Westport Town Attorney Wins One for Easton

When he is not wearing his hat as Westport Town Attorney, Ira Bloom is a partner in a local firm and in that role he has won a significant case for one of Westport's neighbors, the Town of Easton.

Bloom, a partner in the law firm of Wake, See, Dimes & Bryniczka, won dismissal last week of a case that had been brought against Easton by a group called Citizens for a Responsible Government.

The group sought to overturn the results of a town referendum which overwhelmingly supported the construction of a new elementary school.

After the Easton Board of Selectmen called a town meeting and a town-wide vote to approve an appropriation of $29 million and bond authorization, the citizens of Easton voted 1,624 to 617 in favor of the expenditure.

The Citizens group challenged the vote, claiming that the information provided at the town meeting was incomplete, inaccurate and not “meaningful.”

Bloom, a former Westport Board of Education member who has been retained by Easton on selected matters for several years, argued that the case should be dismissed since it presented a “political question” which should not be resolved by the courts.

After a hearing and the filing of briefs, Judge Julia Dewey agreed, dismissing the case, and noting that “if the individual voters felt ill prepared to decide the issue presented, they could have voted against the referendum.”

“I was pleased by the outcome,” Bloom said.

“Easton had a tremendous amount at stake in this case if the plaintiff succeeded, including loss of their bonding ability, loss of the September 2005 opening date for the school, and loss of state reimbursement.”

Teens Urged Not Just to Vote but to Run for Office

Westport state Rep. G. Kenneth Bernhard addresses today's "Rock the Vote" meeting at Jesup Green. The Republican lawmaker urged teens of voting age not only to register to vote but also to seek public office. "That's the real way to get things changed," he said. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Getting Down With Teens

Westport First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell was among several local officials who discussed voting issues with teens today at Jesup Green as part of a "Rock the Vote" national drive to get more young people registered to vote. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Putting the Top Down

The warm temperature and spring sunshine today prompted this motorist to put the top down while going for a spin on Greens Farms Road. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

A Good Day for a Run on the Beach

With the temperature touching 69F, it was a good day today for a run at Compo Beach. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Two More Westport Ministers Perform Same-Sex Marriages in New Paltz

Two more ministers from Westport's Unitarian Church presided over same-sex marriages today in New Paltz, N.Y. in defiance of prosecutors who have charged two other clergy with performing the ceremonies without a license.

The Rev. Frank Hall, senior minister, said he and the Rev. Ed Thompson, minister of music, married three couples each in ceremonies at the LeFevre House bed-and-breakfast where previous ceremonies were held.

Hall, senior minister at the church, told WestportNow that there was no police presence during the mid-day ceremonies.

"Things went quite smoothly," he said. "I've been performing same-sex marriages for 35 years. This is nothing new."

Hall and Thompson brought to five the number of Westport Unitarian ministers who have performed New Paltz same-sex marriages in recent weeks.

A week ago, the Rev. Barbara Fast and the Rev. Debra Haffner took part.

Two weeks ago, the Rev. Marian Visel participated and later was given a warning letter from the local district attorney.

Unitarian ministers Kay Greenleaf and Dawn Sangrey were charged with misdemeanors for marrying unlicensed same-sex couples March 6 in New Paltz.

Similar charges have been leveled against village Mayor Jason West, who officiated at New Paltz's first same-sex weddings, on Feb. 27.

Today's ceremonies brought to more than 100 the number of same-sex couples who have been wed in New Paltz over the past month.

Analysis: I-95 Tanker Accident Adds Sparks to Shays-Farrell Race

The I-95 tanker truck accident in Bridgeport Thursday night not only ignited a fireball in the nighttime sky, but it also added some early sparks to the race to represent the state's largest city and surrounding Fairfield County in Congress.
Shays, Farrell and Fabrizi at Friday's news conference at the I-95 tanker accident site. WestportNow.com photo/Cablevision News-12

Rep. Christopher Shays, the veteran 4th District incumbent Republican, was in Washington when the accident occurred.

But he quickly made it back to his hometown in time to join the city's Democratic Mayor John Fabrizi late Friday afternoon for a news conference at the accident scene.

With multiple live television cameras focused on him, Shays outlined federal aid he had helped line up earlier in the day.

Also there – and perhaps not particularly welcome by the congressman -- was Westport First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell, the Democrat who will try to unseat Shays in November.

Westport had dispatched firefighters to the scene Thursday night as part of the Mid-Fairfield County Hazmat team response and Farrell was there ostensibly so Fabrizi – a strong Farrell supporter -- could thank her and other surrounding towns for their help.

By the time Farrell got to the microphone, the New Haven and Hartford stations had switched back to their newscasts, but Cablevision News-12, which blankets most of Fairfield County, carried her remarks live to 4th District viewers.

The Shays press office had quickly spread the word early Friday afternoon of federal help on the way thanks to his efforts and those of other members of the Connecticut congressional delegation.

Shays’ staff said his office also was in touch with relevant congressional committees on a spending amendment that would ensure that the aid would not cut into anticipated federal highway funding for Connecticut in this fiscal year.

"The damage done at the scene affects the entire Northeast corridor, so quick action is of the utmost importance," Shays said.

The congressman's press office also put out a media advisory of another news conference Monday at 10:30 a.m. at the accident site to further detail federal aid.

