The city has announced that Beard Sawmill Road at Bridgeport Avenue will be closed beginning Monday, April 8.
The closure will run from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, for three weeks. Emergency traffic will be able to pass at all times. Detour signs will be posted. Detour traveling will be to Old Stratford Road to Farmill Crossing to Beard Sawmill Road.
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School and city officials, in hopes of healing a rift developed over recent budgetary woes, are planning to meet next week.
The Board of Education, at its meeting Wednesday, March 27, announced that it will meet with the Board of Aldermen on Wednesday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
The budget issues arose in January, when Clermont & Associates, LLP, the city’s independent auditor, informed local leaders of a $3,170,300 accumulated loss in five special-revenue accounts maintained by the Board of Education. These amounts have since been paid from city-side funds.
Since then, the school board has proposed a 2019-20 budget that eliminates 14 teachers and an assistant principal. More cuts are expected, if Mayor Mark Lauretti’s budget, which flat-funded the Board of Education, is passed as proposed.
“We’re not in a doom-and-gloom mode … but clearly, it’s not in happy-days-are-here-again, either,” said Board of Education Vice Chairman Thomas Minotti. “We’ll need to think outside the box and look at things with impact that we can do [from a budgetary standpoint] that will have the least impact on students.”
Minotti identified three areas of concern that impact the school system’s finances. This year, there has been an uptick in the number of teachers going on medical leave — resulting in the hiring of more long-term substitutes. Another increase has been noted in the transportation costs for special education students, particularly when they are bused to schools in other towns.
Shelton has also experienced a surge in special-education enrollment. Special-ed students all require specialized services and some are placed in specialized schools well outside Shelton’s boundaries.
A special committee charged with exploring Cooperative Educational Services (CES) partnerships presented information on CES’s new Eastern Fairfield County Child Diagnostic Center.
“This would be for K-3 students experiencing significant learning and behavioral challenges,” said school board member Kathy Yolish.
Yolish went on to explain that participating districts can reserve a designated number of seats at the center, at a cost of $59,000 per student/seat. That prospect drew gasps and groans from the audience, and no action was proposed or taken.
“There is a bit of sticker shock to this,” said school Superintendent Dr. Chris Clouet. “But it is probably less than what is typical in a special-needs placement.”
In a related development, the Boston-based Barr Foundation recently named Shelton as a finalist for the creation of a regional center for at-risk high school students. The center would be funded by a grant from the foundation, which develops creative curricula and job-shadowing programs at these centers. In so doing, it helps at-risk students to stay on track to graduate from high school.
Among other measures discussed, the board approved gifts totaling $7,000 to Shelton High School’s baseball program. Those monies include $5,000 from the city of Shelton as well as a donation of $2,000 from Powerade, the beverage brand.
Board members also gave their thumbs up to extending the district’s Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan. Employees now have until June to apply for this program.
Finally, the board gave special recognition to Amy Yost, principal of Sunnyside Elementary School. Yost was one of two finalists for the state’s Principal of the Year award. The program is sponsored each year by the Connecticut Association of Schools and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Outstanding principals are chosen at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
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Touch-sensitive screens have become an ever-present fact of modern life — in airports, at ATMs, at restaurants and even in some libraries. Shelton’s Kyle Young developed a rotation device that exposes such screens to ultraviolet light, disinfecting them for the next user.
Young, a junior at Shelton High School, was one of four district students to present their innovations at the March 27 Board of Education meeting. They and 10 other students from Shelton will compete in the statewide Invention Convention, scheduled for May 4.
“Screens are everywhere — and unfortunately, so are germs,” Young said. “My system would guarantee a clean surface for each user.”
Young’s Clean Screen device uses an echo sensor to determine when a customer completes his or her transaction. The screen is then rotated and momentarily exposed to ultraviolet light. This method of disinfection has been demonstrated by the National Institute of Medicine and the National Institute of Health to kill some particularly virulent strains of bacteria, ones that are more resilient than the bacteria typically found in public settings.
Fourth grader Kailey Hill was first up among the students who showcased inventions. Hill’s innovation was a specialized cushion called a Bum Bum Buddy that makes makes classroom learning more comfortable for long stretches of time — and thus can help students become more attentive to the subjects at hand.
“My chair cushion system is customizable and I specifically designed it for elementary-school students,” said Hill, who attends Sunnyside Elementary. For further comfort, there’s a built-in holder for a water bottle.
Perry Hill sixth grader Lucas Kellogg spends hours at a stretch in cold places, cheering as his brother plays hockey. In such a setting, he noticed that applause for players can be almost inaudible because spectators all wear gloves.
“People end up yelling a lot and they hurt their voices,” Kellogg said.
Kellogg developed a pair of wooden inserts called Cold Clappers that nest inside spectators’ gloves, enabling them to clap loudly without removing their gloves — or shouting.
“I tested different types of wood and plastic, and the wood makes the loudest noise,” Kellogg added.
Shelton Intermediate eighth grader Sena Ho developed an invention that tackles an especially thorny global dilemma: water purification. In third world countries people must use buckets to transport water from wells, streams and rivers to their homes. Besides being arduous, the water can be contaminated.
Ho’s invention — C the Purity — is a universal bucket lid that has a built-in ultraviolet light source. To test the invention, Ho used microscopic snails that would be the equivalent in size to bacteria. The unit did the trick.
“It is designed to fit over any standard 10-gallon bucket,” said Ho.
