The army definition of "openness"

Several dozen of my neighbors and fellow residents and I, spent another few hours with the Army Corps of Engineers last night as the debate over an Army Reserve Training Center sputtered onward.

David Dale, deputy district engineer of the Louisville District of the Army Corps of Engineers, was assigned the duty of explaining the newest approach, and to take the heat from the crowd of opponents, who, overall, were polite, but earnest. Dale, joked at the beginning, that he was happy to be in New England, instead of in hot and humid Kentucky digging holes for his wife's landscaping projects. At the end of the meeting I asked him if, in the middle of the public comments, he might reconsider, and rather have been digging holes in Kentucky.

The Army presented search plans for a smaller site (25 acres), and declared an intent to keep the process "open" and to allow residents to be involved.

Unfortunately, at the first instance, Dale was forced to admit that the Army's idea of "open" was different than the public's view of that word. When asked if the Army would share its legal opinion about why the Training Center had to be built in Middletown, he answered, "no." Shortly thereafter, he was asked if the Army would abide by the decisions of Middletown's Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, he answered "no" again. So much for openness.

Some of my impressions from the meeting:

- Many residents have come around to the idea that no location in Middletown is suitable for the site.
- It's becoming clear that the public has a better grasp on the facts of the case than does the Corps, or City representatives
- The absence of a representative from Governor Rell's office was obvious, conspicuous and embarrassing, considering there were reps from the offices of Rosa Delauro, Chris Dodd and (CJ™) Lieberman, and state reps including Paul Doyle, Gail Hamm, Joe Serra, and Ray Kalinowski.
- The Middletown committee or seven, appointed by the mayor Sebastian Giuliano, includes representatives from Westfield (Stephen Devoto, Arline Rich), Common Council members Phil Pessina and Ron Klattenberg, city conservation commissioner Nancy Kiniry and South Farms residents Ralph Wilson and Phil Cox. Some of these people have been vocal at the meetings on the topic (Devoto, Rich, Pessina, Klattenberg), the others have been less conspicuous, and a few may not have attended any of the meetings. Will hours have to be spent getting these committee members up to speed?
- Where was the Hartford Courant? After several recent excellent articles by Jodie Modzder leading up to the meeting, the meeting itself was not covered.
- While the TV news coverage is appreciated, their methods are ridiculous. They show up, stay for 35 minutes of a two hour plus meeting, and then file a report based on partial knowledge. Since you asked, this is exactly what's wrong with TV news coverage - shallow, incomplete and inevitably misleading.
- And finally, Mile Lane. Last night it emerged, for me, as the most logical place for the Training Center to be build in Middletown, if it must be built in Middletown. It's currently owned by the Federal government. It's currently off the tax rolls. The Feds plan to remediate the site. The downside is that Middletown stands to be granted the site, for free from the Feds, and has $9 million committed from the state to build a fire station and training center on the site. To choose another location for the fire station would mean the purchase of land, and perhaps, putting the $9 million in jeopardy. The question must be asked: if the site is perfect for the Army Reserve Training Center, would the state be willing to help fund a new site for the much-needed fire station?

An infinite regress

I regret not being able to attend the meeting with Colonel Keith Landry and the Army Corps of Engineers held Tuesday night, but from reading news accounts here, and here, and on this site, it seems like more of the same to me.

To begin with, the public was not allowed to speak. Most of us don't need to be reminded that it was the PUBLIC, and not any of the elected officials who were allowed to speak at the meeting, who first sounded the alarm about the Army's plans in Maromas. A plan that elected and business leaders endorsed. These leaders also initially supported the site on Boardman Lane, until the PUBLIC opposed both sites. And yet, the PUBLIC was not allowed to speak. Although the PUBLIC has the right to speak at any meeting of the Common Council (which, with quorum present, this officially was), according to the city charter. Someone should have asked Attorney General Dick Blumenthal for an opinion, although he jumped the line to speak during the PUBLIC's last opportunity for public comment. In the end the public needs the support of elected the Army plans.