According to the advisory, the guest list included Gov. John Rowland, Sens. Christopher Dodd and Joseph Lieberman, Emil Frankel, assistant secretary of transportation for policy and former commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and Fabrizi.

No mention of Farrell, of course. But the Westport chief executive said she was aware of the news conference and would be there, too, alongside her Democratic colleagues.

Transportation is a hot button issue in the 4th District race.

Farrell, who has long been active in regional efforts to improve the region's deteriorating transportation problems, has let it be known it's an issue on which she believes Shays is vulnerable.

Farrell hosted a transportation forum Feb. 14 at Norwalk City Hall under the auspices of the South West Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA) and its Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Farrell is head of the MPO.

While Farrell was front and center in the dialogue during the three-hour session at which commuters aired their gripes about the bad service on Metro-North's New Haven Line, Shays took a back seat.

Actually, it was a side seat – he entered the Common Council chamber after the meeting began and was forced to sit off to the side after Norwalk Mayor Alex Knopp unlocked an adjoining office to find him a chair.

Much of the dialogue that day centered on the deteriorating health of the New Haven rail cars – highlighted by this winter's snow and ice storms -- and the decided lack of action by state and federal agencies to do something about it.

The only thing Shays could do was to suggest raising the gasoline tax to help pay for new cars. "There is no other way," he said.

Asked by reporters afterward for her view, Farrell quickly said she did not see that happening until it was supported by the president and governor.

"They can talk about it until the cows come home," she said. "But without their support, it won't happen."

While Shays with little trouble can overpower Farrell with his worldly experience on Iraq and expertise on monitoring terrorist threats, he may be playing a little catch-up on improving transportation woes in his home district.

How much that is a factor in November -- along with how the Democratic presidential candidate fares in Connecticut -- could well determine if he can once again return for another term as a Republican congressman in a district where, on paper at least, Democrats hold the numerical edge.
________
By Gordon Joseloff, Editor, WestportNow.com

So Shoe Me!

By Fran
WestportNow Consumer Correspondent
fran@westportnow.com

Hard to believe that in this throw-away world, businesses such as shoe repair shops still exist.
M&M Shoe Repair has been in continuous operation for over 34 years, 26 of them at its current location at Sconset Square. Rick Masone (pictured) has worked in the business since the age of 14, stepping into the boss’s shoes since the death in 2002 of his father and long-time owner Tony Masone. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Harder still to believe that Westport, with its more than per-capita share of high-end consumables, still has a few places to take worn-at-the-heels shoes.

Here they are, and here’s what it costs to replace a pair of heels.

Cost to replace a pair of men's heels

Final Touch Cleaners, 1031 Post Road East. $10
Maple Cleaners, 1529 Post Road East $12
Westfair Shoe Repair, 1783 Post Road East. $15
M & M Shoe Repair, 10 Sconset Square, $15

Cost to replace a pair of women's heels:

Final Touch Cleaners $10
Maple Cleaners $12
Westfair Shoe Repair $6
M & M Shoe Repair $8

Saturday, March 27, 2004

noon - 5 p.m . - Jesup Green - "Rock the Vote" young people voter registration rally
8 p.m . Staples High School - Staples Players present "City of Angels"

Jimmy Hughes Hams it Up at Mitchells

Staples footballer Jimmy Hughes, the all-time FCIAC scoring champion, strolls the runway tonight with Jennifer Brady at the Varsity Vogue fashion show and auction at Mitchells.(CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Coach P Describes the Action

Staples football Coach Marce Petruccio acted as emcee at tonight's seventh annual Varsity Vogue fashion show at Mitchell's benefiting the Staples cheerleaders, football and basketball teams. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Baumann Stars on the Fashion Court Too

Tonight's seventh annual Varsity Vogue fashion show and auction at Mitchells of Westport attracted a large crowd. Staples basketball star John Baumann and cheerleader Christina Doyle modeled summer gear. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Farrell, Shays at I-95 Tanker News Conference

Westport First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell joined with Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi and Congressman Christopher Shays at a Bridgeport news conference today on the I-95 tanker accident. Fabrizi thanked Farrell and leaders of other towns for providing assistance in the disaster. Shays also thanked first responders and reported on federal assistance being provided. Photo is from a live TV broadcast. WestportNow.com / Cablevision News 12

Cleanup of Westport Permit Backlog to Begin Monday

Appraisers hired by the town will begin fanning out across Westport Monday to start cleaning up a six-year backlog of building permits that have not been put on the tax rolls.

The backlog, coupled with complaints about the accuracy of work done so far on the 2003 property assessments, led First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell to announce March 4 that she was seeking state permission, subsequently granted, to postpone the reval.

Asst. Town Attorney Gail Kelly said a contract worth $150,000 has been signed with the Tolland, Conn.-based firm of Cole Layer Trumble to begin processing the permits.

Acting Assessor Kevin Murowsky said he plans to meet daily with appraisers from the firm, beginning Monday, as they visit Westport homes to assess work authorized by the permits.

He said each of the firm's workers will be provided with an identification badge and will be asked to return completed assessments before being given additional permits to check.

This way, Murowsky said, the permits can be added to the Grand List in an orderly manner and tax bills generated.

