RTM, Selectmen Meet Monday Night [UPDATE]

... to hear several reports, although a scheduled vote on an inter-town agreement for mutual police services with Greenwich has been canceled. These matters will come up at the meeting, according to its agenda: Report from the RTM Education Committee on ...

http://darien.patch.com/articles/rtm-selectmen-meet-monday-night

06/14/11 Delman's Pussy Footing Gets Slammed By The RTM

Despite Evan Delman's Plea To Postpone Police Contract, RTM Approves Contract And Three Other Union Contracts

Evan Delman of the RTM’s Town Services committee said his committee had intended to vote on the contracts, but “was informed that no action was the best action at this time, for reasons I won’t go into.” He then made the motion to postpone the vote on the police contract to September.

That led to outcry from numerous RTM members who felt that the body should proceed with the vote.

Jim Boutelle of District 8, who has been on the RTM for a number of years, said he believes all the parties involved in the contract negotiations “have done their work” carefully on the contracts, and urged his fellow RTM members to follow through with a vote.

“I think for us to postpone this to September, which is basically ducking a vote, is irresponsible on the part of this body,” Boutelle said. “I didn’t get elected to the RTM to dodge votes. I’ve heard RTM members joke during the budget season that the best approach to the budget process should be ‘we need more zeros’ or ‘oh no it’s good the way it is.’ Well, tonight’s your night to vote, one way or the other. If you want to send a message on the budget and you think the contracts are negotiated too high, then have the guts to say so.”

“I feel that when we have a reasonably negotiated contract between our town and our unions, we should vote on it, not duck it,” Boutelle added. “So vote on the four contracts — or in my opinion don’t run for re-election.”

Police Sgt. James Bonney, president of the Silver Shield Association, and also an RTM member from District 4, said the association made many concessions in the negotiations. “We wanted to show you we were willing to help,” he said. “Almost every point the town asked for, we gave on.” At the same time, though, the association wanted the town police department “to stay competitive with the other markets, so we get good officers here,” he said. “We don’t want to have the worst benefits in the area, because then we won’t get good cops. I feel that we gave enough to suit the town, and we gave enough to suit the association. I hope that you will approve this … ”

Joan Caldwell, RTM member District 10, said she was determined to vote, not postpone, because it was the right thing to do on behalf of her constituents.

“I came to the town meeting because I wanted to do something for my town,” she said. “That includes approving and disapproving contracts. I’ve never walked away from one and I’m not going to do that tonight.”

“What does rejecting or postponing this do for us?” she continued. “We have 14 items on the agenda tonight and we already postponed four. And now we’re talking about postponing four more. I don’t think that rejecting or postponing these contracts sends the message that some of us want to send … but for those of you who want to send that message, then let’s send it!”

===============================
Please send your comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

12/27/10 Dim Witted Doctor Delman Wastes Town Time In Call To Throw The Book At Phone Directory Publishers

Maybe Someone Should Give Evan Delman A Chiropractic Adjustment To Head So That He Would Be Able To Understanding That There Is Some Things Called The Constitution, The Bill Of Rights And Freedom Of Speech.

White Plains chiropractor and thin skinned Riverside busybody Even Delman DC says he wants the town's legislators to throw the book at telephone directory publishers.

Ever since the first telephone directory, consisting of a single piece of cardboard, was issued on February 21, 1878; they've been the best weathermen. They always seem to get delivered when it's going to rain.

That first telephone directory was published in New Haven and it listed 50 local businesses that had a telephone.

Now Dimwitted Doctor Evan Delman, wants the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting to legislate distributors of telephone books and require them comply to some sort a centralized unconstitutional local opt-out mechanism in Greenwich.

Dimwitted Doctor Delman is able to waste the RTM's valuable time, because he collected signatures from 20 people, out of a town with a population of over 61,000 residents.

Earlier this fall Delman collected the 20 signatures that enabled him to present the concept to the full 230-member Greenwich RTM.

His anti-freedom of speech idea was presented to the Greenwich legislators who referred the proposal to its Legislative and Rules Committee, where it will die and keep the town from being sued by telephone directory and newspaper publishers.

"I am seeking to basically -- you know how there's a do not call list for telemarketers -- to have a do not deliver list," Doctor Delman said. "I was tired of receiving phone books and newspapers."

Maybe, someone should refer the dimwitted doctor to a local TEA Party meeting, so they can explain to him that there is something called the First Amendment to the constitution.

Or, maybe someone should tell Delman that a municipal ordinance in Seattle requiring phone book publishers to pay a $100 licensing fee and a 40-cent tax for every directory distrubuted, as well as abide by an opt-out registry created by the city, is being challenged in U.S. District Court by several Yellow Pages Association members on free speech grounds. This has already cost Seattle close to $500,000.

As part of the research on Delman's tiny 20 signature phone book petition, the Town of Greenwich paid attorney Eugene McLaughlin Jr. to speak with the corporation counsel for a publisher that belongs to the Yellow Pages Association, who mentioned that there already is an opt-out feature on the group's website that Doctor Delman can use.

