Peña should take legal action against NEON

By Patrick Ferrandino

NORWALK, Conn. – (This is an open letter from New Canaan resident Patrick Ferrandino to South Norwalk Community Center President Warren Peña.)

Dear Mr. Peña,

I find the remarks by NEON (Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now) Chief Operating Officer Chiquita Stephenson to be unsubstantiated, irresponsible and damaging to the South Norwalk Community Center. The financial mismanagement at NEON is well documented and has been affirmed by government agencies. The fact that NEON and SNCC share the same building at 98 South Main St. already has created confusion by many in Norwalk who incorrectly believed that the two 501(c)3, not-for-profit entities are one and the same. To drag SNCC’s good name into a public mud-slinging campaign as an apparent attempt to deflect its own ineptitude and mismanagement, NEON is causing irreparable harm and damage to the South Norwalk Community Center as the Center commences plans to celebrate 50 years of service to the local community. Our discussions regarding a revamping of programs, coupled with an aggressive fundraising campaign, have already been compromised by the intentional and malicious mischaracterizations and disparaging public remarks of NEON’s Chief Operating Officer.

As president and chairman of the board of the South Norwalk Community Center, you must take whatever legal action in available to mitigate the harm being caused to SNCC by NEON.

Patrick Ferrandino