears to have been to contract out the town’s Assessor to Burlington and to hire a part-time Administrative Assistant for the Land Use Office.

Cut In Funding Of Tax Collector Assistant Line Item May Hurt Bottom Line

[Please see the comment submitted by the Tax Collector clarifying and correcting some of the information below regarding her department]

Another notice on the doors of Town Hall is from the Tax Collector’s Office and it informs visitors that Notary services will not be available in the Tax Collector’s Office during the month of July, the busiest month of the year for the Tax Collector.  Our reporter stopped by the Tax Collector’s Office and Linda Sheffield informed her that the combination of cutting the funding in her Assistant line item, together with giving her Assistant the same raise as everyone else at Town Hall meant that this fiscal year, she will only be able to have her Assistant, Debbie Ventre work for 876 hours, rather than the 1030 hours Debbie worked last year.  This, despite the record collections by the Tax Collector’s Office last year.

Linda said that because she had Debbie available to follow up on collections, he office brought in $314,807 in back taxes owed; the previous year they had only been able to collect $115,000 in back taxes owed.   Her office also collected 98.5% of the adjusted grand levy; the Board of Finance assumed a 96% collection rate.  Linda attributes the exceptional tax collections of her office directly to her having the extra help available to follow up on collections, either directly or through hiring marshals.  This year, she said, they probably won’t be able to reach the same collection rates because she won’t have the same level of help from her assistant.  Linda also confirmed that with the cut in help, she cannot spare the time during her busy month, July to carry out Notary duties, as she has done in the past.  Requests for Notary services are being directed to the First Selectman’s Office.

Meeting The Challenge in Tough Financial Times

The First Selectman told our reporter that these were challenging times with the economy in recession.  The cutbacks in staffing and in the staff’s hours are his administration’s way of meeting that challenge.  However, one has to note that against this backdrop of cuts, his budget included 3.6% raise to non-union town employees, and he did not approach the employees’ union for concessions.  Our reporter spoke with the union representative, Nancy Eldridge who confirmed that the union had expected to be approached for concessions, and that the union had hoped to have been able tosave the Administrative Assistant position in the Land Use Office.  Nancy said that the First Selectman had never approached the union for concessions during the budget process and no concessions were offered by the union.  [The union subsequently corrected this by saying that the First Selectman had asked for concessions on the health insurance, the union hoped to save the Administrative Assistant's position in the Land Use Office; this was not made negotiable by the First Selectman and so the union made no concessions.  Subsequently, a part-time Administrative Assistant position was reinstated in the Land Use Office and has been filled.]

Part-Time Employees Also Eligible To Join Town Employees’ Union

During her discussions with the town employees’ union regarding staffing changes at Town Hall, our reporter was able to confirm that all part-time employees at Town Hall are eligible to join the employees’ union.  The assumption had been that part-time employees had to work at least 20 hours per week to be eligible; however, Mike Brady, the employees’ union attorney, confirmed the following to our repoter:

“As the plain language of the statute states, only part-time employees who work on a seasonal basis are excluded from MERA (see definition of employee). One who is employed for a period of more than 120 days per calendar year is covered by MERA regardless of the number of hours worked per week.”   Police Dept. of the Town of Windsor Locks v. Board of Labor Relations, 225 Conn. 297, 622 A2d 1005 (1993).

The town employees’ union representative confirmed that all existing and future part-time employees would be given the opportunity to join the employees’ union if they so wish.

It’s been six months since our article An NPR Moment: An Important Message From Our Editor and I won’t bore you by running through the wonderful reasons why you should support NewHartfordPlus financially.  But maybe I will ~ just a tad:

• An average 1,000 visitors per day come to NewHartfordPlus for their local news coverage ~ a lot of interest in the happenings of our small town of 6,500+ residents;
• Our blow-by-blow news coverage of issues we consider important is unequalled: just look back in our archives beginning in January and see for yourself our comprehensive coverage of the recent budget process ~ over 30 articles (feels more like 300!) covering all New Hartford Schools Board of Ed meetings, all Board of Selectmen meetings, most of Regional #7 Board of Ed meetings and all but one of the Board of Finance meetings (the one I didn’t report on was my symbolic boycott: the April 13 meeting after the Public Hearing on the budget when the Board of Finance made no changes to their proposed budget ~ although I did report the essential outcome of that meeting in the Grapevine quote the next in our April 14 Daily Calendar);
• our attendance at an average of 4 meetings per week, including town boards and commissions, and non-profits.  And this means attending the full meeting, not just a 10-minute stop ~ long enough to shoot a 1-minute video clip, write down 2-3 quotes and then leave ~ as one of the local reporters for one of the newspapers covering our town is now in the habit of doing.
• our unaffiliated view on town politics and events which means sometimes I’ll speak up at meetings and ask the hard questions ~ mostly the ones which residents suggest I ask since they, for their own good reasons, feel they can’t ask publicly;
• link our community in person: one of the huge pleasures of being out in our community at different meetings and events, is being able to connect residents with other residents and local organizations just by saying at the right time: “Oh, so and so would love to contribute to your cause/would be really interested in your service/offers the service you’re looking for/have you thought of getting in touch with…? …”
• link our community on the web:  so many residents let us know “I read about it on NewHartfordPlus!”, “I’m so glad you mentioned that!…”

The only thing that has changed in the last 6 months is that my work hours at my paying job have now increased to an average of 30 hours per week, while Bob continues to work full-time.  NewHartfordPlus is our “extra-curricular” activity, taking up an average of 80 hours per week.  You do the math.  Suffice it to say that when we took a 2-hour break this past Sunday to start work on our garden, we both said: “We have to make time to do this!”