He said homeowners would be asked to pay additional taxes due upon receipt of a notice of change in their assessment and the resulting tax bill.

If a homeowner disputes the revised assessment, Murowsky said, application can be made to the Board of Assessment Appeals.

But he said the additional taxes would have to be paid "under protest" by the homeowner in the meantime – 90 percent of the taxes if the assessment is over $500,000, and 75 percent if under.

Meanwhile, there was no announcement by First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell as to the balance of the makeup of a committee she is appointing to oversee the revised property assessment.

Farrell had told her citizens brown bag lunch on Wednesday that she hoped to announce the names of committee members by today and perhaps they could meet as early as next week. (See WestportNow March 24, 2004).

Shays Says Government Approves I-95 Emergency Funding

Congressman Christopher Shays said today the Federal Highway Administration has approved emergency funding for the Bridgeport I-95 disaster area where a tanker overturned and caught fire Thursday night.

The funding will support the rebuilding of I-95 to the condition it was prior to the fire and cover related costs of managing the detour through Bridgeport, Shays said.

The total amount will be determined once the site has cooled and a full engineering assessment can be completed, according to the 4th District Republican

Gov. John Rowland said today it will take millions of dollars and two weeks or more to reopen the section of I-95 following the fiery accident that destroyed part of an overpass.

"It's going to be a pain in the neck," Rowland said.

He said the state expected to receive $11.2 million in emergency federal aid to help get the highway reopened.

Rowland estimated the cost of the repairs will be between $3 million and $5 million. The aid can also be used to cover police and fire overtime. Any unused money will be sent back to the federal government, he said.

Engineers were working today to determine how best to replace the span, parts of which buckled and melted after the accident

Shays praised the work of first responders, who have been working overtime since the time of the accident. Among them were Westport firefighters.

"We are grateful to the Federal Highway Administration for their quick approval of emergency funds requested to rebuild the I-95 corridor," he said in a statement.

"The damage done at the scene affects the entire Northeast corridor, so quick action is of the utmost importance."

Shays said he appreciated the quick action of the state Department of Transportation in applying for the funds and federal agency's commitment to getting the road back into service as soon as possible.

He said Emil Frankel, assistant secretary of transportation for policy and former commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Transportation, will be in Bridgeport to make the formal announcement of the approval Monday morning.

Crime Does Pay for Westport Police: IRS Awards Department $65,520

The Westport Police Department made a federal case out of three arrests on Main Street three years ago and today received a check for $65,520 from the government for its diligence.

"In this case, crime does pay for the Westport police," said Chief Al Fiore as he accepted the funds.

"This is exactly the kind of cooperation we seek to have with local departments," said federal agent Joseph A. Galasso as he presented the money to Fiore at a morning ceremony in the department's classroom.

Galasso, special agent in charge of the criminal investigation unit of the Internal Revenue Service based in Boston, praised Westport police for initiating contact with his office following the arrests.

"A lot of times if there are local charges such as shoplifting, they are handled locally," he said. But he said in this case, Westport had the foresight to call in the feds when officers began investigating the case.

Alluding to heightened concerns about terrorism, Galasso added: "You don't know if you might have stopped something and don't know where the money is going to go."

According to Westport police and the federal official, the case involved three men, two of whom who were observed with shopping bags acting suspiciously on Main Street.

The area is highly trafficked in the summer time and is often the target of thieves.

Upon investigation, police found that the suspects had been engaged in returning goods to stores using false or suspicious receipts.

This led to the discovery that they had in their possession postal money orders and cash totaling $81,900, the officials said.

Westport police contacted postal inspectors, the FBI and the IRS. Their investigation led to the prosecution and sentencing of the three men on structuring charges.

Galasso explained this essentially meant they conspired to avoid financial reporting requirements involving the postal money orders. The government requires a form to filed for postal money orders over $3,000.

He said Westport police discovered 111 postal money orders for $700 each as well as $4,200 in cash. Today's presentation of $65,520 represented 80 percent of the confiscated funds totaling $81,900.

Fiore said the funds would be added to the approximately $26,000 currently in the department's asset forfeiture fund.

While plans for use of the funds, which require Board of Finance approval, are still uncertain, the chief said one possibility is to purchase a vehicle for use by the department's Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.

Westport Police Called in the Feds and Collect $65,520

Westport Police Chief Al Fiore (l) shares a laugh with Joseph Galasso, special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service criminal investigation office in Boston, as Galasso presented the department today with a check for $65,520. The federally forfeited funds were seized as the result of an investigation into three individuals arrested on Westport's Main Street in August 2001. Galasso praised Westport police for calling in the feds on the case, something he said other departments should emulate. WestportNow.com photo

Westport Police Chief: No Traffic Impact So Far from I-95 Accident

The fiery tanker crash Thursday night on I-95 in Bridgeport has not resulted in any noticeable increased traffic on Westport roadways, Westport Police Chief Al Fiore said today.

"We put out a couple of extra people anticipating we might see an increase in Route 1 traffic this morning," Fiore told WestportNow. "But so far it hasn't impacted us."

The police chief said there might be additional traffic in coming days on Route 136 and other major roads through Westport as commuters seek alternate routes around the closed portion.

"We'll keep an eye on it," he said. "But so far we've been pretty lucky."

