WPCA EXPOSÉ

Friends of Brookfield

WPCA EXPOSÉ

Disaster #1

An excerpt from the May 27th minutes of the Water Pollution Control Authority, chaired by Republican Town Committee Chairman Marty Flynn said:

"Clean Water Funds Update – Atty. Sienkiewicz contacted Laurie Hall, Town Bond Council, who stated she has not received anything as requested from Mr. Belden. After Mr. Belden's resignation and before his re-hire, Atty. Sienkiewicz contacted Ms. Hall and asked her to send him the correspondence she had sent to Mr. Belden, which was actually correspondence that was sent to the previous Controller, Theresa Mitchell. Atty. Sienkiewicz reviewed the paperwork, and asked K. McPadden to gather items that could be complied from the WPCA office files. In the meantime, Atty. Sienkiewicz spoke with Stacey Pappano, Engineer with the State DEP. She indicated that we are included in the new Priority List, but we will not get the full amount of money. She stated that the Clean Water Funds require that the engineering services contract be approved in advance and she claims that Birdsall has been paid on a per diem basis. The force account work/inspections require that accreditations be provided; Roger stated that he is meeting with Ms. Pappano next week to discuss this. Atty. Sienkiewicz stated that the Clean Water Funding is supposed to be a Reimbursement program, but the Town went out and bought bond anticipation notes, so we're not getting reimbursed. Atty. Sienkiewicz will send the documentation regarding the land acquisitions to Ms. Hall. "

Now reading through that the first bit of news is that "... Laurie Hall, Town Bond Council, who stated she has not received anything as requested from Mr. Belden." One would have thought that the town controller, having already gone through the probationary resignation - reinstatement debacle would have been more responsive to the Town's Bond Council, right? She said, according to the minutes of the meeting, that she "...has not received anything as requested from Mr. Belden." . Mr. Sienkiewicz who represent the state agency WPCA and NOT the Town of Brookfield as the Town's Bond Council does and took the matter to the WPCA employee and out of the control of the Town Controller. A little unusual? A lot unusual!

Worse, he spoke to the State DEP on behalf of the town, not as the town's Bond Council, and received word that Brookfield was in a NEW priority list but we would not be getting the full amount of money!!! Could Brookfield be short the entire amount of the Clean Water funds (upwards of HALF the remaining fund balance of the town)? If so when will Brookfield know? Isn't that the Controller's job to find out? Isn't that what Ray Bolek and Theresa Mitchell did before?

To make this a TOTAL unmitigated disaster, and waste hours upon hours of people's time, WHO authorized town to go out and buy BOND ANTICIPATION NOTES? That's what the TOWN TREASURER, DAVID SCRIBNER does beside the PENSION PLAN, right? Because he did that, we are we now NOT GOING TO BE REIMBURSED???!!! Does the right hand know what the left hand is doing?

Disaster #2

An excerpt from the May 27th minutes of the Water Pollution Control Authority, chaired by Republican Town Committee Chairman Marty Flynn said:

"1087 Federal Rd. Unit 8, FroFro Realty, LLC – Atty. Sienkiewicz discussed the draft settlement proposal letter which will be sent to Mr. Froehlich. The amount due as of 12/1/08 totals $13,371.64, with an immediate requested payment of $6,190.87; thereby leaving a principal balance of $7,180.77 to be billed on December 1, 2009."

Is that the Republican Town Committee Treasurer, Craig Froehlich's business? 1087 Federal Road? How many years behind on payments was he? Why did they waive penalties and interest for HIM? What about all the other people in town that got penalties and interest over the years and HAD TO PAY THEM? Is this fair? Is this treating all the town's citizens equally? How do they propose fixing all of them? Should disputed items be paid FIRST and then disputed in order to avoid penalties and interest? Isn't that what the IRS does? The State Department of Revenue? The Brookfield Town Tax Collector? What special privileges are being extended here and why isn't EVERYONE in town being given them equally? After all, according the minutes of the same meeting:

"Delinquent Reports – M. Rajcula-Ongaro distributed and reviewed the top ten delinquent customer report. Atty. Sienkiewicz suggested levy and sale proceedings on the top 3 delinquent customers. The Commission gave Atty. Sienkiewicz their approval to initiate levy & sale proceedings for the Ferreira, Hick's Realty and Gabisch properties. M. Rajcula-Ongaro will send Atty. Sienkiewicz copies of the bills and liens as he requested."

Why didn't they levy and sell the Craig Froehlich's property at 1087 Federal Road? You see people being treated differently here?

Disaster #3

An excerpt from the May 27th minutes of the Water Pollution Control Authority, chaired by Republican Town Committee Chairman Marty Flynn said:

"Engineers Comments – Cliff Gold, previous engineer for the WPCA, reminded the Authority that the town needs to seek additional capacity from the City of Danbury. Chairman Flynn reminded the Authority that when the WPCA took on the 3-condo sewer project, the town was under obligation to enter into an intermunicipal agreement for additional outlet capacity, but just prior to finalizing it, everything stopped. Atty. Sienkiewicz stated that in the original study, the plan was to buy 50,000 gallons for the 3-condo project and the High School at $6.00 per gallon. It will now be an additional cost because the town never bought the additional capacity, nor will it be funded by the Clean Water Fund; therefore, it will no longer be $6.00 per gallon, which is what C. Gold built into the project cost."

So....the town (WPCA) failed to buy the additional capacity necessary. Just plain forgot? How does something like this happen at a state agency like the Water Pollution Control Authority? Does the state attorney general's office know of this? The state auditors? Worse..."nor will it be funded by the Clean Water Fund"!!! So what does that mean? Do all the sewer users under this INCLUDING THE BROOKFIELD HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATION PROJECT (BROOKFIELD TAXPAYERS IN THE GENERAL BUDGET) have to pay huge increases for the SAME SERVICE?

Disaster #4

An excerpt from the May 27th minutes of the Water Pollution Control Authority, chaired by Republican Town Committee Chairman Marty Flynn said:

"Chairman Flynn discussed that at a future meeting, the Authority will need to untable the High School Public Hearing in order to levy a Benefit Assessment & Connection Charge. At that time, an Assessment bill will then be sent to the High School."

OK folks....remember the $600,000? Could the WPCA be short so much money from the Clean Water Act debacle that they are about to drop the hammer on the town of Brookfield for collections, specifically the Board of Education, and ask for their money back? Remember that money. We've been talking about it for over two years while it sat tabled waiting for the High School Public Hearing. Bring your checkbooks folks, it appears that the WPCA is running out of money and making deals everywhere to up the cash balances, right?

Disaster #5

An excerpt from the May 27th minutes of the Water Pollution Control Authority, chaired by Republican Town Committee Chairman Marty Flynn said:

"J. Pisco stated that the survey data that was given to Birdsall for design on Grays Bridge Rd. was incorrect, so the pipe had to be lowered to maintain clearance. Because of this, they could not connect to the original manhole, but to a manhole further away at a lower elevation. This change will result in a change order of approximately $16,000. R. Prinz questioned who would pay for this error. J. Pisco was unsure of the answer, but he will look into it."

What if you built a railroad starting from either coast...and instead of meeting in Kansas City, one ended in Chicago and the other in Dallas? In any event, they just blew $16,000! Who IS going to pay for it? You? Who do you think?!

You can't make this stuff up. Read the minutes yourself. Is this your idea of competence? You decide.

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