The other students who will participate in the Invention Convention, and their inventions, are:
• Will Zaccagnino, fourth grade, Booth Hill School, who developed a Foodie Chute to help kids and the elderly feed their dogs the proper portion of food.
• Owen Russell, fourth grade, Elizabeth Shelton School: Helping Paws Wheelchair Hammock, which assists disabled people in holding animals.
• Stephanie Sanborn, fourth grade, Long Hill School: the Duo Divider to help people sleep comfortably in the same bed.
• Michael Skeffington, fourth grade, Mohegan School: E.Z. Lights, a dispensing and storage device for Christmas lights.
• Elena Gasbarro, sixth grade, Perry Hill: The Careful Candle, a safer, more convenient candle enhancement.
• Alexander Baneat, sixth grade, Perry Hill: Clean Car Cape, which protects car seats from sweat and moisture.
• Kaitlyn Bergers, eighth grade, Shelton Intermediate: Slide to Track Band, which helps people with diabetes easily track which finger they last used to test blood sugar.
• Luke Sanborn, seventh grade, Shelton Intermediate: Eyelet Enforcer, which reinforces holes on identification cards and prevents their loss.
• David Ferrara, 12th grade, Shelton High School:Sky Sugar, a biodegradable balloon.
• Sanya Oak, ninth grade, Shelton High: The Helping Hand, a 3D-printed prosthetic hand for adults.
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The Shelton Senior Center is open Monday through Friday, 9 to 4:30. Lunch is served from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. For additional information, call 203-924-9324. Special programs are indicated in bold.
Thursday, April 4
9 Strength Train
10 Square Dancing
10 Organ with Friends
10:30 Strength Train
12:30 Beginner Line Dancing
1 Yoga with Jill
1 Bridge
1 Pinochle
1:30 Sweating to the Oldies
2 Movie
2 Wii Bowling
2:30 Tai Chi
Friday, April 5
8 Walking Club
9:30 Register for Mohegan Sun & Giggling Pig Paint & SIP Begin Today
9:30 Computer & Photo Club
9:30 Exercise
10 Dominoes
10:15 Exercise
1 Chorus Concert
No Low-Impact, Bingo or Cardio Lite Today.
Monday, April 8
9:30 Exercise
9:30 Computers
9:30 Chronic Disease Management Class w/Griffin
10 Arts & Crafts
10:15 Exercise
10:30 Move-It with Darlene
12 Canasta
12:30 Low Impact Exercise
1 Billiard Mixer
1 Ballroom Cardio
1 Bingo
1 Painting (open studio)
Tuesday, April 9
Culinary Institute
9 Strength Train
9:30 Bridge
10 Ceramics (open studio)
10:30 Strength Train
12 Crochet & Knitting
12 Ladies Pool
12:30 Pinochle
12:30-2:30 Sentimental Journey Band and Dancing
1 Pool Lessons
1 Mah Jongg
3:30 Commission Meeting
Wednesday, April 10
9:15 Zumba Gold
9:30 Exercise
9:30-11:30 Matter of Balance
10 Quilting
10 Arts & Crafts
10 Scrabble
10:15 Exercise
10:30 Ballroom Aerobics
10:30 Bridge Lessons
12 Chorus
12:30 Low Impact Exercise
12:30 Agency of Aging
1 Grief Support
1 Pinochle
1 Bingo
1:30 Intermediate Line Dance
Thursday, April 11
9 Strength Train
10 Square Dancing
10:30 Strength Train
11 Medicine Shoppe
12:30 Beginner Line Dancing
1 Yoga with Jill
1 Bridge
1 Pinochle
1:30 Sweating to the Oldies
2 Wii Bowling
2:30 Tai Chi
Friday, April 12
8 Walking Club
9:30 Tickets on Sale for Karaoke with Olga
9:30 Computer & Photo Club
9:30 Exercise
9:30 Executive Meeting
10 Dominoes
10:15 Exercise
10:15 Membership Meeting
12:30 Low Impact Exercise
1 Book Club
1 Bingo
3 Cardio Lite
No pool, low-impact exercise, bingo, cardio lite or lunch today.
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A Shelton woman has been arrested after allegedly leaving her three children — all under the age of 6 — home alone, one of which was a 5-month-old child who later died at the hospital.
Jessyka Oliveira, 30, has been charged Tuesday, April 2, with three counts of risk of injury to a minor and one count of interfering with a police officer in connection with the alleged incident that occurred in December 2018.
No other charges are expected in this case, according to local law enforcement.
“EMS and Shelton police were dispatched to a residence in the downtown area of Shelton for a medical call,” said Shelton Police Detective Christopher Nugent. “Medical attention was administered to a 5-month baby, who was later pronounced deceased at the hospital.”
Nugent said that Shelton police conducted an investigation into the incident and determined that, approximately two hours prior to the medical call, Oliveira left three children unattended at the residence for a short period of time. The children were all younger than the age of 6.
“Detectives also determined that Oliveira was not truthful during her initial interviews,” said Nugent.
According to an eight-page arrest warrant written by Detective Richard Bango, police and EMS were called to Oliveira’s Perry Avenue home about 11:20 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2018, for an unresponsive 5-month-old girl.
The warrant says Oliveira has three other children, two of whom were also home at the time — a 4-year-old and 1-year-old.
Oliveira told police she had put the baby, who had been congested with cold-like symptoms, in a bassinet to sleep about 9:30 a.m. She said she tended to the two other children as the baby slept, but checked on the infant about 11 a.m. and noticed she was blue, her eyes were dark and she wasn’t breathing.