Fire Chief Denis McCarthy went to the accident along with members of the Mid-Fairfield County Hazmat team which is headquartered in Westport.

"It really was quite a scene," he said, adding that six or seven Westport firefighters responded along with other team members from surrounding communities.

The hazmat team conducted air monitoring to make sure there were no health risks to emergency responders from the burning home heating oil from the tanker, McCarthy said.

They also advised on containment of spilled fuel into a local waterway.

"This is one of the events we are always concerned about," he said. "It's evidence that all of the training we do with disaster exercises on a regular basis is well worth it."

McCarthy said about 25 local, state, and federal agencies were represented on the scene and that everyone knew everyone else and they were able to work quickly and effectively "almost as one organization."

"It shows the system works," he said.

Friday, March 26, 2004

8:30 a.m. - Town Hall Room 201 - Westport Transit District Directors

Westport Fire and Hazmat Team Mobilized for I-95 Tanker Accident

A fiery tanker accident that shut down I-95 in Bridgeport tonight caused mobilization of the Westport Fire Department hazmat team and an engine company for mutual aid standby. Aftermath of a fiery tanker accident on I-95 in Bridgeport as seen from a TV news helicopter. Thom Burrows for WestportNow.com/Cablevision News 12

The Mid-Fairfield County Hazmat Team, headquartered in Westport, was mobilized shortly before 9 p.m. to deal with the aftermath of the explosion and fire.

At about the same time, the Fairfield Fire Department requested Westport to stand by at its headquarters while it responded to the accident scene.

The hazmat team remained on the scene until 12:30 a.m. Friday.

The accident occurred about 7:45 p.m between exits 25 and 27, an area with narrowed lanes because of a longtime construction project, state police said.

The highway buckled and partially collapsed after the crash and officials on the scene, including Gov. John Rowland, said the highway would be closed down in both directors for a week to two weeks.

Two other vehicles were reportedly involved in the crash, which was said to have resulted in a gasoline-filled tanker rolling over on its side.

The tanker was carrying 9,000 gallons of disel fuel and about 3,000 gallons caught fire, according to fire officials on the scene.

Some of the oil from the tanker reportedly spilled into nearby Cedar Creek. The Department of Environmental Protection and the Coast Guard sent crews to the scene to contain the damage.

Bridgeport Mayor John Fabrizi told reporters that the tanker truck driver suffered relatively minor injuries and was transported to Bridgeport Hospital.

He expressed gratitude to Westport, Wilton, Fairfield and other area communities for their swift response to the accident.

Police Chief Wilbur Chapman said there was major structural damage to the highway and that both southbound and northbound traffic would be shut down in the area.

He advised motorists to use local highways or the Merritt Parkway.

Traffic was being diverted off the highway at exits 25 and 27.

A state Department of Transportation engineer on the scene said the structural damage was caused by the heat of the burning fuel that melted steel beams on the elevated highway.

Making the Art Scene

The Westport Arts Center's “Art Roadshow: 2004 Student Exhibition” opened this evening with a crowd of all ages at the reception, including this young lady. Artists are from first grade through high school and come from area schools. The exhibition runs through Sunday. See another photo on ARTS AND LEISURE page. Emily Laux Roche for WestportNow.com

New Stop Signs on Imperial Avenue

There are two new stop signs at the intersection of Jesup Road and Imperial Avenue near the entrance to the new Westport Center for Senior Activities. No lines are drawn yet on the pavement and many motorists, not expecting them there, are breezing through them. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Washington's Roll Call: 4th District "Seems Ripe for Democratic Takeover"

Democrat Westport First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell's uphill battle to unseat veteran Republican 4th District Congressman Christopher Shays got some national exposure today.

Roll Call, the newspaper which covers Capitol Hill, featured the Shays-Farrell race in a story quoting Connecticut Democrats as saying Gov. John Rowland's ongoing problems could weaken the re-election chances of Shays and Rep. Rob Simmons of the 2nd District.

"On its face, the 4th District seems ripe ground for a Democratic takeover," the newspaper said.

"Gore won a 53 percent to 43 percent victory over George W. Bush there in 2000, fueled in part by the fact that Sen. Joe Lieberman (D), who was born within the district's lines, was Gore's vice presidential nominee."

Roll Call said that Democrats believe Rowland's problems, coupled with the likelihood that Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass) will carry both districts in the presidential race, "could create a charged climate to defeat the two House members."

It noted that Connecticut Democrats have been long vexed by their inability to win seats that by the numbers favor their party.

"You have a governor who at worst might be impeached but at best has some serious ethical problems, and it is fair to say that those kind of circumstances cause problems for the party that person is in," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Communications Director Kori Bernards told the newspaper.

But Shays campaign manager Michael Sohn had a different take. "It would be a real issue if we relied on the state party a lot," he was quoted as saying. "He has never campaigned hard with the governor."

Roll Call said Democrats "lured Westport First Selectwoman Diane Farrell (D) into the contest with the clear - though not publicly stated - intention of capitalizing on a potential backlash against Republicans in the Constitution State."

It recalled that Shays was first elected to the 4th District in a 1987 special election and has not received less than 60 percent of the vote in his eight re-election bids.

The closest Democrats came was in 1996, when Shays' opponent attacked him for supporting then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Roll Call said.