OK, here’s the pitch:

If you enjoy coming to NewHartfordPlus at least a couple of times per week, and you find something that makes you feel more connected to our community, then Bob and I are asking you to consider adding NewHartfordPlus to your “Must Support” list.  $10 per month, gets you listed on our Stakeholders page which we really will get updated ~ another “housekeeping chore” which we’ve put below “cover the news” on our to-do list.

We are not asking the non-profit organization you belong to ~ only one of which in the past 16 months has made a financial contribution to our local news site.  But of course, we would gladly welcome any contribution from any of the non-profits whose events we cover, and to whom we provide a link on our home page to their organization’s website, all for free.

We are not asking the Republican Town Committee or the Democratic Town Committee ~ which appear to interpret “Unaffiliated” to mean “One of Them,” even if the large number of voters in New Hartford identify themselves as “Unaffiliated.”

We are asking YOU, our reader, to consider supporting this independent, local news source that continues to link you to our community and our community to you.  Whether you consider us “the blog“, as Ben Witte, the Board of Finance Chairman, referred to NewHartfordPlus in his comment blasting our “slanted coverage” and in which he gave the results of the budget referendum to our readers even as our reporter was down at Town Hall waiting for the results ~ or as the closest thing to a local newspaper since the “New Hartford News” ceased publication in the 1950s [ ? gotta check the name and the date with Dina Waker, our original reporter about town] ~ NewHartfordPlus IS the place to catch up on our local news.

So, until another unaffiliated news source takes our place (Please let us know and we’ll help you get started!), or I decide I really am more interested in pursuing a Masters in Social Work than in being the self-appointed town reporter/photographer/editor 24/7:

Your financial support is critical in continuing to keep NewHartfordPlus reporting on our community!

Thank You,

Maria

P.S.  I’ve promised myself today that, even with two back-to-back meetings to cover this evening, many “hot irons in the fire,” and 150 unread emails in my Inbox, I will find the time to plant the two pink lily of the valley I bought at the Garden Club’s Plant Sale last Saturday, because as Bob reminded me again this morning:

“We’ve gotta stay playful at this!”

Watch for the photo of the two planted pink lily of the valley plants  in tomorrow’s Daily Calendar…

Ways to contribute to NewHartfordPlus:

• Send a check to NewHartfordPlus at P.O. Box 667, New Hartford, CT 06057
• Use the “Buy Us A Coffee” PayPal link to make a payment using your debit or credit card.

Or, in the traditional, country way: right now we’re in need of a coupla bales of hay for our garden…

The wisteria is blooming freely again on the large maple opposite the Moore's home, a glorious reminder that "tempus fugit" and the opportunity to plant a spring garden is a fleeting one: Seize it! Photo: NewHartfordPlus archives

By: Maria Moore

The New Hartford Republican Town Committee held a Candidate Night this past Thursday evening and the Senior Center was filled to capacity with Republicans and invited guests eager to hear what the candidates had to say.  Candidates at the meeting are in the running for state and national seats.  Following in the order of their appearance, are the candidates who presented at the meeting:

Rob Simmons, Candidate for US Senate:

Rob simmons

Rob Simmons, a former Congressman and the first Business Advocate to be appointed in Connecticut, talked negatively about the government’s new healthcare legislation.  He also asked rhetorically: “How much has the stimulus done for you?” And answered “Zero!” to his own question.  He emphasized that his immigrant grandfather hadn’t come to the United States for a handout, but rather for the opportunity to do well in his new country.  He also criticized his Democratic rival, Attorney Richard Blumental as being unfriendly to small business.  As a candidate, he said, he brings the ability to win at a grassroots level.

Mr. Simmons answered the following questions from the audience:

• The closing of Gitmo (Guantanamo Bay detention camp):  ”I don’t support the closing of Gitmo and bringing the criminals to the US.”
• Repealing the LLC tax: “The $250,tax where they hit you with a tax before you make a nickel” Mr. Simmons  called “Disgraceful.”

Linda McMahon, Candidate for US Senate

Linda McMahon

Linda McMahon, who, together with her husband, ran the successful company World Wrestling Entertainment for 29 years, spoke about taking control of the national debt “the way you run your household.”  She said we need to stop spending instead of raising taxes to cover our spending.  In our government, she said: “let’s at least break even.” She also said the way to make the country business friendly is for the government to create the climate, and then people will create the jobs.

Ms. McMahon’s answers to questions asked by the audience:

• Asked if she has contributed to (Attorney Richard) Blumenthal’s campaign, she said she hasn’t, that in the past she has contributed to the Democrats because of personal and business relationships, but not to Blumenthal.
• Asked about her stance on Iran’s getting nuclear weapons, Ms. McMahon characterized the Iranian President, Ahmadinejad as ” a crazy man” and Iran as “a rogue nation.”  She said the US could shut down Iran with its own sanctions, without Russia and China.
• Asked about her stance on financial reform, Ms. McMahon said that we have enough agencies already, that there are financial measures already in place and that they just need to be used.  ”The SEC should step up to the plate!” She added.  Reggie Smith, a member of the town’s Board of Finance, asked her what she would do about the national debt and Ms. McMahon said that she would use all the money that’s been paid back to reduce the national debt.

Mark Boughton, Candidate for Governor

Mark Boughton

Mark Boughton, the Mayor of Danbury, spoke of his having been elected in a Democratic stronghold.   In his tenure as mayor, he said, Danbury has achieved the lowest property taxes in the state, the lowest water rates and the lowest crime rate.  He outlined his 3Rs of government: Revitalize the state’s economic development strategy, Redesign the state government, and Rethink the vision of what state government should be.