An autopsy police received last month listed the cause of death as undetermined. A medical examiner told police he could not definitively say what caused her death — the respiratory virus, bronchopneumonia or pneumonia the baby contracted at the hospital.
An investigation found that two hours before the medical call, Oliveira left the three children alone in the residence for “a short period of time,” Nugent said. Detectives said Oliveira was untruthful during her initial interviews.
The warrant says Oliveira initially told police that earlier that day, she had a friend watch the three children as she took her oldest child, a 6-year-old, to school. However, when police questioned the friend, she said Oliveira had asked her to lie to them, and showed cops Facebook messages backing up her story.
She was released from custody after posting a $5,000 bond. She appeared at Derby Superior Court Wednesday, where Judge Peter McShane continued the case to April 16, at which point it may be transferred to Milford Superior Court, which handles more serious cases.
Oliveira was released after posting a $5,000 bond. She appeared at Derby Superior Court Wednesday, where Judge Peter McShane continued the case to April 16, at which point it may be transferred to Milford Superior Court, which handles more serious cases.
Ethan Fry contributed to this article.
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Local law enforcement received Narcan use training this past month — and the timing could not have been more perfect.
On March 16, Shelton police officers Jesse Butwell and Caroline Moretti, in separate incidents, revived two individuals with the Narcan nasal spray, the first and only FDA-approved nasal form of naloxone for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose.
Police Lt. Robert Koslowsky said the first incident was about 3 p.m. that day, when officers were called to a one-vehicle accident on Shelton Avenue and Meadow Street.
“The officers found the male driver unconscious so they used the Narcan,” said Koslowsky. “Based on the investigation at the scene, it appeared [the driver] may be overdosing, so the officer [Butwell] used the Narcan. [The driver] appeared to wake up. It worked, and he was sent to the hospital.”
Koslowsky said Moretti responded, around 5 p.m. that same day, to a report of a person needing medical assistance in the area of Trap Fall Reservoir along Huntington Street. Koslowsky said the officers found an unconscious female in a parked vehicle.
“[Moretti] used the Narcan in that situation as well,” said Koslowsky. “The person was revived and sent to the hospital for treatment.”
These saves resulted only days after the department completed Narcan use training. In that two-hour training — held by the Alliance for Preventive Wellness — a program of BHCare and Echo Hose Ambulance personnel — officers learned CPR as well as the background and use of the Narcan nasal spray.
Narcan nasal spray counteracts the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. Opioids include heroin, OxyContin, methadone, morphine, Percocet, fentanyl and vicodine. Since most accidental overdoses occur in a home setting, according to law enforcement, it was developed for first responders, as well as family, friends and caregivers — with no medical training required.
Koslowsky said the opioid epidemic is not unique to Shelton, with the increase of reported addicts and overdoses increasing statewide and across the country. And with each member of the Shelton Police Department now trained, and carrying two Narcan nasal spray bottles at all times, Koslowsky said local law enforcement can be ready if first on the scene of such a potentially tragic call.
“On these calls, EMS is dispatched, but there were times that the police officers were there first, so we had to wait for EMS to use Narcan,” said Koslowsky. “This just allows us to provide this lifesaving technique if we do get there before EMS does.
“Using the spray is simple, and we learned that if you are not sure of it is an opioid overdose, just use the spray because it saves a person who is overdosing on opioids but it will not hurt a person suffering from another medical issue,” added Koslowsky.
Koslowsky said another important reason for police officers to not only be trained in Narcan nasal spray’s use but also have on their person comes with inadvertent exposure to fentanyl. Koslowsky said there have several reported instances across the country in which officers have been exposed to even a small amount of fentanyl that has caused the officer to fall unconscious.
“We carry Narcan to help citizens who are overdosing, but it also helps in cases where officers, citizens or other people inadvertently inhale, particularly fentanyl, and pass out. We will be able to help save the lives of everyone in these cases,” said Koslowsky.
Pamela Mautte, director of Alliance for Preventive Wellness, said the training begins by detailing how the opioid epidemic started.
“We want people to also learn to understand how people can develop an opioid use disorder,” said Mautte. “We want to make sure people in training use proper language and are not marginalizing or stigmatizing people that may have a substance use or opioid use disorder.”
Mautte said the instruction then focuses on “what Narcan does, how it works, how an opioid works in the brain, how Narcan works to reverse the opioid effect in brain and to teach how to identify an opioid overdose.”
The importance of law enforcement receiving Narcan training, according to Mautte, cannot be overstated since these officers are many times the first on a scene of an incident that may have an individual who could be overdosing.
These Narcan training sessions have been conducted in Shelton for some two years, and Patrick Lahaza, Echo Hose Ambulance Corps education and paramedic coordinator, said more than 500 Narcan kits have been distributed to first responders and community members in that time.
“The education is starting to change how people feel about use of Narcan and is helping to reduce the stigma of opioid epidemic,” said Mautte.
This education also includes safe storage and disposal of medications as well as disposal of unused or unwanted medications. Koslowsky said that research demonstrates that opioid addiction begins through use of prescription narcotics. And that is why Koslowky urges residents to watch for any misuse of prescriptions in the home and dispose of any extra pills.
The Shelton Police Department has a pill bottle disposal bin in its lobby of the Wheeler Road headquarters. People can come into the lobby 24 hours, seven days a week and dump the any type of prescribed medicines in the bin, no questions asked.
