Waterbury neighbors say group home out!
Thursday, November 2, 2006
BY MICHAEL PUFFER
Copyright © 2006
Republican-American
WATERBURY -- Country Club
residents met with Mayor Michael J. Jarjura and local
legislators Wednesday to demand the politicians help remove a new group home
for the mentally retarded at 9
Country Club Woods Circle.
Jarjura and state
Representatives Joan V. Hartley, D-15th District, and Anthony J. D'Amelio, R-71st District, sat at the kitchen table of
local teacher Carmella DeStefano, who lives next to
the group home, and listened to complaints from about 20 people.
These complainants
were buoyed by an opinion issued this week by Attorney General Richard
Blumenthal, concluding an investigation into the siting
of the group home that was sparked by the outrage and questions of local
residents. In his opinion, Blumenthal faults the state Department of Mental
Retardation for not putting the management of the new group home out to a
public bidding process.
Instead, the state
agency simply handed a contract to New Haven-based HART Inc., which already
manages a home on Columbia
Boulevard. DMR officials argued that overcrowding
problems at the Columbia Boulevard home justified paying for the $315,000
purchase of the Country Club home, and an additional $110,000 worth of
renovation of a second home for HART clients.
Blumenthal
disagreed, and insisted that the DMR go back and put the creation of the new
home back out to bid. Neither Blumenthal, nor DMR Commissioner Peter O'Meara
were able to say this week what this might mean for the Country Club home,
which has been occupied for about one month.
Country Club residents railed at Hartley and D'Amelio for allowing the home to be occupied before
Blumenthal's investigation was finished.
"I don't know
why you guys didn't do anything about it before they moved in," said Carl Ianantuoni of 39
Country Club Woods Circle. "I think you guys
failed us because now we look like the bad guys."
Hartley and D'Amelio responded that they pushed the investigation with
weekly telephone calls, first to the state auditors of public accounts, and
then to Blumenthal. Without this prodding, D'Amelio
contended, the attorney general may never have issued his ruling.
That earned sour
outbursts from a number of residents who have exhaustively researched the issue
and spent much time prodding officials with calls and letters.
These opponents
renewed their insistence that their fight against the home has nothing to do
with its residents, but rather the improper procedure that placed it in their
neighborhood -- which is one of the most upscale in the city -- as well as
wasted taxpayer dollars.
The legislators
and Jarjura promised to attempt a meeting with
Blumenthal following the election to discover if the Department of Mental Retardation
clients will be moved, and whether or not there will be repercussions for DMR
staff who abandoned proper procedure.
"The truth is
I have a lot of questions that need clarification, as everyone does,"
Hartley said.