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The Mattabassett Plant
November 17, 2009
Mr. Peter J. Denuzze
Town and City Clerk
27 West Main Street
New Britain, CT 06051
Dear Mr. Denuzze:
Today more than ever, the City of New Britain relies on its regional partners to perform some of our larger government services more efficiently. Whether it be solid waste management under the Bristol Resource Recovery Facility Operating Committee (BRRFOC), regional planning under the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCRPA) or waste management at the Mattabassett District, our City has a large financial stake in these joint ventures that will impact our taxpayers for decades to come.
These financial impacts necessitate that the New Britain's representatives on these regional boards not only have the appropriate knowledge and expertise to advocate for the best interests of our community, but also must have strong ethical and moral leadership. Appointments to these regional boards are not ceremonial positions awarded to the political faithful, they are critical jobs that have serious consequences to the City and its residents and as such merit scrutiny to ensure that board representatives meet the desired criteria.
Given the importance to the City of these regional appointments, I must take exception to one of the Common Council’s recent appointments to the Mattabassett District Commission, that of William Candelori. My objections are based on both the questionable ethics surrounding Mr. Candelori’s career as well as the quality of representation during his term as a Mattabassett commissioner and chair.
In 1992, Mr. Candelori pled guilty in Federal court to charges of income tax evasion. Subsequently in a 1995 settlement, he was permanently barred by the Securities and Exchange Commission from associating with any broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, investment advisor or investment company for his role in the Colonial Realty scandal. This investment scheme negatively impacted many local residents and businesses who invested in this company. Currently, Mr. Candelori’s name is currently mentioned in association with an investigation into alleged bribery and fraud at Foxwoods Casino.
Denuzze
Page Two
November 17, 2009
Aside from Mr. Candelori’s past and possibly current ethical lapses, he has not been a strong advocate for the best interests of New Britain taxpayers. He has been tardy and often unresponsiveness to questions from City department’s, including the Mayor’s office, on questions on the operations of the Mattabassett District. He has not vigorously pursued negotiations with the City of Middletown as a way to resolve revenue and operating issues at the District. Most recently, Mr. Candelori politicized a misunderstanding regarding a penalty against the City for an alleged late payment of the annual assessment – which was later cleared up at the Board level.
I do not take this step lightly as I am always reluctant to cast aspersions on New Britain residents who give of their time and talents to public service by serving on local boards and commissions. But Mr. Candelori by virtue of his record, both with his business related ethical challenges as well as his actions as a Mattabassett commissioner require that I take steps to ensure that New Britain has the best possible representation on the Mattabassett Board.
For the above reasons, and with all due respect to the members of the Common Council, I hereby veto Resolution #30815 passed on November 12, 2009.
Sincerely,
Timothy T. Stewart
Mayor, City of New Britain
TTS/lrc
Mayor T. Stewart:
ReplyDeleteThe first word is: congratulations.
Nobody could have said better, you hit the nail on the head. Dr. Candelori is not the person who should be signing the future bonding notes and other legal documents that guarantees repayment
of borrowed funds for a One million dollar project.
The Common Council has once again fell flat on it's face. Truly, this one was a unbelievable action.
Please, do the right thing and appoint a quailifed individual.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteNow that the mayor has done the right thing by vetoing this ridiculous appointment, hopefully the council will now proceed with selecting an honorable person who will best serve the interests of New Britain and the partner towns, instead of simply pushing their partisan ideological agenda at the expense of taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteWhere have the newspapers been to question the appointment of such a character to such a powerful position where he has contol of millions in public money?
ReplyDeleteThe leaders at the New Britain Herald, Hartford Courant, and Middletown Press should be ashamed to even consider calling themselves journalists.
I believe if this character were a Republican, it would have been headlines, but when a Democrat is involved, there is a total news black out because of their liberal left wing agenda.
And they wonder why their papers are in such financial ruin?
Of course these socialist Democrats will plan to ignore the people, ignore the mayor, and ram this appointment through anyway, because they won and can do whatever they want, as if the city was their own private play house.
ReplyDeleteNow we need the mayor to make sure there is a process in place to prevent such characters from getting positions of power!
ReplyDeleteThis situation at Mattabassett highlights the need to create a proper vetting process for appointees to these powerful city positions.
ReplyDeleteWhy would Middletown want to join Mattabassett District and inherit their share of $100,000,000 of debt.
ReplyDeleteThey would be at the mercy of Mr. Candelori and crew.
At the November 12 Council meeting, Trueworthy and Sherwood acted like a couple of arrogant, spoiled brats, in not just the Candelori matter, but in other areas, such as the alphabetically backwards voting matter. They should consider themselves lucky that Mayor Stewart didn't whack them in the head with his gavel!!
ReplyDeleteROFL---
ReplyDeleteThey should consider themselves lucky that Mayor Stewart didn't whack them in the head with his gavel!!
I would pay any price to see that one!!!
If Dr. Candelori has read these comments, how could he in good consciounse still want to be on the Mattabassett commission? Did he learn anything at all from his prison experiences?
ReplyDelete