Norwalk political roundup: Legal bills, odds & ends

NORWALK, Conn. – Here’s some Norwalk odds and ends for your consideration:

• RDA legal bills in fight with Milligan now $550K+
• Harris promises to represent B, just B
• The SoNo Collection produces employment ads
• Reminder: Pay your taxes
• Paving season has begun

FOI request reveals new ‘POKO’ total

The bills for “Wall Street litigation” have topped $550,000.

When last we checked in on the legal bills in the lawsuit filed by the City and the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency against real estate broker Jason Milligan, the total for outside legal help was $468,460.42. That was for bills submitted by Shipman & Goodwin to the Redevelopment Agency, as of April 30. The information was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

NancyOnNorwalk put in a FOI request for legal bills through June 30. The result was legal bills in the amount of $553,699.52.

Some, including Milligan and unaffiliated Mayoral candidate Lisa Brinton, have speculated that more than $700,000 has been spent in the ongoing legal war.

Just to recap: Milligan and four legal entities under his control are being sued, as are others, because Milligan bought properties that were slated to become part of Wall Street Place, a mixed-use development on land that included two former City parking lots, commonly called “POKO.” A hearing on the plaintiff’s request for a temporary injunction began in December and has yet to conclude. Milligan is currently seeking to have Judge Charles Lee dismiss the case.

The mounting cost of the litigation prompted discussion at the June 11 Redevelopment Agency meeting, where Comptroller John Slovak repeatedly mentioned “legal bills exceeding $609,000” as he explained that the Agency is $445,220 over its legal budget. An operating deficit of $376,000 was also touched upon.

Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Tim Sheehan said that Attorney Joseph Williams of Shipman & Goodwin had been asked to come up with a budget for the litigation so the Agency could revise its budget and Commissioners wouldn’t be looking at negative numbers every month.

The City is covering soft costs, such as for depositions, he said.

The City has spent about $10,000, Norwalk Communications Manager Joshua Morgan said on June 11.

Sheehan told the Commissioners that there have been “internal discussions with the city regarding the legal bills. They are well aware of where we are at. The Agency special agency counsel was asked by to take the lead in advancing this case.”

FOIA Compliance RE Shipman and Goodwin Bills updated June 30, 2019

Harris: This time it’s about District B

Former Board of Education member Sherelle Harris plans to run for the Board again this fall, this time as a District B representative, not as an at large member.

NancyOnNorwalk recently asked Harris what she hoped to achieve with a return to the Board. She wrote:

“While my role as a former Norwalk children’s librarian will always have me think of Norwalk as a whole and I think that  is the obligation of a Board of Education member; this time  around, however, I am running in district and not at-large.

“It will be up to the parents and citizens of District B to let me know what they want.”

Harris would replace BoE member Erik Anderson, whose attendance at BoE meetings has fallen off dramatically. The District B Democratic committee has been vocal in their disdain for Anderson, accusing him of not representing the District and calling for his resignation twice.

Looking for work?

NancyOnNorwalk recently spotted what it suspects was the first employment ad for The SoNo Collection: Nordstrom was looking for an Administrative Assistant 3 via Indeed.com.

That was on June 25. Nordstrom is currently looking for an assistant restaurant manager and a sous chef for its SoNo Collection locale, while Bath & Body Works has four ads posted. Sephora, Soma Intimates, Chico’s and White House Black Market are also advertising.

Mall owner Brookfield itself is seeking an operations manager for its “premiere new property, The SoNo Collection.” Last but not least, Bloomingdale’s is seeking an assistant store manager: a minimum of five to seven years retail management experience is required, preferably in a full-line department store.

The mall is expected to open in October.

Tax payments due Aug. 1

Here’s a reminder from Morgan and the Tax Collector’s office: You need to pay your city taxes by Aug. 1 to avoid interest charges.

“Norwalk taxpayers have until the close of business on Thursday, August 1, 2019, to pay their property tax bills for real estate, motor vehicle, and business personal property taxes, and sewer use charges, without interest penalty,” a press release said.

The bills were mailed on June 19, were due Monday and reflect the first installment on charges due on the Oct. 1, 2018, grand list.

More information is available on the City website.

Paving gets underway

Norwalk’s annual paving program has begun with work on Nolan Street, another Morgan press release said.

“This year, Norwalk expects to pave nearly 12 centerlane miles. The City is investing $6.8 million into paving, concrete curbs, and sidewalks this season,” the release said.

“Paving contractor Deering Construction, Inc. will be performing work between 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays. Inclement weather can cause delays,” the release said.

Mayor Harry Rilling is quoted as calling paving and investing in infrastructure a longtime priority for his administration.

“No one wants streets that are full of potholes or crumbling due to neglect,” he said. “We work carefully to inventory, assess, and create a paving schedule to help ensure all of our roads are taken care of in a timely fashion. This strategic process also helps us plan curbing and sidewalk installations and repairs to make Norwalk more navigable for motorists, bikers, and pedestrians.”

“The paving process is two-fold,” the release explained. “First, the top layers of asphalt are removed, in a process called milling, which creates a grooved surface. During milling, residents are advised to drive slowly, as there may be drops of two inches in front of driveways. After milling, paving takes place almost immediately after. Cars cannot be on the street during this time, and parked vehicles that interfere with construction will be towed at the owner’s expense. Letters to residents and property owners in the first paving areas were sent last week, with notices continuing throughout the summer.”