So the question is, do we really need Doctor Delman's anti-free speech local ordinance?

Instead of running around being a busy body collecting 20 signatures and taking up the RTM's valuable time all Delman had to do was go to the trade group's web site and opt out of receiving phone books

Among other questions the dimwitted chiropractor forgot to consider was enforcement.

Is this going to be too much of a load for the police department?

"Hello, 911. This is thin skinned Doctor Delman and I need you to send out a squad car, because AT&T just delivered a phone book to my house."

Doctor Delman's proposal still is going to take up valuable time on the January agenda of the RTM's Legislative and Rules Committee.

Greenwich attorney Douglas Wells, who is the committee's chairman, has already questioned the need for Delman's proposed ordinance.

"Clearly, we don't need the town to be involved in another lawsuit if the industry is already taking care of this in a reasonable way on its own," attorney Douglas Wells said.

Another set question for Dimwitted Doctor Delman is ...

Who is going to pay for the local opt out phone book system and how much will it cost?

How many town employees will have to be hired to create and maintain the local opt out phone book system?

In these tough economic times just what town services will need to be cut back to pay for Dimwitted Delman's anti-constitutional local opt out phone book system?

Talk about your unintended consequences from Even Delman's 20 signature petition.

Maybe Doctor Delman should focus on his White Plain's Chriropractic office and forget about being a phone book busy body in Greenwich.

=============================
please send your comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

12/10/08 Greenwich Time News Links For Wednesday

Boneheaded Jurist Helps The Greenwich YMCA

Discriminate Against The Handicapped

Shame, Shame, Shame On

Judge Taggert Adams

Who Turns His Back On The Crippled Of Greenwich

At Stamford Superior Court

Judge Taggert Is Going To Look Like Even More Of A Fool When The Perpetually Mismanaged YMCA Building Project Fails To Complete The Ramp In June Of 2009

YMCA wins handicapped-access case

Breaking News

By Meredith Blake/Staff Writer

Posted: 12/10/2008 12:28:34 PM EST

A State Superior Court Judge today denied a Greenwich man's request for an injunction to force the Greenwich Family YMCA to put in a temporary ramp to provide wheelchair access.

The Y reasonably showed that it was in the process of trying to get rid of barriers to provide access for all through their $40 million renovation and expansion project, a standard established under the Americans with Disabilities Act, said Judge Taggert Adams in Stamford Superior Court.

The Y, which is considered a public entity, is required to provide access to individuals with disabilities, and are in the process of making "reasonable modifications" to their facility through their construction to provide it, he said.

Providing a temporary ramp is "not readily achievable," and would put an undue burden on the YMCA, he said.

Luis Gonzalez-Bunster, who is in a wheelchair, filed a request on Nov. 13 for an immediate injunction ordering the Y to provide temporary access to the new addition that includes a new aquatics center with an Olympic-size pool. The new addition is just one part of renovation and expansion of the 96-year-old building, which has never been wheelchair accessible.

Full Story

MORE GRENWICH TIME NEWS LINKS:

Muslims gather to observe Eid al-Adha

Sounds of prayer filled the Hilton-Stamford Hotel ballroom Tuesday morning, as some 500 members of the Stamford Islamic Center observed one the faith's most important holidays, Eid al-Adha.

Full Story

RTM debates cutting projects

By Neil Vigdor/Staff Writer
Posted: 12/10/2008 02:31:48 AM EST

With the town laboring to close a projected $10.5 million budget gap, a debate is raging among elected officials whether to put the brakes on an estimated $49.2 million in capital projects for which the money has been appropriated but not yet spent.

Joan Caldwell, the second-highest-ranking leader of the Representative Town Meeting and chairman of legislative body's District 10/Northwest delegation, said it only makes sense to take a second look at projects still in the planning stage......

.....Members of Caldwell's RTM delegation unsuccessfully proposed a sense-of-the-meeting resolution Monday night to the full legislative body that would have placed a 90-day moratorium on all capital projects for which contracts have yet to be negotiated.....

.....First Selectman Peter Tesei said all options are on the table in the current economic climate.
"We are certainly looking at capital projects that we can pare back or not do so we can focus on completing the ones that are already in progress," Tesei said.

Among the projects for which funds have been appropriated but not spent are $1.1 million for an evaluation of the Grass Island municipal wastewater treatment plant; $1 million for an imaging and archiving system at Town Hall, $2.7 million toward converting the former Cos Cob Power Plant site into a waterfront park; $238,000 for a new police boat; and $500,000 for a master plan for the town's transfer station.

"That half-million might pay some salaries later in the year if we have a messy situation," Caldwell said of the money for the transfer station master plan.

Another major project on the drawing board that might have been affected by such a moratorium is the renovation of the Greenwich High School auditorium and music instruction rooms, for which the town has appropriated about $2.1 million this year for architectural and engineering work.