Mr. Boughton’s responses to questions from the audience:

• Asked how he would deal with the anti-business climate in the state, he said: “When I get a bill that’s anti-business, I will bring it right back to the local organizations.”
• Asked if he could be counted on to veto any anti-gun bills, he said: “I don’t own a gun ~ it’s a personal choice.  But I wouldn’t support any new (anti-gun) legislation.”  He went on to say: “To fix violence, you have to give them hope.   You need a very strong economy.”

Lt. Governor Michael Fedele, Candidate for Governor

Michael Fedele

The Lt. Governor said his family emigrated to the US looking for opportunity, something which he said he doesn’t believe is available to our childen.  He said: “We have to get people back to work.” And he said the governor has to be the one who creates jobs both here and abroad.  ”The next governor can’t be someone who needs on the job training, it has to be someone who knows the job.”  He then went on to highlight his own experience in business.

Questions answered by the candidate:

• Lt. Governor Fedele was asked whether he had a work for welfare program, he said that not too many people will be going back to the jobs they previously held and that there was a need for training programs at the community colleges.
• Alesia Kennerson, a Board of Finance member, said she agreed with a redirection in government but she wanted to know how that could be done smartly so as not to create another problem.  The Lt. Governor’s response was that they needed to look to technology, and do it through attrition and smart growth.
• First Selectman Dan Jerram asked how a small town can compete when the state has lots of incentives available only to large towns.  Lt. Governor Fedele said that it would have to be through transparency and by having small towns and large towns sitting at the same table.

Mark Zydanowicz, Candidate for the 1st Congressional District

Mark Zydanowicz

Mark Zydanowicz said that he has three special interest groups , his three children! He is the Marketing Director of Guida’s Dairy Products. He said that as part of his work he is talking to businesses every day. He said there’s a need for a fresh approach and that he believes in term limits. He said there’s a need for sustainable jobs, and for tax incentives. He also said that he would support the repeal of health care, that we: “Can’t fund it, and can’t support it.”

Mr. Zydanowicz gave the following answers to questions he was asked:

• He was asked what he felt about Arizona and the border issue in general and he answered: “When a rancher gets killed, we need to do something.”  He said we need to do a layered defense, that it needs to be part of national defense and needs to be taken seriously.
• Asked  if he was for renewable energy, Mr. Zydanowicz said he saw it as a way to lower the tax base, to have green companies in green areas of Connecticut.

Ann Brickley, Candidate for the 1st Congressional District

Ann Brickley

Ann Brickley, a former GE executive who works with businesses to improve performance, said she couldn’t sit on the sidelines and watch problems go unsolved. On unemployment, she said that excess government spending was not doing anything to promote jobs. On healthcare, she said the health care bill will only make the situation worse ~ it is throwing money at the system and not the problem. On energy and the environment, Ms. Brickley who is a Master Gardener, said it’s more sensible to pursue natural gas and responsible drilling.

Questions she answered included:

• Whether she had given thought to social security going broke in 2010 to which she answered that we need to start asking the tough questions and that she needs to study it some more.
• On the financial regulation Ms. Brickley said he strongly disagrees with it, that it puts the government in the position to decide who’s too big to fail.
• On health care reform, she said she is for repealing it.
• Asked her thoughts on keeping jobs in Connecticut, Ms. Brickley said she believes in free enterprise and that we need to support it.  She said to keep jobs here we need to be more productive and she supports educational training and developing the infrastructure.
• Asked about her thoughts on companies relying more on contractual workers who are seen as consumable and discrimination against older workers, Ms. Brickley said we need to invest in job training, in more innovation.
• Asked about her thoughts on No Child Left Behind, she said she was disappointed that we don’t get a better education in the US, that we need to support teachers more and get technology into the classrooms and increase the school day.

Jerry Farrell, Jr., Candidate for Secretary of State

Jerry Farrell, Jr.

Jerry Farrell, Jr. who is currently the state Commissioner of Consumer Protection, said it’s very important to elect Republicans and that the Secretary of State is the keeper of all records. He said in his current position he has looked at how to make his department more efficient and less costly. As Secretary of State he would go from agency to agency to work with them to make their processes more efficient. Renewing licenses online is one example of such an efficiency.

Questions he answered included:

• Jim Fitzgerald, RTC Chairman, asked about the paper ballots and Mr. Farrell said we’re now invested in the system and we need to make sense of the paperwork, to make it simpler to process.
• Asked how long he has practiced law, Mr. Farrell said 11 years as a practicing attorney and that he won’t need an attorney to approve his qualifications.
• Asked about his feelings towarad ROVAC, he said he’d like to see questions answered more quickly, to try to give timely, consistent answers.

As Jim Fitzgerald was giving the closing statement to the meeting, he was informed that another candidate, Martha Dean had been able to make it to the meeting and she was given the opportunity to address the meeting.

Martha Dean, Candidate for Attorney General

Martha Dean

Martha Dean, a business owner who has actively practiced law for 22 years, said that the state is becoming so anti-business, our children are going to other states. She said it was meaningless to talk about jobs, that: “Jobs are like leaves on trees, they’re going to naturally occur if you have good soil.” She sees the need to be not only an economic one, but one of leadership ~ the need for a principled approach to life. She went through her platform which is built on three pillars, Freedom, Faith and Fortune: Freedom from undue oppression and government mandates; Faith ~ that Judeo-Christian values are the foundation of this country and that the separation of church and state was never meant to take religion out of public ceremonies, public places, or public things; Fortune ~ that taking money from those who have it and spreading it around only makes those who have it leave. Ms. Dean supports ending the improper involvement of government in businesses and Connecticut interfering with entrepreneurship, but rather to support their great ideas.

The meeting was brought to an end, and the candidates appeared well-pleased with the event. One candidate expressed it this way: “I’ve been to many such gatherings ~ this is an excellent one!”