The Echo Hose Ambulance Training Center will host a Community Narcan/Suicide Prevention Out Reach Program on April 25 and May 23. The sessions run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the training center, 430 Coram Ave. For more information on training center programming, visit http://echohose.com/index.html
brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
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Residents may be able to rest easier knowing they are in one of the safest communities in Connecticut, that according to SafeWise, a site focused on home security and safety.
Shelton placed 12th — moving up four spaces from last year — among Connecticut cities and towns in SafeWise’s annual reporting, which showed that the city, with a population of 41,625, reported a violent crime rate of 0.67 per 1,000 people, and a property crime rate of 9.51 per 1,000.
“We focus on risk reduction, and we make sure officers are visible in areas where we might be seeing crimes on an increase,” said Police Chief Shawn Sequeira, adding that the department remains proactive in crime prevention. “I’m proud of everyone here for their efforts. We are seeing results. We are having success.”
Sequeira also credited the patrol division, calling it the backbone of the department, in its effort to quell crime.
“In different areas where we see crimes increasing, areas where we see risk, we focus on risk reduction,” said Sequeira. “What that means is increasing patrols, routine checks, moving more resources in those areas and keeping an omnipresence in those areas.”
Sequeira said that maintaining a “strong, consistent visibility” throughout the community is known to reduce crime, and “that is the ultimate goal.”
And the department has seen success in reducing crime, as demonstrated through comparing Shelton’s crime statistics from 2017 and 2018, during which time most major incident totals dropped or remained about the same.
Police data showed that the number of reported rapes in 2018 was eight, compared to three the previous year. Overall, sexual assaults — encompassing rape and forcible fondling — totaled 14 in 2018, with 10 the previous year. There was one negligent manslaughter arrest — with none reported the previous year — but otherwise, crime numbers saw some significant decreases in Shelton in 2018.
There were 50 larcenies in 2018, a significant drop from 84 the previous year; 66 burglaries in 2018, down from 80 in 2017; 35 stolen motor vehicles in 2018, down from 52 in 2017; 52 reports of vandalism in 2018, down from 95 in 2017; 79 thefts from a motor vehicle in 2018, down from 86 the previous year; and 68 reports of threatening/intimidation in 2018, a significant drop from 121 in 2017.
The number of robberies and assaults did rise, but only slightly. Robberies rose from six in 2017 to seven in 2018, and assault reports were 45 in 2017, 46 this past year, according to police data. Arson reports remained flat, one each in 2017 and 2018.
Overall, according to the SafeWise report, Connecticut is well below national averages for both violent and property crime. Proving the point, 95% of the cities on the list saw fewer than one violent crime per 1,000 people, according to FBI data.
With such a low violent crime rate — just 2.55 — it is no surprise that residents named digital security their top concern in the SafeWise State of Safety study. Just 6% of the people spoken to as part of the report stated a personal experience with violent crime in the past year, but 16% reported experiencing a digital security issue.
To identify the safest cities of 2019, SafeWise reviewed 2017 FBI crime report statistics (the most recent complete report available at the time of ranking) and population data. The rankings are based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) in each city. If there was a tie, SafeWise also factored in the number of property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft). SafeWise gave precedence to violent crime because it typically results in physical harm or injury, whereas property crime usually has an economic impact. While both are concerning, people are usually more afraid of violent crime, which directly impacts their feeling of safety.
To level the playing field, SafeWise calculated the rate of crimes per 1,000 people in each city. This makes it easier, according to SafeWise researchers, to directly compare the likelihood of these crimes occurring in cities with vastly different populations.
brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
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Alfride Gjeloshi’s love of European cuisine is now a benefit to the Shelton community.
Gjeloshi, who spent more than 20 years as an office manager, has put that aside to make her dream of becoming a small business owner into a reality — even in these tough economic times. And in the process she is helping continue downtown’s revitalization with Balkana European Market & Eatery.
The new eatery, located at 507 Howe Avenue, offers an array of Albanian and European foods, from Qubapa (minced beef sausages, served with cabbage salad and warm bread) to the Balkan burger (pljeskavica patty made of beef and mized spices, fried egg and balkan toppings), gulash to cabbage salad to the ever-popular Burek. Patrons can finish the dining experience with some homemade desserts.
Gjeloshi’s new business has even caught the attention of Mayor Mark Lauretti, who will be on hand to welcome the new business during a grand opening Saturday, April 6.
“I’m very proud of opening my own business and doing it all on my own,” said Gjeloshi, adding that she received the lease for the space on New Year’s Eve.
She said she spent the next couple months preparing the shop, purchasing equipment and formulating the menu, all while working a 40-hour work week at her office manager job in upstate New York.
“It has all gone better than expected,” said Gjeloshi, who moved to Shelton two years ago with her husband, five daughters — Jennifer, Justina, Christina, Valentina and Rosemary — and her parents. “I’m really excited to bring the taste of Europe to Fairfield County.”
brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
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Echo Hose Hook & Ladder Co. 1 and Auxiliary will be hosting its first annual “Animal Shelter Supply Drive” to help the animals at the Shelton Animal Shelter.
This drive — set for Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its 379 Coram Avenue headquarters — is for collecting “all types of items to take the burden off of the shelter who are always needing donations for these sweet animals,” according to the auxiliary’s Facebook post.
Children are also welcome to come by and see the firehouse and the fire trucks.
Items sought are clean blankets, towels and bedding; cat litter; stuffed animals; cat and dog treats; laundry soap; leashes and collars; cat and dog toys; cat trees; cat and dog beds; newspapers to line cages; canned and dry food for cats and dogs; and feeding bowls.