Emergency (and Non-Emergency) Info Sticker Distributed

Westport residents received this emergency information magnetic sticker this week along with the annual application for Parks and Recreation parking emblems and hand passes. In an apparent oversight, the sticker failed to note that the direct numbers for police, fire and EMS are for non-emergencies only. WestportNow.com photo

Westport's John Baumann Honored in State All Star Game

Staples High School's John Baumann was named a most valuable player Wednesday night in a state all star basketball game in Meriden. See SPORTS.

Tbusday, March 25, 2004

2:p.m. -Town Hall Room 201- Planning & Zoning/Parks & Recreation Parks District Commission
5 p.m. - Westport Arts Center - "Art Roadshow: 2004 Student Art Exhibition" opens
7 p.m. - Westport Fire Headquarters - RTM Public Protection Committee
7:30 p.m. - Town Hall Auditorium - Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing and work session

Cub Scout Pinewood Derby Draws Large Crowd

There was a good turnout for this past weekend's Cub Scout Pinewood Derby at Long Lots Elementary School. Westport Cub Scout Packs 39 and 100 held the combined event. See additional photo on COMMUNITY page. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) Jennifer Jackson-Martins for WestportNow.com

Farrell Still Opposed to YMCA on Baron's South Property

First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell said today she is still opposed to the town making a portion of the Baron's South property available to the Westport-Weston YMCA for a new home.

Addressing a questioner at her weekly citizens' brown bag lunch, Farrell said the YMCA is a private entity that has every right to consider moving its headquarters to its Camp Mahackeno site from downtown.

But she said she has not altered her view that the town ought not to make available a portion of the Baron's South property bordered by Imperial Avenue and Compo Road South.

"My position has not changed," she said.

Farrell noted that the town had recently built the Westport Center for Senior Activities on the property and said the rest of Baron's South is best reserved for town use.

"It is a beautiful piece of property and I look forward to the day that we see the leaves come out and see how the property will be used by the seniors," she said.

Farrell said she was aware of concerns by Camp Mahackeno neighbors that selection of the site for a new YMCA headquarters would create traffic problems. She said such concerns would be thoroughly addressed.

"Ultimately, they are a private entity and they will go through a very public process (to be able to use the site)," she said.

Farrell said finding a new home for the Y "is a very difficult issue" which many people have spent many hours trying to resolve.

"I take them by their word when they have their findings, they will bring them to the public for discussion," she said.

She said the Code Enforcement Committee, made up of town officials, would meet April 13 to discuss the possibility of the Y moving to Mahackeno and urged residents to attend to learn more about it.

Farrell: Expect Reval Committee to be Named This Week

First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell said today she hopes to name a committee to study the town's aborted 2003 property assessment this week.

She also said she is not sure whether additional funding will be required to conduct the revaluation.

Speaking at her weekly citizens' brown bag lunch, Farrell said in response to a question that she hoped to announce the names of committee members by Friday and perhaps they could meet as early as next week.

The committee will include Finance Director Don Miklus, Selectman Carl Leaman, Acting Assessor Kevin Murowsky, Board of Assessment Appeals member Garson Heller and a member of the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).

There will also be several members of the public chosen from among those responding to Farrell's invitation to apply to sit on the panel.

"There is no estimate of cost," she said, adding that she is not assuming there will be additional expenditures required but "that is part of what they (committee members) will consider."

Farrell announced March 4 that she would seek a one-year delay in implementing the Westport revaluation and said Tuesday that the state had agreed to the town's request without penalty.

Farrell sought the delay after learning that there was a backlog of 1,700 building permits dating back to 1998 that had not been reviewed by the assessor and added to the tax rolls.

In addition, there were numerous complaints from citizens that some properties had been improperly assessed – some too high, some too low.

Farrell said Leaman would supervise the committee. Leaman, who was also at the lunch, said he hoped the committee could issue an initial report to Farrell by June 15 with a final report by mid-November.

The town agreed to pay J. F. Ryan Associates more than $300,000 to conduct the 2003 property assessment.

The Board of Finance and the RTM have approved an additional $150,000 to hire a firm to clean up the backlog.

Connecticut Siting Council Rejects Appeal on Power Line Upgrade

The Connecticut Siting Council has rejected a bid by Westport and 15 other municipalities to halt a power line upgrade between Middletown and Norwalk, but the agency will allow more hearings on the issue.

The towns filed a motion Tuesday (See WestportNow March 23, 2004) because they were frustrated with what they said was "stonewalling" and "repeated and persistent failure" of utilities to answer detailed questions about the plan.

Tuesday was the first day of hearings on the application from Connecticut Light & Power Co. and United Illuminating Co. to expand a 345-kilovolt electric transmission system into Fairfield County.

Although the council refused to dismiss the application for the new power lines, it agreed to add hearings on the $604 million proposal.

The council is scheduled to hold hearings on the health effects of electromagnetic fields Thursday. Many towns have complained that clear answers about those effects haven't been provided by the utilities.

A new set of hearings devoted to the northern segment of the route will be held in early June. Hearings in late April will focus on alternative routes and the southern portion of the proposed route.

"The siting council will clearly act in good faith to accommodate a schedule that allows full participation by all concerned persons," Derek Phelps, the council's executive director, said.

