Rejoin CD? Board Sets Nov. 6 Vote
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Hl/ackers free 123 Microwave can make Women’s teams proud winners from Iranian airliner any chocahollc happy page 17 page 10 ... page 5 Fair, cool tonight; Manchester, Conn.' partly sunny Thursday Wednesday, August 8,1984 — See page 2 \ Single copy: 25<P HanrhpBlrr Mpralb Rejoin CD? Board sets Nov. 6 vote By Kathy Garmus The nine members of the CDBG Herald Reporter study committee who recom mended re-entry said HUD’s en The question of whether Man forcement and interpretation of chester should join the federal various block grant regulations had become less stringent since Community Development Block Grant program will go before the town’s withdrawal from the voters in a referendum foi; a third program. time in November. ' The five committee members With little discussion, the Board who voted against participation of Directors voted 7-1 Tuesday said there would be no significant night to place a question concern risk in re-entering the program if ing the town’s participation on the the town could do so without Nov. 6 ballot. making a commitment to con Republican Director Wiibiini struct or convert apartments Into Diana voted against the referen subsidized housing for non-elderly people. Herald photo by Ptnto dum, saying that the wording of the ballot question showed little re Under a Housing Assistance Plan prepared by Planning Direc spect for voters because it was too Ideal weather for ducks vague. tor Mark Pellegrini, the town lists a zero as its goal for the construc “ It doesn’t explain to the people tion of new subsidized apartments A car sloshes through a deep puddle which welled upon gutters to overflow. The flash flooding covered sidewalks that this is HUD (the Department because there is no federal money (under water at right in this picture) and dumped debris of Housing and Urban Develop Porter Street near Adelaide Road late Tuesday currently available fur such work. ment) and is what they turned 'i afternoon, moments after the quick, heavy rain caused on more than one lawn in the area. Story on page 3. However, the Housing Assist down twice," he said. ance Plan, which must accompany ButMayor Barbara B. Weinberg the CDBG application, sets a said the directors tried to keep the three-year goal to assist 80 house wording of the question simple to Allegations Involve coal lease sale holds through rental subsidies or avoid some of the confusion rehabilitation available from the reported by voters after previous Section 8 program, the CDBG CDBG referendums. Some voters said at the time that they did not entitlement grant and the Connec know whether they had voted for or ticut Rental Rehabilitation Pro Interior Department official quits gram, Pellegrini said. against participation in the pro gram, she said. He termed the number “ not significant,” saying that about The question on the ballot this a coal company prior to the 1982 administration. Reagan, shortly 2,100 households would probably By Robert Sangeorge year will read: “ Shall the Board of after taking office in 1981, fired 13 leasing rights in the April 1982 need rental assistance over the United Press International Powder River Basin coal lease Directors accept funds designated federal inspectors general and Powder River bidding was the the three-year period. sale. for the town of Manchester under WASHINGTON — The Interior Interior spokesman Douglas made the jobs political appoint largest such sale in U.S. history, J. Russell Smyth of 48 Straw the federal Community Develop Department’s ins|»ctor general is Baldwin said Mulberry, appointed ments, although they were origi involving 1.2 billion tons of coal on berry Lane said he thought re ment Block Grant program?" The resigning following allegations by President Reagan, sent a letter nally created as career govem- the Montana-Wyoming border. entry would receive 100 percent town is eligible for $468,000 in that he failed to properly investi to the White House dated July 20 ment posts to ensure Mulberry’s report, issued May support from the people if the town CDBG grants during the next gate a controversy involving the saying his resignation “ is in independence. 