For more information, contact Kristen Ostrowski at EHFDAuxiliary@gmail.com. For more information on adopting, contact the Shelton Animal Shelton at (203) 924-2501 or visit them at 11 Brewster Lane, Shelton, CT 06484. The shelter hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Other times are by appointments only.
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It’s the talk among city parents in lunchrooms, at bus stops, at Veterans Memorial Park and on the Shelton residents’ Facebook page.
People are asking why Shelton High School Headmaster Beth Smith was placed on administrative leave last week, and what’s going to happen now.
“The reasons should be made available to parents,” Amy Jaffer said Wednesday, as she waited for her son to get off his bus near the Plumb Memorial Library. “These are people we put put in charge of a children, if any wrongdoing has been done, parents need to know.”
Police Chief Shawn Sequeira, a retired state police detective who once worked for the state Department of Children and Families, has said his department is looking into whether school personnel followed state law. But he has specified which laws pertained to this case.
“Obviously, everyone wants to know what actually happened,” Anuja Goyal said as she walked downtown, watching her son ride his bike. “There has been no public discussion.”
There have been a number of controversies at Shelton High in the last few years.
In 2011, student James Tate attracted worldwide attention — which helped overturn a decision by Smith to bar him from attending the prom after taping foot-high letters on the outside of the high school, asking a girlfriend to go with him.
In 2015, six teenage Shelton girls had to alter or replace their prom gowns after school officials deemed the outfits too revealing.
In 2016, the parents of a Shelton High student killed in a car crash prevailed on the Board of Education to issue a posthumous diploma for their son.
Last year, after petitions were circulated by seniors Justin Hafele and Tiana Boccuzzi, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Chris Clouet canceled plans to hold graduation ceremonies at Ansonia’s Nolan Field because of ongoing turf field renovations at Shelton High’s Finn Field.
“Mr. Skerritt moved right in,” said Horvath, adding that he, too, wonders what is going on.
The matter did not come up during Wednesday’s special meeting of the Board of Education, where the agenda was limited to the budget and redistricting, with no public comment session. The next scheduled school board meeting is April 23.
A notice remained posted on the Shelton Public Schools website and includes: “SHS Principal, Dr. Beth Smith, will be out on administrative leave until further notice. This is a personnel matter.”
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It is City of Shelton versus Shelton Board of Education, Round 2.
After more than an hour of executive session Thursday, the Board of Aldermen voted 5-4 to file legal action against school Superintendent Dr. Chris Clouet and the Board of Education in response to the recently released audit report, which reported that the school board overspent its budget allotment by some $3.1 million over a two-year period.
The motion stated that the “City of Shelton take appropriate legal action against the Shelton superintendent of schools and those responsible on the Board of Education and/or within the Shelton school district for deficit spending by the Shelton school district in violation of city charter as noted by the city of Shelton auditor for the fiscal years 2016-2017 and 2017-18.”
In a roll call vote, the Aldermen deadlocked at 4-4, with Mayor Mark Lauretti breaking the tie with a vote in favor of the legal action. David Gidwani, Jim Capra, Noreen McGorty and Cris Balamaci voted against the suit.
Town Attorney Fran Teodosio told the Shelton Herald after the vote that the legal action will be formally filed with the court within a week. This is the second suit the city has filed against the Board of Education in the past year, with the last being over the school bus transportation.
“This is the only option available to us,” said Mayor Mark Lauretti after the meeting, “and we’ll have an independent party make a decision. As I have said before, this type of situation has never happened here before, and I think people must be held accountable.”
“Is this leadership by lawsuit?” asked Clouet after learning about the Aldermen’s vote. “Tonight there was a great event that brought community members together at (Shelton High School) to celebrate youth. At City Hall, more division.”
“This is going to be a huge waste of taxpayer dollars,” added Board of Education Chairman Mark Holden after learning of the decision.
Board of Education member and Shelton Democratic Town Committee Chair Dave Gioiello, in a post on the Shelton DTC Facebook page, stated “Despite a highly disputable city audit, the mayor and four Republican aldermen have voted to initiate legal action against the Board of Education (BOE) and the superintendent of schools, over the excess cost grant money provided to the schools for special education for the last two years.”
Gioiello said that there is a letter from the state Board of Education confirming that the Board of Education acted properly, however, the city is still going ahead with a lawsuit.
“This is a total waste of taxpayer money,” stated Gioiello. “Shelton deserves better. This does not move the city forward but only feeds the mayor’s long record of aggression towards our public schools. Let your alderman know you do not support this waste of your tax dollars.”
When asked how the Board of Education would be called upon to reimburse the city, Lauretti said he was not sure, “but everything is on the table.
“Negotiation can be ongoing, but if you don’t a viable option to get someone to the table, where do you go?” asked Lauretti. “This (legal action) seems to be the only real option to get them to the table. They just seem to still be in denial.”
The suit stems from the report filed by CPA David Cappilletti of Clermont and Associates, LLP, the city’s independent auditor. The audit uncovered a $3,170,300 accumulated loss in five special-revenue accounts maintained by the Board of Education and school district. The biggest shortfall is for $2,776,708 in the state excess cost-grant program, a fund used primarily to subsidize high-cost special education programs. Much of its revenue gets reimbursed by the state, hence the name of the fund.
“All of a sudden a fund is down $2.7 million?” asked Lauretti the night the audit report was discussed with the Aldermen in February. “That’s concerning to me . I don’t recall this ever happening in my many years as mayor.”