Bob Brady, who is a member of the project's building committee, said the town is close to reaching contracts with an architect and a construction manager after six-and-a-half months of work.

"We would hate to have to redo that and start all over," said Brady, who is also an RTM member and chairman of its Education Committee.

Some leaders have questioned the urgency to do the project, for which about $23.1 million has been placed in the 2010-11 budget. .....

.....According to preliminary budget documents prepared for the BET, the town needs to shed about $10.5 million in spending from the projected $364 million budget to avoid an estimated 7.4 percent spike in property taxes for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

In previous years, the budgetary gap has been about $5 million, according to town officials, who are predicting a $7 million shortfall in revenues from tax receipts, building permits issued and bank interest......

Full Story

Slay suspect sentto mental hospital

A 75-year-old Pemberwick man accused of killing his former daughter-in-law was ordered sent to a state mental facility Tuesday for treatment to restore his competency to stand trial.

At a hearing in state Superior Court in Stamford, a frail Gerardo Lombardi listened as a licensed clinical social worker said the defendant did not comprehend the case against him.

"It was determined that he was unable to understand the proceedings against him and he was unable to assist in his defense," said social worker Melissa McShane......

.....Lombardi is accused of shooting and stabbing Alison McKnight Lombardi in the backyard of 36 Nicholas Ave., the property next to his home, Sept. 4. Police believe the incident stemmed from a property dispute. ......

......Public Defender Howard Ehring told the judge it would be difficult to proceed with a probable cause hearing and eventual trial given Lomardi's current mental status.

Ferencek did not contest the evaluation report and felt treatment was a good idea if it could restore Lombardi's competence to stand trial.

"I would agree that based on the report he is not competent," Ferencek said.....

....Comerford committed Lombardi for 60 days of treatment at the Whiting Forensic Institute in Middletown.

The Whiting Forensic Institute is part of a broader Whiting Forensic Division of Connecticut Valley Hospital, a state mental hospital. ....

Full Story

Frantz oversees new service to Amsterdam

By Neil Vigdor/Staff Writer
Posted: 12/10/2008 02:31:18 AM EST

With less than a month remaining in his tenure as chairman of Bradley International Airport, state Senator-elect L. Scott Frantz of Greenwich was on cloud nine Wednesday with the announcement that Delta Air Lines subsidiary Northwest Airlines would resume nonstop service from Hartford to Amsterdam.....

....Frantz, 48, who was elected last month to fill the 36th District Senate seat of retiring fellow Republican William Nickerson, said Delta's decision to bring the flight back shows confidence that Bradley is a viable market for the airline industry. ...

....Frantz said he and other business and political leaders have been striving for several months to get the transatlantic flights to return and even promised $800,000 in incentives to Delta to help market the new route.

In addition, the state Department of Transportation sweetened the pot with $325,000 in landing fee and rent reductions to the airline, according to Frantz.....

Full Story

Police blotter

Godfrey Polistina, 57, of 1363 King St., was arrested and charged with third-degree assault and disorderly conduct Monday night after a dispute at his home, police said.

Polistina was released on a $10,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Tuesday

*******************************************

Milton DeLavera, 48, of 50 South Main St., was arrested and charged with sixth-degree larceny Monday evening at Stop & Shop, 161 West Putnam Ave., police said.

A store manager reported seeing DeLavera stuff numerous store items into his jacket and pant legs, then leave the store, police said. Police then apprehended DeLavera.

DeLavera was released on a $200 bond and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Dec. 23.

*******************************************

William McGoldrick, 59, of 63 Indian Harbor Drive, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct Saturday evening following a tenant-landlord dispute, police said.

McGoldrick was released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Monday.

*******************************************

Charles Smith, 54, of 415 High St., Milford, was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence Thursday, police said.

Smith, a Greenwich postal worker, was found to be intoxicated in a Greenwich Post Office parking lot at 29 Valley Drive, police said.

Smith was operating a postal vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, according to the police report. Smith had bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol, police said.

He failed a series of field sobriety tests at the scene, according to police.

Smith was released on a $250 bond and was released to a family member, police said.

He is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Friday.

******************************************

Ben Mosley III, 19, of 5 Jamroga Lane, Stamford, was arrested Friday night and charged with second-degree failure to appear, police said.

Mosley turned himself in to police on an outstanding arrest warrant relating to an August arrest in which he was charged with possession of marijuana less than four ounces, police said.

Mosley was released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Friday.

'Sense of urgency' needed

By Colin Gustafson/Staff Writer
Posted: 12/10/2008 02:31:50 AM EST

Calling for a "sense of urgency," school officials are ramping up pressure on Hamilton Avenue School's building committee to secure the necessary approvals for occupancy for the reconstructed school building this month.

At a meeting in the Havemeyer Building Tuesday, Superintendent of Schools Betty Sternberg asked committee members to give her daily updates on their progress toward achieving a temporary certificate of occupancy. .....

