Bob DeAngelo, First Selectman Fred Camillo, Selectperson Jill Oberlander and Selectwoman Lauren Rabin at Town Hall. May 27, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
This Saturday, May 30, Greenwich residents are invited to ride their bikes around town and share the experience with the hashtag #PedalGreenwich on social media.
“One of the silver linings of this shutdown is that people are taking up a more active life style harkening back to when we were kids and rode our bikes everywhere,” Camillo said. “Your parents weren’t always around to give you a ride. Bikes came from Gene’s Bicycle Shop on the bottom of the Avenue.”
“If we can establish some kind of tradition here – like the Bronx River Parkway, this is the time to focus on that,” Camillo said. “I think there is support for it.”
Avid cyclist Bob DeAngelo who rode his bike across the country 10 years ago to raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, said he had passed through numerous bicycle friendly towns and hopes to see more of a bicycle friendly culture in Greenwich.
“Pedal Greenwich was my wife Jan’s idea. The thought is to capture this energy,” DeAngelo said. “We’re seeing so many people riding on town roads where we’d never seen bikes before. We’ve seen families with little kids bicycling on Stanwich Road.”
DeAngelo said for six years his family lived in Germany where bicycling is a way of life.
“People commute on their bikes, they go to the market on their bikes, they socialize on their bikes,” he said. “It works.”
Selectperson Oberlander said, “We’re working to make Greenwich more bike friendly. It’s a healthy way to get around. We’re putting up signs on heavily traveled routes to alert drivers they might encounter a bicycle and remind them to share the road.”
Oberlander said the Board of Selectmen and the Town’s Sustainability Committee are looking to identify routes to add this type of signage.
“What we want to get here is a good bike culture where everybody is safe,” DeAngelo said, noting the state’s ‘Three Feet Passing Rule.’
Connecticut General Statute Section 14-232 requires Connecticut motorists to allow at least three feet of separation when overtaking and passing cyclists.
“We’ve got to start somewhere and this is a good start,” DeAngelo said of Saturday’s Pedal Greenwich effort. “There’s a lot of little kids learning to ride bikes. They’re getting into it and they’re a little unsure of themselves – they don’t look when they cross.”
“There could be some safe mountain bike trails at Camp Simmons or Camp Seton,” he added. “We could run clinics for kids. Put them on a bike with no cars and let them get steady on the trails.”
DeAngelo said ultimately he’d like to see bike lanes in Byram and Chickahominy that lead to the Byram Pool.
For now he said, he hopes Saturday’s Pedal Greenwich effort will capture the current enthusiasm for bicycling and “create some champions.”
The Kane family are avid cyclists in Greenwich. Photo: Bob DeAngelo
“I hope to meet some people Saturday who are into this, like the Kane family, so we have a stronger voice to push a bit,” he said.
#PedalGreenwich
All are invited to share their bicycle photos on Saturday, May 30, on social media with the hashtag #PedalGreenwich.
Or send your photos that capture the Pedal Greenwich energy to Editor@GreenwichFreePress. We’ll publish a gallery and share it on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram this weekend.
Bob DeAngelo, First Selectman Fred Camillo, Selectperson Jill Oberlander and Selectwoman Lauren Rabin at Town Hall. May 27, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
William P. Richardson Jr, a lifelong resident of Greenwich, passed away on May 5, 2020 from complications due to the coronavirus. He was 68 years old.
Known to all as Bill, he owned and operated Babco Automotive in Banksville for 20 years until he started his second career, retiring as the fire marshal and a building inspector for the town of North Castle after 25 years.
Bill was a member of the Banksville Independent Fire Department for 53 years, serving as chief for a total of 16 years. He was a New York state fire investigator and a member of the Westchester County Cause & Origin team, a past member of the Greenwich RTM, served on the Middle Patent Rural Cemetery board and a member of the Cos Cob Revolver and Rifle Club.
Bill’s free time included spending time with his family, working on cars, all things racing and hanging out at the firehouse and the gun club. He will be missed by many friends.
Bill is survived by his wife of 47 years, Jinny; daughter Rebecca Lane and husband Chris of Austin, Texas; grandchildren Gianna, Derek, and Keira; son Bill of Monroe, Connecticut; mother Frances of Easton, Massachusetts; brother Martin and wife Abby of Bedford, New York; and a large extended family. He was predeceased by his father William Sr. and in-laws Anthony and Mary Gumina.
A service will be scheduled for a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to a charity of your choice.
Bottom block of Greenwich Avenue, May 28, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
On Thursday the Board of Selectmen voted on Phase 1 of the closure of Greenwich Ave to vehicular traffic in an effort to bolster restaurants which were limited to takeout during the Covid-19 quarantine and are only allowed to serve outdoors during the first phase of Reopen CT which began May 20.
Specifically the Selectmen voted to close the bottom two blocks of Greenwich Avenue, creating an open air pedestrian mall with the exception of a 20 ft lane for access to emergency vehicles. The closure runs from Havemeyer to Railroad Avenue.
There are 17 restaurants in this stretch.
At Jill Oberlander’s suggestion the vote on phase 1 included the addition of 5 “nodes,” which can be placed anywhere on the Avenue north of Havemeyer.
A node is an enclosure created with jersey barriers to allow additional outdoor use on the upper segments of the Avenue.
The plan is to begin Phase 1 on Tuesday June 2, allowing Friday May 29 and Monday June 1 for set up and time to sweep the street, install signage and barricades, plus communicate with the businesses.
The closure will be in effect until September 2.
The bottom two blocks will be closed to vehicular traffic with the exception of trash pick up, commercial deliveries of supplies, and emergency vehicles.
Handicapped parking will be on side streets.
Grigg Street will switch from a one way street leading off the Ave to a dead end.
First Selectman Fred Camillo thanked all the Departments that were involved in planning including Planning & Zoning, Greenwich Police, Greenwich Fire Dept, Dept of Public Works and the Fire Marshal.
“There were lots of exciting ideas both for the bottom and the top of the Avenue, but we’re doing the crawl before the walk and focus on the bottom,” Camillo said.
There are 27 restaurants on the Avenue. As mentioned, 17 are on the two blocks being closed for phase 1. There are 9 restaurants between Putnam Ave and Lewis St. There is one restaurant between Lewis Street and Havemeyer Place, which is Douro at 253 Greenwich Ave.
Camillo said planning would begin immediately on phase 2 and 3 which impact the 9 restaurants on the upper portions of the Avenue.
Town Administrator Ben Branyan said the goal is to present plans for phase 2 and 3 at the next Selectmen meeting, which is on June 11. He noted Greenwich Ave is .65 miles. The section being closed for phase 1 is 1/4 mile long.
Camillo said the town decided to close the bottom two blocks of Greenwich Ave first intentionally.
“There are more complications as you go up the Ave and there is more variety of use,” he said.
Camillo also said the director of the Chamber of Commerce, Marcia O’Kane had corresponded with merchants whose response has been “very positive.”
“There will be lots of parking spaces,” Camillo said, adding that in future it might be possible to implement a trolley system like the one at Harbor Point in Stamford shuttling people from town hall past the waterfront to the Avenue.
“There are so many things we could add on in the future to make it an attractive destination,” he said. “For now the main thing is to get this up and running.”
“P&Z was terrific,” Camillo added. “Katie (Katie DeLuca, director of P&Z) and Margarita (Margarita Alban, chair of the P&Z commission) – with their input, advocacy and enthusiasm. They’ve been there from the beginning.”
Ms. Oberlander asked if one of the five nodes could be designated to enclose space outside restaurant, Douro which is located at 253 Greenwich Ave.
P&Z chair Margarita Alban said other restaurant owners might also have an urgent need to expand their outdoor dining. She suggested the town departments decide how to prioritize the five nodes.
“We’ve heard from two other restaurants that are struggling to keep their doors open. I’d suggest you let the Chiefs and DPW weigh in on how to allocate those five nodes,” she added. “I’d hate to hear what the other restaurants say when they hear you picked Douro and not them.”
Alban noted P&Z has to sign off on the permits.
Reached for comment later, she praised Fred Camillo’s vision to support businesses while doing something ‘transformative’ for Greenwich.
“The teamwork behind this initiative was also impressive,” she added. “Amy Siebert nailed it when she referred to it as ‘all hands on deck.'”
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The heated pool and yard overlook a land trust for total privacy. Lovely master suite with Juliet balconies. LL walkout to pool with gym, media and pool rooms, cabana bath. 2 room suite over garage with separate entrance has a 2nd family room for a possible 5th bedroom. Third floor with iron staircase and dormers ready to be finished. Wonderful opportunity!
As we begin to slowly reopen, it is apparent the Greenwich real estate market never shutdown. While we did see a bit of a slow down, real estate services are considered an essential business and sales in Greenwich, CT remained strong. Buyers are out looking and homes are selling.
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Contact Stefanie for assistance selling your home or purchasing a new one.
Concrete Jersey barriers across Greenwich Avenue at Havemeyer by the old post office cut off the lower two blocks of the Ave to vehicular traffic. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
Greenwich DPW workers erected Jersey barriers across Greenwich Ave early Monday morning. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
Phase 1 of Greenwich Avenue’s shut down to vehicular traffic is on!
At noon Lt Governor Susan Bysiewicz walked the Avenue with First Selectman Fred Camillo and State Rep Livvy Floren.
Earlier in the day, the Town’s Dept of Public Works erected Jersey barriers on the lower part of Greenwich Avenue to fashion an outdoor pedestrian mall and allow restaurants to offer outdoor seating with room for social distancing to keep patrons safe during the Covid-19 pandemic which.
Newly painted signage indicates entrance and exit to the pedestrian-only lower two blocks of Greenwich Ave. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
Though the first day of the reopening of lower Greenwich Ave technically starts Tuesday, several restaurants had gotten an early start.