Before the evidentiary hearings, the council held a series of eight public hearings on the joint proposal to extend the 345-kilovolt transmission lines between Middletown and Norwalk.

The proposed route of the transmission lines is 69 miles and would affect 24 communities.

The Siting Council approved the first phase of the upgrade project, a 20-mile stretch of 345-kilovolt lines from Bethel to Norwalk, in July 2003. More than half of the power lines in the first phase will be placed underground.

The two utility companies propose to bury about 24 miles of the power cables in the second phase, all in Fairfield County. All of the portion in Westport is slated to be underground.

Government officials and resident groups affected by the second phase of the project want more of the transmission lines underground.

The council has until October to release its decision on the application.

Draft Long Island Sound Transportation Plan Subject of Stamford Meetings

If you have some ideas how Long Island Sound might be used to improve transportation services in the region, today is the day to make them known in Stamford.

Three planning agencies are sponsoring public review meetings on completion of the Long Island Sound Waterborne Transportation Plan at 3:30 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. at the Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Boulevard.

The series of meetings are being held throughout Connecticut and New York to seek additional input from the public on the "short-list" of potential services currently undergoing detailed study.

"The Long Island Sound Waterborne Transportation Plan, when complete, will serve as an important resource as we seek to mitigate southwestern Connecticut's ongoing transportation problems," said Bob Wilson, executive director of the South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA).

SWRPA is co-sponsoring the study along with its sister organizations, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council and the Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency.

"Attending one of these Public Review Meetings is an outstanding opportunity for people to shape the recommendations of the Plan, and we expect a strong turnout," Wilson said.

The study process to develop the Long Island Sound Waterborne Transportation Plan was launched in February 2002 and is exploring the potential for expanding the use of the Sound and its major tributaries for waterborne passenger and freight transportation.

The study is expected to be complete later this year.

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

9:30 a.m. - Town Hall Room 201 - Commission for Senior Services
10 a.m. - Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Weston - Westport/Weston Health District "Organic Landscape" seminar
10:30 a.m. - Town Hall Room 102 - International Hospitality Committee
Noon - Town Hall Room 309/307 - Citizens Brown Bag Luncheon
5 p.m. - Town Hall Room 309/307 - Board of Selectmen
7:30 p.m. - Staples High School, Room 516 - School Building Committee Staples Subcommittee

Getting Ready for This Weekend's "City of Angels"

Staples Players Jacob Heimer and Tyler Rackliffe get ready for their run of "City of Angels" March 26, 27 and April 2,3 all at 8 p.m. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) Kerry Long for WestportNow.com

Westport Property Transfers March 15-19, 2004

Property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk's office for the period March 15-19, 2004:

Dennis and Dyan Horowitz to Joseph Tarzia, 1 Partrick Road, $837,450.

Susan E. Burrows to George V. and Nandita Y. Hogan, 6 Sachem Trail, $639,000.

Reza and Spraya Ghaffari to Livingston and Michelle Howard, 199 Bayberry Lane, $748,000.

Kirstin B. Iassogna to Land Group Inc., 16 Baker Ave. $655,000.

Camille J. Haner to Rebecca A. Willis, 2 Buena Vista Drive, $1,075,000.

William Dudley and Betty Jo Schleier to Travis M. and Kimberly H. Pauley, 41 Bonnie Brook Road, $925,000.

Edmund J. and Susan M. Chappa to Andrew D. and Jennifer F. Purdy, 18 Maple Ave. South., $555,000.

Charles B. and Valerie F. Wolgast to Norwest Homes LLC, 10 Sycamore Drive, $759,000.

Esther O. Shirey to Sabin Assoc. LLC, 44 Weston Road, $765,000.

Shawn Mauro to Robert and Cliona Becker, 21 Westfair Drive, $1,025,000.

Anthony F. Slez Jr. to Crabtree Family Ltd. Partnership, 793 Post Road East, $1,400,000.

Anthony F. Slez Jr. to Crabtree Family Ltd. Partnership, 5 Long Lots Road, $600,000.

Karl J. Gates to Timothy J. Romano, 4 Wakeman Place, $680,200.

Johnson Family Trust to Peter B. Sproul and Lisa Warren, 41 Ludlow Road, $1,430,000.

James Austin and Rebecca Dawson Taylor to American Escrow and Closing Co., 6 Sandy Hill Terrace, $1,435,000.

American Escrow and Closing Co.,to Jeffrey E. and Barbara B. Heil, 6 Sandy Hill Terrace, $1,435,000.

Katherine C. English to Katherine F. Alcorn, Unit 4A Edgewater Commons, $474,500.

Westport Home and Land Co. LLC to Patricia Teves Merrow, Unit 37, 4 Terra Nova Circle, $1,006,652.

Anthony J. and Deborah Mattison Angotti to Dodge Olmstead, 6 Old Hill Road, $1,315,000.

Freedman Calls for Legislative Action on Malpractice Insurance Costs

Westport state Sen. Judith G. Freedman called today for legislative action to cap escalating medical malpractice insurance costs.

The Republican lawmaker joined a bipartisan group of legislators and physicians from across the state in asking the General Assembly to pass the legislation.

“I am a patient, and I know how important it is that you, the physicians we depend upon, have the laws you need in order to be able to afford medical malpractice insurance," Freedman said in a statement.