.....However, there are still a few unresolved facilities issues - including a need for more exhaust fans in bathrooms and additional emergency lights - that must be addressed before town building officials will grant the certificate, building committee members said......

....Asked by Sternberg to give a realistic time-frame for receiving the certificate, building committee member Thomas Heagney said it would likely arrive next Thursday or Friday, Dec. 18 or 19, "at the latest,"......

.....The project, which was initially slated to span 18 months when work began in April 2005, has repeatedly missed deadlines, recently when builders failed to finish work in time for an Aug. 27 re-opening; then again when ventilation problems were not resolved by Columbus Day.

School officials had most recently hoped to have a certificate for the school by Dec. 5, so that the environmental testing and move-in process could move forward without having to deal with any outstanding facilities issues.

To date, however, several problems remain unresolved.

For one, while new exhaust fans have been installed in some bathrooms to correct air flow problems, other restrooms facilities have not yet received the equipment upgrade, which inspectors say is a prerequisite for the certificate.

In addition, emergency lights still must be installed on the campus, committee members said, and modifications to the boiler room's flue piping system need to be approved in order for the building to get the certificate.....

Full Story

Greenwich Academy squash poised to win another national title
When the Greenwich Academy squash team takes to the court today for its first match of the season at Convent of the Sacred Heart, it will begin another long journey to stake its claim once again as the best squash program in the United States.

Full Story

'We Were Late': Panelists take hard look at today's numbers
Although the region was one of the last in the nation to sink into a recession, it probably will be the last to emerge as the economy improves.

Full Story

Something to take your mind off the cold
Yes, baby, it's been cold outside. Especially if you're one of those who signed up for a fixed-price heating oil contract at $4.

Full Story

The "LOCAL" Hard Hitting Editorial From The Greenwich Time Editors: "Hard times for a state cultural icon"

It's not easy asking for money ata time like this. Unemployment is up and government bailouts are on many industries' wish lists.

The Mark Twain House & Museum, honoring perhaps Connecticut's most famous resident, has seen brighter days. Facing a financial crisis created by adding a $19.5 million visitors center, the museum needed a recent $500,000 gift from the Annenberg Foundation to stay out of bankruptcy, and is not yet in the clear ...... BLAH .....BLAH ..... BLAH ..... BLAH ..... BLAH ..... BLAH ..... BLAH ...... BLAH ....... BLAH ......

Arts center proposal is too good to pass up

To the editor:

Two years ago, when I had recently moved to Greenwich and begun to establish new roots for Quill Entertainment, a history-musicals nonprofit, Bea Crumbine showed me the Havemeyer Building and shared her and the Greenwich Center for the Arts board's exciting ideas about restoring it as a vibrant community arts center.

As a theater professional for some 30-plus years, I was thrilled to visit the theater space and imagine it filled with laughter, song, dance and applause. In addition, there would be classrooms and galleries - it seemed too good to be true. I immediately signed up Quill Entertainment as a potential tenant.

Alas, it seems it was too good to be true - and all for want of a lease and the willingness of the Board of Education to move. Office space can be found, but where in Greenwich can we find a pre-existing theater? In a beautiful, historic building? Right in the heart of town? With millions of dollars from the private sector already committed?

It boggles the mind to think our elected officials can be so short-sighted as to let this opportunity pass.

One article stated that the school board members wanted the priority to be on "projects impacting children's education." Surely, these members do not think education takes place only in the classroom. Surely, after numerous studies detailed the positive economic impact of the arts on communities, the board members recognize the "win-win-win" for the town.

Surely, after even more studies underscored the importance of the arts in the intellectual and spiritual growth of our children, the members can address other needs without abandoning this unique opportunity for important social gain. Surely . . .

As an artist, I am sick at this decision. As a proud member of the community, I am a little bit ashamed of it. I urge the members of the school board and the Representative Town Meeting to sit down with the GCA and move this project forward.

Greenwich deserves a center for the arts. Let us no longer have to apologize for lacking one.

Granville Burgess
Greenwich

The writer is chief executive officer of Quill Entertainment Co.

==============================================

Please send your comments to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

04/28/08 - Do you really think it was Greenwich Senior Citizens who were involved in counterfeiting beach passes?

Town Of Greenwich Is Going To Put An End To The Senior Citizen Beach Card Counterfeiting Gangs.

Park's Department Head Joseph Siciliano has another dumb idea.

Joesph Siciliano is going to put holograms on senior citizen passes this year in order to stop the beach pass counterfeiters in Town.

Who the heck is going to make fake senior citizen beach passes?

Duh, Would Someone Please Tell Joseph Sicilano The Town Of Greenwich gives out senior citizen beach for
FREE !!!

Why isn't Joseph Siciliano smart enough to put the holograms on this years beach card, which costs $27 per person?

Better yet why isn't Joseph Siciliano smart enough to get holograms on parking stickers that cost $100 each?