Many Thanks: to the Republican Town Committee for bringing together such a professional Candidate Night, especially Jim Fitzgerald, Alesia Kennerson and Steve Tuxbury.

The Republican Town Committee drew a large attendance for its Candidate Night at its RTC Meeting on Thursday, April 29. Photo: Maria Moore

Following are the Daily Community Calendar listings for today in New Hartford, CT:

Friday, April 30, 2010:

• Children’s Story Time at the Beekley Library: for 3- to 5-year-olds at 10:15 a.m. at the Beekley Library, 10 Central Avenue, New Hartford. For more information please call Andrea Gaedeke at the library at 379-7235.
• New Hartford Senior Center Activities: Yoga Class: at 11:00 in the Senior Center. To see this month’s scheduled activities at the Senior Center please see our Community Bulletin Board. For more information about the Senior Center please call Jean Barnicoat at 860-379-3980 between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays.
• Should your event be listed here and you don’t see it? Please email us the info. and we’ll add it! Email: newhartfordplus@gmail.com and write Calendar in the subject line.

Our Community Calendar section provides additional information about the events listed above and information on past, current and future events – a permanent record of events in New Hartford. Also check out our UPDATED Community Bulletin Board where you can see flyers on upcoming events, monthly calendars and information on local non-profit groups.

…NHGrapevine…

“I’ve been to many such gatherings ~ this is an excellent one!”

One of the candidates for state office complimented the Republicans on the large turnout for the Candidate Night forum held last night at the Town Hall.

Contribute to the …NHGrapevine… Let us know what you’ve heard – or seen – in town and we’ll add it to this listing, and also add it to the …NHGrapevine.. section. So let’s hear what you’re hearing around town…

The Republican Town Committee drew a large attendance for its Candidate Night at last night's RTC Meeting. Photo: Maria Moore

Following are the Community Calendar listings for today in New Hartford, CT:

Thursday, April 29, 2010:

• New Hartford Senior Center activities: at Senior Center, Town Hall, 530 Main St., New Hartford. Activities: Line dancing at 9:30 a.m.; Fitness at 10:45 a.m. ($2.50 per person, per class, includes a fitness card which is stamped for every class attended; Bingo at 1:00 p.m.; Yoga at 4:00 p.m. For more information please call Jean Barnicoat at 860-379-3980 between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays.
• Thursday Night Gather With Friends: Well Being is your Birth Rite, No experience Necessary: with Brian and Marcey Hickey at 7:00 p.m. at Passiflora’s Cafe, 526 Main Street, New Hartford. Well being can be created by practicing the exercises which produce well being. Laughter is the simplest and most powerful exercise that all human beings can do to improve well being. Laughing is innate. It will be hilarious and fun for all! The Wonderful Benefits of Laughter Club are: Laughter, like humor, appears to enhance learning as it creates positive emotions which improve memory, feelings of self worth, self esteem and self confidence are enhanced, raises your endorphin level, further boosts the immune system, and many more. See ya There …… Ho Ho!, Ha Ha Ha! Event is FREE; A chef’s choice organic dinner will be served from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. For more information, please visit Passiflora’s website.
• Candidate Night at Republican Town Committee Meeting ~ Republicans/By invitation Only: at 7:00 p.m. in the Senior Center, Town Hall, 530 Main Street, New Hartford. For more information please see our April 28 article Candidate Night Slated…

Our Community Calendar section provides additional information about the events listed above and information on past, current and future events – a permanent record of events in New Hartford. Also check out our Community Bulletin Board where you can see posters and information on local groups and events.

…NHGrapevine…

“The state is getting rid of all the crosswalks through the center of town.”

First Selectman Dan Jerram told our editor, Maria Moore after the Business Council’s Tourism Brochure Committee meeting on Wednesday morning. Dan, Maria and Christine Hayward were continuing the discussion of how to attract visitors and new businesses to our town. Getting rid of the crosswalks, making the center of town less pedestrian-friendly is NOT going in the right direction, the three agreed, and Dan said he’s fighting the state to keep the crosswalk at the light from Bridge Street across Main Street to Central Avenue.

Contribute to the …NHGrapevine… Let us know what you’ve heard – or seen – in town and we’ll add it to this listing, and also add it to the …NHGrapevine… section. So let’s hear what you’re hearing around town…

Tulips are in full bloom and appear to glow in the bright sunlight. Since we haven't seen too much bright sunlight in the last few days, this photo, taken last year at this time, is a reminder of how beautiful a sight that can be. Photo: NewHartfordPlus archives

[Updated at 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, Apr. 28 to add Rob Simmons who confirmed he will be attending the Candidate Night.]

By: Maria Moore

The New Hartford Republican Town Committee (RTC) has scheduled a Candidate Night for tomorrow evening, Thursday, April 29 from 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. in the Senior Center, 3rd Floor of the Town Hall. The evening will feature Republican candidates for office at both the state and national level.

The candidates who are scheduled to attend are:

• Candidate for Senate: Linda McMahon;
• Candidate for Senate: Rob Simmons;
• Candidate for 1st Congressional District, CT: Ann Brickley;
• Candidate for 1st Congressional District, CT: Mark Zydanowicz;
• Candidate for Governor: Mark Boughton (Mayor, Danbury, CT);
• Candidate for Governor: Michael Fedele (Lt. Governor, CT);
• Candidate for Secretary of State: Jerry Farrell, Jr.

Appetizers and refreshments will be served from 7:00 until 7:30 to allow candidates to mingle with delegates and attendees.

This meeting is a Republican Town Committee Meeting and is only open to members of the New Hartford Republican Town Committee, registered Republicans, Republican delegates, invited guests and press/reporters. If you would like to attend the meeting, please email Alesia Kennerson, RTC Treasurer at akennerson8926@charter.net or call her at 860-496-8926.