"Besides keeping your legislators informed, I urge you to encourage your patients to call us and demand effective legislation. This issue affects them, as well."

Freedman said she agrees with the many physicians who have told her that effective legislation must include a cap on non-economic damages.

“Physicians have repeatedly told us that capping non-economic damage awards is a factor in keeping down the costs of medical malpractice insurance and, not surprisingly, in helping states hold on to their doctors," she said.

"We all depend on having access to physicians when we, or our family members, need medical care. But doctors are leaving, and considering leaving, Connecticut to practice elsewhere.

"It is in our best interest to pass legislation that will make it possible for Connecticut physicians to continue providing medical care right here in our state."

Bridge Café Gone

The Bridge Café, a popular Riverside Avenue restaurant just off Post Road West, is the latest Westport eatery to close its doors. Its sudden departure follows by two months the similar quiet closing of Main Street's longtime Onion Alley restaurant. Emily Laux Roche for WestportNow.com

Animal Talk: Westport Police Schedule Animal Forum March 31

If you want to get a better insight into animal life in Westport, mark March 31 on your calendar for the Westport Police Department's first "Animal Awareness Forum."

The two-hour event beginning at 7 p.m. in the police classroom will bring together a who's who of animal life in Westport and the state for a freewheeling discussion on dog ownership responsibilities, health and legal issues, and even what to do if you spot a coyote or other wildlife.

The discussion will also touch on licensing, rabies vaccinations, basic pet care, and a review of current rules and regulations about roaming off-leash dogs, nuisance complaints, and barking complaints.

Guests at the forum will include Westport Police Deputy Chief Donald Brown; Animal Control Officer Peter J. D'Amico; Judy Nelson, director of the Westport Weston Health District; and Stuart McCarthy, Parks and Recreation Department director.

Also participating will be Chris Vann, a wildlife biologist with the Department of Environmental Protection; veterinarian Vicki June of Schulhof Animal Hospital; Linda Roberts of Earthplace, Nancy Jarvis, state animal control officer, and Joseph Saponare, assistant Westport animal control officer.

Tiffany & Co. to Open Westport Store

Luxury retailer Tiffany & Co. today announced plans to open a Westport store in the fall on Post Road East at Main Street in the space formerly occupied by Eddie Bauer.
The former Eddie Bauer store at Post Road East and Main Street will be the new home of Tiffany & Co. WestportNow.com photo

The approximately 5,500-square foot store will offer an array of exclusive designs, including the jeweler's celebrated diamonds in platinum and 18-karat gold settings, rare and lustrous pearls as well as jewelry and watches, an announcement said.

"We look forward to joining the vibrant Westport community and offering our current and prospective customers convenient access to excellence of design, quality, craftsmanship, and superior service that are the hallmarks of Tiffany's great heritage," said Beth O. Canavan, executive vice president.

While the announcement did not specify the building, a real estate source said it was the former Eddie Bauer store.

The property, which extends along Taylor Place, has not had a full-time tenant since mid-summer.

It has been used by a temporary tenant to sell Halloween and Christmas gifts and by Orvis as a two-week sales outlet.

The building is approximately 16,400-square feet and the source said Tiffany would sublet a portion of the building it will not use.

Tiffany's only other store location in Connecticut is in Greenwich.

The building, whose formal address is 40-44 Post Road East, was sold in 2002 by Maryland-based Federal Realty Investment Trust to Win Properties, a Greenwich-based real estate investment group, for $7.5 million.

Federal Realty had purchased the building in 1994 for $4.2 million.

Longtime Westporters will remember the Eddie Bauer location as housing the old Ship's Lantern Restaurant as well as Colgan's Pharmacy.

The Ship's name is retained by the Ship's Corner Chinese takeout which occupies the rear portion of the building facing on Jesup Road.

State Grants Westport Waiver on Reval

The State of Connecticut has granted Westport’s request to postpone its 2003 property assessment for a year, First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell said today.

In a news release, Farrell said she received the word from Marc S. Ryan, secretary of the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management.

She said Ryan granted a waiver to the town “whereby no penalties will be assessed on state grants for failure to implement a revaluation on all real property.”

Farrell announced March 4 that she would seek a one-year delay in implementing the town's property assessment and had placed Assessor Glenn Werfelman on a 30-day leave of absence.

Her action followed disclosure that there was a multi-year backlog of permits that had not been calculated into the assessment as well as protests that some of the assessments were either too high or too low.

“The Town of Westport is grateful to the State of Connecticut for taking into consideration issues faced by the town during the most recent revaluation,” Farrell said.

"This decision by the state to waive any penalties enables the town to properly evaluate the Grant List, update the permits backlog, and move forward with a more reliable 2005 tax year."

Westport Among 15 municipalities Seeking Power Line Delay

Westport is among 15 municipalities in Fairfield and New Haven counties which have filed a motion to halt a controversial power line upgrade project.

They claim utility companies refused to share pertinent documents on health concerns and the feasibility of burying more lines as part of the $604 million Milddletown to Norwalk project.

Hartford lawyer Peter Boucher filed the motion Monday with the Connecticut Siting Council.

"This extraordinary action is being taken in response to the repeated and persistent failure of (Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating) to provide these municipalities with adequate information and responses to discovery requests in a reasonable and timely manner," Boucher said.