Cappilletti did not suggest there was any wrongdoing on the part of the Board of Education or school district staff. Instead, the problem came about because of misunderstandings of the budgeting requirements, he said, and a lack of communication between the school district and City Hall.
For his part, Clouet has stated that the school district sends a detailed letter to City Hall each year outlining any excess expenses.
“Neither the city nor its auditor — the same auditing firm that reviewed the Board of Education’s compliance with state of Connecticut excess-cost grant procedures in prior fiscal years, ever contested this process,” said Clouet in a prepared statement, “or the district’s legal right to the excess-cost funds.”
Clouet also said there are “serious errors” in the audit report. He said the error stems from how the district uses and accounts for state-issued excess-cost funds that help school districts deal with unanticipated special ed costs. Such students, he said, typically “need complex services offered in out-of-district settings.”
After several unsuccessful attempts to get the auditor to alter his findings, the Board of Education filed an ethics complaint against David Cappilletti and Clermont and Associates, LLC, with the state Board of Accountancy. No ruling has been made on that complaint as of yet.
brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
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Resolution of the criminal investigation into some Shelton High School staff members — highlighted by Principal Beth Smith’s placement on paid administrative leave — will not come until next week.
Shelton Police Chief Shawn Sequeira told the Shelton Herald Thursday that there is no timetable on the investigation — which is focusing on whether school staff properly followed protocols and procedures, in accordance with Connecticut state law, in handling a potentially criminal incident involving two students on Tuesday, March 26 — but felt a decision could come sometime next week.
Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti has stated law enforcement observed what were believed to be irregularities in the school’s handling of the situation involving the two students. And school Superintendent Dr. Chris Clouet, in response to the criminal investigation, placed Smith on paid administrative leave on March 28 but gave no specific reason for the decision, saying only that this was a “personnel matter.”
In the days following the start of the criminal investigation — which encompasses not only Smith but also other school staffers, including acting Principal John Skerritt, according to published reports — rumors have swirled about the reasons behind the investigation and Smith’s present status. It reached a fever pitch after inaccurate reporting that inferred that there had been an arrest and a school employee had been escorted off the campus.
That immediately led Clouet to say he was “concerned and extremely disappointed in the false reporting” on this matter by various media outlets. He also posted a statement on the school district’s website saying “Please beware of rumors. [Smith] was not escorted from the building by police. There has been no arrest. Our primary concern is the well-being of our students. In addition, Dr. Smith deserves respect and privacy as this process unfolds.””
“The situation centered around a complaint concerning two students,” said Lauretti, “and during that, the state’s attorney got involved with respect to how these complaints are being handled by school staff members.”
But Clouet as well as Board of Education members and even the Shelton teachers’ union head, Deborah Keller, have refused comment, citing the present law enforcement investigation as well as potential pending investigations by school officials. State Department of Children & Families’ officials also refused to confirm or deny any report was made concerning Shelton High School.
“I met with dozens of students, and they were understandably concerned with everything going on,” said Clouet. “What I took away from our meetings is a unity as a community to maintain the quality of service that everyone has come to expect from Shelton High School.”
Clouet — who emphasized that no high school programming will be affected by the present situation — said meeting with the school community was imperative as reports surfaced that the state’s attorney office and Shelton Police Department are conducting a “criminal investigation involving multiple staff members” at Shelton High School.
“I think it is in everyone’s best interest to not add unnecessary commentary to this situation,” said Clouet. “I have spoken with staff. I have communicated with students and with parents. That’s where the focus should be right now.”
But Lauretti criticized Clouet’s actions in this process.
“By putting Beth Smith on administrative leave, [Clouet] may have called attention to a situation when it may have been premature,” said Lauretti. “What if nothing comes down from this, then what? Why not reassign her until everything is done. All kinds of mistakes have been made here.”
“I think these kinds of comments are exactly what we do not need right now,” responded Clouet. “People should be more circumspect. We need to respect each other and respect the process. Once the investigation is completed, and I all the information in hand, I will make statement about how we move forward.”
Visit sheltonherald.com daily for updates on this article.
brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
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Revisions have been made to a proposal for a 36-unit condominium complex at 85-97 River Road.
The developer has moved residential buildings slightly farther from a rock ledge, added parking spaces and relocated a mailbox pickup area away from River Road, architect Pat Rose told the Planning & Zoning Commission on March 27.
Trash pickups at individual homes will replace an earlier plan to have trash containers, said Rose, who works for the developer.
The changes follow concerns raised by staff, P&Z members and the public at an earlier meeting. Neighbors also are worried about the potential impact on traffic, school enrollment and wildlife.
Developer representatives said the project “is not expected to have a significant impact” on traffic on River Road (Route 110). They pointed to a recent Board of Education enrollment report showing similar multifamily housing attracts few adults with school-age children.
Key Development LLC wants to construct nine residential buildings on 12.4 acres across from the Baingan Indian restaurant. Much of the property in the rear has limited development potential due to elevation changes, rocky terrain and wetlands.
The developer is seeking a special exception to allow a multifamily development on the property, which is zoned Residence-3 for quarter-acre lots.
The project would have 24 two-bedroom townhouse units and 12 three-bedroom ranch units, with buildings up to three stories high. Each unit would have a deck or patio.
Members continued to raise questions about rock cuts needed to create the development site, which will lead to some residential units being close to ledges from 25 to 50 feet high. Blasting will be used for the cuts.
Concerns focus on the potential for rock to crumble and fall apart in the future, presenting danger to people and property below.