A node is an enclosure created with jersey barriers to allow additional enclosures for businesses.
Camillo said the nodes are a versatile option.
“If it becomes an issue, say for Zyn’s (newsstand) and nobody’s walking down to get their papers, we’d go to the node concept so people can go in and out,” Camillo said. “We have to pay attention for businesses who might become adversely impacted.”
Lt Governor Susan Bysiewicz said given the pandemic, towns like Greenwich are uniquely poised to attract new residents and businesses. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie YagerFirst Selectman Fred Camillo and State Rep Livvy Floren escorted Lt Governor Susan Bysiewicz down Greenwich Ave. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
“We see lots of New York plates now,” Camillo observed. “We don’t know if they’re coming here to eat or to look for apartments.”
Camillo noted that in the recession of 2008 Connecticut had been hit hard. “But we’re in a great spot to take advantage of what’s going in New York,” he said. “People are yearning to be where they’re not on top of each other.”
Lt Gov Bysiewicz said, “We’ve seen the real estate market in Fairfield County doing extremely well – where it was lagging from the recession. In Litchfield County there’s no rentals left. And even on the south eastern coast, from Westbrook to Stonington, people from New York and Boston are looking for summer rentals. This is a good opportunity for our state.”
State Rep Floren said the effort to attract businesses and residents is part of a collaboration with officials from the “Fairfield Seven,” which is comprised of Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Westport and Fairfield.
In addition to the residential market – both home sales and rentals – Camillo said Greenwich’s office space may be poised for recovery.
“I did a webinar the other day with business people in New York. They’re looking at Fairfield County and Greenwich to set up satellite office space,” Camillo said, adding that designs for the upgraded waterfront district at Greenwich Harbor are not only restaurant-centric, but feature a building with a second floor that has covered parking in the back has shared office space.
“There is good news on this front,” Bysiewicz said.
Lt Governor Susan Bysiewicz and State Rep Livvy Floren on Greenwich Avenue. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
The Lt Governor said she and Governor Lamont had been in conversation with a financial company that is located in New York about a satellite office in Connecticut.
“Even before the pandemic – they were looking in Greenwich to have an office because many of their principals live here,” she said. “Now with the pandemic, I’m sure they’d like to move up that opportunity.”
“Why be in New York, spend lots of money on a tiny apartment or very expensive office space when you can have this beautiful quality of life, be here, own a home that would be much less expensive. In every crisis there’s an opportunity,” Bysiewicz said.
The Lt Governor said nearby in Norwalk, Mayor Harry Rilling had relayed that both office space and apartments in that city were being snapped up.
“There are literally several thousand apartments being built within a quarter mile of the train station,” she said.
Along the Ave, Grigg Street is closed to thru traffic, as is the ramp to the municipal lot behind Steam. There are barriers at the intersection of Fawcett Place at Greenwich Ave and across the Ave at Havemeyer, which force cars coming down the Ave to turn either right onto Arch or left onto Havemeyer.
“Don’t be afraid to come out, patronize the stores, have a bite to eat,” Camillo said as he, Lt Governor Bysiewicz and State Rep Livvy Floren strode down the Ave on a beautiful sunny afternoon.
“All the merchants have taken care in setting up with all the precatuions to have a safe environment to eat and shop. It’s going to get better,” he said. “Take a mask – if you get close to someone put it on.”
On June 11 the town will consider reopening the rest of Greenwich Ave in phases 2 and 3.
Camillo said between now and then there will be careful monitoring medical data. “Usually there’s a little bit of a lag between cases reported and the actual testing,” he said. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”
“Local restaurants and businesses are precious,” Bysiewicz said. “We want to make sure that they are able to make it through the end of the pandemic…We want to see the creative ideas towns are doing to support their downtown areas and ensure they’re vibrant.”
“Other mayors and First Selectmen have closed down a block or two of their restaurant areas,” Bysiewicz said. “Others have created pedestrian walkways like they’ve done in Norwalk to encourage dining at restaurants, and creating a little more space.”
“Fingers crossed, June 20 will be the day that restaurants can open up for indoor seating with a limited capacity of 50%,” Bysiewicz added.
Patrons having lunch outside Meli-Melo on Greenwich Ave. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie YagerThe bottom two blocks of Greenwich Avenue are closed to vehicular traffic. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie YagerLower Greenwich Avenue was shut to vehicular traffic on Monday, June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie YagerLower Greenwich Avenue was shut to vehicular traffic on Monday, June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie YagerPatrons dining al fresco outside Mediterraneo at 366 Greenwich Ave. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager Patrons had lunch on the sidewalk outside The Putnam Restaurant. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie YagerFirst Selectman Fred Camillo and Lt Governor Susan Bysiewicz on Greenwich Ave, where the lower two blocks are closed to vehicular traffic. June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
Backstop and bleachers at baseball field at 56 Clapboard Ridge Rd.View of baseball field at 56 Clapboard Ridge Rd.
On the P&Z agenda for Tuesday night is an application for an existing baseball created without necessary permits at field at 56 Clapboard Ridge Rd.
If this address sounds familiar, it might be because it made headlines in 2016 when the applicants, “Meadowlark Manor LLC,” registered to Ray and Lydia Bartoszek, co-founders of investment firm RLB Holdings, LLC, paid $8,750,000 for the property, “Hobby Horse Farm,” aka the Benjamin Reynolds House, circa 1840, and demolished it.
The house had been extensively renovated by its previous owners the Jennings who had invested $3 million in renovations. The demolition disappointed neighbors and signers of an online petition with 635 signatures and 258 comments. Both the Historical Society and Greenwich Preservation Trust made efforts to save the house.
As for the baseball field, a notice of violation was issued by Zoning Enforcement on June 6, 2019.
A special permit is required for recreational areas not open to the general public and not operated for commercial profit.
The applicants are requesting approval for a Final Site Plan and Special Permit to maintain the baseball field.
They have indicated that it is only used only by family and not open to the general public and not operated for commercial profit.
The property is 4.6817-acres in the RA-2 zone.
The baseball field includes a moveable backstop, moveable bleachers, a 4-foot high mesh outfield fence and exposed earth for the bases and pitchers mound.
P&Z staff received a complaint from a neighbor indicating issues with traffic from excessive cars going in and out of the property, lack of screening along the property boundary, team practices and games with coaches and umpires, and early morning weekend practices that have been conducted since 2018.
There is also concern of the impact on wetlands and the use of pesticide and fertilizer on the field.
Additionally, a collective group of neighbors has submitted a letter and documentation in opposition of the proposal.
The meeting starts at 5pm on Zoom. US: +1 646 518 9805 Webinar ID: 914 9020 7380 Password: 0518864
Trash arrives at the dump at Holly Hill, June 1, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager
On Thursday the Board of Selectmen voted to implement a tip fee at the Holly Hill Resource Recovery Facility, aka “the dump,” of $112.00 per ton, and a $25 permit fee for residents who prefer to bring their own trash to the dump. They said $93.66 is the actual hauling and disposal fee to the town.
Tip fees in other nearby towns are: Norwalk $85/ton, Stamford $95/ton, Port Chester$110/ton, Darien $94/ton.
“The RTM passed language saying it (resident permit fee) doesn’t exceed $25, so we recommend it is set at $25 so town can recoup some cost of MSW disposal and get it out of the town budget to help manage the pressures on the budget this coming year,” First Selectman Camillo said.
He said the per ton fee to haulers is not lower than neighboring towns, and therefore would not create the temptation for haulers to bring in MSW from other towns.
Camillo said the new fee to haulers would result in them being vigilant about separating recyclables from MSW.
“You’ll see recyclables go up and MSW go down,” Camillo said. “They’ve been great partners for many years. They’ll make us all proud.”
Camillo said the $25 permit fee was set too low, and that decision was rendered by the RTM after just a half hour.
Local hauler Angelo Pucci of Pucci Carting was put on the call via Camillo’s cell phone.
“It’s so unfair to the people paying haulers,” Pucci said of the tipping fee implementation. “It’s going to cause problems. The RTM voted on that because the gentleman who brought it up brings his own garbage to the dump. They spent 2 hours on your item to reprimand you, Fred, (RTM Votes on Sense of Meeting Resolution on $100K Emergency Appropriation to United Way, May 12, 2020) and only 30 minutes on this. They had no empathy for the people out of work, the businesses that are shut down.”
“We think Amy (Amy Siebert, DPW commissioner) should put together a committee to share good ideas. Let’s not jam tipping fees down people’s throats to fill up the hole in the budget,” Pucci added.
“We’re trying to implement what the RTM passed,” Siebert said. “But in the ordinance, it says there’s a working group to be put together to work on this. I’m sure Mr. Pucci and others will be part of that group.”
“I think it’s unfair and I think it’s way too low,” Camillo said. “They spent 30 minutes on it which I thought was a joke, but it can’t be undone. The $25 fee will be revisited – how quickly, I don’t know.”
“I thought it was maybe a good number for senior citizens,” he said. However, he said the permit fee should be higher in general, and that he’d spoken to many people who agreed, both RTM members and non members.
Selectwoman Lauren Rabin pointed out that some towns have a separate permit fee for households who pay a hauler and those who don’t.
In Darien residents pay $40 for a dump permit with proof of garbage collection from a hauler registered with that Town, and $120 if they don’t.
The question came up whether a resident would need to pay for a dump permit to go to the Goodwill trailer or book swap – or the food scrap recycling are for that matter.
DPW commissioner Amy Siebert said there is no way to police people once they’re in the gate, and pointed out there is a Goodwill on the Post Rd.
