Why the change of heart on Harbor Park?

A group of rightfully concerned citizens gathered last night to discuss how to derail the agreement for the city of Middletown to extend the lease of Harbor Park with current lessee Frank Marotta.

While much of the concern is with the sweetheart deal about to be handed, again, to Marotta, who has proven not to be a thoughtful neighbor, others are wondering why Mayor Sebastian Giuliano has had a change of heart about the property.

Some have said that as late as this March, the mayor was adamant that the lease would not be extended, only to be surprised when it was, a few months later, in preliminary negotiations.

Why the flip-flop?

Insiders have told me that the mayor, who thought he had the support of council members and political leaders in town to end the deal, was approached by those same leaders and council members to "back off" and extend the deal.

The same people tell me that with enough public groundswell, the mayor could be convinced to return to his original stance. It appears with a bit more support, the anti-lease group may very well allow the town to reclaim the "jewel of the waterfront."

That's $1882 a month

A longterm sweetheart deal was perpetuated after a negotiated settlement between the city of Middletown and Harbor Park lessor, Frank Maratta.

While the mayor has been talking tough for months about ejecting Maratta from his long-term lease, and a promised additional 25 year renewal, it seems that Maratta's threat of lawsuit may have prompted the mayor to negotiate. (Be sure to read the "comments" section in the originally posted, on-line Courant article - thanks Vijay)

The deal is laughable. A 25 year extension of a lease for a tenant who has repeatedly ignored city noise ordinances, and has done little to improve the musty interior of the restaurant through which the Connecticut River runs most Springtimes, seems shameful. But inevitable. Maratta apparently won the extension in negotiations which included his promise to improve the site, and make design changes to lessen noise from rock bands who play outside on the deck in the evening.

The most ridiculous clause in the agreement is the lease amount - $22, 624 annually. That's less than many Middletown residents pay for monthly mortgage payments, and Maratta has a prime location, on prime real estate fronting the River.

Yet another example of bad deals done by the city which never tires of bad deals.

Peace walk through Middletown Saturday

Walk for a New Spring, an eight member peace group will march through Middletown, meet on the South Green and lunch with the public at the First Church on Saturday.

They also want to meet with the mayor. Good luck. This is the mayor who bridled at having to listen to a "diatribe" about peace at a recent Common Council meeting.

Giving Seb his Christmas due

I don't always see eye-to-eye with Middletown's mayor.

But this season, I've heard about at least two occasions when he's gone out of his way to focus his attention on those most in need. He spoke convincingly at a service for the homeless, and just yesterday I heard he made an appearance at a Christmas party Saturday for kids who otherwise might not have Christmas.

The mayor doesn't have to attend these events, but Seb did.

Merry Christmas, Mayor Giuliano.

What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding

To describe it as disappointing would be putting it mildly.

To say we'd been used, well, that's more like it.

I helped deliver an suggested anti-war resolution and petition to the Middletown Common Council tonight, and was shut down by the Mayor on a parliamentary procedure. He had every right, by rule of order, to suggest that my "diatribe" against the war, was not germane to the Council accepting the petition.

He did use that excuse to truncate my diatribe and that of others (though I have to say he was a bit more tolerant and polite when it came to the veterans who spoke).

But it soon became clear what the real game was. The Democrats came to the defense of we poor citizens who wanted to speak. Gerry Daley, Bob Santangelo, Tom Serra, all scolded the mayor for not allowing we citizens to speak our mind. The mayor defended himself capably and challenged the Democrats to sponsor the resolution we were suggesting. Therein, was the rub. The Dems wanted the chance to "prove" that they are anti-war, without having to muster the courage to actually buck their party leadership and sponsor an anti-war resolution. They hoped to embarrass and needle the mayor, without having to step too far out of their own comfort zone.

And those of us who spoke in favor of peace, and against war, were the vehicle for this petty parliamentary squabble.

So I issue a challenge to the Republicans. If you really want to embarrass the Dems, sponsor the resolution so the Dems will have to stand up and vote for it, or not.

And to the Dems, I challenge just one of you to sponsor the resolution that you supposedly "support."

Really, a vote either way is not going to change a thing in this perverse Bush war. But it will give us the opportunity to debate it at the city level, and I'd welcome a real give and take with war supporters, and anti-war advocates.

But the likelihood of a hero appearing on the council appears slim.

And where, oh where were the lovers of peace. Talk about not getting out of your comfort zone. About a dozen anti-war adult residents showed up (the usual suspects). Five or six of us spoke, despite the mayor's chastisement. And only one Wesleyan student attended. You students talk a good game, but let's make a list of your excuses and send them to Wesleying.

And not a single member of the press in attendance.

