Crash Breaks Utility Pole In Windsor Locks, Closes Route 75

Hartford Courant

WINDSOR LOCKS

A crash caused a utility pole to drop onto Route 75 at Spring Street Wednesday morning, closing the roadway.

Wires and a transformer were also damaged, and power has been knocked out to 383 Connecticut Light & Power Co. customers in Windsor Locks.  The driver of the car that struck the pole apparently fled, police said.  Power company crews were making repairs.

WL officals ask residents to OK $1M debris plan, to cost town $250,000

By Harlan Levy

Journal Inquirer

Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 1:07 PM EST

WINDSOR LOCKS — If a town meeting approves the plan on Nov. 22, Ashbritt Inc., a Florida-based national disaster recovery contractor, will spend four to five weeks hauling away practically all of the town’s storm debris seven days a week for $1 million. Seventy-five percent of the expense is federally reimbursable, for a net cost to the town of $250,000.

A joint selectmen and Finance Board meeting Tuesday approved the deal, the most expensive of four options but the fastest. They rejected one option in which the 11-man town crew would take 10 to 12 weeks and which would cost $30,000 in overtime. Two others would take six to eight weeks and cost about $55,000 and $135,000 respectively.

In the unanimously selected option four, AshBritt, one of the two state-approved debris removal companies, would do it all, starting Nov. 28 and finishing by the end of December.

Time is of the essence, Public Works Director Scott Lappen told the two boards.

“There’s a huge safety concern because of the pile of brush on top of hydrants, utility boxes, and any buried structures,” Lappen said. “Kids have to walk out in the street to get around it.” Also, Lappen said, “We can get snow at any time … and these poor guys will have to work all night long, and they’re already exhausted.”

The disaster is not over yet, Selectman Joseph R. Calsetta said. “I don’t think we have any time to waste. I don’t think we can pussyfoot around or pinch pennies. I think we’ve got to get it done.”

The storm has taken its toll, Lappen said, mentioning that one of his 11 workers broke his elbow and sprained his wrist doing clean-up work. In addition, he said, the crews are behind in removing leaves from the parks before winter weather.

Following a tour of two streets with typical damage that Federal Emergency Management Agency officials took on the Monday after the storm, they estimated that the town had 42,000 cubic yards of debris.

“Since then, we’ve seen a huge increase in brush,” Lappen said.

To date, he said, his crews and town residents have taken 24,000 of the 63,000 cubic yard of debris to the Old County Road leaf compost site. That leaves an estimated 39,000 cubic yards. Lappen expects his crews to remove 8,000 in the next two weeks, so AshBritt will have 31,000 to go when it starts work on Nov. 28.

However, Selectman-elect Dennis Gragnolati said, there could be a lot more in people’s back yards.

“Many people haven’t finished bringing out their brush,” he told the boards.

If more than the $250,000 is needed, First Selectman Steven Wawruck said, the selectmen will ask the Finance Board for more.

“I don’t think this is the time to be conservative,” resident Douglas Hamilton told the boards, adding, “We should ask FEMA to take another tour (since) they only looked at two streets.”

Wawruck responded that he would ask FEMA today to reassess the damage. The results could affect the federal emergency declaration and federal aid.

By the end of December Lappen expects town overtime expenses will hit $50,000 to $60,000 regardless of which option the boards pick.

The town meeting to vote on the option is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the town’s leaf compost dump on Old County Road is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Now that the storm is over, the town needs to learn from the experience, Wawruck said. Therefore, he said, “We will hold a public hearing to discuss the good things and the bad things.” He’ll make that motion at the Nov. 29 meeting, he said, when the new board is sworn in.

In other business, the Board of Selectmen changed the Junk Car Removal Program’s two-week amnesty period for free vehicle disposal to Nov. 28 through Dec. 9. Previously it was from Nov. 14 to Nov. 30. Forms are available at Town Hall or at the Police Department. Participants are asked to provide title certificates.

At the meeting’s close, Wawruck turned to Calsetta, the four-term Democratic officeholder attending his last meeting after losing his seat last week to Gragnolati, a Republican.

“Words cannot express what you’ve done for the town over the last four terms,” Wawruck said, in thanking Calsetta for his long service.

“I’ve enjoyed it,” Calsetta responded. “I love this town.”

Crews are picking up debris

Public works crews are picking up storm debris. The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday will discuss whether to hire a contractor or to bring in special equipment. Federal funds are expected to help pay some of the cost.

Public works crews alone would take up to 10 weeks to remove all the storm-related debris. Using the FEMA-approved contractor would take four to five weeks.Meanwhile, the town's leaf compost dump on Old County Road is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week.

Windsor Locks Originals

Looking to start a photo album of things that you have collected that that are Windsor Locks Original.  You can e-mail pictures of them to savewindsorlocks@gmail.com.

Nicks Property Management Services

Please support Nick's Property Management Services  <---- Click here!

• Basic Hauling

• General cleanup

• Trash-out

• Painting

• Board-up

• Lock change

• Repairs

• Lawn Maintenance

• Tree and Shrub Trimming

• Snow removal

• Clear Out

​• Power Washing
CT LICENSE # HIC.0631797    PH 860-989-8799

Torch Light Parade

Changes to School Schedule

Superintendent Wayne Sweeney and the Board of Education have made changes to the 2011-2012 school calendar to accommodate the school days missed due to the storm.

Here are the changes being made:

• Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - will be a FULL day of school rather than a half day as originally scheduled
• Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - will be a HALF day early release instead of no school.
• Wednesday, February 8, 2012 - will be a FULL day of school rather than a half day as originally scheduled.
• February Vacation - school will be closed Monday, February 20 & Tuesday, February 21 ONLY. School will be in session February 22, 23 & 24.