Why isn't Joseph Sicilano smart enough to protect the taxpayers by calling one of the hundreds of firms that quickly deliver holograms?

Affordable Holograms USA

Hologram labels, stickers, ID card
products with same day service.
www.novavisioninc.com

It's easy to get 1,000 holigrams for less than $200.

Here Is A Good Example Of
Incompetent-High-Paid Greenwich Town Administrators Pretending To Be At Work....

Currently, beach cards have the town seal printed on them as well as a bar code, though the town does not plan to scan the bar codes until next year.

Why isn't Joseph Siciliano smart enough to realize that Hand-held bar code scanners are cheap !!!!

3800G Barcode Scanners
New 3800G Replaces 3800LR-12
Readers $138.61
www.L-TronDirect.com

The Park pass bar codes are going to be in sequential order.

It is very easy to program a barcode scanner to accept pass numbers 00001 - 19145 and to reject all of the other numbers.

When is the Greenwich News Media Outlets Going To Start Asking Objective Questions That Deliver Hard Hitting Journalism That Protects The Single Family Home Owners And Taxpayers Of Greenwich?

Please read this Greenwich Time article and tell me if you see one quote from a Greenwich citizen or an opposing politician that thinks the public trust has been violated and that tax dollars are being mismanaged.

Beach cards to get holograms

To outsmart would-be counterfeiters, the town is introducing holograms on beach cards issued to senior citizens this year.

Next year, the town will put the holograms, which feature the town seal, on all beach cards. Currently, cards have the town seal printed on them as well as a bar code, though the town does not plan to scan the bar codes until next year. Beachgoers who try to enter Greenwich Point or Byram parks with counterfeit cards will also be in for a rude awakening next year.

"The town is embarking on a program where we'll be scanning all beach cards instead of a visual check," said Tom Greco, manager of business services operations for the parks department.

The town's introduction of added security layers to its beach cards comes as the police investigate an alleged counterfeiting caper involving the highly coveted passes, municipal parking stickers and marina permits.

Right now, much of what investigators have to go on in the case is a binder received in February from an anonymous tipster containing copies of the fake materials. It also identified the person allegedly running the operation, who police have said is a suspect and would not identify.

The alleged suspect in the case also has declined, through his attorney, to be interviewed by police, police have said.

Park officials said they were planning the measures before the scheme came to light.

"I want to reduce the risk of falsifying cards,"...Blah...Blah....Blah....Blah...

Here's how it works In Greenwich:

High paid Government Officials make bad decisions that lead to very expensive failures.

The single family home owners are forced to pay for the expensive screw ups .

The Town of Greenwich spins those failed decisions, and the Greenwich press only types what failed Town Administrators spew out.

Then the reporters just put the town spew through a spell check and go home to listen to the World's Greatest Communication Hoax (WGCH) read the "spin clips" in the morning.

There is no accountability in Greenwich, because Greenwich reporters don't have the journalistic balls to ask Town Administrators hard hitting questions that expose the truth.

Greenwich reporters are afraid to do a simple Google search on the cost and ease of applying holograms on beach passes, because they would have to go back and ask some Town Administrators some real hard hitting questions.

It is much easier to run a Town Press Release through the spell check and then go home.

Warning:
Weak Reporting Can Be Outsourced To India

Indians speak English and can run press releases through a spell check.

Complete Greenwich RTM Meetings can now viewed by an Indian Reporter via the internet.

An Indian Reporter can make a free skype call to get a quote from the First Selectman, School Superintendent or any other public official listed on the Town Web Site.

Photo's can be emailed to India.

Technology Marches On....

Weak local news reporting

can and has beeen

outsourced to India

Your city's news - from India

The job posting was a head-scratcher:

"We seek a newspaper journalist based in India to report on the city government and political scene of Pasadena, California, USA."

Outsourcing first claimed manufacturing jobs, then hit services such as technical support, airline reservations and tax preparation. Now comes the next frontier: local journalism. ...

Read The Full Story:

A news site hires two to cover Pasadena from afar. That helps a shoestring budget go further.

By Alex Pham

Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

May 11, 2007

When is local journalism not really local? When it's about Pasadena and written by someone in India. James Macpherson, editor and publisher of the Pasadena Now website, hired two reporters last weekend to cover the Pasadena City Council.

One lives in Mumbai and will be paid $12,000 a year. The other will work in Bangalore for $7,200. The council broadcasts its meetings on the Web. From nearly 9,000 miles away, the outsourced journalists plan to watch, then write their stories while their boss sleeps India is 12.5 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. "A lot of the routine stuff we do can be done by really talented people in another time zone at much lower wages," said Macpherson, 51, who used to run a clothing business with manufacturing help from Vietnam and India.

So, on the Indian version of Craigslist, he posted an ad that said in part, "We do not believe that geographic distance between California and India will present unsurmountable problems, and that working together with you will result in your development of a keen working knowledge of this city's affairs." Dozens replied. One of the two chosen had attended the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Rob Gunnison, the director of school affairs there, is dismayed. "It just seems so fundamental to journalism to be there," Gunnison said. "I still can't quite believe it's not a hoax."

