NORWALK, Conn. — Some Norwalk political notes for you:
- Manresa Neighborhood Coalition seeks community outcry
- Council adds two Committees to its list
- Keeping the pressure on Darien
Manresa hearing due
Opponents to the possible use of Manresa Island for Walk Bridge construction are seeking help as a State public hearing on the issue approaches.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is holding its online hearing at 3 p.m. Feb. 23, as the Connecticut Department of Transportation seeks approval of its plan. The Manresa Neighborhood Coalition wants you to act by Feb. 20 and has provided you a letter you could send, as easy as can be.
That, and other suggestions, are here.
ConnDOT’s own contractor would prefer not to use Manresa, according to a memo obtained by Nora Niedzielski-Eichner through the Freedom of Information Act and posted on the Manresa Neighborhood Coalition’s website.
Cianbro/Middlesex JV on Sept. 9, 2020, said it had “previously promoted Manresa Island” over a Water Street location but given “subsequent communication with the surrounding communities, it appears that Manresa may be a restricted place to work” and a sites in Baltimore and New York might be preferable.
The Baltimore site features “a well-established work force in the area that could construct the lift span,” CMJV wrote. The site in Ravena, N.Y., “is much closer to the project location {than Baltimore} and has significant resources for CMJV to utilize in their effort to construct the lift span.”
You can read that memo here.
“We could use as many letters as possible sent to Kathleen.Reiser@ct.gov voicing their concerns about the use of Manresa and South Norwalk in general for the walk bridge project,” Mark Smith of the Manresa Neighborhood Coalition said. “Ms Reiser is the DEEP hearing officer in charge of the challenge to the permit requested by the DOT.”
Council committees formed
The Common Council has formed an Ad Hoc Sustainability and Resiliency Committee to be led by Council member Lisa Shanahan (D-District E), said Council President Tom Livingston (D-District E) at Tuesday’s meeting.
“The first order of business for this Committee will be to work with the Mayor’s Office to conduct community resilience building workshop offered through the Nature Conservancy’s technical assistance program in partnership with Sustainable Connecticut,” Livingston said.
The Council also formed an Ad Hoc Affordable Housing Committee to be led by Council member Greg Burnett (D-At Large), Livingston said.
“This Committee will advise the Council in its discussion and actions regarding affordable housing in the city, including as required to ensure compliance with recent changes in Connecticut law and to bring forward issues concerns and recommendations to any body established to prepare an affordable housing plan for the city, as required under that law,” Livingston said.
Duff continues protests of Darien vote
State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-25) is still urging the Darien Board of Education to reverse its choice to deny Norwalk students this year by refusing to enroll in the Open Choice program, even as hate pours out from some Darienites.
Duff has publicized angry letters received by Darien BoE member Tara Ochman, telling her to move to Norwalk after she voted in favor of Open Choice. He also spoke at a Feb. 6 rally in Darien, also attended by Mayor Harry Rilling.
“What I’ve seen over the last few days, is that some of them don’t want to be held accountable,” Duff said to the folks assembled in 27-degree weather. “They want this just to go away. They want to sweep it under the rug. And I’m here to say, thanks to all of you, this will not be swept under the rug. We’re asking the Board of Education, to please reconsider your votes make this 5-4 in favor, not 5-4 against.”
Darien Board Chairman David Dineen, reached by NancyOnNorwalk via email, declined to comment.
Darien BoE members faced a storm of opposition to Open Choice, even if Darien Superintendent of Schools Alan Addley spoke in favor of accepting 16 Norwalk kindergartners through the Open Choice legislation sponsored by Duff and others last year. A speaker at the Jan. 25 Darien BoE meeting said that nearly 1,000 constituents had signed a petition opposing Open Choice. They also opposed the potential hiring of a diversity consultant.
At the Feb. 1 Darien BoE meeting, after the 5-4 vote against Open Choice, Dineen said, “The debate has been had, the conversation’s been had. We’ve listened, we’ve learned, we’ll continue to move forward, this program may come around. Again, I think there’s a consensus of the Board that would like to continue to look at this program and move it forward. I want to thank Dr. Addley, for continuing to try and prove and build on the educational excellence that we have in Darien but the Board has taken a vote and spoken so we move forward.”
https://youtu.be/-e-TU4kJark
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