Decks and patios in the rear of some units would be 10 feet from the rock ledge, separated by a flat grassy area and a two-foot-wide drainage trench at the rock’s edge.
Developer engineer Manny Silva said the “homogenous, solid rock” found in the immediate area doesn’t flake or fall apart easily and limited water would flow toward the ledge tops.
Developer Kenneth Schaible said Shelton has a lot of rock and he’s done blasting for projects with “no complaint, no damage.” He pointed out he served on the city Blasting Commission, working with the fire marshal.
Member Mark Widomski said blasting could make fissures in the rock, letting water seep in and the rock eventually deteriorating.
Rose said similar rock in the vicinity has shown “no deterioration” and should problems occur, anchors or other methods could be used to remedy the situation. He said the city has blasting rules in place to protect people’s properties.
Peter Gomis, who owns an abutting house, said blasting could lead to “collateral damage” in the neighborhood. “It’s going to have to be turned into a rock quarry to clear it,” he said.
Nearby resident Diana Barry said blasting had caused problems in the past in Shelton. She also listed all the nearby condo and apartment developments built or approved in recent decades, saying they’ve led to more traffic. “That’s a lot of cars,” she said.
The site has 400 feet of frontage on River Road and would be accessed off one driveway that would be steep near the road, with grades up to 8%.
All condo buildings would be at least 25 feet from each other and a stormwater management system would reduce current runoff from the site.
Rose pointed out less than two acres of the overall property would be developed for the project.
In a letter, the Conservation Commission raised no objections to the proposal and pointed out land in the rear would remain wooded and “maintain scenic views.”
On school enrollment, Rose said the recent report indicated multifamily units generate 0.06 students per unit, which would mean about two students for a 36-unit project.
Schaible questioned why tandem parking spaces couldn’t be counted toward the required number of parking spaces, saying no one has shown him the pertinent regulation in the zoning laws.
The application was kept open for more staff review.
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Griffin Hospital will host a free hernia screening event on Thursday, April 25, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the hospital, 130 Division St., Derby.
The screenings will be conducted by area surgeons specializing in hernia treatment. The test takes about 10 minutes and participants will receive information and referrals if there is a suspected hernia.
A hernia occurs when an internal organ or other body part protrudes through the wall of muscle or tissue that normally contains it. Most hernias occur within the abdominal cavity, between the chest and the hips, or the groin.
“It is estimated that five million people in the country have an abdominal hernia, but only about 700,000 of them seek medical treatment each year,” said Griffin Hospital Chief of Surgery Dr. Richard Salzano. “It can be very painful to live with a hernia and potentially life-threatening, so we’re hosting this free screening to encourage anyone who believes they have a hernia to come in and have it checked.”
A hernia in the abdomen or groin can produce a noticeable lump or bulge that can be pushed back in, or that can disappear when lying down. Laughing, crying, coughing, straining during a bowel movement, or physical activity may make the lump reappear after it has been pushed in. More symptoms of a hernia include:
• Swelling or bulge in the groin or scrotum
• Increased pain at the site of the bulge
• Pain while lifting
• Increase in the bulge size over time
• A dull aching sensation
• A sense of feeling full or signs of bowel obstruction
In the case of hiatal hernias — when the upper part of your stomach bulges through the large muscle separating your abdomen and chest (diaphragm) — there are no bulges on the outside of the body. Instead, symptoms may include heartburn, indigestion, difficulty swallowing, frequent regurgitation and chest pain.
Hernias occur in a higher frequency in men between the ages of 40 to 59 years of age, but approximately two percent of all women will have an inguinal hernia at some point in their lifetime.
If left untreated, hernias can get bigger over time, become more visible and can cause serious problems, including blocking the intestine, pinched blood vessels and the hernia can break through the skin.
Interested individuals must make an appointment, which will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. To make an appointment, call 203-732-3443.
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State Rep. Jason Perillo participated in a panel discussion at Shelton High School on Thursday, March 28, with local Planning & Zoning Commission member Jimmy Tickey and Jacqueline Kozin, executive director of the state’s Democratic State Central Committee.
The event was hosted by the Shelton High School Junior State of America during fight apathy week.
“It is great to see some many young people getting involved in politics,” said Perillo. “We need more young people getting involved in their communities.”
Perillo also urged the students to read as much as they can about the issues impacting our state country and to always work to find common ground with friends or individuals with opposing viewpoints.
The Junior State of America is a civil, all-partisan, welcoming community of students, teachers, alumni, board, staff and supporters.
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Dr. Swati Srivastava recently joined Griffin Faculty Physicians’ team of primary care physicians.
Srivastava comes to Griffin after serving as physician specializing in adult and geriatric medicine at Allegheny Health Network and Allegheny Valley Hospital in Pennsylvania. She joins Dr. John Farens at Griffin Faculty Physicians at White Hills, 224 Leavenworth Road, Shelton.
Srivastava completed her undergraduate medical education at Yerevan State Medical University in Armenia and her graduate medical education and residency at The WPHAGH Forbes Regional Hospital in Pennsylvania with a specialization in family medicine.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with Srivastava, call 203-926-1206.