A downloadable copy of the agenda for this meeting is attached.  Please note that Rob Simmons, Candidate for Senate,  who confirmed his attendance on Wednesday, April 28, will be the first speaker on the agenda: RTC Candidate Night Agenda (181)

A view of Town Hall from the old library building on the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue. Photo from NewHartfordPlus archives

The following Letter to the Editor from Steve Tuxbury was received by NewHartfordPlus yesterday afternoon, March 4.

Dear Editor,

I also was at Town Hall attempting to hear Mrs. Hornish present on Smart Growth, I was not able to stay beyond the 1.5 Hours I waited for the arrival of Rep Sharkey. I totally agree with Mr. Fitzgerald that Mrs. Hornish’s Performance at this meeting was poor. Mrs. Hornish’s attempts to answer questions from the audience were questionable at best, she had no answers and was corrected several times by people you would think support her. I do not know how anyone could interpret this meeting any other way, but a poor performance. If this meeting was any kind of indication of Mrs. Hornish’s abilities it’s no surprise, the state is in Financial Trouble.

Steve Tuxbury

Steve Tuxbury was recently elected Vice Chairman of the town’s Republican Town Committee.

We received the following Letter To The Editor From Rep. Annie Hornish in response to Jim Fitzgerald’s letter, On Political Priorities And On Reporting Them which we posted on March 2.

Dear NewHartfordPlus Readers,

There were some inaccuracies in RTC (Republican Town Committee) Chair Jim Fitzgerald’s recent letter to NewHartfordPlus that I would like to address.

The Smart Growth and MORE Commission initiatives are about saving towns money through various methods of regionalization, not about increasing costs. MORE Commission Chair Rep. Brendan Sharkey is the expert and as such, was the best person to speak on this issue, not me. And he did. Mr. Fitzgerald’s concerns would likely have been addressed if he had stayed for Rep. Sharkey’s presentation (Mr. Fitzgerald left minutes before Rep. Sharkey was scheduled to arrive).

Further, I held an additional Smart Growth meeting with Rep. Sharkey in East Granby last Thursday for those town leaders (New Hartford, Barkhamsted, and East Granby) who had to leave that night.

Regarding “Legislators for Animal Advocacy”: this is a bi-partisan initiative. My co-chair is a Republican from Greenwich, and our group is growing in numbers quickly. As far as the importance of animal advocacy, please consider the wisdom of Gandhi, who said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by how its animals are treated.” How we treat the powerless (and this applies to both humans and animals) is arguably the best indicator of our character. In good times and especially in bad times, there will be opportunists who, left unchecked, would oppress the vulnerable. In this economic crisis, we’re seeing this happening, with proposals that would harm vulnerable human populations, as well as proposals that would weaken animal welfare and environmental laws. I make no apologies for blocking the efforts of these opportunists to the best of my abilities.

As many know, a Republican challenger (who happens to be a neighbor of mine in Granby) was recently announced. I trust that my challenger and I will run campaigns that are disciplined and respectful. It’s in the best interest of the people to keep politics clean, civil, and focused on the issues.

Sincerely,
Annie (Rep. Hornish)

Annie Hornish represents the 62nd district which includes Barkhamsted, East Granby, Granby and New Hartford.  Rep. Hornish is a Democrat.  To learn more about Rep. Hornish or to contact her, please visit her News Blog on the House Democrats of CT website.

Also read: Alison Murdock’s Letter to the Editor in response to Jim’s letter which we posted yesterday, March 3.  Alison also attended the Smart Growth meeting, as did Paul Mahoney who attached his perspective on the events of that meeting as a comment to Alison’s letter.

Following are the Community Calendar listings for today in New Hartford, CT:

Thursday, February 18, 2010:

• New Hartford Senior Center activities: at Senior Center, Town Hall, 530 Main St., New Hartford. Activities: Line dancing at 9:30 a.m.; Fitness at 10:45 a.m. ($2.50 per person, per class, includes a fitness card which is stamped for every class attended; CANCELLED: Yoga No Yoga class today ~ will resume next week. For more information please call Jean Barnicoat at 860-379-3980 between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Building Oversight Committee (BOC) Meeting: at 9:00 a.m. at the Town Hall, 530 Main Street, New Hartford. For the agenda for this meeting, please see our Community Calendar.
• Republican Town Committee Meeting: at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall, 530 Main Street, New Hartford. For the agenda for this meeting, please see our Community Calendar.
• Democratic Town Committee Meeting: at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall, 530 Main Street, New Hartford. No agenda is available for this meeting.
• Thursday Night Gather With Friends at Passiflora: Learning Mindful Meditation
  with Amla Mehta. Program begins at 7:00 p.m., Chef’s choice of organic dinner at 6:00 p.m. For more information, please visit Passiflora’s website.
• Should your event be listed here and you don’t see it? Please email us the info. and we’ll add it! Send your email to newhartfordplus@gmail.com and write Calendar in the subject line.
• Have an item you’d like to sell?: Sell it in our FREE Classifieds! Send us the details and we’ll list it for you for free! Check out our Classifieds section which we update as we receive the ads.

Our Community Calendar section provides additional information about the events listed above and information on past, current and future events – a permanent record of events in New Hartford. Also check out our Community Bulletin Board where you can see posters and information on local groups and events.

…NHGrapevine…

“The guys started at 3 and finished at 10.”

Bruce Gresczyk said to our reporter yesterday at the First Selectman’s office about the hours the town crews were putting in to clear the snow. “At 3 p.m. and finished at 10 p.m.?” Our reporter clarified. “No, at 3 in the morning until 10 at night.” Bruce corrected. Now that’s a long work day!