12, 1983, concluded there was “ no listed as zero on the HAP its goal federal fiscal year, which begins largest coal lease sale in U.S. harmony with my original plan to In the Mulberry case, the GAO, evidence” interior officials had for the construction of subsidized Oct. 1. serve you in this position through investigative arm of Congress, leaked data to a coal company. housing. history. Although the majority of a Richard Mulberry, inspector fiscal 1984.” The 1984 federal fiscal concluded a 1983 report by him on The dispute involved allegations “ I believe we have a golden 15-member study committee ap general under former Interior year ends Sept. 30. the Powder River controversy was that David Russell, deputy assist opportunity to re-enter the CDBG pointed by the board last month Secretary James Watt, remained Mulberry is the second inspector “ imcomplete and unreliable” and ant secretary for land and water program if we eliminate the recommended that the town re in the job when William Clark took general working for the Reagan “ misled the Congress and the resources, told a Wyoming coal risks,” he said. enter the program, the directors over the department last year. His administration to quit in less than a public.” firm’s lawyer about the minimum But several other residents who have said they would not accept resignation is effective Sept. 30, month. Joseph Sickon, General Mulberry was facing renewed acceptable bids the government spoke at the meeting were critical any grant money unless voters the department said Tuesday. Services Administration inspector congressional efforts to force his would take for certain coal tracts. of the board’s action, claiming that approve CDBG participation in Mulberry, interior’s chief inves general, resigned in the face of departure. House interior subcom Russell was fired by Clark. November. HUD regulations had not changed tigative officer, was himself the charges he so badly misgauged his mittee Chairman Edward Markey, The GAO found Mulberry “ ter since 1979 and that the town would Residents voted by more than a target oi a General Accounting budget that inadquate travel funds D-Mass., was ready to gather minated the investigation prema 2-1 margin in 1979 to withdraw be subject to the same restrictions. Office investigation in June that remained for investigators in the signatures on a “ dear colleague” turely, did not pursue leads about from the program, sparking a “ 1 don’t think you should have accused him of failing to look into waning months of fiscal 1984. letter calling for Mulberry’s leaks of Interior data and did not any right bringing it up,” said lawsuit by three low-income allegations that interior officials Controversy over inspector gen ouster. reconcile discrepancies in the women who claimed the town’s Balilla Pagani of 13 Faiknor Drive. leaked confidential information to eral posts is not new to the The government sale of coal information which was obtained.” withdrawal was racially moti “Hearsay don’t mean any vated and violated the civil rights thing,” said Vincent Kelly of 34 S. of low-income residents. The town Adams St., after several directors eventually won the suit, in which shook their heads when he asked Davidson the U.S. Department of Justice them if they had read both the old later joined the three women as a and new HUD regulations. plaintiff. But Betty Sadloski, a member of In a second referendum in 1980, the minority group on the CDBG appointed voters again opposed participation study committee, said the item in the program and placed a should be placed on the ballot two-year moratorium on re-entry. regardless of the arguments for or inspector Many opponents of participation against re-entering the program. said the HUD money came with too “ I do believe in what people want Russell Davidson has been ap many strings attached, including a and that they should have the right pointed Manchester’s chief build requirement that the town make a to speak,” she said. ing inspector, effective Monday, written commitment for the con Democratic director Kenneth N. Director of Public Works George struction of new subsidized apart Tedford was not at Tuesday night’s A. Kandra announced today. ments for low-income people. meeting. Davidson succeeds Frank Conti, who retired Dec. 30 after 27 years with the Building Department. James Fitzpatrick, who has been acting chief building inspector Town to advertise since Conti’s retirement, will re turn to his previous position as assistant building inspector, Kan dra said. possible CD uses Davidson will oversee the de partment’s two other inspectors The Board of Directors Tuesday tise the proposed use of funds as and a zoning agent, and will UPI photo gave permission to General Man drafted by Weiss. Republican receive an annual salary of $28,127 ager Robert B. Weiss to advertise a William Diana opposed the A Navy C5a transport carrying mines to assist in the clearing of explosives list of proposed uses for the in his new post. He has worked as Please turn to page 8 an inspector in the Building weeping helicopters is loaded in that have damaged many ships in the $468,000 in federal grants available Department for six years and preparation for a mission to the Red Sea area. if the town re-enters the Commun previously operated his own ity Development Block Grant program. plumbing, heating, electrical and remodeling business, he said. Weiss’s proposal includes Inside Today Davidson said he hoped an $133,000 for sidewalk and drainage 24 pao«i> 3 Hctlons, additional building inspector U.S.