There were questions about City Carting’s contract. Siebert said City Carting had bid for and won the town’s MSW contract, recycling contract, bulky waste contract, which refers to construction and demolition debris and organics.
She said it was ideal to have the same contractor responsible for both MSW and recycling. “They came in and it’s a good thing because that has to be shared on the tipping floor. In future we’d probably look to bid those out together,” she said. “It’s complicated to run that with multiple operators.”
Siebert said in addition to being a licensed commercial hauler, City Carting won the operations contract with the town.
She said City Carting is also responsible for operations. They manage the transfer station building, oversee basic operations and maintenance, deal with storm water management, pay utilities, provide staffing and deal with equipment on the tip floor, in addition to providing the trucks and drivers that take the material away.
“They’ve provided the town very good service through a number of challenging times,” Siebert said. “A lot of people have insinuated a lot of things about them, about each other. We jokingly say we like to talk a lot of trash about each other. We do our best to keep an eye on all of it.”
For months the town was embroiled in controversy over the idea of Pay As You Throw as proposed to include hiring a DEEP preferred vendor WasteZero and a system where residents paid for plastic bags ($2.00 for a large bag) that they’d have to use for their trash.
The Selectmen didn’t vote on the fees until Thursday, May 28.
The new system of tip fees and resident permits goes into effect on July 1, giving DPW just one one month from the Selectmen vote to figure out a way for residents to apply for a permit, prove residency and pay – with social distancing due to the pandemic, and Greenwich Town Hall just having reopened Monday by appointment.
The Selectmen didn’t discuss whether existing dump permits (stickers) will continue to be valid.
For many years the town required park users to apply for stickers for their cars. Those stickers were also valid for access to the dump. But a few years ago, Parks & Rec stopped issuing stickers and instead put user vehicle information in the bar codes on the park passes.
Also, in the month before tip fees goes into effect, DPW will also have to organize a billing system for haulers to charge them for their tonnage.
“If we vote I’m torn between voting and abstaining,” Selectperson Oberlander said. “We need to track closely the experience and put together that working group quickly.”
Oberlander said it would also be important to get comments from the haulers.
“We might want to revisit the fee structure in very short term if the impact is so great,” she said.
Siebert asked the Selectmen to vote given, the short notice for her department and the Hill staff to prepare.
“From an implementation side, we would request you all vote because we have the pleasure of trying to get this in place by the first of July. We have one month to have everybody ready to go. Meaning all the residential permits as well as commercial. We’re doing the best we can. We’ve ordered things. We’ve put sign ups online. DPW is also concerned about traffic from residents going to Holly Hill.” –DPW commissioner Amy Siebert
After some discussion about traffic concerns, given the line to get in the dump since the pandemic began has been long, sometimes stretching nearly to the Post Rd, Ms. Rabin said, “The good news is we’re the traffic authority as the Board of Selectmen.”
The selectmen took their vote, which was 3-0 in favor.
“We need to monitor this closely and frequently to make changes from fee structure and traffic standpoint,” Rabin said after the vote.
Reached by email on Monday, Michael Spilo, chair of the RTM’s Public Works committee, said he felt the $25 permit fee was appropriately priced, and already contains restrictions.
“The issue is that in Greenwich, nearly ten million pounds of waste are in by self-haulers annually, and we don’t know how much of this is commercial waste,” he said. “If this is all residential, it translates into 60% of all households hauling all their own trash every year, which is not very likely in my opinion.”
Mr. Spilo said the Greenwich ordinance already limits this permit to “town residents” hauling waste “generated at their residence.”
“So the permit is clearly personal to the residents and excludes commercial and construction waste, but this should be monitored,” he said. “Stamford deals with this issue by setting a maximum annual weight (800 lbs per household) on the trash brought in under a residential permit, charging per ton above that.”
Spilo said the ordinance refers to a permit fee, and does not preclude charging an additional tipping fee.
“I would prefer the RTM vote to clarify this,” he said. “Perhaps DPW can monitor this and if it turns out to be problematic, the Selectmen can add a weight restriction or tipping fee to the permits.”
After a fifth night of protests in New York City, and images of rampant looting in Manhattan and the Bronx circulating on social media into the overnight hours of Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio rejected calls for the National Guard, stating that outside armed forces would make the situation worse.
On Tuesday afternoon de Blasio announced a citywide curfew through the morning of Monday, June 8 effective immediately. Initially a curfew started June 1, and ran from 11:00pm til 5:00am.
Essential workers will still be allowed to travel to and from work during the curfew.
“We saw stuff last night that we will not accept,” deBlasio said in a press conference Tuesday. “A lot of people are trying to express fear. A lot of people are trying to tear down,” he said. “I am sick of people attacking New York…Don’t tell me what we can’t do. Tell me what we can do.”
“A lot of people are going to try to divide us and turn one type of New Yorker against another type of New Yorker,” he said. “I won’t stand for that…We are all New Yorkers.”
Mayor de Blasio referred to “a criminal few” who tried to tear down the progress that others fought for in the Bronx.
In a Tweet Tuesday afternoon deBlasio said, “We do not need the National Guard to come into New York City. When outside armed forces come into communities, especially these intense situations they have not been trained for, that’s a dangerous scenario. We have 36,000 police officers who will keep this city safe.”
In a separate Tweet he said, “If you choose to protest today, do it in the daytime hours and then please go home. We have work to do this evening to keep a peaceful city.”
Meanwhile Governor Cuomo criticized the New York City Mayor, saying the mayor underestimated the scope of the problem.
Cuomo also said, “The NYPD and the mayor did not do their job last night. I believe that you have 38,000 NYPD people. It is the largest police dept in the US. Use 38,000 people and protect property. Use the police. Protect property and people. Look at the videos. It was a disgrace.”
“I think he underestimates the duration of the problem,” Cuomo added, referring to de Blasio. “And I don’t think they’ve used enough police to address the situation because it’s inarguable that it was not addressed last night.”
Cuomo said he had offered New York City the National Guard but de Blasio said he could handle the situation with NYPD.
“My option is to displace the mayor of NYC and bring in the National Guard as the Governor in a state of emergency and basically take over the Mayor’s job,” he said. “I don’t think we’re at that point.”
Protests have spread across the US and overseas after George Floyd, an unarmed black man died after being detained by police in Minneapolis. A video of the arrest showed officer Derek Chauvin with his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes, even as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe.
Chauvin has since been fired and subsequently charged withMurder 3rd degree and Manslaughter 2nd degree.
It wasn’t until about an hour after the Planning & Zoning commissioners went back and forth with attorney John Heagney over his client’s illegal baseball field at 56 Clapboard Ridge Road that the applicant, Ray Bartoszek, spoke during the Zoom meeting Tuesday night.
“I want to say first of all I did not build this field with any intention to cause anybody any harm, whether it’s because they can’t have coffee on their patio or ping of bat or potential safety violations because of traffic,” Mr. Bartoszek said. “I am a rule follower. I’m a military academy graduate. I believe in rules and guidelines.”
Bartoszek said none of his neighbors had ever confronted him and that there were no umpires and no games played on his field – just practices for his son’s Cal Ripken U10 team, for which he and three other fathers are unpaid coaches.
The application came before the P&Z commission because Mr. Bartoszek created the baseball field including backstop, bleachers, moveable 4 ft high mesh fence and gravel parking area for parents without permission from the town and neighbors complained.
Bartoszek was cited by the Zoning Enforcement Officer and received a violation.
Mr. Bartoszek said he hired Diamond Landscapes and Athletic Fields to tend the field, and after parents were parking on Clapboard Ridge Rd, he added a gravel parking area for them.
Neighbors complained the practices were daily from 4:00-6:00pm in season, which coincided with them trying to enjoy their yards and patios. They said they heard loud and constant pings of aluminum bats and that cars parked on Clapboard Ridge Rd caused an unsafe traffic issue.
Friends of Mr. Bartoszek said other town residents have tennis courts, putting greens, basketball courts and hockey rinks, and suggested the commission scrutinize those.
“Yes,” Ms Alban said, “We rely on neighbors to tell us when a use has become egregious to them and is no longer consistent to the residential use to which it was intended…But the intent is to not have organized sports activities. Sure, you can have 9 kids over for a pool party, but you can’t have a water polo team that practices regularly at your pool. That’s the distinction we’re making.”
“This is exactly why we have special permits,” commissioner Andy Fox said. “If you were a school, which is allowed in a residential neighborhood, that has playing fields, they come before us with a special permit application. By having a special permit application we can set the standards about how that field will operate. Under this scenario though, there are no rules that we can enforce for the neighborhood.”
“There needs to be some rules and guidelines,” Fox said.
Mr. Martone said his son was on the Mr. Bartoszek’s Cal Ripken team and it was an amazing experience. He said many families of the players bonded and became friends. He said the experience was incredible and paid off not only in friendships but the team advanced to the regional championships.
“I can’t even imagine they’re not going to be able to go back to that field as 11-year-olds,” he said.
Ms. Alban offered an analogy.
“We had a church use that was in violation of the regulation,” Alban said. “It was imposing on neighbors, and clearly not in compliance in the residential zone. And the response was that they were doing God’s work. This is a little bit of that. The fact that something is a wonderful, fun filled activity that creates strong bonds, doesn’t make it okay for neighbors and doesn’t make it okay to preserve the Greenwich that people move it. …Their argument was they can break the rules because, ‘It’s God’s work.'”
Attorney Heagney said the team uses the field 3-4 days a week for 2 hours between 4:00-6:00pm and possibly during the day when school is out for summer, plus a half dozen times for batting practices before weekend travel.
Heagney added, “I’d like to note that all the activities occur within the same hours you can use a leaf blower under the town’s ordinances.”
“That might have been the line of the year,” Alban said.