Contribute to the …NHGrapevine… Let us know what you’ve heard – or seen – in town and we’ll add it to this listing, and also add it to the …NHGrapevine… section. So let’s hear what you’re hearing around town…

A view of the chapel in the Village Cemetery during a snow storm this winter. Photo: Maria Moore

In answer to our inquiry about the newly-elected officers of the Republican Town Committee (RTC), we received the following press release from Jim Fitzgerald, the newly-elected Chairman of the RTC.

The New Hartford Republican Town Committee (RTC) held its Caucus and RTC meeting on January 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Senior Center at the New Hartford Town Hall.  Ben Witte was nominated and elected as the meeting moderator.

The RTC expressed great satisfaction and thanks to Jack (John) Moore for all his years of serving as Treasurer on the RTC.  A tedious job, Jack was always on the spot with all events, meetings and statutory reporting for the RTC. Jack is still a member and active participant on the RTC but has passed the baton to our new Treasurer, Alesia Kennerson. The Caucus business was conducted first with the new January 2010 to January 2012 RTC membership nominations and confirmation votes taking place. New members were added and there were a few changes within the membership between regular and associate members. The new additions to the RTC are Alesia Kennerson, Bryan Keilty, Joe Gareis and Gordon Ross. The nominations and elections for the slate of Executive Committee members was completed and all nominations and confirmation votes were unanimous.   Below is the list of the Executive Committee for the term of January 2010 through January 2012.

Outside of the RTC agenda, Bryan Keilty was initiated this same evening with a little fun in a semi-private activity presented by Vice Chairman Steve Tuxbury with the skull-bowl of “Chief Nepaug’s Blood” which Bryan Keilty drank and immediately thereafter was welcomed in as a full-fledged RTC member. The New Hartford Republican Town Committee will release the calendar for the rest of the year at its next meeting which is tentatively scheduled for February 11 or 18. Announcement and agenda will be released within a week.

Congratulations: To the newly-elected officers and members of the RTC!

Jim Fitzgerald, the newly-elected RTC Chairman is seen standing immediately behind Dan Jerram in this photo after the results of the recanvass were announced in early November, 2009. Photo: Neil Tolhurst Photography

Following are the Community Calendar listings for today in New Hartford, CT:

Thursday, January 7, 2010:

• New Hartford Senior Center activities: at Senior Center, Town Hall, 530 Main St., New Hartford. Activities: Line dancing at 9:30 a.m.; Fitness at 10:45 a.m. ($2.50 per person, per class, includes a fitness card which is stamped for every class attended; Yoga Class at 4:00 p.m. For more information please call Jean Barnicoat at 860-379-3980 between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays.
• Thursday Night Gather With Friends at Passiflora: Finding the cause of your pain and early detection of breast cancer: With Dr. Anthony Piana, chiropractor. Program begins at 7:00 p.m., Chef’s choice of organic dinner at 6:00 p.m. For more information, please visit Passiflora’s website.
• New Hartford Women’s Club Meeting: at 7:00 p.m. at the South End Firehouse, 20 Antolini Road, New Hartford. For more information on the Women’s Club pleas visit the New Hartford Women’s Club’s website.
• New Hartford Republican Town Committee Caucus and Meeting: at 7:00 p.m. in the Senior Center at the Town Hall, 530 Main Street, New Hartford. The agenda includes nominating Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer for 2010 to 2012 and to vote on the Republican Town Committee Member list for 2010 to 2012.
• WPCA Meeting: at 7:00 p.m. The WPCA will be holding a workshop at 7:00 p.m. (no quorum).
• Should your event be listed here and you don’t see it? Please email us the info. and we’ll add it! Send your email to newhartfordplus@gmail.com and write Calendar in the subject line.
• One holiday gift too many?: Sell it in our FREE Classifieds! Send us the details and we’ll list it for you for free! Check out our Classifieds section: Updated as we receive the ads.

Our Community Calendar section provides additional information about the events listed above and information on past, current and future events – a permanent record of events in New Hartford. Also check out our new Community Bulletin Board where you can see posters and information on local groups and events.

…NHGrapevine…

“How much is it to join?”

Our editor asked Jean Barnicoat, Senior Center Director, while enjoying a cup of delicious, home-made soup at the center yesterday. “It’s free!” Jean said, handing her an application. “Maybe this senior thing isn’t so bad!” Our editor thought, going for another serving of soup…

Contribute to the …NHGrapevine… Let us know what you’ve heard – or seen – in town and we’ll add it to this listing, and also add it to the …NHGrapevine.. section. So let’s hear what you’re hearing around town…

Skaters on the ice skating rink at Chapin Park in Pine Meadow. Photo: Maria Moore

The recanvassing (vote recount) will take place this Friday, November 6, at 10:00 a.m. in the Sessions Conference Room at the Town Hall. Any resident may attend but as Judy Jones, the Head Moderator, said: “They need to stay in the back and not interfere!” For more details, please see the end of this article.

By: Maria Moore

As stated in our late-night report last night, Dan Jerram Wins 1st Selectman Position… there will be a recount of the votes cast for the FOUR candidates for the Board of Selectmen, Donna LaPlante, Town Clerk, confirmed to our reporter this morning.  The information in today’s Register Citizen’s article One vote difference in New Hartford is incorrect in saying that “the law requires a recount for each of the five Board of Selectmen candidates.”

Our reporter went down to the Town Hall and as she waited for Donna to be available, she overheard Donna addressing this very issue during three separate telephone conversations.  Our reporter then made a quick stop up to the First Selectman’s Office to see whether she could see First Selectman Earl MacInnes, the clear loser in yesterday’s municipal elections, and she was told that Earl had not yet come to the office.  Once back home, our reporter telephoned Donna and went through with her what the process of the recount would be and when the date for the recount would be made available.