The list of roads the city expects to pave this year:

• Academy Street from Chapel Street to Merwin Street
• Algonquin Road from Chestnut Hill Road to Pocono Road
• Auburn Street from Soundview Avenue to Lenox Avenue
• Autumn Street from June Avenue to Chester Street
• Autumn Street from Autumn Street to the dead end
• Aviation Court from Soundview Avenue to the cul-de-sac
• Barjune Road from Winnipauk Drive to Tod Road
• Barnum Avenue from Hawthorne Drive to Lovatt Street
• Beau Street from Ponus Avenue to Eleanor Lane
• Beauford Road from Scribner Avenue to Rampart Road
• Belair Road from Comstock Hill Avenue to Silvermine Avenue
• Belle Avenue from South Main Street to San Vincenzo Place
• Blackberry Lane from Comstock Hill Avenue to the cul-de-sac
• Butternut Lane from Creeping Hemlock Drive to West Rocks Road
• Chapel Street from West Avenue to Commerce Street
• Chatham Drive from Shaw Avenue to Cossitt Road
• Chester Street from June Avenue to Kettle Road
• Cider Lane from Fullin Road to the cul-de-sac
• Columbine Lane from Newtown Avenue to Thistle Road
• Commerce Street from Chapel Street to Leonard Street
• Cossitt Road from Scribner Avenue to Chatham Drive (S)
• Cossitt Road from Cossitt Road to Rampart Road
• Dawn Road from Driftwood Lane to the cul-de-sac loop
• Deerfield Street from Soundview Avenue to Lenox Avenue
• Driftwood Lane from West Rocks Road to Eastwood Road
• East Meadow Lane from East Rocks Road to the dead end
• Edgewood Street from Soundview Avenue to Lenox Avenue
• Eleanor Lane from Beau Street to Maher Drive
• Ells Street from Ponus Ave to Route 123
• Fern Street from Soundview Avenue to Lenox Avenue
• Fullin Court from Fullin Road to the cul-de-sac
• Glendenning Street from East Rocks Road to France Street
• Green Hill Road from Comstock Hill Avenue to the cul-de-sac loop
• Hadik Parkway from Soundview Avenue to the cul-de-sac
• Hawkins Avenue from Fifth Street to the cul-de-sac
• Hawthorne Drive from Lovatt Street to Vollmer Avenue
• Hoyt Street from U. S. Route 1 to Main Street
• Indiana Place from Bouton Street to the cul-de-sac
• Knight Street from Brook Street to U. S. Route 1
• Kreiner Lane from Comstock Hill Ave to the cul-de-sac loop
• Lenox Avenue from Highland Avenue to Edgewood Street
• Linden Street from Main Avenue to West Rocks Road
• Lovatt Street from Wolfpit Avenue to Hawthorne Drive
• Meredith Court from Highland Avenue to the cul-de-sac
• Merwin Street from West Avenue to Harbor Avenue
• Michael Street from Soundview Avenue to Flax Hill Road
• Mohawk Drive from Grumman Avenue to Stonecrop Road
• Newtown Court from Newtown Ave Rt 53 to the cul de sac
• Nolan Court from Nolan Street to the cul-de-sac
• Nolan Street from Spring Hill Avenue to Tracey Street
• Nolan Street Ext from Tracey Street to the dead end
• North Taylor Avenue from West Cedar Street to Nash Place (South)
• Norvel Road from Ponus Ave to Eleanor Lane
• Old Farm Place from Ells Street to the cul-de-sac
• Orchard Hill Court from Orchard Hill Road to the cul-de-sac loop
• Orchard Hill Road from Wolfpit Avenue to 534′ N Orchard Hill Court
• Plumley Circle from France Street to the cul-de-sac loop
• Pocono Road from Mohawk Drive to the cul-de-sac
• Pogany Street from Soundview Avenue to the dead end
• River Street from Wall Street to Burnell Boulevard
• Running Brook from Lane Comstock Hill Ave to Bow End Road
• Sachem Street from Fillow Street to Chester Street
• Sawmill Road from Newtown Avenue to Cannon Street
• Senga Road from Scribner Avenue to Avenue E
• Shadow Lane from Eastwood Road to the cul-de-sac loop
• Shaw Avenue from Scribner Avenue to Rampart Road
• Sheila Court from Fullin Road to the cul-de-sac loop
• Silvermine Way from Silvermine Avenue to the cul-de-sac
• Skyview Lane from West Rocks Road to Linden Street
• Soundview Avenue from Michael Street to Glasser Street
• South Main Street from Concord Street to Meadow Street
• South Main Street from Haviland Street to Hanford Place
• Starlight Drive from Wolfpit Avenue to Wolfpit Avenue
• Stonecrop Road from Mohawk Drive to Algonquin Road
• Tower Drive from Beau Street to the cul-de-sac loop
• Tracey Street from June Avenue to Newfield Street
• Vollmer Avenue from U.S. Route 1 to Lovatt Street
• Wall Street from Smith Street to Park Street
• Wildmere Lane from Lovatt Street to Hawthorne Drive

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