“We’re not playing baseball in the middle of the night, it’s during the day when the noise ordinance is in effect,” Heagney said.
Mr. Heagney explained that despite hanging the team’s winning banners by the field last year, the field has no affiliation with Cal Ripkin league.
“They don’t hold any games here,” Heagney continued. “Their outfield dimensions are insufficient even if they wanted to do so. Cal Ripkin is run nationwide. They wouldn’t run the league on private property.”
Commissioner Nick Macri asked Heagney if all the members of the Bartoszek family were on the team?
“No,” Heagney said.
“Is there organized team practice at the site?” Macri asked.
“Yes,” Heagney said.
After a joke about a team of leafblowers, Macri said, “We’ve taken a step far away from this being used for family and friends, and more like it’s for an organized team. It would seem to me – 10 and under – it’s organized and of course everyone is a friend, but this is not just a bunch of kids getting together to play wiffleball, but a facility to train and practice for an organized event.”
“I’m very sorry hear there aren’t enough publicly available fields in town,” Alban said. “But that’s not enough to have team events on private property. You know that as well as we do.”
“If they want to apply under 6-94 for club usethey can do that. I’ve looked at every facility in the past 20 years we’ve approved. They’re all severely restricted by the conditions to remain private. Only for family without a regular, team competitive event occurring there. I grant you that your disturbance might not be at night, but it’s not in keeping with regulations for residential zones,” Alban said.
Mr. Fox said the minute a coach is involved, team practices turn from a family event to a supervised event. “All we’re saying is no coach, and it’s a family event,” Fox said.
“I don’t know why the applicant is so insistent on trying to fit this square peg in a round hole,” Commissioner Peter Levy said. “But if you go there and play team baseball, I think that’s a tough argument you’re trying to make.”
“One of the issues I’m talking about is how the commission is framing this use as a team activity that all of a sudden takes place because they are wearing uniforms and taking photos,” Heagney asked. “What exactly are we in violation of?”
“I’m going to stop you,” Alban said. “It’s to do with what’s allowed in the residential zone. He (Mr. Heagney) is arguing this is a purely family use, not a 6-94 use,” Alban said.
Several fathers from the Cal Ripken team defended Mr. Bartoszek and the field, but an equal number of neighbors spoke against it.
“These are not merely drop-off play dates or parties,” said John Coe who has lived across the street on Clapboard Ridge Rd almost 20 years.
Mr. Coe complained about increased noise and traffic and cars parked along the street.
He also said neighbors can hear continual noise associated with practice and games, including neighbors across the pond because sound travels easily over water. He said they are also disturbed by the comings and goings of contractors.
“The extent the applicant wants to continue, we’re willing to undertake discussion under a set of circumstances, but it sounds like it needs to be retooled,” Coe said.
“Shame on Mr. Coe,” said Mr. Longhorne, who said he was a friend of Mr. Bartoszek and whose son plays on the Cal Ripken team.
“Everyone who goes there is a friend of the applicant. I’ve been there numerous times. Most of the time there are 3 or 4 cars, and no more than 60 to 75 cracks of the bat, which must be devastatingly annoying.”
“Are we really trying to prevent a bunch of 9 and 10 year old boys from playing baseball in a back yard? … Someone has to stand up for the children in this town,” said Mr. Longhorne. “Ms Alban, I appreciate the rules and regulations, but you get 5 or 6 cars on the road and it’s not organized, there’s no umpire, and the applicant is the coach? Can someone explain to my kid why he can’t play baseball at Mr. Bartoszek’s house because the neighbor doesn’t like the sound of the bat? This thing is a total waste of time when you still haven’t changed the residency permit for Greenwich High School and you can’t even build a shed there, and we’re buggering around about a tiny little baseball field?”
They’re not sitting inside. They’re not in front of a TV or iPad. They’re getting social skills. There’s no games, no umpires. It’s young kids learning the skills of baseball.I think it’s amazing we can have a field of dreams here in Greenwich and to extend that joy. – George Holford
“We live across the pond and hear the noise all the time,” said Victoria Melly. “It is joyous to hear children playing in a back yard. But here was a lot of people, and a lot of traffic and noise. We’re here because there was a violation.”
Paul Ghaffari, who lives across the street, said he did not believe an organized public league was appropriate for the neighborhood.
“That is not the spirit of the regulation,” Ghaffari said. “I’ve looked at the code and my reading is that it’s not allowable. These activities belong on the town’s parks and ball fields. Many private schools make their ball fields available. One gentleman referred to just a few cars. We see cars arrive, and they can’t all fit and they park on the road. Clapboard Ridge Rd is a very busy road. We’re talking about near daily use. This is being used for practices in spring and summer, nearly every day. There are many consequences of having this used as a public use facility.”
George Holdefehr, another team parent said with so many worries about kids involved in drugs or violence, it was important to get kids together on a field and noted there is a shortage of fields in Greenwich.
“They’re not sitting inside. They’re not in front of a TV or iPad. They’re getting social skills. There’s no games, no umpires. It’s young kids learning the skills of baseball. I think it’s amazing we can have a field of dreams here in Greenwich and to extend that joy.”
“Is the applicant open to applying for such a special permit?” Commissioner Petr Lowe asked.
“Yes sir I am. I thought that’s what we were doing here tonight,” Mr. Bartoszek said.
“Either way you go, we have to make a decision,” Ms Alban said. “A special permit is a use that would be permitted and is allowed by regulations, but requires the extra level of scrutiny because of the impact it could have on the neighborhood. The wisest way is to make sure the community is not opposed to it.”
“I can write the application with my neighbors,” Mr. Bartoszek offered.
“You have to decide whether you come in as a 6-94 or do it as ‘family and friends,’ and reduce the scope,” Alban suggested. “A special permit is a use that would be permitted and is allowed by regs but requires an extra level of scrutiny because of the impact it could have on the neighborhood. The wisest way is to make sure the community is not opposed to it.”
“We’re happy to meet with the neighbors and discuss their concerns,” Mr. Heagney said.
“Time is of the essence and it looks like you’ll be meeting the neighbors via Zoom,” Mr. Fox said.
Indivisible Greenwich is organizing a “Greenwich Cares” rally for justice and to honor George Floyd and so many others before him on Saturday, June 6 at 2:00pm at Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Rd.
The rally will also support protections of the First Amendment freedoms of speech and to peacefully assemble.
In a release Indivisible said all those who care about the issue of systemic criminal injustice and the use of excessive police force against Black brothers and sisters are invited, as well as those who want to protect freedom of speech and assembly.
Organizers say the event will be peaceful. Attendees will hear from speakers and come together to mourn and explore ways to move forward in a productive manner.
Masks and social distancing are both expected and necessary. Attendees are asked to bring blankets and towels to sit on to aide in social distancing.
While town hall was closed to slow the spread of Covid-19, we were unable to publish property transfers. But town hall is now open and we’ll publish transfers every day until we’re caught up – then go back to once or twice a week to keep you “Up to the Minute.”
19 Dingletown Road
19 Dingletown Road from Marlena L Demenus and Thomas Gormley to Bruce Yannett on March 12, 2020 for $2,320,000
141 Bedford Rd
141 Bedford Rd from Estate of Vera B Rogers to Salvatore Materia on March 12, 2020 for $1,300,000
421 Field Pont Rd Lot 1 from 42 Field Point LLC to Lauren Sanger on March 12, 2020 for $1,250,000
19 Old Stone Bridge Rd
19 Old Stone Bridge Rd, Cos Cob from Deborah Finkelstein to Erik Klein on March 13, 2020 for $1,250,000eird angle, gray
7 Buxton Lane
7 Buxton Lane from Estate of Robert P Carl and Carol M Carl to Ian Hearn on March 13, 2020 for $840,000
25 Fox Run Lane
25 Fox Run Lane from David and Ji Eun Wax to Robert Blatt on March 13, 2020 for $3,262,500
51 Forest Ave Unit 139 from Cathy Jensen Ranieri to Carol Biaggi on March 17, 2020 for $550,000
3 Putnam Hill apt 2K from Sheila Szymborsk to blank on March 17, 2020 for $335,000
40 Indian Field Rd
40 Indian Field Rd from Rita Kane and William Gage Still-Squires on March 16, 2020 for $867,500
1 Ford Lane
1 Ford Lane from 1 Ford Lane LLC to Meghan Gefaell and Jason W Gefaell on March 16, 2020 for $1,965,750
100 Strickland Rd Unit 8
100 Strickland Rd Unit 8 from Daniel Bodson to Allison Sullivan and Cody Lewis on March 16, 2020 for $699,000
51 Old Kings Highway Unit 5 from Estate of Richard Howard Franklin to Ding Li on March 16, 2020 for $435,000
100 Strickland Rd Unit 8 from Daniel Bodson to Allison Sullivan on March 16, 2020 for $699,000
1 Ford Lane from 1 Ford Lane LLC to Meghan K Fefaell on March 16, 2020 for $1,965,750
3 Putnam Hill Unit 4B from James Wills to Lauretta McCormick on March 16, 2020 for $585,000
The Parks & Rec board had a meeting on May 28, the first since February. Parks & Rec director Joe Siciliano gave a recap of his department’s work during the town hall shut down. He said inside staff kept busy working remotely. For example, they responded to over 9,028 emails from March 22 to April 30, and ran a full beach pass and marina renewal operation.
As of Monday June 1, staff are back in Town Hall offices with a rotating schedule as permitted with State guidance.
Outside staff, including marina staff, moved to a three day-a-week schedule.
“I went to the union and got special permission to work our folks Monday, Wed, Fri and Tuesday, Thursday Saturday,” Siciliano said. “That commenced March 22 to May 4, when they returned to a five day work week.”