Then the Army marches into town with a decorated colonel who declares that he wears the uniform "for the nation," and who, dressed strategically in combat fatigues, apologizes for Army closed press conference debacle. While the appearance of a decorated colonel indicates that the Army realizes how important the site selection is, it was yet another public relations event, long on promises, and short on detailed answers. How could the public doubt the word of a senior, bemedaled, war veteran. In the end, the Army made more promises about keeping residents informed and involved. Trust us, they assured the public, and the gathered elected officials. Unfortunately, trust must be earned, and so far, the Army has done little to earn it.

You'll notice that Col. Landry's consistent response was that the process would be open to residents, and yet when questioned his reply was as consistent - that he is following orders, and he would do what he was ordered to do, no matter what the residents, or elected officials decide.

To understand my own cynicism, you must know that my own trust of government and the Pentagon ended sometime around the secret invasion of Cambodia. And, for me, nothing in recent history improves that trust. No doubt, the men and women who serve in our National Guard and Army Reserve deserve our gratitude and support. Unfortunately the government and the Pentagon themselves, have been egregiously negligent in that support during the disastrous war in Iraq (lack of equipment, extended deployments, lack of medical, financial and psychological support, stop-loss orders). And now they have the nerve to turn to us and invoke the needs of the "citizen soldier" when they want us to build a training center on an site which is wrong for our city.

However, our own Middletown elected officials continue to baffle. After the Freeman Road controversy they passed an non-binding resolution with a list of alternative sites. (According to Councilman Daley this list reflects the preferences of the city - though the list was created by town hall staff after no public hearing or consultation with city residents). This resolution was passed at a public meeting (I was there) crammed with Freeman Road neighbors who were happy to hear about other sites. This resolution was not re-framed after the Boardman Lane discussions. And despite the pleas of our mayor and council members, they themselves did not seek public input when creating the list that is included in their hastily-passed resolution. It's time for them to reconsider that resolution, after consultation with residents from throughout the city.

And finally, Governor Rell, where are you? You change the marching orders without ever having a representative at any of the essential meetings. Your obvious lack of concern is bound to chip away at some of your teflon coating in this community.

Happily, Congresswoman Rosa Delauro, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal are not so easily placated by the Army's answers.

One final question. At next week's public meeting, will the Army send a senior officer to take the heat and provide answers?

Trying to outflank city hall

When the Army comes back to Middletown on Tuesday, it will be with a show of scrambled eggs and epaulets of some of the Army's top brass. Bringing a war hero to town to plea the pathetic case the Army has made so far is a typical Pentagon public relations move.

I've heard unconfirmed reports, which I tried to confirm with Congresswoman Rosa Delauro's office yesterday (my call was not returned), that Army Secretary Pete Geren has written a long letter to Rosa Delauro saying that the Army will reinitiate a site search in Middletown based on the Governor's realignment of the base realignment. Rell, as commander-in-chief, has asked the Army to remove the New London guard base from the consolidation, creating a smaller base footprint. Hence, the Army Reserve Training Center needs less acreage, and perhaps a smaller site can be found.

If the Army refuses to build on a brownfield, I think Middletown should ask the Army to look elsewhere.

The meeting is Tuesday, August 19, 6:30 pm in Council Chambers. Apparently in another attempt to keep information from the public, it is for invited guests only. Westfield residents have been invited, but not other concerned residents.

The Army fails public relations 101

If the Army wanted to demonstrate their incompetence in handling public relations and communications, they couldn't have done better than their performance Thursday at a closed-door press conference at the Inn at Middletown.

To begin with, they excluded three important town representatives from the meeting. Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, State Senator Paul Doyle and State Representative Joe Serra were all prevented from entering the meeting to observe, leaving them stewing in the hallway. Attorney General Dick Blumenthal was allowed in, apparently because he called ahead and asked permission. So before the press conference had even begun, the Army further alienated town and state officials whom they need on their side.

Then the Army Corps of Engineers and the Army Reserve went about the task of clarifying the facts. They claimed that there was a lot of false information being bandied about. Unfortunately for the Army, they don't have a stellar reputation for being straightforward. These past seven years have shown a disgraceful disregard for the truth as the Pentagon attempted to assist the President in spinning their misguided misadventures in Iraq. And now the Army is going to set the record straight?