Griffin Faculty Practice provides patient-centered, personalized care with primary care locations in Ansonia, Naugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Southbury and Oxford. In addition, the practice provides specialized care in urology, cardiology, gastroenterology, cardiothoracic surgery, breast surgery, general surgery, endocrinology, and geriatric medicine. For more information, visit www.griffinfacultyphysicians.org
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Theatergoers were transported to family life in the 1940s during Center Stage Theater’s Saturday night performance of I Remember Mama. The play, written by John Van Druten, and based on Kathryn Forbes’ semi-autobiographical novel, Mama’s Bank Account, is both a dramatic and humorous account of childhood in a Norwegian family. The show marks the final directorial endeavor of CST’s founders, Gary and Francesca Scarpa. For future performances and more on the Scarpas, https://www.sheltonherald.com/136839/center-stage-i-remember-mama-closes-out-season/. — Emily Denaro/For Hearst Connecticut Media
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A sex offender accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old Shelton girl was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison.
Miguel Feliciano, 28, had pleaded guilty under the Alford doctrine to second-degree sexual assault on Dec. 23, 2018.
Under Alford, a defendant doesn’t agree with all of the prosecution’s accusations but concedes that a conviction is likely if the case went to trial.
Feliciano has been behind bars since his August 2017 arrest in the case.
According to an arrest warrant, Feliciano gave the girl Xanax and sexually assaulted her several times in a New Street home over the course of a weekend that May.
In court Thursday, Feliciano’s lawyer, Peter Tsimbidaros, said Feliciano didn’t know the girl was a minor.
“My client was not aware that she was under the legal age,” Tsimbidaros said.
According to the warrant, the victim told police Feliciano thought she was 16, but that she wanted him to go to jail.
The warrant quoted the girl as saying “I mean, it wasn’t OK, but it was, I OK’ed it. It wasn’t OK with the law, but it was OK with me. But he wanted to and was telling me don’t tell anyone.”
During the investigation, police said they discovered Feliciano is a registered sex offender who had failed to verify his address with the state, as required by law.
According to the state’s sex offender registry, Feliciano had a previous address in Ansonia.
He was convicted in 2007 of having illegal sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl and was sentenced to serve three years behind bars.
Judge Peter Brown said Thursday in court that the plea deal was appropriate given the allegations and Feliciano’s record.
He then sentenced Feliciano to a 12-year prison sentence to be suspended after five years, followed by 10 years of probation.
The judge ordered Feliciano to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and initiate no contact with minors while on probation. He also signed a protective order barring Feliciano from contacting the victim for the next 50 years.
ethan.fry@hearstmediact.com
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Plans for affordable housing development on land behind the Huntington Congregational Church will go before the Planning & Zoning Commission Tuesday.
John Guedes, a Shelton resident and president/CEO of Primrose Development, LLC, filed the plans, under section 8-30g of the state statutes, for the 84-unit development on 6.5 acres on what is now Huntington Congregational Church-owned land.
The Planning & Zoning Commission meeting is at 7 p.m. in the City Hall auditorium.
The 8-30g statute gives developers of affordable housing projects that meet state criteria a means of circumventing most zoning rules, such as density regulations, setback distances and building heights. Interim P&Z Administrator Ken Nappi told the Shelton Herald Friday that this is the first such for-profit affordable housing application, filed under this state statute, during his time.
Guedes told the Herald, during an interview in February about the affordable housing application, that this latest plan was filed under the state’s 8-30g statute, which allows greater latitude for developers with such plans if the community in question does not meet the state requirement for the number of affordable units. Guedes said that the city does not meet that threshold.
“I want the quality of life in the center to be maintained, and I think that the original plan did that,” said Guedes. “I’m hopeful that level heads prevail here, and we can negotiate a settlement, even if I give up a couple homes in the process. I don’t want a high-density development here, but at the same time, you can’t stop progress.”
This is the latest twist for this property. Guedes’ original plan — which was before the Planning & Zoning Commission last year — called for 20 detached housing units, named Huntington Village, on a wooded tract off Ripton Road, with an entrance between Centerview Drive and Huntington Congregational’s rear parking lot entrance. To complete the project, Guedes had sought to create a Planned Development District (PDD) on the property which was zoned for one-acre and half-acre lots.
The Huntington Village development would have had two private cul-de-sacs, and 1.4 acres — or 23% of the overall site — would have been set aside as open space. Homes would have three bedrooms, two-car garages in most cases, and be connected to city sewers and public water. The detached single-family homes would be part of a condominium association, and the condo owners would not own individual lots.
The plans caused quite an uproar, with hundreds of people attending a public hearing on the application last summer at Shelton Intermediate School. In the end, the Planning & Zoning Commission denied the application, and Guedes’ legal appeal of that decision is presently winding through the court system.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Guedes, an architect and builder best known for pursuing residential projects on Canal Street downtown, about this latest filing during an interview with the Herald in February when news of this plan first broke.
“Hopefully, this will get the (Planning & Zoning) Commission to realize that the best option here is low-density housing,” added Guedes at the time. “This has never been about the dollars. This was always about doing something that will fit in with Huntington Center. But, in the end, something will be done with this property.”
Guedes told the Herald in February that the affordable housing application would be pulled if a settlement can be reached on the legal appeal — with the developer’s ultimate hope being that he can build his low-density project, even if he agrees to reduce the amount by a couple of homes. He said, at present, no settlement meetings have been held.
Guedes said that the church “needs to sell and try to maximize its profit,” so one way or another the land will be sold.
brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
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A full class of crafters spent the afternoon learning the art of Pyansky egg making at the Plumb Library on Saturday, March 30. Led by instructor Debora Semonich, participants learned how to use dye and wax to create the colorful eggs popularized in Ukraine. — Emily Denaro/For Hearst Connecticut Media
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