He said normally Saturday is ‘a premium day’ where employees get paid overtime, but he negotiated with the union not to make Saturday a premium day.
Siciliano said Parks & Rec had to respond first to the shut downs ordered by the State, and then react to and implement plans for the gradual reopenings, and all the while state guidance continued to change.
“We come up with a plan today and the plan changes, the next day we change the plan,” he said.
From March 22 through most of May, Siciliano, as the department head, was part of the First Selectman’s Covid-19 Task Force includes the Police Chief, major department heads, the First Selectman and Town Administrator. The group had conversations daily, including some weekends and worked toward reopening the town using state guidance.
Gary Dell’Albate asked how close are we getting to the maximum park capacity at Greenwich’s parks.
Siciliano said between 100 to 130 people a day have been coming to walk through Cos Cob Park.
At Greenwich Point, where there is a maximum of 500 cars allowed in the park at one time, they had not hit the maximum since the reopening.
“We’re seeing somewhere between 900 and 1,250 (a day) cars and close to 1,800 people a day on average. There have been some spikes with nicer weather.”
He said operations manager Craig Whitcomb, is at Greenwich Point every day, along with monitoring staff and an additional police presence.
“Most of the people have been very respectful. There is a lot of self policing. Right now the beach lifeguards have been working as monitors,” he said. “We haven’t staffed that up yet. The next phase of reopening could come in the next few weeks and might allow people some time on the sand and allow people to dip in the water a little bit. That could happen in the next couple weeks.”
Public pools have not been given a go-ahead to open by the State Health Dept.
“We have a plan in place in case that guidance comes down to offer limited pool use,” he said, referring to the Greenwich Pool at Byram Park. “Every one of these takes a protocol to be established. It’s detailed and extensive, and takes staff to manage.”
He said there is discussion on the task force to expand the hours at Greenwich Point and include swimming and sitting in the sand, and that could be announced in coming weeks.
“We’re taking a cautious approach,” he said.
“I give Fred (First Selectman Fred Camillo) a ton of credit because I know his phone is blowing up every day with people who want their lives back,” he said. “He’s been cautious and looking at the numbers.”
Siciliano said there is a direct correlation between the number of cases and deaths from Covid-19 and what people are being allowed to do. The town is closely watching numbers to see if they escalate.
“We want to see the counts in the next two weeks. We all know the incubation period is 3-10 days. We’re concerned about spreading our wings too soon. Why open and then have to close if the numbers escalate?”
As for the boats to Island Beach and Great Captain Island, the Parks & Rec director said the ferries have been in Bridgeport in dry dock.
“The island beach ferry is scheduled to run on June 13 but it will most likely not happen because the boats aren’t back from the yard, and need to be inspected by the Coast Guard.
“We can’t put 200 people on a boat for a trip, and we can’t seat 200 people on Island beach,” he warned. “We’re in the discussion phase of protocols for how we can do it. Do we do one boat instead of two, or abbreviated service?”
He said the intent is to have limited service and make the experience “as normal as possible.”
In the meantime, inspections have to be coordinated including one at the dry dock and one in the water.
Since March 22 all five Parks & Rec superintendents have been in the office daily.
“I want to thank them. They were here every day. We’ve done an enormous amount of business in Parks & Rec in the last several months.”
He said during the shutdown the department only had general pass renewal traffic.
As soon as the announcement to open Cos Cob Park overnight there were 500 applications for park passes.
“And as soon we we talked about opening Byram Park and Greenwich Point we had 4,000 applicants,” he added, noting that each application is for multiple family members and include golf, tennis and park passes. “That’s a significant amount of revenue so we’ve got to get them processed. And we were doing it from home.”
With staff back in the offices at town hall, productivity will increase.
File photo of the patio at The Griff golf course.Kevin Bourke, Steve Leininger and Mark Pruner at Backcountry Barbecue and Grill. Oct 2019
In his update on the town golf course, The Griff, Siciliano said, “There was a lot of pushing and shoving about opening the golf course.” The course is now open 7:00am to 7:00pm.
“We are averaging 140 to 160 rounds a day,” he said adding there is 10 minute staggering at the golf course. “We’re booked out almost every single day and there is a significant amount of range business, which is set up for social distancing.”
Siciliano said there has been a change in the golf course restaurant people and Backcountry Barbecue and Grill is now Cobber North, managed by Caren Vizzo St. John.
He said the LLC with the existing contract with the town remains in place so no RFP or bidding was required to make the change, and that the town attorney had been consulted.
“We were put on notice from the three partners in the LLC (Backcountry Barbecue and Grill LLC) that the business was going bad and they couldn’t provide service going forward. What has happened – and it was finalized by the town law department – they sold their LLC shares to a fourth person who has now become a member of the LLC. The LLC we contracted with still exists.”
The Parks & Rec director said there is a new financial partner in the existing LLC, and Caren Vizzo St. John, will be the new provider of service in the restaurant, now called Cobber North, which is a Parks & Rec concession.
“She opened on Saturday (May 23). I think she has the right approach and attitude. I spoke to her over the holiday weekend and even though there was questionable weather, she had a good reception by the golfers and people are starting to find out she’s up there.”
“She’ll provide that service for at least two years – this year and next year – and there is a two-year option going forward after that. She’s very energetic and knowledgeable of the restaurant business. She has name recognition and a proven record in town….She has a more diverse menu than the BBQ restaurant.”
Reached by email, Mark Pruner, one of the original three principals in Backcountry Barbecue and Grill, explained the reshuffle.
“Kevin Bourke, one of the original members of the LLC, is still a member. The only thing that changed is that Caren bought my and Steve’s (Steve Leininger) interest in the LLC,” Pruner said. “Legally, nothing has changed, but operationally Caren is now running the restaurant rather than Steve.”
Parks & Rec Board member Mike Bocchino asked about potential for youth sports to resume in the state’s Phase 2 on June 20.
“That could allow for at least a decent season for some athletics, especially baseball, lacrosse and soccer. If those (restrictions) are lifted, will we be ready to open these fields for play?” Bocchino asked.
Siciliano said summer is the off-season for those sports and normally the town does not get a lot of requests from user groups in the summer.
“We, as the property owner, have a responsibility,” Siciliano said. “Hypothetically, if we were to let a user group go on, that’s not a decision I make solely – that’s the First Selectman’s committee, and we’d want to see the protocol.”
Siciliano said reopening parks and beaches is a higher priority than summer football camp, for example.
“Our sole effort right now is to try to get facilities open with protocols that serve the masses,” he said.
Statement from US Attorney, District of Connecticut, John H. Durham
No words are sufficient to express the sadness and outrage we feel about George Floyd’s death, or to address the history that has led to that horrific event.
As to all persons who are charged with a crime, in our country, the officers involved have a right to a fair trial. At the same time, we are all fully aware of the fact that the death of Mr. Floyd was not the first completely unnecessary death of a black or brown person at the hands of law enforcement. We also need to fully recognize that the officers involved in his death are not the only officers in this country who pose a danger to the citizens they police.
Based on my many years of experience in the criminal justice system, I know that these officers in Minneapolis do not represent all law enforcement officers, the vast majority of whom honor their uniform, abide by their oath of service, and act decently and appropriately day in and day out.
Attempting to console our communities and those who are sad, or angry, or disaffected with words and examples of all the progress made to this point, however, can ring hollow in troubled times.
While cities around America have experienced acts of violence, property damage and theft in the wake of Mr. Floyd’s death, I am encouraged, and we all should be encouraged, by the widespread peacefulness of demonstrations and thoughtful acts of civil disobedience that we have experienced here in Connecticut.
I am heartened by images of police officers and state troopers across Connecticut engaging with those who are peacefully protesting, escorting them along demonstration routes and ensuring that the protesters are not only heard, but listened to, and understood.
We are fortunate that, to date, the worthy demonstrations in Connecticut have not been infected with out-of-state agitators and local opportunists. I like to believe that our state’s relative peace is primarily a reflection of the amount of work that Connecticut’s police departments and community leaders have invested in trying to make things better for all of our citizens.
George Floyd’s death is yet another, unfortunate example of how much we still need to improve. Hopefully, technology will help us get closer to where we need to be. The video recorded on May 25 in Minneapolis is both a tragic reminder of the work that still needs to be done, and how bad things were before technological advances provided needed sunshine to everyday policing in America. The prolific use of cellphone video, body cameras, dash cams and surveillance video now ensure that repugnant events are recorded and made known. When police officers fail in their jobs, video recordings now bring consequences that, in the past, officers have too rarely faced.
When police officers seriously fail and abuse their authority, our criminal justice system must hold them accountable. And if a police department’s leadership fosters a culture that permits this kind of abusive behavior, the Justice Department stands ready to step in and work to correct it. Our office has prosecuted bad cops who violated their sworn oath to protect and serve their community, and we have investigated and helped to repair broken police departments. We will not hesitate to continue to do so.
I am proud of the progress that, overall, has been made with policing in America generally and Connecticut in particular, but brutal police actions like those in Minneapolis erase years of goodwill established between law enforcement and community in an instant. It is natural to demand perfection in law enforcement. However, as no profession is devoid of wrongdoers, we cannot expect perfection in all instances. But having the authority to carry a weapon, a mandate to keep the peace, and a responsibility to protect the public separates the job of a police officer from any other and, more important, requires them to be held to a higher standard.
The eradication of centuries of racial bias, discrimination and profiling is an ongoing challenge not only for law enforcement, but for all Americans. Connecticut’s U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to finding and promoting ways to make change happen. Until all communities welcome the presence of a peace officer, not fear him or her, and we achieve perfection in law enforcement, we cannot rest.