Here's how they did it.

In every meeting up until this one the Army claimed the base would support 800 reservists visiting the site on weekends each month, and that the base would have 150 full-time employees. Those claims were made to support the argument that the Training Center would have a positive economic impact on the city. Now that the Army is addressing charges that the base would put an undue traffic burden on country roads, they've decided that there will only be 70 full-time employees and 400 reservists and guardsmen for monthly visits. So, the original inaccuracies were disseminated not by passionate opponents to the site, but by the Army itself.

In their prepared statement to the press at the meeting, the Army declared that they would be good neighbors, and would work with the city because they were bound to "go above and beyond" do the right thing. But when questioned by a correspondent from the Middletown Eye about exactly how many homes adjoined the site, no one in the room - not one representative of the group who were claiming to be good neighbors, and who declared they were doing a thorough job - no one knew the answer. In fact, all of the homes on Atkins, Old Farms East and Timber Ridge will be affected either directly, or indirectly by the construction of the facility.

The Army Corps of Engineers also declared that, as opposed to public impression, there would be no live ammunition, and no outside military exercises conducted on the site. That would go under the heading of "correcting a misinterpretation which didn't exist." I've been to most of the meetings with the Corps, and know that the question has consistently been asked - "What will the Army be doing on the site?" The answer has always been, "Classroom training, and training on vehicle maintenance." No where - in the press, on blogs, in public meetings - has anyone protested because the army would be using live ammunition, or conducting outdoor military exercises.

The Corps also described the facility as something like "Wesleyan University." Well, unless they intend to immediately disregard their "don't ask, don't tell" policy, I can guarantee it won't be anything like Wesleyan University (though probably unbeknownst to the Army Reserve, the original buildings at Wesleyan University began as a military school!). The building will be more like a WalMart with a huge parking lot then it will ever be like Wesleyan University.

The Army also allowed a representative of the current owners of the property to speak. Pedro Wasmer, of Fairfield, represents a group of real estate investors which includes, by his own account, pharmacists, doctors, and people like that, who are, in fact, Middletown taxpayers, but who don't live in town. The group has not been able to lure any other development to the hard-to-develop site, so they support the Army's plan. Wasmer conjured up the "grand military history" of the state of Connecticut to lend support to the plans. Of course, his real interest in the Army's plans is not the "grand military history" but the benefit to his own group of investors.

So at the end of the day, the Army, which hoped to use the press conference to bolster support, ended up angering state and local officials, engaging a formidable new opponent in the person of Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, getting their lock-out of local officials as lead-stories on local newscasts and in local papers, further generating local public opposition and altering their presentation with a new set of facts to align with their current strategy.

Oops, doesn't seem like a good communications day to me.

UPDATE: BTW, I love the way the Army is helping the poor farm animals. The Army realizes that the fate of furry creatures is often more important to readers and viewers, then the fate of human beings. So, they're going to make an effort to help pay for the transfer of the animals to a nice new farm - where they'll be happy and free!!! And no puppies will be killed in the construction of the new facility.

Also, at one point, one of the Army reps said that residents of the state should be thankful that federal dollars and not state dollars will be used to build the facility. That's a relief, because I pay state taxes, and the federal money comes from....hey, wait a minute!

More detailed and complex reporting on the meeting, including environmental impact and other issues will be discussed in a following post.

The titanic battle of press conferences

Stephen Devoto describes the dueling press conferences this week in Middletown as "weird bookends."

On Monday, Congresswoman Rosa Delauro held a private meeting with concerned citizens and local government officials to address the issues surrounding the proposed Army Reserve Training Center in Middletown. The press was locked out of the meeting, and in the case of Middletown Press reporter Sloan Brewster, asked to leave when she had the audacity to enter the room during citizen testimony. A press conference was held after the meeting complete with a podium that held the official seal of the US Congress.

Today, the Army Corps of Engineers will return a volley with press conference of their own, which is "press only" and not open to the public, or to public officials. In fact, when questioned, the Army representative indicated that members of the press will be asked to show credentials - something which rarely happens outside of top-security visits from high heads of state.