Some municipal officials said they do not believe the Siting Council will toss out the utilities’ application.

But other officials said they hope the agency will compel the utilities to turn over pertinent documents and postpone by up to six weeks evidentiary hearings slated to begin this week.

The delay would allow experts retained by municipalities time to review information and competently cross-exam utility company witnesses, officials said.

The towns also are seeking to delay April hearings that will address whether more lines can be buried.

Several New Haven County officials, citing health concerns, have said Connecticut Light & Power Co. and United Illuminating Co. must bury lines that would be part of the proposed upgrade.

UI spokeswoman Marcia Wellman said she is "disappointed" that the communities filed the motion.

"We vigorously deny that we are trying to keep information out of the public record," Wellman said. "We have done everything possible to fulfill every question asked of us."

In addition to Westport, area municipalities joining in the motion are Norwalk, Weston, Wilton, Easton, Milford, Hamden, Middlefield, Durham, Wallingford, Orange, Bethany, North Haven, Woodbridge, and Cheshire

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

7:30 p.m. - Town Hall Auditorium - Zoning Board of Appeals
7:30 p.m. - Town Hall Room 309 - Architectural Review Board

Westport's Chris Halstead Wins National Swim Title

Westport's Chris Halstead has earned the title of national champion with a first-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke at the NCAA Division III national championships this past weekend in St. Louis, Mo.

Halstead, who turns 21 next month, is a junior at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. See SPORTS.

Shays Reportedly Reconsidering Stance on Same-Sex Marriages

As his likely Democratic opponent presses for a state ruling on same-sex marriages, Republican Congressman Christopher Shays reportedly is reconsidering his stance on the controversial issue.

The AP, in a Washington-datelined dispatch, reported that Connecticut's congressional delegation is in lock step in opposition to an amendment banning gay marriage.

It noted that Westport First Selectwoman Diane Goss Farrell, who is running against Shays in the 4th District, "has taken a more active stance, saying she will perform gay marriages if Connecticut's attorney general deems them legal."

As has been previously reported (See WestportNow March 9, 2004), the AP said that Farrell, a justice of the peace, had asked state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for a legal opinion on the issue.

Meanwhile, it reported that Shays said today "that his views on the issue have evolved since he voted for the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which says states don't have to honor same-sex unions performed elsewhere."

At the time, he told the AP, he thought he would not support gay marriages. But after watching the coverage of gay marriages being performed in states like California and New York, he told the news agency he feels differently.

"I look at these gay marriages and I say 'how is that impacting in any way against the marriage I have with my wife.' I don't think it does," Shay said. "I don't think people need to fear this type of union."

Shays and other state lawmakers do not advocate that gay marriages be legalized, but they say such decisions should not be made by Congress. Instead, they said individual states should decide.

The lawmakers all said they oppose the constitutional amendment that is being considered in the House and Senate, the AP reported.

The resolution would declare marriage as a union only between a man and a woman. It would also leave it open for state legislatures to permit other arrangements, such as laws allowing civil unions or giving same-sex partners certain legal benefits.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing on the amendment for Tuesday, and proponents have said they hope the panel will vote on the matter later next month.

President Bush urged Congress to pass the amendment, but Shays said such a move "demeans the president," the AP said.

Summer Vacation Will Be a Little Late This Year for Westport Students

Last Friday's day-before-spring snowfall that shut Westport public schools for the day has caused the district to extend the school year by a day to make up for it.

Supt. of Schools Elliott Landon told tonight's Board of Education meeting that the system had run out of snow days and as a result the last day of school for students will be Friday, June 18, instead of Thursday, June 17.

The Staples High School graduation ceremony has also been pushed back a day to June 18, he said.

Teachers will report to work on the following Monday, June 21, before ending their academic year, Landon said.

He cautioned that if there are any more days canceled this spring due to snow, the district will have to postpone summer vacation accordingly.

Board of Ed Votes to Seek $1.25 Million Restoration

The Westport Board of Education voted unanimously tonight to seek restoration of $1.25 million cut from its budget March 12 by the Board of Finance. Members voted after hearing from Supt. of Schools Elliott Landon that an insurance financing issue that was behind the cut had been "resolved" earlier in the day. Listening to the debate ( l to r) are Mark Mathias, Linda Merk-Gould, chair Sandra Urist, and Landon. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Westport's Terex Corp. on Fortune 500 List

Westport's Terex Corp. makes the latest list of Fortune 500 companies.

The manufacturer of a range of equipment primarily for the construction, infrastructure and surface mining industries is headquartered at 500 Post Road East.

It came in at No. 437 on the magazine's list with 2003 revenue of $3.897 billion.

Fortune magazine's Fortune 500 list is based on revenue.

Staples Work Continues in Bitter Spring Temperatures

Despite the calendar saying it's spring, the temperature was in the 20s today as work progressed on the $74 million renovation and expansion of Staples High School. The first phase is due to be ready sometime in the fall. (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Monday, March 22, 2004

7 p.m. - Staples High School, Room 516 - Board of Education anticipated executive session
8 p.m. - Staples High School Library - Board of Education

Sunday, March 21, 2004

2:30 p.m. Westport Woman's Club -- Westport League of Women Voters "Community Conversation" on transportation