It's not. Macpherson plans to run his first batch of outsourced stories Tuesday. The Pasadena native runs the website, which he said gets 45,000 visitors a month, on a shoestring budget from his condo with help from his wife, a data entry worker and two interns. Macpherson plans to hire half a dozen more Indian reporters. He'll add some local flavor by doing interviews, then e-mailing the recordings to India. "When you instant-message someone in Mumbai, it's like looking over her shoulder," he said.

Larry Wilson, editor of the 30,000-circulation Pasadena Star-News newspaper, scoffed. "To pretend you can get the feel and the culture of a town as complicated and interesting as Pasadena by e-mailing and doing things over the Internet is nutty," he said.

AND NOW HERE IS THE PUNCH LINE

GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATOR'S LIKE THE IDEA OF OUTSOURCING REPORTING TO INDIA

Ann Erdman, spokeswoman for the city of Pasadena, thinks the approach is a little odd. But "as long as they get their facts correct, I'm a happy camper," she said.

If Greenwich Time Editor And Chief Joe Pisani Is Not Careful

He And His Crew May Find Themselve's On

The Unemployment Line While There Jobs Are Outsourced.

Please read more:

02/18/08 - The Parks Department Has Another Beach Pass Scandal. Will The Police Be Called? Will the person reponsible be punished?

02/19/08 - Coverup? - Why Isn't This Felony Being Investigated By The Police Department?

02/20/08 - Is The Coverup Comming To An End? - Police Commisioner Tesei Lights A Fire Under Police Chief Ridberg's Rear End.

02/21/08 - Stop The Coverup - Since When Is Joesph Siciliano A Criminal Investigator?

03/18/08 - First Selectman Peter Tesei said, "Every effort should be made to identify the culprit and prosecute the person."

04/21/08 - You Can Blame This Screw Up On High Paid Parks Department Head Joesph "I Thought I Could Handle A Police Investigation" Sicilano

04/22/08 - See The Channel 2 Video - Fakes Allowing Many Access To Exclusive Waterfront

==============================================

Please send your comments and news tips to Bangalore.

Press releases should be sent to Mumbai.

****************************

Lunch, anyone?

For those who can't decide...

04/15/08 - Greenwich RTM Report - RTM Member's Postpone High School Building Committee Appointments, Because Of Heavy Opposition (Updated)

The single family home owners of Greenwich still might get stuck with the 25 million Dollar
Greenwich High School Building Committee

... but we just kept coming back
until you do what we want ...

RTM District 10 Chairman Joan E. Caldwell Leads The Fight Against The 25 Million Dollar Auditorium Committee With A Well Reasoned And Passionate Speech That Announced That District 10 Will Vote Against The Appointments
As A Block Vote.

The effort to appoint members to the
25 Million Dollar
Greenwich High School Musical Instructional Space And Auditorium Committee
Is Coming Back In Two Months

Please see:

04/13/08 - Would Someone Please Call Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Because This Is Unbelievable (Updated)

===============================================

Please send comments, news tips and comments to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

04/13/08 - Would Someone Please Call Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Because This Is Unbelievable (Updated)

Only In Greenwich !!!
You Just Can't Make This Stuff Up

The Greenwich Board Of Selectmen Are Nominating Three Guys Who Were Involved With The Hamilton Avenue School Construction Fiasco To The New Greenwich High School Musical Instructional And Auditorium Building Committee

Please See: Representative Town Meeting Documents For The Monday April 14th Meeting

Call

Explanatory Comments

How did this get past the RTM Appointments Committee and the RTM Education Committee?

It looks like these two committees are a sleep at the switch.

If you screw up on one school building committee, don't worry you will get a chance to screw up on another school building committee.

Hey, it's only money and these school building committees are backed by the full faith and credit of the single family home owners who must pay their ever increasing tax bills.

If these guys had screwed up a massive building project in the real world, their careers would be ruined and they would not bbe considered for future building projects.

=============================================

On Monday night, the full RTM will vote on 17 appointments to various boards and committees. All of the prospective board or committee members will be voted up or down individually except for the six persons nominated for the Greenwich High School Auditorium Building Committee.

The GHS Auditorium Building Committee must be voted up or down as an entire group.

This is unfair to the single family home owners and taxpayers of Greenwich, and it seems like crap like this always happens with school construction committees.

If you look at the Moday's RTM call you will see that....

Item #4 is nominating Donald Kiefer to the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Item #5 is nominating Patricia Kirkpatrick to the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Item #6 is nominating Robert Shippee to the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Item #7 is nominating Lawrence Larson to the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Each of these prospective candidates, like everyone else will be voted up or down individually by the full RTM on Monday night.