According to an article in yesterday's Middletown Press by Brewster, the Army seems a bit confused as to the resistance they are encountering. Still, they seem adamant that the Boardman Lane site is perfect for their needs. A large contingent of townspeople, and elected officials happen to disagree.

In town, there's an official position that the Army is welcome, if they will consider building on two recommended sites (one on River Rd, and one on Saybrook Rd - both technically in Maromas), or on another site, owned by Pratt and Whitney, on River Road.

Still, there are many in town opposed to the construction of the training center in Middletown, anywhere, because it is one more large parcel off the grand list, and a parcel which will then be outside of local regulation. I'm one of those who think the Army should look elsewhere.

As for how this will all be settled? It appears that at least part of it will be argued in the press.

Rosa Delauro challenges the Army Corps of Engineers

Representative Rosa Delauro invited Westfield residents, city councilors, and the owners of the property coveted by the Army, to talk about the proposal to build an Army Reserve Training Center on Boardman Lane in the Westfield section of Middletown.

Because it was a private meeting, I agreed not to report on the meeting itself, but only on the press presentation which followed.

Delauro reported that at the meeting Westfield residents, and others from Middletown, council members, the mayor, Sebastian Giuliano and Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, discussed and debated the proposed Army Base. Westfield residents oppose the siting of the training center in Westfield for a number of reasons, from environmental and traffic concerns, to questions about the economic impact of the base. New concerns about water, sewer and flood issues surfaced.

At this point Delauro, Giuliano and Bysiewicz are all opposed to building the training center on the site in Westfield. All cited the intractability of the Army, and their lack of communication on the topic, as problems in solving the siting issue. Delauro and Bysiewicz are also amenable to having the training site built outside of Middletown, while Giuliano stills supports building the training center on one of three city-recommended sites, a site adjacent to the Pratt and Whitney plant on Aircraft Road, a site next to the Kleen Energy plant on River Road, and a site behind an auto junkyard on Saybrook Road. All three sites are technically in Maromas.

Delauro has promised to lobby Secretary of the Army Geren, and along with Bysiewicz has authored a letter to Governor Jodi Rell, who is commander-in-chief of the Connecticut National Guard, and may have some influence in determining where the training center is built.

The press conference drew all four local TV stations, two newspapers, the state TV station CTN, and at least three radio reporters. Delauro, Bysiewicz, Giuliano (the three political leaders who are most deeply involved in the issue) and Jennifer Mahr, a representative of the Westfield Residents Association addressed the gathered reporters. Then a parade of less-directly-involved, though concerned, politicians including state representatives Ray Kalinowski, state senator Paul Doyle and state representative Joe Serra (who was not at the meeting with residents because of a dental appointment), took the opportunity for a little political grandstanding before the gathered cameras. Also in attendance was state representative Brendan Sharkey who represents governor Jodi Rell's push for smart growth.

It's become clear that the Army will have a fight on its hands if it insists on the Boardman Lane site, but it's not clear whether they will abandon Middletown, or reconsider building on brownfield sites.

The Middletown Common Council meets on August 4th to consider a resolution which will oppose the Army Corps of Engineer's choice of the Westfield site.

As Mayor Giuliano indicated, that to make the site buildable, "thousands of tons of trap rock will be shifted into wetlands. If the city had asked the Corps of Engineers to approve the site for the building of the new high school, they would have stopped us."

The right way, the wrong way, the army way

(The Army's Diane McCartin- Pearce Pinch, file photo)

And so it begins.

Residents of Westfield have voiced their opposition to siting an Army Reserve Training Center in Westfield on Boardman Lane.

According to a report in the Middletown Press today, the Army Corps of Engineers is "adamant" about building the center in the Westfield section, despite a letter from Representative Rosa DeLauro which cites several reasons why the location is undesirable.

The Corp's Diane McCartin addressed the objections, but her responses, as reported by the Press are less than convincing. The Army "promises" traffic studies (and we are to believe the results of a traffic study conducted by the army?). The Army is convinced the center will be an economic boon to Middletown (though it will take the property off the tax base, be located closer to commercial districts in Cromwell and Meriden, and only concedes that local businesses will be "allowed to bid" on services needed at the Center).