This revised schedule makes up five of the 6 days missed already this school year (1 day from Hurricane Irene and 5 days from Storm Alfred) and winter has yet to even begin.
Let's hope the rest of the school year, weather-wise, is uneventful!!

By Jennifer Coe - ReminderNews
Windsor Locks - posted Thu., Nov. 10, 2011

Sewer systems on local streets are antiquated and will be upgraded. Photo by Jennifer Coe.

Windsor Locks will soon be receiving a $500,000 grant intended for the refurbishment of the Pearl and Fern street roadways.

“For most Connecticut towns and smaller cities, budgets are stretched thin but their infrastructure needs and the housing needs of their residents haven't diminished,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said in late October. “That's why the Small Cities program - and the federal grants the program awards - are so critical,” he added. “The funding is key to these communities and their efforts to improve the lives of residents through housing programs and community projects.”

“We were very fortunate to get this money,” said First Selectman Steve Wawruck.

The grant itself is very specific on how it can be used. “The grant is very limited,” Wawruck said. “It is based on demographic and census bureau data.” Windsor Locks was one of 52 towns who put in an application for the money. “It is very highly competitive,” Wawruck added.

Windsor Locks also received the total amount that they asked for: half a million dollars. Windsor Locks, in fact, has received what they asked for in three out of the last four years, totaling $1.6 million.

This money will be used to refurbish Peal and Fern streets in a manner similar to the treatment other town streets have received in the past, including upgrades for the sewer system, storm drains and utility pipe upgrading. According to Wawruck, the roads will also be re-milled.

“This helps a lot because it is alternate funding, and for the tax payers, it relieves them of the entire burden of capital improvement,” said Wawruck.

A total of $12,342,000 in small cities grants was given to 28 Connecticut towns in 2011. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program provides grants to eligible municipalities for economic development, affordable housing, community facilities and other revitalization projects. The federal program is administered by Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development.

Other local towns that received grants included Wallingford, Rocky Hill, Stafford and East Windsor.

Disciplinary process begins for Koistinen

By Harlan Levy
Journal Inquirer

Published: Thursday, November 10, 2011 12:20 PM EST

WINDSOR LOCKS — The process of considering disciplinary action for police Sgt. Robert Koistinen has finally begun, town labor lawyer Kevin Deneen told the Police Commission on Wednesday.

Koistinen has been informed that Acting Police Chief Chester DeGray is considering disciplining him for his actions Oct. 29, 2010, after his son, former officer Michael Koistinen, was involved in an accident in which 15-year-old bicyclist Henry Dang was killed, Deneen said. That’s the first step in the process.

Koistinen now has the right to request a meeting to present his side of the story before DeGray decides whether discipline is in order.

DeGray is expected to make a recommendation to the commission by the end of the month, Deneen said.

Sgt. Koistinen was one of the first officers to arrive and was in charge of the scene when he twice left, first to go to the police station to find the regional accident investigation team’s phone number, and then to get traffic controls. An independent report on the accident said Koistinen abandoned his responsibility, and his son could have been tested for drunken driving.

“There are obviously issues in the report that can merit discipline,” Deneen said. “Prior to imposing any discipline we’re required to give him an opportunity to explain his view of the event and his response to it.”

Michael Koistinen was fired in December and faces negligent homicide charges. He is seeking to get his job back. His father faces criminal charges of hindering prosecution and interfering with the investigation. He has been on administrative leave with pay since the crash, drawing his nearly $74,000 salary.

Search for police chief

In other action, the commission added two items to the list of requirements for applicants for the vacant police chief’s job — a salary range of $90,000 to $110,000 to match the market and residency within a 20-mile radius of the Safety Complex within six months of getting the job.

“You want the chief to be available in case of emergency on a relatively quick basis,” Cunningham said.

Newly elected commission member Kevin Brace suggested providing a 5 percent to 10 percent stipend if the new chief moves into town, an incentive that the commissioner members said they will consider.

“It invokes more of a sense of community,” Brace said. “Also, there are things that go on in town that only residents know of, and if you work here, why not live here?”

Requirements previously set include having a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement, criminal justice, or business administration or equivalent experience; a minimum of 10 years’ supervisory experience while ranked at least as a sergeant; and a record of preparing budgets.

The commission also voted to add a non-voting town police officer to the panel that will question applicants. The panel consists of two police chiefs from other towns, two police commission members, one of the three selectmen, and a representative of the town human resources department.

Adding a non-voting officer “gives us access to the experience of officers who are on the road every day and what the attributes are that he or she looks for in a chief,” Cunningham said.

After the initial interviews, the panel will select three finalists, whom the Police Commission will interview and make a final selection. An offer will follow, dependent on positive results from a psychological exam, a background check, and a lie detector test.

Ads for the chief’s job should be in print and online by the end of the month, Cunningham said.

The Police Commission, acting as the town’s Traffic Commission, also voted to put up school-zone signs on the street at each end of the middle school, South Elementary School, and high school stating that the speed limit is 25 mph when children are present. The North Street School already has such a sign.

Resident Mary Campbell, who lives on Center Street across from the middle school, prompted the board’s move after complaining for more than two years about frequent speeding by motorcycles and cars.

“We need to do something,” Campbell told the commission Wednesday. Police Officer Sebastian Garofalo also supported adding new signs.

The middle school crossing guard “is afraid to go into the crosswalk because the cars are barreling down the hill both ways,” Garofalo said.

Also acting as the town Traffic Commission, the board voted to recommend to the State Traffic Commission that truck traffic be banned from traveling from one end to the other of South Center and Center streets (the same street, which changes names). A petition filed in August sought the ban in the residential neighborhood. If the state board goes along, a town meeting would have to approve a truck-ban ordinance.