Barbershop Politics
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www.StamfordAdvocate.com | Wednesday, October 17, 2018 | Since 1829 | $2.00 Dearth of part-timers Baby found dead Officials call for Safe Haven law awareness driving By John Nickerson Capt. Richard Conklin said. ”This is a very tragic situation STAMFORD — A newborn when we see these and we have baby found dead Tuesday morn- seen some over the years,” Con- custodian ing at a city garbage and recy- klin said. cling facility has renewed calls to Scanlon said investigators raise awareness of the state’s have not determined the origin Safe Haven law. of the recyclables that were sort- OT costs Stamford Police Lt. Thomas ed Tuesday morning at the Tay- Scanlon said a City Carting em- lor Reed Place facility. He said ployee found the baby at the the materials came from Stam- $1.45M budgeted — but is company’s Glenbrook process- ford, Greenwich, Somers, N.Y., it enough for city schools? ing plant around 8:40 a.m. Tues- Oyster Bay, N.Y., and Andover, Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media day. Mass. Emergency personnel respond to a report of a dead An autopsy will be conducted A spokesman for City Carting By Angela Carella baby in a dumpster at the City Carting & Recycling on to determine how the boy died could not be reached for com- Taylor Reed Place in Stamford. and if he was stillborn, Police See Newborn on A5 STAMFORD — This month, for the second time, the elected officials who control the city’s purse strings asked to meet with the officials who manage school custodians. Board of Finance members have been seek- ing explanations for why the custodians’ over- BARBERSHOP POLITICS time budget, which usually runs about $1.2 million annually, more than “I think doubled to $2.6 million last Lamont’s tour of Stamford includes UConn, hair cutter, pizza joint school year. raising the The question for the salaries of school district is clear, said Richard Freedman, finance the part- board chairman. timers is “What happened, and what are you going to do the step about it?” Freedman said. they needed “It’s our job to oversee fiscal operations, whether to take.” on the city side or the Richard Freedman, Board of Education side.” finance board This school year, $1.45 chairman million has been budgeted for custodian overtime, but it may not be enough. One reason is mold. The summer was rainy and humid, and school districts regionwide are doling out big bucks to clean it up. So far Stamford has spent more than $300,000, and more will be needed, finance board members learned at their October meet- ing. Some was used to hire an outside cleanup company and the rest covered overtime pay for custodians. But mold does not explain the overtime See Custodians on A5 Saudi plans in spotlight Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont chats with Eric Brown, of Stamford, at right, at Superior Barber and Beauty Shop in Stamford. Lamont was on a short city tour to share recently announced policy proposals on “entrepreneurship and workforce development” by expanding access to higher education and training. By Barry Lytton Minutes later, Lamont RACE FOR GOVERNOR 2018 appeared and challenged the STAMFORD — With « sophomore to a round of three weeks before Election ping-pong. Amid the cross- Day, democratic nominee for expound on his platform, hadn’t yet decided on La- fire, it was hard to see who governor Ned Lamont took a according to his campaign. mont or GOP candidate Bob was in the lead, with both lightning tour of Stamford But, in the rush between Stefanowski. players confident and some Tuesday, with three 15-min- venues and room-working “I haven’t completed my shots landing with precision Amid mounting questions over a jour- ute stops about town in the — and at least one wardrobe research,” he said while along the baseline. nalist’s disappearance, Stamford’s WWE hopes of drumming up more change — the day became volleying a ping-pong ball After the competition — is facing scrutiny over whether to hold its support in an already blue light on policy and heavy on with a classmate in the uni- which Lee said he “tech- event in Saudi Arabia next month. city. campaign saccharin. versity’s atrium. “I have to nically won” — the teen had The stops at UConn- No matter. It appears to do my research.” changed his mind. One SEE BUSINESS, A6 Stamford, the Superior Bar- have worked, at least for Would a candidate visit more vote for Lamont. ber Shop on the West Side, 19-year-old Jordan Lee. change his mind? A similar approach was 1 Inside: Journalist’s presumed murder in and Colony Grill were Lee, a UConn student, “It wouldn’t factor into on tap at the Colony Grill, Saudi Arabia opens old wounds. A3 scheduled for Lamont to said he planned to vote, but my research,” he said. See Tour on A4 Peach Island named for