McCartin also insists that the law requires the center to be built in Middletown, though as several knowledgeable people have pointed out, that's true only if a "suitable site" is found. When a townspeople agrees that the chosen site is not suitable, I would think it's not suitable.

DeLauro is upset at the inflexibility of the Army. If you think the Army is inflexible now, consider what will happen once they acquire a site.

The big asses, the little asses and the party of the ass

I was happy to see the media pay some attention to the siting plans of the Army Corps of Engineers for an Army Reserve Training Center on Boardman Lane in Westfield. Happier still to see that the Middletown Eye, had a more complete accounting (Eye reporters tend to stay until the end of important meetings and events, and as residents, observe with a different concern than most reporters).

Undoubtedly, Common Council member understand how important it is to keep the residents of Westfield happy. They are a large, cohesive, vocal, voting block. And right now, they are pissed. Democratic council members seem clear about how important it is to keep the WRA on their side. Not so sure about the Republican members.

It's also becoming clear that despite the many professions of patriotism and cooperation, there aren't many neighborhoods in town which want to host a gargantuan military training base which, in the end, will have a negative economic impact on town.

And now, the Army needs to get the message loud and clear - look elsewhere.

What struck me simultaneously as hilarious and tragic, is the angle taken by the Middletown Press, and by Channel 3. With all the negative impact that this army base might have, both of these news organizations focused on the poor farm animals that will be displaced. Typically Americans seem more apt to react strongly to some distress experienced by a cat, dog, dolphin, bear or donkey, then they will to a starving family in Darfur. And the members of the media understand this. So we get front page photos of the poor miniature donkeys who will be sent far from their homes and lead stories on the 11 0'clock news covering the same thing.

But if these asses can prevent other asses from building an Army Reserve Training Center that townspeople don't want, then I'll be the first to kiss those asses.

Of note Middletown, they're not good neighbors

Umm, mayor, councilors, patriots of all stripes. Those "nice" folks from the Army who want to build an Army Reserve Training Center in Middletown? Better check their environmental record, and their willingness to do what's right. Did you know that the Defense Department is the nation's biggest polluter. I didn't see that in their PowerPoint presentation.

What's the Army afraid of?

If you want a good example of how the Army will treat the concerns of Middletown during the contruction of the proposed Army Reserve Training Center, and for the fifty years it will occupy the site (after which they will abandon it as a brown site, unsuitable for building up to Army standards) read the blog by Fishmuscle over at the Middletown Eye.

At an "explicitly private" meeting with the Westfield Residents Association executive board, the Army continued it's practice of pretending to listen, nodding with affected concern, and refusing to consider any alternative to their plan. The Army Corps' Diane McCartin, who at the last public meeting stated that she would not have any more public meetings on the topic, apparently relented and, in a bow toward friendly neighborhood relations, and some pushing from town officials, no doubt, decided to hold this "secret" informational meeting. McCartin was obviously promoted to her postion because she is smart, and able to project a friendly warmth, while maintaining a steely refusal to alter marching orders.

The vaunted Army Corps of Engineers (infamous these days for their levee-building skills), detailed their plans for residents, with their heels firmly planted.

So what conclusions can we draw from the meeting? The Army will only interact with the general public when it is part of their standard operating procedures and required by their regulations. They will not alter their plans for the concerns of residents or city and state officials. Nothing will be done in the way of public good, in the way of environmental or economic concern or in the way of good development. It will be done the army way, sir.

As for the private meeting, little did the Army know they had a blogger in their midst.

Wake up Westfield, the Army's coming

(Pearse Pinch photo)

The Army Corp of Engineers met with the public at Middletown City Hall tonight to announce that they have chosen a site in Westfield for their Army Reserve Training Center. The 185,000 sq. ft. building, and the 45,000 sq. yds. of parking, will be located on Boardman Lane, West of Middle St.