But if you go and look at item number 10 you will see that

Ginny Krob
Leslie Cooper
Robert Brady
Joseph Ross
Steven Loparco
and Frank Napolitano

are presented to the RTM as a group, and this is wrong and unfair to the single family home owners and taxpayers.

Let's say that your local RTM member were to say...

"You know, I am not comfortable voting for Ginny Kobb, because she is also on the Board Of Education Facilities Committee and this might be a conflict of interest."

Plus, Ginny served on the previous GHS Music / Auditorium Team and according to Byram RTM District Chairman Robert McKnight the current auditorium never met State Of Connecticut Education standards.

Chairman McKnight also points out that the current auditorium had inadequate air conditioning, so the single family home owners had to foot the bill for additional roof top units. But the noise from these expensive roof top units was so loud they could not be run during performances in the summer.

So the school started scheduling extra intermissions, so they could run the air conditioning units at full blast for an extra 15 minutes in an attempt to cool the auditorium to a somewhat acceptable level.

If the first GHS Auditorium Building committee had done their job properly the first time, then the single family home owners would not be getting ready to pay for this new Greenwich High School Auditorium.

Now here is the problem lets say your local RTM member wants to vote against Ginny, and give a new and independent Greenwich Single Family Home Owner a chance to be involved, then he or she must vote down the five other persons as well.

This is just not fair to the single family home owners of Greenwich.

The School Board gets away with murder, because a few insiders are always regurgitated on school committee after school committee.

Maybe, these school committee members don't do such a good job, because they have two much on their plates. When they are sitting on two, three or four multimillion dollar school committees, maybe they just get overwhelmed.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the all important school committees friends, family, business associates and political affiliations come before children and the single family home owners who pay the taxes....

For example, lets say that your local RTM member has concerns about fellow RTM member Robert Brady being on the committee.

Let's face the facts here, Robert Brady is Chairman of the powerful RTM education committee that was responsible for the Hamilton Avenue School Building Committee.

More over Robert Brady's RTM Education committee will be responsible for providing oversight to the new Greenwich High School Auditorium Building Committee.

So if Robert Brady is put on the Multi-Million Dollar GHS Auditorium Building committee, The Robert Brady would be monitoring Robert Brady.

This looks like the Mother Of All Conflicts of Interest.

Plus when one looks at the school construction projects that Mr. Brady has been involved in one certainly must take pause.

Appointments committee member and Byram RTM Chairman Robert McKnight says that Mr. Brady admitted to the mistakes that occurred and had good answers for what went wrong and what is currently going wrong at the fiasco known as the Hamilton Avenue School Construction project.

But if an RTM member doesn't want to take another chance with Mr. Brady and wants to put new and independent blood on the High School Auditorium Building Committee he or she has to vote down the other five persons nominated to the construction committee.

This is just not fair to Greenwich School parents and the single family home owners who have to pay the bill.

Or maybe an RTM member isn't comfortable with the fact that John Ross is employed by Tischman Construction and that this company or one of it's affiliates may bid on the new school auditorium project.

Or maybe an RTM member wants to vote against John Ross, because he was on the fiasco known as the Hamilton Avenue School Construction Committee.

Would the school parents fault an RTM member for wanting to get someone besides John Ross to be on the new GHS Auditorium Construction Committee.

Well Guess What.

That's right an RTM member will have to vote down the other five members of the committee if they are unsure about Mr. Ross being on the new school construction committee.

This is just not fair to Greenwich School parents and the single family home owners who have to pay the bill.

Now lets say that an RTM member is worried about Steven Loparco, because he was on the fiasco known as the Hamilton Avenue School Construction Committee.

We'll as former President Ronald Reagan once said, "Well There you go again..."

If an RTM member doesn't want to take another chance with Mr. Brady and wants to put new and independent blood on the High School Auditorium Building Committee he or she has to vote down the other five persons nominated to the construction committee.

This is just not fair to Greenwich School parents and the single family home owners who have to pay the bill.

You know what maybe it is a good idea if the RTM votes down these six candidates, and force the Board of Education to get truly independent Auditorium Building Committee members without construction foul ups in their backgrounds.

Concerned taxpayers and school parents should contact their local RTM members for the good of the children of the Town.

You can find your RTM member here.....

Search RTM Member List

Locate RTM representatives from your district easily. Find them either by last name, district or by clicking on the map area where you live. Click here to check it out.