The case of the missing campaign signs

When I agreed to put a campaign sign on my lawn to support Catherine Johnson in her successful run for the Planning and Zoning Commission in Middletown, I did it with some trepidation. Yes, I've voted for Republicans before, but I've rarely bragged about it in public. In fact, I vote enthusiastically for Mayor candidate Seb Giuliano in his initial run.

But shortly after I put the sign in my yard, supporting Catherine, and "The entire Giuliano team," I attended a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting where Giuliano angered me when he rose and, in short, petulantly chastised anyone who would criticize a drive-in window for the new Rite-Aid on Main Street. Then he "advised" the Commission that they would be unwise to vote for the exception because they would probably face a lawsuit, and would likely not prevail.

I decided there and then that he was not getting my vote in an uncontested election.

And when I saw that two of my neighbors had the clever idea of obliterating the "Giuliano team" line on their signs with masking tape, I pulled out my own duct tape and altered my sign.

After a pre-election weekend visit to Louisiana, I found my sign was missing, and the next day, replaced by an election sign with the offending line completely sliced off.

I was mildly puzzled, but dismissed it as a mystery of the universe not worth solving, until I heard a story that provided some answers.

It seems that at a post-election party, a relative of the mayor was giving someone an earful about people who had defaced signs that didn't even belong to them. She was angry, and even was heard to cast aspersions about Johnson for encouraging the defaced signs. Of course, Catherine Johnson had nothing to do with it. But someone from the town's Republican party likely did.

Needless to say, it's a lesson learned. No more Republican signs on my narrow strip of front lawn.

Does Sebby owe Middletown residents an explanation?

Mayor Sebastian Giuliano spoke passionately before the Planning and Zoning Commission, some might say in an intimidating manner, about his support for the new Rite Aid pharmacy to be built on the corner on Main and Union Streets.

The plans were passed by the P&Z.

Attorney Ralph Wilson represented the plans of Centerplan Development before the P&Z and the Zoning Board of Appeals. From the minutes of the ZBA meeting:

Atty. Ralph Wilson presented the proposal. Bob Landino, President of Centerplan Development, explained the application.

Attorney Ralph Wilson was noted as the mayor's "chief fundraiser" by The Hartford Courant.

Politics as usual?

Sebby gets his dander up

That settles it for me, I'm not casting a vote in the upcoming charade of a mayoral election in Middletown.

After a lengthy presentation and public hearing, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to allow the construction of a new Rite Aid on the corner of Main and Union Streets.

There was some public support, and support from the business community, but several individual residents stood up and argued against the drive-thru window in the rear of the building which requires changing the grade level of the back parking lot. Construction of that window then requires a tall retaining wall running nearly the entire length of Union Street. Residents also noted that allowing the exception for the drive-thru downtown opens the door for other businesses to request the same kind of accommodations.

Mayor Sebastian Giuliano spoke passionately in favor of a project he obviously endorses. His right as mayor and resident. But at the end of public comment, he asked the commission's indulgence to speak again. Obviously agitated at the arguments made by residents against the wall, the parking lot and the drive-thru, he made an intimidating argument to the commission basically telling them that a denial of the special request would likely end up in court with a judgment against the city.

I think the mayor went overboard. His argument had been made earlier, and the objections that the citizens raised were legitimate. After the public spoke, it was up to the commission to make a decision without a reprise scolding from the noticeably upset mayor.

Republicans wish upon a star

Middletown Republicans are hoping to end the decades-long Democratic control of the Common Council.

Democrats don't seem to be taking the threat seriously, not even offering a mayoral candidate to run against the popular Sebastian Giuliano.

Hard to imagine that most Democrats won't just vote the ticket, but the Republicans are offering some well-known and well-liked candidates, and the Democrats are losing two of it's popular council members (the only women currently on the council).

Mayor, you were reading our minds

Many of us in the community have thought it a bizarre conflict of interest that the town staff roles of planning, conservation and economic development are under the same roof, with one, very powerful director. These functions, of course, are separate, and sometimes at odds with one another.

As the mayor pointed out at a meeting of the Middletown Arts Commission last evening, the town used to have separate directors of economic development, planning and conservation, and that these directors often went head-to-head on issues. Now, if the department in question want to push development through, all it has to do is convince itself.

And while I understood Mayor Sebastian Giuliano to be opposed to the current set-up, I've never head him say so until last evening when he said, "You want to talk about conflicting activities under one roof, well there you go."

Unfortunately, he also talked about the fact that reorganization of town departments takes a double vote by a super-majority of the town council. Something that is not likely to happen with a Republican mayor and a Democratic council.

Sorry about the blurry phone photo.