The site is zoned industrial, and passes most of the criteria for the Army's selection of it as a buildable parcel. The Army rejected sites at Saybrook Road, River Road, Tollgate Road, Aircraft Road, Freeman Road, Middle and Bell Streets, and the Pratt and Whitney property.

The decision by the Army spares Maromas, despite preliminary reports to the opposite, and most in the crowd were happy to hear that a site completely across town was chosen. In fact, several in the room thanked the Army for changing sites.

However, the Army representatives, led by the affable Diane McCartin, refused to consider yet another public meeting to address concerns of the residents of Westfield. This, despite the fact that the Army could have publicized their site selection, and the meeting itself, to those residents who would be affected, and didn't.

The site is probably the best Middletown could hope for, if, in fact, the Center must be built in Middletown. Still, the land, owned by a holding company called Middle Boardman Associates, is 125,ooo square feet of commercial land which will be taken off the market by an arm of the federal government which will not ever pay a cent of taxes to the city.

In fact, while the Army Corps, boast of economic benefits to Middletown, as I said at the meeting, the Center will likely bring negligible monetary benefits to town. Several dozen jobs may be created, but the Center, which will sit on land bordering Meriden and Cromwell, will likely benefit those towns as much as Middletown, and they will not bear the infrastructure costs.

I was a pariah at the meeting for suggesting that the Training Center will be a burden to Middletown, but I think there's plenty of evidence to suggest it will. Non-taxable land in the hands of the military, which means that Middletown will have absolutely no regulatory control of the site once it is transferred to Army hands.

It's not unpatriotic to suggest that a federal facility can be a burden. It's not unrealistic to suggest that yet another piece of unproductive property on city rolls is a liability. It's not ungrateful to suggest that the Army is vague in producing details of its plan, and that, in the end, neither the Army, nor the Federal government have been champions of candor and the truth.

The Army in town?

According to reports published a month ago, the Army Corps of Engineers is supposed to be making a presentation this evening on its plans to build an Army Reserve Training Center in town.

As important a meeting as it is, I can find no listing of it on the town website or in local newspapers. I'll be away from my desk all day today, so I suggest a call to city hall to find out where and when the meeting will be held.

If the meeting is today, the lack of easy notification is a shameful reminder how poor a job the city of Middletown does in informing citizens of such meetings.

Fucking up the river

The following came in as an anonymous comment to my blog about the Army Corps of Engineer's projected plans to build a training center on River Road - a site suggested by the city.

It's so well written, and well thought-out that I wanted to elevate it to a full-fledged blog post:

The vertiginous terrain has caused severe problems at the nearby Kleen Energy construction site, with erosion visibly pouring into the Connecticut River. These problems would be increased with the addition of an Army base which will require parking for 1,000 cars on a busy weekend. The Army deserves a good site for the new facility. A site perched high above the Connecticut River adjacent to a unique, vast, undeveloped forestland offering priceless panoramic views is not a good choice for an Army base. Not only is it a logically bad choice on account of two messes being worse than one mess, but these two messes would be sure to multiply exponentially if the City continues to pursue its stated course of self-destructive planning. First the City seriously injured itself by approving Kleen Energy, now it appears eager to inflict a mortal wound by encouraging "light" industry along its undeveloped Connecticut River water frontage. What would constitute "heavy" industry , parking lots the size of the Mojave Desert? Hello? Would "sensitive" development be right for the steep slopes of the Grand Canyon? I don't think so. Wake up Middletown! Treasure this beautiful part of the City and work to preserve and protect it for generations to come.

The army prepares to invade Maromas again

The Hartford Courant reports this morning that the Army Corps of Engineers appears to be looking at another site in Maromas to build its Army Reserve Training Center. This site is one that was recommended by the city, on property currently owned by CL&P, and on or adjacent to a former feldspar mine.

Come on. Residents showed up in force to protest the last proposal to build a massive site in Maromas, which will include pouring acres of blacktop. What's with the city, and the Army?

