Secret Daley Court Contract Vote Tomorrow
A lot has happened on Daley Court since June which I have been unable to share thanks the the blog hiatus.
It was revealed that the developers lied to the Council about the urgency of the property transfer approval. They had said they had a HUD application deadline in July and yet the application period was not even announced by HUD until September.
My FOI complaint against the Real Estate Acquisition & Disposition Committee was heard with an interesting twist. The decision has yet to be released. In summary, the Town argued that it had in fact failed to follow the law but that the remedy I asked for, nullification of the meeting, shouldn’t be implemented because the meeting didn’t matter. Odd logic, we’ll see if the FOI Commission agrees.
I and others have been trying to get further updates on the process since June but the Development Department and Redevelopment Agency have gone into full secrecy mode in response to the public scrutiny.
Another interested party received this email on Friday in response to an inquiry on the contract:
DALEY COURT AGREEMENT
<jwebb@ci.east-hartford.ct.us>
Fri, 6 Nov 2009 10:28:39 -0500
<Fctopresident@aol.com>, <bfairbairn@ehmchm.org>
<RPearson@shipso.com>, <jryan06@snet.net>, <DanielMDube@aol.com>, <Ddube@ci.east-hartford.ct.us>, <ellenmcccpa@aol.com>, <emccreery@hartford.gov>, <gamaine@gmail.com>, <MCurrey@ci.east-hartford.ct.us>, <ewolfe@sheldonoak.org>, <RPGentile@ci.east-hartford.ct.us>
Mrs. Kneip; I have received your request of November 5, 2009 // 10:35 AM to peruse the draft contract regarding New Samaritan Corporation and Sheldon Oak Central. This contract is referenced on the Agenda of the Special Meeting of the Redevelopment Agency scheduled for November 9 at 8:30 am. The contract is still in draft form and terms are still being negotiated. Disclosure of the draft could impact the Agency's negotiating stance for this sale. Accordingly, pursuant to C.G.S. 1-210 (b) (i), we will not be releasing the draft. Sincerely, Jeanne Webb Director of Development & Planning Town of East Hartford 740 Main Street East Hartford, CT 06108 phone 860-291-7303 fax 860-291-7298 cell 860-305-5757 e-mail jwebb@ehworks.com website: www. ehworks.com
The Redevelopment Agency has a special meeting for approval of a contract scheduled for tomorrow morning and yet as of Friday was still claiming the contract was a “draft” and exempt from public disclosure under FOI because it might impede their negotiating stance. Hmm, I thought they had agreed to a deal back in June which is why the Council pre-approved whatever contract might come down the pike. Maybe the Council shouldn’t be so liberal in approving contracts it hasn’t seen.
It also came to light that the Redevelopment agency has failed yet again to file its minutes in a timely fashion. The 10/21/09 minutes were just published on 11/06/09. Considering the money Mr. Jeff Currey, as clerk, gets for the responsibility, $100 per meeting, you’d think it wouldn’t be such a problem.
The minutes had this to say:
MOTION by Mr. Ryan, seconded by Mr. Maine that on a recommendation from Corporation Counsel and in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes, the draft version of the agreement pertaining to 590 Burnside Avenue will not be released to the public until a final agreement is approved by the Redevelopment Commission.APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY
Why do they feel the need to hide this transaction from further public scrutiny? You decide.
I’d still like to know how the Redevelopment Agency can approve this sale for 50,000 and still be in compliance with CGS 8-137. There has been no appraisal done, other offers for more money were received and the town assessor just assessed the property at much higher than the selling price.
From CGS 8-137:
The consideration paid for the sale, lease or other transfer of the real property shall be determined by the redevelopment agency, provided, if the cost or carrying charges of such real property to the redevelopment agency are greater than such consideration, the redevelopment agency shall first have specific authorization from the legislative body of the municipality for the sale, lease or other transfer at any lesser consideration, and the municipality may appropriate and authorize the expenditure of money to compensate for any portion of the difference between the acquisition cost of such real property and such sale, lease or other transfer price of such real property at a lesser consideration to a re-developer, but in no case shall such sale, lease or other transfer price be lower than the use value of such real property.
I hope with all sincerity that Councilman Thompson will be more vocal this term and the addition of Sue Skowronek will mix things up.
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