While town hall was closed to slow the spread of Covid-19, we were unable to publish property transfers. But town hall is now open and we’ll publish transfers every day until we’re caught up – then go back to once or twice a week to keep you “Up to the Minute.”
10 Schubert Lane from Robert Russell and Carole Goulding to Lynda Baldauf on March 17, 2020 for $1,437,500
85 Connecticut Ave
85 Connecticut Ave from Edward White and Marilyn Roos White to Matthew Petersen on March 17, 2020 for $1,340,000
9 River Road Unit 405 from Mark Warren and Kim Warren to Tushar Madan on March 17, 2020 for $362,000
15 High Street
15 High Street from John Martello Trustee and Caludia Ginter, Trustee to Scott Anderson on March 18, 2020 for $672,500
111 Putnam park from Lauretta McCormick to William Herzog on March 17, 2020 for $611,000
260 Stanwich Rd
260 Stanwich Rd from Dulce Miller to Brandon Lacoff on March 20, 2020 for $1,500,000
31 Putnam Park Apt #31 from Barbara Schaefer and Andrea Schaefer to Natalie Hinks on March 19, 2020 for $427,000
28 St Roch Ave
28 St Roch Ave from Angelina Birdsell and Marie Volpe to Nicolette Giacovas on March 20, 2020 for $715,000
66 Valleywood Rd
66 Valleywood Rd from Katja Stocker to Christian Sterk on March 20, 2020 for $1,000,000
51 Byram Shore Rd
51 Byram Shore Rd from Kimberly Banker Sitarz, Trustee to Byram 51, LLC on March 20, 2020 for $1,100,000
100 East Putnam Ave
100 East Putnam Ave from Fried & Taylor LLC to 100 East Putnam LLC on March 20, 2020 for $5,992,500
While town hall was closed to slow the spread of Covid-19, we were unable to publish property transfers. But town hall is now open and we’ll publish transfers every day until we’re caught up – then go back to once or twice a week to keep you “Up to the Minute.”
24 Lincoln Ave
24 Lincoln Ave from Melvyn Dworkin and Yvonne Dworkin to John Muri on March 23, 2020 for $1,200,000
271 Valley Rd
271 Valley Rd from The Darren Grant Davis Revocable Living Trust to David Dias Coelho on March 23, 2020 for $2,750,000
19 Brookridge Drive from Donald and Jennifer Turnbull to Michael Minnich on March 25, 2020 for $6,497,200
8 Valleywood Rd
8 Valleywood Rd from Estate of Kathryn Guimard to Joseph Fuscaldo II on March 25, 2020 for $750,000
319 Delavan Ave
319 Delavan Ave from 319 Delavan Ave, LLC to 319 Delavan Enterprises, LLC on March 25, 2020 for $700,000
143 Putnam Park from Mary Ann Morsey to Ann Riley on March 25, 2020 for $635,000
25 Dublin Hill Drive
25 Dublin Hill Drive from Christine Howley to Yang Stelmach on March 25, 2020 for $3,331,610
66 Milbank Ave
66 Milbank Ave from Milbank 66 LLC to Joseph Soufer on March 30, 2020 for $2,625,000
293 Lake Ave
293 Lake Ave from 293 Lake Avenue LLC to Matthew Traina on March 27, 2020 for $5,100,000
150 Mead Ave
150 Mead Ave from Lorraine Gaito and Wayne Nostro to Dario Da Silva on March 25, 2020 for $665,000
53 Hunt Terrace
53 Hunt Terrace from Catherine Armentano and Julianna Armentano to 53 Hunt Terrace, LLC on March 30, 2020 for $1,028,000
8 Miami Court
8 Miami Court from Estate of Marilyn Giordan to Cos Cob Volunteer Services Foundation on March 30, 2020 for $725,000
On Sunday the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee issued a press release on the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, as follows:
The murder of George Floyd was abominable, as were the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many others – too many others. The aftermath of their horrific deaths has brought us to a critical juncture, where we can choose to put an end to systemic racism or let it, and all the horrors it engenders, continue. We, the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee, choose the former.
We stand with the Black community and all those protesting for change – and not change as we have come to know it, painfully ephemeral, but as it should be, lasting and effective. Change of this nature is the only way to ensure that the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is no longer a debatable assertion, but rather an undeniable truth in everyone’s mind.
In the spirit of change, we, the Greenwich Democrats:
● Condemn white supremacy. ● Denounce the use of excessive force by law enforcement and profiling by the police targeted at communities of color. ● Acknowledge that systemic racism is pervasive in our society. ● Commit to nominating candidates who are genuinely committed to racial equality and to discussing this topic in our interviews for future candidates. ● Promise to work with our local leaders to improve police accountability and transparency state-wide and to enact comprehensive police and criminal justice reform. ● Ask our leaders to review the acquisition of military equipment by Connecticut police departments (via DoD transfer). ● Promise to continue to pay close attention to the issues at hand until they are resolved once and for all.
The path of progress is not linear. Mistakes will be made as we work to create the future we seek.
We are ready to listen, learn, and continue to move forward. We encourage all who share our views to reach out and join us on this mission. Alone, we can only achieve so much, but by coming together, we can improve our community through collective action and bring about the transformative change that is desperately needed.
10 Lake Drive South, Riverside, CT10 Lake Drive South, Riverside, CT
This classic center hall colonial is located in a coveted lakeside Riverside neighborhood, very convenient to the train station, .2 miles, yet not noise impacted. Less than 1 mile from Riverside Elementary School, Eastern Middle School & Riverside Yacht Club.
On the main level, you’ll find a formal living room w/wood-burning fireplace, dining room, private office/possible 5th bedroom & updated kitchen which is open to a sunny family room. Walk out to a raised deck overlooking a large, private fully fenced yard w/fire-pit area. Side entrance w/mud room, large walk in pantry & updated powder room complete the first floor.
On the 2nd floor, a HUGE, bright master suite w/vaulted ceiling, & attached office/nursery/flex space, 3 additional double bedrooms & 2 full bathrooms. The finished basement contains a spacious playroom, separate laundry room and cedar closet, with additional square footage of usable space. According to FAR calculations, approximately 1,537 sqft can be added to allow for expansion, including a possible 5th bedroom and additional full bath on the first and/or second floors as well as additional living space (subject to permits). A 5th bedroom may also be possible without expanding. This house is absolutely move in ready or you may choose to expand.
10 Lake Drive South, Riverside, CT Click on picture above for more photos and full property details.10 Lake Drive South, Riverside, CT Click on picture above for more photos and full property details.
Stefanie Lacoff is a licensed real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services New England Properties in Greenwich, CT. Text/call: 203-536-9403, email: slacoff@bhhsne.com
Contact Stefanie for assistance selling your home or purchasing a new one.
The death of George Floyd is yet another stark reminder that the miracle that is America is still a work in progress. And we have a lot of work to do. The effort to eradicate racism has spanned generations and yet the disease persists, leaving a trail of pain and loss in its wake.
It is easy to have a false sense of reality when we assess the state of racism in America. So many of our cultural, artistic and athletic heroes are African American. It becomes easy to rest on our laurels and assume all is well. Yet this reality is illusory. When we read stories about how some African American parents feel compelled to tell their children how to act around law enforcement so that they don’t invite trouble, that is a problem. When we see repeated incidents of violence toward African Americans by our police, it should be a clarion call that something is deeply wrong.
We also should not pretend that the scourge of racism in America is limited to police brutality alone. Racism in America is pervasive. Sometimes it shows itself in a look, a remark or a reaction. Nonetheless, it is there. It is in the air we breath. It is palpable not only among our African American communities, but among all minority groups. As Rep Harry Arora recently wrote, “This is a systemic problem and not a one-off issue. As an Asian-American leader, I feel the pain and fear personally.”
There is clear need for comprehensive, nationwide reviews of police protocol and training. Our law enforcement community must act promptly if one of their own displays a pattern of unacceptable behavior. Institutional reform is needed.
As citizens, we must do our part by speaking up when we encounter racism, wherever we encounter it, whatever its form. Americans young and old have protested peacefully to call their country to action. We can’t be tone deaf to their message. There is simply no place for racism in our society.
Greenwich Republicans will continue to reach out to all corners of our community. First Selectman Fred Camillo and Selectwoman Lauren Rabin are constantly listening to the concerns of all of our constituents. Soon, our diverse group of candidates will be doing the same. We realize that crises can offer great opportunities for solutions. In order to seize the moment we must be bold.
Now is the time for our leaders to rise with a message of compassion and unity, not one of combativeness and fear. As Greenwich Republicans, we stand, united against those who violate the civil rights and freedom of any person, regardless of their race, creed or orientation. The Greenwich Republican Party believes that in America, every citizen is deserving of the rights endowed to them in our Constitution, and that no citizen is above the law.
Though we may be living in turbulent times, the trend of history should give us hope that the march toward fair and equal treatment for all Americans will continue to move forward, not backward. The American Experiment has been fraught with obstacles and challenges. We always overcome them, and we shall overcome this. As First Selectmen Camillo recently said, “Positive change comes from learning, listening and leading. By listening, we learn. By learning, we can lead.”
We are a nation that fought a devastating Civil War in order to secure an end to slavery. Yet it took one hundred years for Civil Rights legislation to enshrine the basic rights of human dignity to black Americans. Progress since the 1960’s has been slow, but steady. We must do all we can, both collectively and as individuals, to ensure it carries on into the future so that one day we can with confidence, discard the labels of “black” and “white” and call ourselves simply Americans.
Starting July 1 the Town of Greenwich will implement a new system of tipping fees at Holly Hill, aka “the dump.”
Haulers will be weighed in and weighed out and billed based on their tonnage.
Residents can hire a hauler or bring their own MSW and recycling to the dump, but beginning July 1 a permit is required.