I understand that the city sees these parcels as fair industrial development plots. Call me crazy but why are city fathers so eager to have additional industrial development poured on what they admit is a unique slice of wilderness in Central Connecticut. To give them some credit, city planners are working to reserving a vast corridor of Maromas as "open space." However, those same planners seem reluctant to pursue open space acreage along the riverfront (which, duh, is prime, open space, recreational land).

Forgive me if I sound like I trust neither city planners nor the Army, because I don't. In the end, the city gets nothing for this development. No taxes. No addition to the grand list. More traffic on a sensitive roadway. How does the city see this fitting in to the plan of development currently being revised? Does it help the problems of crime and poverty downtown? Does it create incentives for retail development downtown, or in specified areas? Does it attract the kind of industry which will help Middletown? Does it make the schools better? I don't think there's a "yes" answer among those questions.

We need to suggest the Army build on a brownfield, or send them packing. This is an unwanted and unnecessary development, and I can only hope that our citizens will be out in legion at the June 10 meeting when the Army unveils its plans again.

Army reverses on Freeman Road

The Middletown Press reports today that the Army Corps of Engineeers has de-prioritized the Freeman Road site for their Army Reserve Training Center.

The Press headline indicates: Maromas no longer "priority site" for military.

However, in the body of the story they indicate that a site on River Road, presented by town planner Bill Warner, which is likely a preferred site, is actually in Maromas. At the bottom of the story, Freeman Road residents point out that fact, having submitted several suggested sites of their own.

Maromas still threatened by Army Base

Leave it to our town planner and town fathers to come up with a solution to a problem which still invites the Army Corps of Engineers to pour acres of blacktop over undeveloped real estate (this was reported in the 2/22 Hartford Courant, but does not appear on their website right now - though the Lieberman visit to Middletown story is listed four times)

Let me begin by listing my prejudices. As far as I'm concerned, the Army can go to some other town to build their facility. I consider myself a patriot, and a realist, but I mistrust nearly every concept devised by the Pentagon at any level. Also, this Army Reserve Training Center offers not a single advantage to Middletown. The monetary gains are questionable when measured against the costs we will face over the years. And, once the Army is in place we as a town have absolutely no authority to tell them what to do there. So if they decided (and I'm not suggesting they are) to open an extreme interrogation training center, we could do nothing to prevent it.

So, everyone agrees that the facility shouldn't be on Freeman Road. But if we replace the auto graveyard (in Maromas), or put it next to the planned power plant on River Road (next to the river and in Maromas), we are somehow doing something more preferable? I, for one, don't think so.

There is no inspiration in the town planner's suggestions. Why not build on the old Nike site, or on some other brownfield far from the Connecticut River. Why not suggest that the Army find another town, considering the burdens we face from our mental health and prison facilities?

Are town councilors, and the mayor afraid to appear inhospitable to the military? Afraid of being called unpatriotic, or soft on terrorism?

What are the real motives? The site on Saybrook Road will allow the feds to put sewer and water lines down Saybrook Road and further open that thoroughfare to development (likely a welcome thought to the Chamber of Commerce). On the other site, we'll have yet another quasi-industrial parcel directly on the river, a 19th century concept if ever there was one. But maybe we'll be able to sell the Army some aquifer water from the pump we're being granted by the power company who gets access to the aquifer in the deal.

It's great that townspeople, environmentalists, Freeman Road residents and open space advocates got together to get the Army to reconsider its siting plans. Let's hope the coalition sticks together to prevent some other equally ruinous placement for the training facility.

The Army's back for more, sir

Thursday, the Army will once again make an appearance at Middletown's City Hall to present, one would hope, alternative choices for the Army Reserve Training Center, most recently proposed for a site on Freeman Road. The dog and pony show begins at 7. A good turnout will keep the Army on its toes. No early indications about which site they've chosen, but a great letter from a Freeman Road resident appeared in Sunday's Middletown Press:

It seems that being a part of the federal bureaucracy means you never have to say you're sorry. Just about everybody in town agrees that the Department of the Army made a bad decision about planning a military facility for the Freeman Road meadow and woods. Instead of acknowledging that the decision was flawed both in its process and in its conclusion, the Army put on an arrogant performance two weeks ago at a public meeting here and stubbornly maintained that the Freeman Road plan was a good one.

