11/29/08 Greenwich Time News Links - Top Story: Town Officials React To Exit 4 Overpass Construction

Construction on the Indian Field Road overpass at exit 4 is underway.

(Keelin Daly/Greenwich Time photo)

Bridge work may effect town

By Neil Vigdor

Town officials are cringing at the potential scenarios that could result from a major bridge replacement project on Indian Field Road in Cos Cob, which some fear could cut one side of town off from another and snarl traffic on Interstate 95 beneath the aging span.

The nearly $7 million project got under way this month and isn't scheduled to be completed until May 2011, according to the state Department of Transportation, which is in charge of the job.

Despite assurances from the DOT that the bridge will remain open throughout the project and that most of the work will be confined to nighttime, town officials say drivers and first responders could be in a for a "headache" while the construction is in progress.

"That holds all types of promise for things to go awry," said Daniel Warzoha, the town's emergency management director and former fire chief. "Let's face it, there's going to come a time when something's going to happen that's going to affect it during peak travel." .....

.....First Selectman Peter Tesei said the town had limited options when it came to repairing the bridge.

"It's something that was in dire need of replacement, so I'm pleased the state is stepping up to replace it," Tesei said. "What are the alternatives?" .......

......"I would avoid the area if I could," said Sgt. Timothy Berry, head of the police department's traffic section. .......

.....On the south side of the bridge is the town's primary fueling and fleet maintenance site for municipal vehicles, as well as the main staging area for snow plows and road work trucks.

"I was not aware of the severity of (the project)," said Elizabeth Linck, the town's fleet director.

Told that state transportation planners were anticipating minimal disruptions to the area, Linck said she has some trepidation about the project's impact.

"I guess they haven't been here at rush hour," Linck said. .....

......Town Traffic Engineer Garo Garabedian, whom DOT officials briefed on the project, said he is highly confident that the state would pull the job off without any problems and keep the bridge open.

"They've done bridges before. They should know what they're doing. These guys are pretty good," Garabedian said. .....

Town briefs

Second Congregational Church to screen Christmas movie

"The Christmas Cottage," a PG-rated family film inspired by the early life and art of painter Thomas Kinkade, will be shown on a theater-size screen at 7:30 p. m. Friday at Second Congregational Church, 139 E. Putnam Ave.
The screening is free. Runtime is one hour, 43 minutes.

For more information or for reservations, contact Gloria LaDestro at 869-9311, ext. 120, or gloria@2cc.org.

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MESSIAH TO BE PRESENTED AT STANWICH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

The Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah will be presented at Greenwich's Stanwich Congregational Church, 202 Taconic Road, at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Randall Atcheson, the church's music director, will conduct the Stanwich Choir and Chamber Orchestra. The performance will feature soloists Denise LeVan, Wendy Gerbier, Peter Cody, and Wiley Maddox.

Following the performance, Stanwich will host a Christmas High Tea in its Emmaus Hall fellowship room.

The concert and tea are free and open to the public.

For more information, call the church office at 661-4420.

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Fully ADA Compliant YWCA seeks nominations for racial justice scholarships

The YWCA of Greenwich is seeking nominations for its sixth annual Racial Justice Scholarship.

Two $500 scholarships will be given to two high school seniors who live in and attend a Greenwich school, and who have demonstrated special effort to encourage people to respect differences, to promote equality and to eliminate all forms of bigotry, bias and racism in their school or community.

Candidates may be nominated by a member of the faculty of any Greenwich high school or by the general public. Nominations are due by Dec. 15.

The award will be presented at 6 p.m. Jan. 15 at the YWCA.

To request an application, call Peter DiLeo at 869-6501, ext.104, or go to http://www.ywcagreenwich.org/ . Click "Programs," "YWelcomes" and "Racial Justice Scholarships."

Hospital reports financial losses

By Meredith Blake

The problems that have plagued the financial markets and fueled the current economic crisis have hit close to home at Greenwich Hospital, which reported a loss for the first time in more than 20 years.

The collapse of auction-rate bonds and the crash in the domestic and international securities markets led the hospital to a $14.2 million loss on its investment portfolio, according to Chief Financial Officer Eugene Colucci.

Greenwich Hospital took another $2.5 million hit on refinancing high-interest-rate bonds and spent $1.1 million extinguishing bond debt, leading to a negative bottom line of $9.3 million for fiscal year 2008, which ended on Sept. 30.

That was despite a net operating gain of $6.4 million.

"It was a tough financial year," Colucci said, "Most of the issues we experienced were unforeseen."

Last year, the hospital reported a positive bottom line of $14.5 million, he said.

Greenwich Hospital President and Chief Financial Officer Frank Corvino announced the unaudited financial results this week at the hospital's annual board of directors meeting, held at the facility on Perryridge Road.