Applications for the residential permits are now available for $25 annually on the Dept of Public Works page on the town’s website.
From DPW web page on Town of Greenwich website.
All vehicles, both commercial and residential, must display a disposal permit to enter the Holly Hill Facility as of July 1.
All Greenwich residents and local businesses are eligible for a residential vehicle permit which can be obtained online or via mail. No waste from outside of Greenwich is allowed.
Vehicles must display a disposal permit decal to enter the facility beginning July 1.
More information on the residential permits is available here.
Click HERE for the residential permit application form.
Permits will no longer be issued or sold at Holly Hill. Permits will be issued on an annual basis; valid July 1 – June 30.
If you are using a company not based in Town to dispose of material for you, will need to provide the company with a Verification of Owner Form (PDF) completed and signed by you that verifies the material they are bringing into the Transfer Station is from a Greenwich property. You will need to supply a signed form for each load. To dispose of materials accepted at the Transfer Station, either a Verification of Owner Form must be provided or you must have a Residential Disposal Permit.
While the $25 fee was passed by the RTM, the Board of Selectmen unanimously agreed the $25 fee was too low and expressed concerns that traffic would be jammed up in Chickahominy as a result of more residents bringing their own trash to the dump. While the Selectmen voted unanimously to approve the tip fees and permits for residents at $25, they vowed to revisit the residential permit fee in the near future.
Monday’s RTM budget meeting, which took six hours in order to accommodate everyone who signed up to speak, was held virtually on Zoom and broadcast on GCTV, rather than in person because of Covid-19.
On the eve of the GHS graduation of the class of 2020, the item that hundreds of residents tuned in to follow was an amended Sense of the Meeting Resolution (SOMR) on the Greenwich Public School budget.
There were about 3-1/2 hours of discussion on the SOMR, and at midnight the meeting was extended from a hard end until 1:00am to let everyone speak rather than continue on Tuesday night at 8:30pm (after GHS graduation)
Close to 1:00am members voted in favor of not waving the rules requiring a second read on the SOMR.
That meant the RTM will not return to the issue until late September, a de facto no vote on the SOMR.
The amended SOMR was championed mostly by public school families in response to the proposed 2020-21 budget that keeps the schools budget flat from the previous year. The amended SOMR originated in the RTM Education Committee and was drafted by Janet McMahon and Mareta Hamre.
Proponents of the SOMR said that given schools fixed costs, the proposed budget represented a cut of $3 million. Opponents said there was no cut, but rather no increase.
Potentially on the chopping block are 15 media assistant jobs, new books for libraries, grade 2 ALP and foreign language classes, among other items.
Speakers were each allotted two minutes, and it seemed there was no middle ground on the SOMR.
Before discussion on the SOMR, there was the vote on the budget overall, which BET chair Republican Michael Mason described as a deviation from typical years and guidelines due to the pandemic.
Mr. Mason talked about finding operating efficiencies in managing town services, and said, “All leadership will be challenged more than ever.”
He warned that Section 25 of the town charter provides that if the RTM did not adopt a budget before June 14, the recommended BET budget would automatically take effect.
That was not the case. The RTM voted to adopt the overall budget in a vote of 158 in favor, 61 opposed, with four abstentions.
Before the vote on suspending the rules requiring a second reading of the revised SOMR, there was a vote on its amended version, which passed with 119 in favor, 94 opposed and 8 abstentions (the RTM has 230 members).
Pressing on, comments alternated back and forth between those in favor and those opposed of the modified SOMR.
Those in favor argued that the education budget is different than other town budgets, and that maintaining excellent public schools was key in attracting families to Greenwich.
Lucia Jansen of the Budget Overview Committee said that in the context of the pandemic the BET’s proposed budget was “responsible.”
She said while her committee was split on the SOMR, many noted the pandemic might have an economic impact equivalent to that of the Great Depression.
Jansen said that even some of the BOC members had lost jobs and had pay cuts. “These members would prefer negotiations with the teachers,” she said.
The revised SOMR came out of the RTM Education Committee, passing 8-4-0.
Janet McMahon, a principal proponent of the SOMR said the BET had quietly started putting public schools “on a starvation diet 10 years ago.”
“The SOMR is 10 years in the making. Our breaking point came in the form of a pandemic,” she said. “Instead of investing in schools, the BET decided to double down.”
“If a union agreement is not reached, a large scale teacher layoff is imminent,” she warned. “
“Beginning in fiscal year 2012, the BET mandated that the BOE was not to exceed 2% in their operating expenses, knowing well its contractual obligations and fixed costs were well above 2% every year. Thus, to meet these austere guidelines the BOE has had to sustain cuts year after year, until finally these compounded cuts have brought us to where we are now – a woefully underfunded budget with a $1.5 milion shortfall in special education and 90% of our operating budget going to contractual obligations and fixed costs. We simply have no more fat to cut except our teachers.”
– Janet McMahon
Oliver Basham of the Finance Committee said of Greenwich’s peer towns, only Weston spends more for public schools.
“Peter Bernstein (BOE chair) was asked if the BOE reached out to union leaders. He said there had been discussions, but there had been no response from union leaders,” Basham said, adding that collectively, teachers were set to receive 3% raises, with many getting 4 to 5% step increases.
Cathy Whitaker said there had been references to Draconian cuts. “I looked it up. How could a flat budget be Draconian? It means ‘excessively harsh, severe and cruel.’ There is no universe where 0% is Draconian. There’s a lot of uproar over nothing.”
Katie Yu said the loss of $3 million was indeed Draconian.
“I resent an implication that comments are scripted,” Yu said. “The tidal wave of opposition was from families who rose up from their own volition….these cuts are not the will of our constituents. Listen when the community speaks en masse.”
Mike Warner said the budget was a statement of the budget proponents.
“Why are we reducing critical services to our town while at the same giving ourselves a tax cut?” Warner asked. “If you have a very large house and send your kids to private schools, then you’re a winner.”
“But if you have a normal house and send your kids to public school and use some town services, in this budget you lose,” he added. “This is by design. The BET has been starving our schools for decades. Our average school was built in 1953.”
“Sadly, this item highlights how our leaders have exploited the temporary impact of this pandemic, which we will recover from quite quickly – most people estimate about a year – and they’re using that to make permanent deep cuts in services that our citizens use.”
– Mike Warner
Dan Ozizmir disputed the assertion that removing $3million from the proposed schools budget would result in a tax cut.
“The reason we have a lower mill rate is because the RTM approved tipping fees, and that reduced our tax about 1%. Without the tipping fees we would have had flat tax. So there really is not a tax cut. Most residents will see some increase in their bill from their hauler…We should be proud of the BET because we are funding the best funded school system in Connecticut.”
– Dan Ozizmir
GHS PTA president Terry Lamantia said the proposed reduction to the BOE budget came after years of stringent 2% increases she described as unsustainable.
“Our schools should not be where we make cuts, but where we invest,” she said, adding that in light of the pandemic and thousands of students at home “distance learning,” that the needs of students going forward would be great.
“The PTA can’t do it alone. We need the support of the community,” Lamantia added.
Lucia Jansen argued that there had not been adequate time for the RTM committees to thoroughly vet the SOMR.
“Our schools are the number one district in our comparable districts DRG-A A and DRG-B. When people talk about (schools) not being ADA compliant, look at the $45 million auditorium (at Greenwich High School). …Look at the BOE priorities!”
– Lucia Jensen
Steven Rubin said thousands of residents had demanded action.
“The opponents are looking for a sneaky way of stopping this. I resent that,” he said. “Concerning the amendment, please pass it.There’s 460 people here at this meeting, let them be part of this for crying out loud.”
Rubin said the support for the SOMR was “not from a small group of radicals.” Nor, he said was it organized by extreme groups. “It’s a representation that goes across party lines.”
“(The BET) refusal to compromise prompted the SOMR. The majority party is trying to turn this into a political issue. We just want to provide the best quality education. We sent the message we want quality education and we have thousands of upset, concerned parents.”
– Steven Rubin
Brian Raney said, “One thing that is clear is that the BOE is not a well oiled machine.”
He listed incidents requiring capital expenses including floods at the Greenwich High School MISA and science wing, and the Julian Curtiss School roof, which all required interim appropriations. He said there were were promises of busing efficiencies that had not materialized, and that that tax payers did not deserve paying for “wasted money on litigation” for special education.
James Waters, who has penned a series of letters to the editor objecting to the $3million cut to the schools budget warned, “Our town is watching the RTM like never before.”
“The school budgets are being cut to fund a tax cut for some of the wealthiest,” he continued, adding, “Thousands of Republicans support the SOMR.”
Waters said he’d served in the Bush White House as a staffer in the Office of Management and Budget.
“I’ve reviewed the financials. We can afford this SOMR. Our town’s financial position is strong and not significantly weakened by covi-19,” he said.
“The SOMR came with heavy rhetoric: ‘There are thousands of residents,’ ‘It’s a tidal wave.’ “I have not seen a groundswell, and I’ve not seen a petition with 3,000 signatures.”
– Michael Spilo
Michael Spilo said the stock market was not reflective of the economy overall and unemployment was high. “We should not be responding to what the Dow Jones Industrial average is doing.”
Tog Pearson condemned all the fighting, saying the budget process had to factor in impacts Covid 19.
“I’ve always respected the budget process but this year with Covid 19 The rancor this has fostered is frightening to new residents. Please stop this and support the process. If a correction is necessary, it can be done later. Vote no on the SOMR.”
– Tog Pearson
Joanna Swomley supported the SOMR. “The better our schools, the higher our property values. We aren’t ADA compliant. I’m embarrassed. We’ve already cut our programs to the bone and you keep cutting and cutting? We care about education, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the right thing to do economically.”