Spending taxpayers' money to bring several persons involved in the planning to Middletown and flanking them with soldiers dressed in fatigues, the Army PR person, designated as a Project Manager, ignored logic and facts to insist that Freeman Road is a suitable site. As one member of the overflow audience commented, "Couldn't the Department of Defense have used the money (for the presentation) a lot better in Iraq?" And the Army still will only say that they will "consider other possibilities." They are planning to return to Middletown soon, possibly with a similar road show, to announce their current choice for a site. It may not be Freeman Road, but they may well covet another site in Maromas.

There still are some in town who don't understand that the objection to the Army's plan is not simply a matter of residents not wanting a big military base in their backyard. At the meeting, over 200 citizens from all parts of the city demonstrated their strenuous objection to the destruction of open space in any part of Maromas. It seems to me that the persons who prize commercial development above everything else are the ones pursuing selfish agendas. Those who would start the domino of commercializing Maromas are salivating over the presumed benefit of short-term jobs. But for Middletown to prosper in the long-term, it must remain an attractive place for people to live. Replacing open land in Maromas with sprawl is not the way to do this.

Paul Torop
Freeman Road

Common council votes to identify alternative sites for Army Base

Okay, so I decided to skip the Common Council meeting to attend yoga class. Considering the day I had, and the next few coming up, I felt the need to be as relaxed as possible.

So here I sit, watching the proceedings on television.

The Council just passed a resolution to meet in executive session to determine where else the Army might put there training center in Middletown.

Of course, the power to stop the Army siting on Ferry Street is out of the hands of the Common Council or any city agency. The mayor admitted as much when the project first came into the public view. And that, my friends, is the best reason to keep the base out of Middletown, because once it's here, wherever it is, we will have absolutely no control over any aspect of it.

The Freeman Road pile on

One political friend put it this way, "This is what happens when politicians smell a vote."

Tonight in Common Council chambers at Middletown City Hall, the Council will debate, and vote on a resolution condemning the Army Corps of Engineer's choice of Freeman Road as the site for their new Connecticut Training Center.

Initially we had the mayor, the town planner and the head of the Chamber of Commerce, not only endorsing the plan, but cheering it on. The mayor has changed his tune, thankfully. The town planner has offered alternative sites, thankfully. And the head of the Chamber of Commerce has become silent on the issue.

Now, when t seems all but certain that the Army will be forced to choose another site (and force it is - they strongly claimed that this was their preferred site), you are going to see a political pile on. Be prepared for speeches that go something like this: "We fully support the Army, and our troops. However, we feel it's unconscionable to use pristine land on which to build this Army base. The Army needs to consider a brownfield site." But the speeches will be much longer and more self-congratulatory.

Let's remember who originally opposed the siting: the residents of the Freeman Road area, open-space advocates, environmental advocates, concerned citizens, the Democratic town caucus (in a speech by Coucilor Ron Klattenberg). And let's not forget that it was a freshman councilor, Republican Phil Pessina, and a longtime Councilor, Republican Earle Roberts, who first insisted that the Army consider brownfields. In addition, our state Representative Gail Hamm made sure the Army knew that they would be opposed by many factions on the Freeman Road site.

So now we have the Secretary of State weighing in. Is it absurd to think that the Attorney General, and the leaders of the state House and Senate will also have their say? Maybe Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will give a nod to open space as they swing through the state today.

Strangely, in a letter to one of the base opponents, State DEP commissioner Gina McCarthy states that she met with the Army in December 2007, and that: "At our meeting, Army officials made commitments to me to work with me, my staff and other state officials to find suitable, alternative sites. I take Army officers at their word, and I have directed my staff to work with Army officials, and local officials in Middletown, to identify suitable alternative sites for the proposed Training Center."

Strange, then, that the Army Corps conducted their public session in Middletown in a way that indicated the Freeman Road site was the only suitable site. I guess that's what comes from taking "Army officers at their word."

Bysiewicz weighs in on Freeman Road

Better late than never, Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz vowed to fight the placement of a military training center in an untouched corner of Maromas in Middletown.