trees long ago By Tatiana Flowers When cruising from Norwalk Harbor toward Long Island Sound, Peach Is- land is the first of the Norwalk Islands that’s visible, sitting just 100 yards east of the Harborview neighborhood of South Norwalk. The 2.6-acre island is part of the Mc- Kinney Wildlife Refuge, and off limits to visitors, said Richard Delfosse of Rex Marine Center & Norwalk Cove Marina, a company that serves boaters in the area. Mudflats around Peach Island remain David Park / Contributed photo an important feeding and resting area A photo of Peach Island, a 2.6-acre island for birds, according to the U.S. Fish & owned by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. See Peach on A5 Advice/Puzzles......................B9 Comics ...................................B10 Opinion....................................A11 Classified.............................B4-7 Obituaries .............................A10 Public notices....................B5-6 © 2018 Weather: Increasing clouds. Hearst Media Services CT High: 61. Low: 36. LLC Page A12 A2 | Stamford Advocate | Wednesday, October 17, 2018 NEWS Zoning Board hears plan for senior homes in office parks By Barry Lytton have tried to re-purpose with limited success over STAMFORD — A pro- the past few years. Many of posal before the Zoning the offices in parks are va- Board this week had all the cant, and the city Master hallmarks of controversy. It Plan calls for re-purposing included a citywide text them with that in mind. change fit to a single project “There is a demonstrated and even focused on office- need for senior housing, not park zones, which are at the only in Stamford but also center of a zoning dispute nationwide with an aging now winding its way population,” city Associate through state Superior Planner Vineeta Mathur Court. wrote in a report. “The The odd thing is, there existing office parks within was no controversy. the C-D district are inter- The plan, to allow senior spersed within the city or assisted living homes in south of the Merritt Park- Stamford office parks, was way serving as an optimal welcomed by city staff and location for senior housing the Planning Board. It glid- and assisted living facil- ed through its zoning public ities.” Barry Lytton / Hearst Connecticut Media hearing. The office in question is a No one from the public three-story building on 16 POINT of 677 Washington Blvd.: Work is underway inside and outside the showed up Monday night, acres of office park on High INTEREST old UBS building on Washington Boulevard as its owner prepares and the text change paving Ridge Road and Terrace it for a new life as a multi-tenant office building after the banking the way for a senior home in Avenue. The plan calls for What’s happening with place of an old GE office the northern portion of the that piece of property. giant left the building in 2016. At a Zoning Board meeting this building on High Ridge building to be demolished week Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Stamford Washington Office LLC Road was unanimously — some 120,000-square-feet and developer George Comfort & Sons won approvals to add a new driveway and renovate the approved. Land-use consul- of space — and replaced tant Rick Redniss, advocat- with a 130-unit senior home. building’s frontage on Washington Boulevard. The developers will create a second lobby and ing for developer Steve “You guys have been the new driveway will be at Washington Boulevard and Richmond Hill Avenue. Pedestrian Wise, said he would be back through so much with the walkways will be replaced. in coming weeks seeking a C-D zone,” Redniss said. special exception and site “We need to work with it.” Have a question about a building, property or project? Email Barry Lytton with Point of Interest in the subject line at plan approvals to get start- Redniss said the change [email protected]. ed. will result in less traffic The change “represents a than an occupied office positive adaptive re-use” of building. THE ADVOCATE city office parks, Planning “It’s such a reduction in Board Chairwoman There- traffic and impact that it’s sa Dell wrote zoning. “The well received,” he said. A RECALL WATCH Planning Board found this meeting with neighbors was request to be compatible held this summer, and “ba- with the neighborhood and sically everyone’s been very consistent with (the) Master supportive of what we’re Plan.” trying to do.” The approved change to city zoning code allows barry.lytton senior homes in all five city @stamfordadvocate.com; office parks, which owners 203-964-2263; @bglytton LOTTERY TUESDAY DRAWING 13-14-16 CONNECTICUT NEW YORK PLAY 3 DAY: 4-3-1 MIDDAY NUMBERS: 2-6-1 PLAY 4 DAY: 4-9-3-1 MIDDAY WIN 4: 5-9-9-8 PLAY 3 NIGHT: Unavailable EVENING NUMBERS: 3-8-7 PLAY 4 NIGHT: Unavailable EVENING WIN 4: 0-4-0-0 CASH 5: Unavailable U.S.