The Glenville / Pemberwick RTM Members Are:

Arnone, Jane W.
	Occupation: Attorney
	RTM District 9
	14 Pemberwick Road Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 203-324-9559 Home: 203-531-3430
	Email: janearmoneesq@aol.com
	Beerman, Robert L.
	Occupation: Attorney
	RTM District 9
	6A Weavers Hill Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 531-5000 Home: 531-3100
	Email: Rlb0123@aol.com
	Bernstein, Andrew H.
	Occupation: Mortgage Banker and Broker
	RTM District 9
	45B Byram Terrace Drive Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 866-474-7599 Home: 203-532-5659
	Email: abernst@optonline.net
	Curtis, Paul F.
	Occupation: Software Engineer
	RTM District 9
	8 Rex Street Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 532-0510 Home: 531-9071
	Email: pfc@terrapin.com
	Delman, Dr. Evan L.
	Occupation: Chiropractor
	RTM District 9
	1 Fairview Terrace Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 914-761-4520 Home: 203-862-8878
	Email: evandelman@aim.com
	DiMarco, Vincent A. (Vice-Chair)
	Occupation: Consultant
	RTM District 9 Parking & Traffic Committee
	36 Arther Street Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 203-531-8378 Home: 203-531-4037
	Email: Vad5573@aol.com
	Dunne, Michael
	Occupation: Analyst
	RTM District 9
	48 Chapel Street Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 203-316-6950 Home: 203-531-5471
	Email: mdunne_06830@yahoo.com
	Frumin, Betsey S. (Chair)
	Occupation: Business Person
	RTM District 9
	53 Shady Lane Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 203-622-0177 Home: 203-531-7203
	Email: betsey@nacca.com
	Gaudioso-Zeale, Donna F.
	Occupation: Nurse
	RTM District 9
	3 Leslie Avenue Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 203-863-4279 Home: 203-531-1940
	Email: donnag@greenhosp.org
	Morton, Susan M.
	RTM District 9
	402 West Lyon Farm Drive Greenwich, CT 06831
	Nacewicz, Jennifer R.
	RTM District 9
	27 East Byway Greenwich, CT 06831
	Napolitano, Anna B.
	Occupation: Retired Teacher
	RTM District 9
	54 Shady Lane Greenwich, CT 06831
	Home: 203-531-9219
	Email: napol@optonline.net
	Pasternak, Adrian
	Occupation: Consultant
	RTM District 9
	3 Dale Drive Greenwich, CT 06831
	Home: 203-531-0324
	Email: adrian_pasternak@yahoo.com
	Petise, Frank P.
	Occupation: Retired Wood Flooring Contractor
	RTM District 9
	16 Nedley Lane Greenwich, CT 06831
	Home: 203-531-9534
	Email: Fpetise1@aol.com
	Rota, Frank L.
	Occupation: Substitute Teacher
	RTM District 9
	28 Deep Gorge Road Greenwich, CT 06831
	Home: 532-0365
	Email: Farota@optonline.net
	Shankman, Jonathan
	RTM District 9
	11 Essex Road Greenwich, CT 06831
	Skidmore, Gregory H.
	RTM District 9
	122 Pemberwick Road Greenwich, CT 06831
	Home: 203-550-3069
	Email: ghski@mac.com
	Toner, John F.
	RTM District 9
	351 Pemberwick Road #106 Greenwich, CT 06831
	Vizzari, Ralph
	Occupation: Salon Owner/Academy Director
	RTM District 9
	40 Ettl Lane Greenwich, CT 06831
	Work: 203-637-9154 Home: 203-531-7571
	Email: crvizz@aol.com
	Wojnas, Jeannine S.
	RTM District 9
	8 Cross Street Greenwich, CT 06831

The Chickahominy RTM Members Are:

Aurelia, Michael
	Occupation: Environmental Consultant
	RTM District 3
	72 Oak Ridge Street Greenwich, CT 06830
	Home: 622-9297
	Email: maurelia@msn.com
	Bavis, Louise T. (Secretary)
	Occupation: Retired
	RTM District 3
	74 Alexander Street Greenwich, CT 06830
	Home: 869-2571
	Blackson, Mercedes V.
	Occupation: Retired
	RTM District 3
	303 Hamilton Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830
	Home: 869-6238
	Email: rrrbhawk@aol.com
	Conelias, Thomas P. (Vice-Chair)
	RTM District 3
	37B Edgewood Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830
	Work: 531-6185 Home: 861-7217
	Email: conmagt.c@yahoo.com
	Paroly, Murray S.
	Occupation: Marketing Management
	RTM District 3
	22 Livingston Place Greenwich, CT 06830
	Work: 203-912-8101 Home: 203-552-9163
	Email: jeslin926@aol.com
	Polo, Maude A.
	Occupation: Retired Teacher
	RTM District 3
	24B Putnam Green Greenwich, CT 06830
	Home: 203-531-9282
	Email: maudeapolo@aol.com
	Tuthill, J. Robert (Chair)
	Occupation: Retired
	RTM District 3
	64 Mead Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830
	Home: 203-531-5527
	Email: bobtuthill@optonline.net
	Velez, Claudia
	Occupation: Para-Professional
	RTM District 3
	26F Putnam Green Greenwich, CT 06830
	Work: 203-531-5700 Home: 203-532-1123
	Email: negra12264@aol.com
	Warner, M. Michael
	Occupation: Retired
	RTM District 3
	48 Spring Street - Unit 7 Greenwich, CT 06830
	Home: 203-629-1454
	Email: mmwarner@optonline.net

==========================================
Please send comments to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com