Rachel Khanna wondered, “Have we asked any other unions to sacrifice? How about police and fire unions? Why not them? Why hold student education hostage?”
RTC chair Dan Quigley said that in a pandemic year which might result in a global depression, the BET did the right thing.
Speaking against the SOMR, Quigley said it had not been properly vetted and that the SOMR arose from the PTA.
“This is a debate that has been going on in this town primarily because the PTA has been weaponized. They have been activated in an organized and systemic way. We’ve heard about schools crumbing. We have heard about schools collapsing. That is impossible.”
– RTC chair Dan Quigley
Of the $3 million in question for the schools budget he said it reflected just 1.5% of a $200 Million budget.
“There is not one organization in this country, not one business in the world that would not be able to function properly if it reduced its budget by 1.5%,” he said.
Quigley said given the pandemic, “What the BET did was conservative, responsible and correct.”
Besides, he said, since the budget was passed earlier in the meeting, the SOMR was “redundant.”
“We’ve heard about schools crumbing. That is impossible,” Quigley said. “None of the funds tonight the $3 million has anything to do with Covid. These were requests made pre-pandemic.”
“The BET did it with every other department in town and those departments have acquiesced and did not made a stink,” Quigley said. “But because people have been locked up in their homes for 2.5 months and needed to get energy out, this is the result. Two months of continuous threats to RTM members. ‘If you don’t vote or children or schools, you will be remembered.'”
Cathy Steele said she had taken a pay cut herself, but supported the SOMR, saying, “the right and ethical thing is to honor the contracts.”
“We can only accept, reject or reduce. A SOMR sends a message that if we could do more we should – it is one of the best things we can do,” she added.
Alex Popp, a Greenwich Public School teacher urged people to vote against the SOMR.
“It (the SOMR) has consumed countless hours. It’s divided the town neighbor against neighbor. The tone is unprecedented and mean spirited,” Popp said. “It’s supposed to support teachers but it’s counter productive. We’re it the middle of a pandemic. …We don’t know if we’ll be in school in the fall or have a hybrid (distance learning and in-school) Vote against SOMR. Greenwich has a great record on interim appropriations.”
Clare Kilgallen supported the SOMR, saying it represented “a sentiment” and was non binding.
“The BET will do what it will do,” Kilgallen said. “This is the only way you can give voice to the clamoring of thousands of people who since the actions were taken on the budget have continued consistent cries to be heard…People were not heard when the public hearing took place. There was no opportunity because the cuts were not declared at that time.”
Close to the 1:00am deadline, there was a vote on a motion to suspend rules requiring a second read, which was de facto rejection of the SOMR.
There were 120 favor and 88 opposed. The motion failed because it didn’t receive the required 2/3.
That meant it would not be voted on Tuesday night, but rather will appear on the RTM call in September.
“Absent any special conditions arising over summer, our next gathering is Sept 21,” said RTM moderator Tom Byrne, adding, “My words of advice as we head off into the summer, proceed at your own risk.”
Vote on whether to suspend rules requiring second read.
District 1
Andrea Anthony: Yes Katharine Ashworth: Yes Joshua Brown: Yes Carl Carlson: No Ed Dadakis: No Laura Feda: No Alison Ghiorse: Yes Dean C Goss: No Judith Goss: Abstain Alanna Hynes: No Frederick Lee: – William Lewis: No Elizabeth Sanders: Yes Ryan Oca: Yes Daniel Quigley: No Robert Robins: – Helma Varga: No Marla Weston: – Lihong Zhang: No
District 2
Michael Basham: No Duncan Burke: No Nancy Burke: No Donald Conway: Yes Jessica DelGuercio: Yes Laura Gladstone: No Jill Kelly: Yes Michelle Kosson: No Katherine Lobalbo: Yes Mary Ellen Markowitz: Yes Wilma Nacinovich: No Aldo Pascarella: No Eileen Toretta: No Erika Walsh: No
District 3
Louise Bavis: Yes Martin Blanco: No Elias Judd Cohen: Yes Thomas Conelias: No Ed Lopez: No Rosalind Nicastro: No Sylvester Pecora: Yes Adam Rothman: Yes Steven Rubin: Yes Allison Walsh: Yes
District 4
Javier Aleman: Yes Ronald Carosella: – Andrea Casson: Yes Liz Eckert: – Robert McKnight: Yes Maria Popp: No Alex Popp: No Romulo Samaniego: Yes Diego Sanchez: Yes J Schaffner-Parenell: Yes Ryan Smith: Yes Samarpana Tamm: Yes John Thompson: No Robert Tuthill: – Donald Vitti: Yes Lucy von Brachel: Yes Bonnie Zeh: Yes
District 5
Jennifer Baird: Yes Joseph Benoit: No Edward Broadhurst: Yes Nancy Cooper: No Stephen Dolan: No Alison Icy Frantz: No Lucy Krasnor: Yes Hale McSharry: Yes Paul Olmsted: No Danyal Ozizmir: No Christopher Parker: No Bruce Pflug: No Patty Roberts: No Allison Rogers: No Ashley Smith: No Joan Thakor: Yes Peter Van Duyne: No Catherine Whitaker: No
District 6
Thomas Byrne – Marilyn Cahn: Yes Robert Cenci: Yes Carol Ducret: No Candace Garthwaite: Yes Coline Jenkins: Yes Gunnar Klintberg: Yes Leander Krueger: Yes Arline Lomazzo: Yes Brian Maher – Janet McGuigan: Yes Stephen Meskers: Yes JoAnn O’Hara – Barbara O’Neill: Yes Monica Prihoda: Yes Victoria Quake: Yes Gary Segal: Yes David Snyder: Yes Alexis Voulgaris – Victoria Martin Young: Yes
District 7
Debbie Appelbaum: Yes Kimberly Blank: Yes Ellen Brennan-Galvin: Yes Mary Burrows: No Thomas Cahill: Yes James Cecil: No Jill Cobbs: No Alice Duff: No Kimberly Fiorello: No Elizabeth Betsy Galindo: No William Galvin: Yes Hilary Gunn: No Lucia Jansen: No Scott Kalb: Yes Elizabeth “Wynn” McDaniel: No Henry Orphys: No Doreen Pearson: No Elizabeth Perry: Yes Luke Szymczak: No Mike Warner: Yes
District 8
Hector Arzeno: Yes Lisa Becker Edmundson: Yes Peter Berg: Yes Kip Burgweger: Yes Jill Capalbo: No Randy Caravella: No Adele Caroll: No Neil Caton: Yes Irene Dietrich: No Philip Dodson: No John Eddy: No Christine Edwards: Yes Jennifer Freitag: Yes Dana Gordon: Yes Carlton Carl Higbie: No Laura Kostin: Yes Richard Margenot — Janet McMahon: Yes Linda Moshier: No Cheryl Moss: Yes Robert Moss: Yes Andrew Oliver: No Jonathan Perloe: Yes Caryn Rosenbaum: Yes Molly Saleeby: Yes Alison Soler: Yes
District 9
Phylis Alexander: Yes Seth Bacon: Yes Michael Brescia: No Claudia Carthaus – Barbara Darula – Patti DeFelice: No Melissa Evans: Yes Betsy Frumin: No Donna Gaudioso-Zeale: Yes Anne Jones: Yes Deborah Krautheim: Yes Abbe Large: No Brian Malin: No Lauren O’Keefe – Brian Raney: No Ferdinando Schiro: Yes Jonathan Shankman: Yes Lilian “Sharon” Shisler – Joanne Steinhart: Yes Jane Weisbecker: No Carol Zarilli: No
District 10
Natalie Adee: No Gerald Anderson: Yes Granit Balidemaj: No Jude Collins: No Allyson Cowinn: No Mareta Hamre: Yes W Brooks Harris: No Katherine Hynes: No Sara Kessler: Yes Rachel Khanna: Yes Lawrence Malkin: Yes Nancy Marshall: Yes John Mastracchio – Diana Singer: Yes Sheryl Sorbaro: No Jane Sprung: No Louisa Stone: Yes Joanna Swomley: Yes Sophie Veronis: Yes Svetlona Wasserman: Yes
District 11
Victoria Bostock: Yes Adam Brodsky: Yes Thomas Devaney: Yes Susan Fahey: Yes Tracy Freedman: Yes Karen Giannuzzi: Yes Margaret Heppelmann — Susan Khanna: Yes Adam Leader: Yes Dana Neuman: No Richard Neuman: No David Oliver: No Gregg Pauletti: Yes Ralph Penny: Yes Brad Radulovacki: No Stuart Reider – Kimberly Salib: No Michael Spilo: No Cathryn Fineman Steel: Yes Ronald Strackbein: No Elisabeth “Lisa” Stuart: Yes Thomas West: No Gregory Zorthian: Yes
District 12
Hajime Agresta: Yes Thomas Agresta – Francia Alvarez: Yes Craig Amundson: Yes Glen Canner: Yes Jeffrey Crumbine: Yes David DeMilhau – Ryan Fazio: No Mary Flynn: Yes Barbara Hindman: Yes Mary Keller: Yes Paula Legere Mickley: Yes Aaron Leonard: Yes Frederick Lorthioir: No Robert May: No Miriam Mennin – Ellen Murdock: Yes Jocelyn Riddle: Yes Joseph Smith: Yes Jane Sulich: No Donald Whyko: Yes Andrew Winston: Yes
(A dash after their name means the person did not cast a vote on that item.)
Neither Tom Byrne nor Alexis Voulgaris voted as they were moderating the meeting.
Avid cyclist Bob DeAngelo who rode his bike across the country 10 years ago to raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, said he had passed through numerous bicycle friendly towns and hopes to see more of a bicycle friendly culture in Greenwich.