"It was a difficult year to navigate," Corvino said.

The hospital started the fiscal year strongly, with numbers up from previous years, but then things slowed down, he said.

There were large patient volume fluctuations, according to Corvino. The facility was busy in January and February, but the number of empty beds rose over the summer.......

FULLY ADA Compliant YWCA honors elite group: Aquatic Hall of Fame welcomes eight new members

Every athlete aspires to be great but few achieve legendary status. But for nine members of the Greenwich aquatic community, Saturday marked an induction into that elite status, as the YWCA of Greenwich held its fifth annual Aquatic Hall of Fame Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich......

Design destination

The Historical Society of the Town of Greenwich is putting the finishing touches on its annual Antiquarius celebration.......

NANOTHER HARD HITTING GREENWICH TIME EDITORIAL:Needed help for the state budget

While you're standing in line at your local supermarket, waiting to crush your cans and bottles for money, it seems unimaginable that some consumers don't seek the return of their nickel deposits.

The politicians in Hartford know different. There's an estimated $25 million in bottle and can deposits that are not claimed each year - and many of them want that money.

Other people want that money, too. The people who now keep it - the beer wholesalers and soda companies.

Arguing about those unclaimed nickels has become a regular event in Hartford. Government officials are on one side. ......Blah ...... Blah ...... Blah ....... Blah ...... Blah ...... Blah ....... Blah ..... Blah .....

But Wait, There Is More To This Local Greenwich Time Editorial.....

.......State Sen. John McKinney, R-Fairfield, put it well when he voiced support for the state taking the unclaimed deposits.

"This is an easy one," he said ..... Blah ..... Blah ...... Blah ....... Blah ........

Deconstructing the housing trend in town

By Bernie Yudain bernardct6@aol.com .

I read in the press that the rage for routinely tearing down houses to make way for gigantic monsters has come to an end, as the reality of a crashing economy strikes home - or, in this case - homes.

Are parents going to endure another delay?

To the editor:

What a fool I am. In September, my son started his fourth year in a modular. He has never been in a "real" school, except for the few months he was at Parkway. For Hamilton Avenue School students, Parkway and all the other Greenwich elementary schools were just a cruel tease:

"Hey mom, at Parkway they have this big room where there is only art! And another room that only has music!" There is also a huge room where we can run around and play sports inside! I love it!"

"Honey, that's called a gymnasium." (At Ham Ave. during bad weather, they stay in their rooms and throw scarves or do jumping jacks in place.)

What a fool I am. Two years ago, when my daughter was at kindergarten orientation, I was told she would be the first class in the new building. That was 11/2 years ago.

Enough is enough, I thought. Time to move my kids; they deserve the same elementary experience every other child in Greenwich receives. But wait! Summer 2008 came and the news was "Ham Ave. to get a delayed opening" (What a fool I am). No, wait. "Columbus Day move-in" (What a fool I am). No, wait. "Ham Ave. to move in over Christmas break" (What a fool I am)!

Headline Nov. 27, Greenwich Time: "April for Ham Ave. move?" Yeah, right, What A fool I am!
Now we are told that if the school is ready by February break, the students cannot move in due to Connecticut Mastery Tests.

I don't know how a move done over a break is going to affect the testing, but what I do know is that I and every other parent at Ham Ave. is at the breaking point, and if you tell us our school is finished and we can't move in, get ready for a fight!

Kerry Munnelly
Greenwich

PLEASE SEE:

11/27/08 Happy Thanksgiving - Greenwich Time News Stories For Today -- Top Story: Frank Mazza And His Bunch Of Turkeys Comtinues To Screw Up

We Must Not Let Turkeys Take Advantage Of Us.

It Is Time To Get Rid Of Frank Mazza And The Greenwich Board Of Education

April for Ham Ave. move? - Greenwich Time

Hamilton Avenue School students won't be allowed to move into their new building until April if the school's building committee can't secure the necessary approvals to make the facility safe for occupancy by the end of next week, the head of the school board said.

Board of Education Chairman Nancy Weissler said Wednesday that the facility must receive a temporary certificate of occupancy by Dec. 5 if students are to safely return to classes there after holiday breaks end Jan. 5......

COMMENTS:

A GREENWICH ROUNDUP EDITORIAL

SCHOOL OF FOOLS

Nancy Weissler And Her Negligent Board Of Education And Frank Mazza And His School Building Committee Must Resign Now.

Only Newly Elected School Board Member
Marianna Ponns Cohen Should Remain

The once great Greenwich Public School System has been brought to ruin by Nancy Weissler and her negligent fellow Board Of Education members. Ms. Weisller and her poorly managed board have cost thousands of tax dolars for every man woman and child in Greenwich.

Nancy Wiessler and the School Building Chairman she has supported through thick and thin will soon becoming to the taxpayers once again with their hands streched out.