Donna said that the recount would not include the First Selectman’s position because Dan received 1,128 votes, 34 votes more than the second runner Phyllis Webb, who received 1,094 votes.  ”To have a recount the magic number is 20.” Donna said, referring to the statute that says there needs to be a difference of 20 votes or less for an automatic recount of the First Selectman’s race to take place.

The recount will include votes cast for the four candidates for the two seats on the Board of Selectmen: Earl MacInnes, Phyllis Webb, Bruce Gresczyk and Tom Klebart. The outcome for two of these four candidates appears clear:

• Tom Klebart received 1,171 votes, even more votes than any of the First Selectmen candidates including Dan Jerram, so even with a recount it appears that Tom has secured a seat on the Board of Selectmen;
• Earl MacInnes received 64 votes in his reelection bid to the First Selectman’s position, and it appears that Earl has not secured a seat on the Board of Selectmen.

The recount, then, is being held to establish whether Bruce, who received 1,095 votes, one vote more than Phyllis who received 1,094 votes, will occupy the third seat on the Board of Selectmen, or whether in the recount Phyllis will be found to have received more votes than Bruce and will occupy the third seat.

The Recount Process

The recount will involve manually checking each of the 2,309 ballots cast in both districts of the town in yesterday’s election.   Those checking the ballots will be looking for the intent of the voter when they look at the way the ballot was marked. “If a voter marked the sheet with an X instead of filling in the bubble, depending on exactly where in the bubble the X is placed, that vote would either have been counted or not.” Donna explained to our reporter.  ”Could this account for why there were 27 voters that appear not to have voted for First Selectman?” Our reporter asked Donna, and Donna said that this could have possibly been the case with some of them.

The recount is being automatically triggered in this case since only one vote separates Bruce and Phyllis, Donna said.  The recount could be stopped by any of the parties involved, but otherwise it is statutorily required.

Judy Jones, the Head Moderator, will be driving the recount process (also referred to as the recanvassing), Donna continued.  Judy will set a date for the recanvass which by statute must take place within 5 days of the election.  The officials included in the recanvassing process will include, among others, the head moderator, the Registrars of Voters, the Town Clerk and two officials from each of the parties concerned.

A meeting is taking place this morning to set the recount date.  Some of the considerations that have to be taken into account is whether a recount could take place this coming Friday, November 6, when the town’s municipal offices are closed and is therefore not an official business day, and whether the recount could take place over the weekend, when the New Hartford Art League is sponsoring a Holiday Marketplace in Town Hall.

As of 12:00 noon, the Registrars of Voters have told our reporter that there is still no date set for the recount.

Recanvassing (vote recount) Date, Participants Set

At about 1:00 p.m. with no date for the recount having been set, our reporter took herself down to Town Hall to see what might be the cause of the delay since, during her first trip to Town Hall at around 10:00 a.m. she had been told: “The date should be set within an hour or so.”

On her way into Town Hall she met Tom Klebart and in answer to her question he confirmed that he had just been to see Donna to inquire about the date for the recount. Inside the building our reporter found Dan Jerram and Jim Fitzgerald installed in the lower conference room (the jail doors conference room), with Lila Tuxbury, the Republican Registrar of Voters, going back and forth between the conference room and the Registrars’ Office.

And so it was from around 1:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. while our reporter visited other offices and walked the hallways, waiting for information on the recount to convey to our readers. At issue, apparently, was not so much the meeting time, but rather which individuals would be conducting the recount ~ an important decision when one considers that all votes will be reexamined to ascertain the intent of the voter.  The importance of who will conduct the recount was underscored by the tense atmosphere with raw nerves on display.  In the end, Daria Hart confirmed to our reporter that the officials conducting the recount will be a balanced mix of Democrats and Republicans, as required by law.

Judy Jones, Head Moderator, went into the Town Clerk’s vault to begin writing out the official notifications that she would have to deliver by hand to all the candidates for the positions, as well as the First Selectman, and the chairmen of the Democratic and the Republican Town Committees, the Registrars of Voters and the Town Clerk.  Judy confirmed that there would be 10 officials at the recanvassing, which has been scheduled to take place at 10:00 a.m. on Friday morning, November 6, in the Sessions Conference Room at the Town Hall.  The press and the public man be present, but they have to stay in the back of the room and not interfere, Judy added.  Her day yesterday had started before 6:00 a.m. and ended at about 11:00 p.m., and today she had been at Town Hall from around 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., when our reporter interrupted her work, which would need several more hours to complete.  Yet Judy was professional and kind and very civil to our reporter who was interrupting her work.  As a casual observer remarked to our reporter: “It’s amazing what a little civility will accomplish.”

Many Thanks: to Judy Jones, Donna La Plante and the other ladies involved in the process who all exhibited great grace at a time of stress for all.

Dan Jerram and Reggie Smith at their post yesterday at the corner of Route 202 and Antolini Road leading up to the Southend Firehouse, where the District # 2 polling place is located. Photo: Maria Moore

By: Maria Moore

Having lived in town since 1986, our reporter remembers well when Bruce Gresczyk came door to door when he was campaigning for First Selectman in the early ’90s, and she also remembers receiving a follow-up call from his wife Bernadette, reminding our reporter to vote for Bruce. So when the Republican Town Committee announced on July 28 that Bruce would be running with Dan Jerram for the Board of Selectmen, her interest was piqued. Of course, rumors had been circulating around town for several weeks before the announcement and the consensus opinion was: Bruce would not be campaigning.

