Rebuilding Milford, Our City Continues To Improve

Milford certainly has made progress over the last few years and its important to note that despite the new found blight complaints our city has continued to improve. Some of the most notable improvements have been in Devon. These improvements include all those streetscapes that involve new lighting, parks and yes the Bridgeport Flyer Diner is now a "stellar" place to dine at.

Down in Walnut Beach, a new boardwalk is out for bid, and a developer built brand new town houses right across from the beach. Travelling north, Bridgeport Steel once a plighted property has now received a new face lift and is nearing completion.

On the green, Peter Spalthoff dramatically improved his property and his neighbor Harrison's hardware is set for a rebirth into a restaurant and retail establishment. Further north the Sikorski memorial bridge was beautifully redone, and the good news recently arrived that the I95 bridge spanning into Milford over the Housatonic is set to be rebuilt. And most recently, the New Aldi's supermarket (On the Post Rd.) recieved a nice welcome.

Jonathan Law High School is also getting a brand new wing, marking growth and improvement in our schools and local activists like the ECC are encouraging energy saving technologies to all our city buildings.

The greatest single improvement to our city has been the rebuilding of the former Jai Alai into a new Lowes, the addition put on the Mall, two new hotels and the redevelopment of the old trailer park into a Barnes and Noble, and Walmart Plaza's.

These modern improvements are in fact very exciting, but some fear that not enough emphasis is being placed on restoring Milford's historic architecture. Thankfully, and much to the credit of the voters that message was heard "loud and clear" and now provisions and safeguards have been put in place to make sure Milford's History is carefully preserved and protected.

Many thanks to all those people who have worked so hard to improve Milford, I sincerely hope that everyone's energy, investment and drive continue long into the future. Milford, through this kind of "Incrementalism" can improve its place on the coastline, and become the model for a modern metropolis.

As a final note I would also like to mention that the progress being incrementally made here in town is in fact wonderful. However, as the economy continues to "wind down," and the state grants arrive to their conclusion, it will be up to our city business leaders and elected officials to maintain what has been built and to continue to do so into that turbulent future.

Spalthoff Demands Action On Eisenhower Park

It has been over six years since the Mayor appointed the Eisenhower Park Study Committee and over two years since he received the report and he has done nothing with it. It is this type of indecision that he has continually displayed that has prompted me to formally ask him to place the acceptance of the report on the agenda for the next Board of Aldermen meeting in order for them to at least take the next step and adopt the plan as proposed by the committee, otherwise the entire process was a waste of time, money and community effort.

The committee has done an outstanding job in putting together a concise and forward thinking plan of just what might be in the park and how we should go about implementing the steps over many years and to have the report sit in the hands of the Mayor is just another example of him not making the necessary decisions on behalf of the community to move the plan along.

I am not asking that we spend money for the Park renovations at this time, I am only asking that we follow through with what was asked of the committee years ago and at least give them and the citizens of Milford the courtesy of having the plans at least be accepted by the Alderman as a template for what could be done at the Park.

The vision of what is to happen in the Park has already been developed and the proposed plans have been presented to the Mayor many months ago and here we sit having done nothing to make the park a reality. And please do not tell me that “these are hard times” and we need to do this and such. I realize more than anyone that we are in trying times however, without a plan, a goal and a sense of getting something done, Eisenhower Park will languish and we will have accomplished nothing for future generations.

We continually read in the press about various groups who are proposing or doing things in the park that are either; not proper to be doing or have not been approved by the citizens of this community... With better leadership, Eisenhower Park will become yet another jewel in the City as is our Marina at Lyman Landing.

We need to have the plan brought before the Aldermen formally for a vote to be accepted as the Eisenhower Park Study Plan and then the Aldermen can take action on the plan as they see fit. The implementation of this plan can and will only enhance our overall community image and the Mayor needs to step up to the plate today to take a stand on getting the ball rolling with this project.

Peter L. Spalthoff R11;MilfordR17;s Independent Party Candidate

Jonathan Law Addition Re-Approved, Board of Finance "Over Ruled"

Republican Alderman Raymond Vitali broke from his party and pushed through a $4 million Jonathan Law High School renovation project when the Board of Aldermen met Monday night.

Vitali had labored over the vote. He said last week that he planned to study plans and cost projections in the days leading up to the Board of Aldermen meeting, knowing that the pressure was on him to move the renovations forward, or to stop them in their track.

The aldermen needed to override a Board of Finance veto of the project by a two-thirds vote to get the project going. Democratic aldermen were united in their desire to approve the project. Republicans, except Vitali, stood beyond Mayor James Richetelli in opposing the addition now because they said the economy does not warrant such spending.

The Democrats, who hold a 9-6 majority on the board, needed one Republican to cross the line to give them the two-thirds voting power they needed.

“This is a very difficult situation,” Vitali said moments before the aldermen voted. “It seems to be the worst times and the best of times to go forward with this project.”

Vitali, a retired middle school principal, said he is sensitive to teachers who have to teach on carts because there is no classroom space for them, and he said it is the administration’s job to make sure staff is happy and that the building is adequate.

“I’ve made my mind up,” Vitali said.

Republican Alderman Scott Willey led the GOP opposition, charging that the project should not go forward in this economy.

“These are unprecedented economic times and you don’t go spending money you don’t absolutely have to spend,” Willey said. “Where’s the money going to come from to pay on what we borrow? We’re not reducing class size. We’re not increasing teachers. We’re still going to have teachers on carts even with the addition.”

Willey also criticized the process that led to approval of the $4 million bonding project. Typically, the mayor recommends bonding projects and the Board of Finance approves or denies them.

In this case, the Democratic aldermen took up the cause for teachers and parents who insisted it should move forward, approved it at last month’s Board of Aldermen’s meeting, and then forwarded it to the finance board, which rejected the plan.

“The mayor didn’t propose it; finance said ‘no don’t do it’,” Willey said. “This is wrong and it sets a terrible precedent.”

Parents and other school supporters defended the bonding request, however, arguing that bids for the addition came in $1 million lower than expected, interest rates are low and they expect state reimbursement rates to be less favorable in coming years.

“The truth is that the responsible course is to move forward now,” said Democratic mayoral candidate Genevieve Salvatore. “It’s fiscally irresponsible to delay this further.”

Jonathan Law High School Principal Janet Garagliano has said the school sorely needs more classrooms. She said 15 teachers would be working from carts next year, and the school is short two science labs.

The new addition would be a one-story, 12,000-square-foot structure consisting of nine classrooms, plus storage, according to Phil Russell, deputy supt. of operations for the Milford school system.

The school now contains 205,765 square feet. The addition would represent more than a 5% increase in square footage.

With Monday’s vote, the project is set to move forward, Russell said.

A contract is expected to be awarded the week of Aug. 17, following a 10-day appeal period. Construction will start in early September and will take about nine months to complete.

“Work will take place in an exterior courtyard,” said Bill Silver, of Silver Petrucelli and Associates, the main architects on the project. “So it won’t affect any classrooms.”

Original Post By Jill Dion