If Nancy Wiessler, Frank Mazza and the other negligent board members had any decency they would resign.

It Is Time To Bounce These Bozo Board Members
And Their Failed High Paid Educrats

NANCY IS IN WAY OVER HER HEAD

Wielser's Poor Manaagement Skills And Lack Of Expierence
Has Orchestrated The Fall Of Our Once Great Public Schools.

Blame abounds, but most of it must accrue to Nancy Wiessler and the Greenwich Board Of Education for their undying support of Frank Mazza and his band of idiots on the Hamilton Avenue School Building Committee.

JUST WHO IS ON THIS COMMITTEE
THAT HAS REPEATEDLY FAILED THE TAXPAYERS, PARENTS
AND CHILDREN OF GREENWICH?

The Failed Hamilton School Committee Members Are:

Frank Mazza Mazza85indian@aol.com
Joseph L. Rossmailto:jross@tishman.com
Jay Schondorf jsamisinc@aol.com
Thomas J. Heagney heagney@conversent.net
Thomas L. Smario mailto:advtls@aol.comor tls4970@aol.com
Paul Toretta torpa@aol.com
Sylvester Pecora nansea@optonline.net
Michael C. Bodson MichaelBodson@yahoo.com
Stephen G. Walko swalko@ibolaw.com

But It Is Not Just Frank Mazza And His Band Od Idiots That Are To Blame For The Repeated Disasters And Cost Over Runs At The Failed Hamilton Avenue School Building Project.

There Are A Host Of Ex-Officio Members To The Failed Hamilton Avenue Building Committee Who Saw That Frank Mazza And His Band Of Idiots Were Mis-Leading Taxpayers And Parents, But They Said Nothing. They Had Inside Information, But Choose "To Go Along To Get Along" Instead Of Protecting The Children Of Greenwich.

Ex-Officio Members To The Failed Hamilton Avenue Building Committee Who Were So Worried About Frank Mazza And Forgot All About Their Nieghbors Who Are Now Stuck Paying The Bill Are:

Deal L. Goss (RTM) deangoss@optonline.net
Peter J. Crumbine (Selectman) pcrumbine@greenwichct.org
Dr. Betty Sternberg (Superintendent) betty_sternberg@greenwich.k12.ct.us
John Vallerie (Public Works) jvallerie@greenwichct.org
Raymond J. Heimbuch (P&Z) rheimbuch@cs.com

PTA

Dawn Nethercott Dbn3793@msn.com
Alica Budkins abudkins@optonline.net
Donna Curtis donna@terrapin.com
Betsey Frumin (RTM#9 )Betsey@nacca.com
Rose Furano furano11@verizon.net

Architects

Joseph J. Aliotta aliotta.j@shca.com
Roger L. Klein klein.r@shca.com
Risa Rottenberg mailto:Rottenbergrottenberg.r@shca.com

Project Manager

Richard L. Sitnik rsitnik@pinnacleone.com
Gerald J. Adam mailto:Adamgadam@pinnacleone.com

Anyone Of These Hamilton Avenue Building Committee Seat Warmers Could Of Spoken Up And Saved Greenwich Taxpayers Millions Of Dolars, But They Chose To Turn A Blind Eye To The Children Of Greenwich.

HOWEVER THESE VERY QUIET INDIVIDUALS
ARE NOT ULTIMATELY TO BLAME

The Greenwich Board Of Education are soley responsible for making decisions that have put taxpayers in a bind and caused many of their children to fail. Which leads reasonable Greenwich residents to ask one simple question......

What Were Nancy Weissler And The Other
Negligent School Board Members Thinking?????

One Of the failed school board members was replaced in the last school election. If those who remain had any decency they would simply quit.

Who's Still there?

Nancy Weissler - Email: nvoye@aol.com
Leslie Moriarty - Email: Lesliemoriarty@gmail.com
Steven B. Anderson - Email: andersonsb@optonline.net
Michael C. Bodson - Email: michaelbodson@yahoo.com
Jonathan Cohen - Email: jcohen@ticc.com
Susan S. Ellis - Email: sellis6@optimum.net
Natalie Queen - Email: nqueen124@aol.com

At best, this board of education was a sllep at the switch while two Greenwich Public Schools were closed and test scores rapidly droped.

Again, they need to go.

Aleady gone, but not soon enough is School Superintendent Betty Sternberg who will be leaving in June Of next year. Over and over Ms. Sternberg and her failed administrators in the public school system repeatedly gave Greenwich parents and taxpayers rosey assessments.

Never once did Nancy Weisller and her fellow negligent board members once question the preposterously rosy assesments from Sternberg or Mazza.

What were they thinking ?????

There should be no mistake where the responsibility resides.
That would be with the Greenwich School Board members
- and Nancy Weissler in particular.

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