A little over three months into the election campaign, our reporter felt it was time to report on the other half of the Jerram team: Bruce Gresczyk who is running for a seat on the Board of Selectmen. Our reporter called Bruce yesterday evening, Sunday, November 1, and asked whether she could meet with him today for a half-hour to ask him some questions for her report. Bruce asked what the questions were and after our reporter ran through them, he said he wouldn’t be available to answer questions, neither in person, nor by telephone, nor by email. Bruce said he would be busy today returning a rental truck. Our reporter offered to leave a copy of this report with Bernadette and asked if he would read it and make any comments to it he wished, but he said no, he wouldn’t be available. Following are the questions our reporter ran by Bruce and to which he had no comment. Our reporter emailed the same questions to Carlene and Dan Jerram, and where Carlene has been able to offer input, our reporter has included it.

Bruce Gresczyk, Republican candidate for Selectman. Photo: Neil Tolhurst Photography

1. Does Bruce volunteer in town?

Bruce is known to be a very busy man: he has a successful business which he runs with his wife and two sons, Gresczyk Farms on Route 202. This appears to have left Bruce with no time to be involved in town affairs. Our reporter was unable to come up with any organizations that Bruce is involved in as a volunteer, nor does he serve on any board or commission in town.  Nor could she come up with any record of his volunteering in town in the past or serving as an unpaid volunteer on any board or commission in the past. When our reporter asked at Town Hall, the only example one employee could come up with was that Bruce had been the representative at RRDD#1 sometime in the early ’90s.

2. Has Bruce been out actively campaigning for the Board of Selectmen seat?

Bruce also does not seem to be heavily campaigning around town. Bruce has been present at the major Republican election events:

• the Republican Caucus (July 28);
• the Corn Roast, the Republican fund-raising event (September 3);
• the PTO’s Meet and Greet (October 5);
• the Town Hall Forum, co-sponsored by the Republicans and Democrats (October 21).

Anita visiting with Bruce at his farmstand at the Farmers' Market during his one visit to the market on July 24. Photo: Maria Moore

He is also prominently featured in town-wide mailings sent out by the Republican Town Committee. Carlene Jerram emailed our reporter to say that Bruce goes out campaigning in the mornings with Dan, but our reporter has not been able to contact a third party who can confirm that Bruce has been out actively campaigning. Noone has said to our reporter that Bruce has been to their door campaigning either. Carlene also said that Bruce has attended neighborhood ‘Meet and Greets.’ Again, our reporter has not been able to confirm this with a third party.

The one occasion our reporter remembers coming across Bruce was on July 24, a few days before the Republican Caucus, when Bruce spent the afternoon at his farmstand at the Farmers’ Market in Pine Meadow. The Gresczyk farmstand was at the market from early June through mid-October.

3. Why was the town’s bidding policy rescinded 17 months after it came into effect during his tenure as First Selectman?

During Bruce’s tenure as First Selectman, from 1991 through 1998, the town adopted a bidding policy that was rescinded 17 months later. The bidding policy that was adopted as a town ordinance which became effective on November 22, 1992, ordained:

“that all contracts for the purchase of equipment, materials, supplies and contractual services, the cost of which is estimated to be in excess of $3,000 the Board of Selectmen, Planning and Zoning Commission, Recreation Commission, Board of Finance and the Board of Assessors shall require the submission of competitive bids based upon written specifications…”

This is standard practice according to our reporter’s husband, Bob Moore, who has estimated and submitted bids for publicly-advertised construction projects at many municipalities in Connecticut. “Only the $3,000 varies according to the limit the municipality decides to set, otherwise it’s standard practice.” Bob confirmed. Yet Bruce found it “cumbersome” to work with a bidding policy and the policy was rescinded 17 months after it was introduced. At the recent Town Hall Forum, the candidates for selectmen were asked if they would be in favor of a return to a competitive bidding policy in town; please watch the video segment Question # 2: Competitive Bidding to hear Bruce’s response to this question and to also hear Tom Klebart’s response to the question.

Bruce’s answer to the town having an established bidding policy is worrisome, especially when viewed within the context of a complaint that was filed with the state Attorney General’s Office in 2005 (unable to verify exact date) against Bruce’s administration between 1999 and 2005, before he resigned under mounting criticism of his administration immediately following the fall of the Rowland administration. In a recent telephone call to the Attorney General’s Office, our reporter was told that that particular file had been closed, since the basis of the complaint had been rectified. When our reporter asked how it had been rectified she was told that the staffer that had been improperly promoted to a position within the Department of Agriculture had been returned to their former position, a competitive examination had been held, according to the established policy of that department, and the successful candidate from that examination had been promoted to the position in question.

4. Provide information about the complaint still under investigation with the state Attorney General’s Office

There is a second complaint under investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office which is tied to the administration of the Department of Agriculture under Bruce’s tenure as the state Secretary of Agriculture. The Attorney General’s Office would only confirm that there is a complaint under investigation that was filed in 2005. No information was made available to our reporter because the investigation is still active. Our reporter asked the AG’s office whether it was usual for an investigation to still be ongoing 4 years after the complaint was filed. Our reporter was referred to a supervisor at the Attorney General’s Office who was unavailable and has not returned our reporter’s call. For the record, our reporter’s first call to the Attorney General’s Office was made over 3 weeks ago, and she has not received any response to her two requests for information.

Bruce Gresczyk is a 25-year resident of New Hartford who served the town as its paid First Selectman between 1991 and 1999.  He runs a successful business in New Hartford, and our reporter’s son’s first paid job was working at the Gresczyks’ farm. Yet our reporter felt duty-bound to write this report on the candidate for the Board of Selectmen on the Republican slate, so that our fellow New Hartford residents may have all the information available to the NewHartordPlus crew, and so that residents may vote for the person they feel will best represent their interests in tomorrow’s elections.

Bruce Gresczyk (on the right) hanging out with the guys at the Republican Town Committee's Corn Roast on September 3. Photo: Maria Moore