New Haven Independent

Posted by: king james v | August 8, 2007 9:26 AM

is that american idol's Randy Jackson?
Boise Kimber has as much right to be on the fire commissioner's board as i do judging american idol. we all know everything the rev. does is for himself - the self ordained "al sharpton of new haven".
and mr. celentano's inability to guarentee his not breaking the law is outrageous.
it's a small miracle there aren't several neighborhoods in flames at any given time - thankfully the firefighters themselves can do THIER jobs correctly. props to them.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | August 8, 2007 9:40 AM

The Board of Fire Commissioners throws the public out -- the Finance Committee gags them. A majority of the NH BOA doesn't listen to them. It's a habit.

Posted by: Cap Coleman | August 8, 2007 11:36 AM

The Independent did a public service by taking the time and expending the effort to file a FOIA complaint to challenge the city's illegal secret meeting. As I understand FOIA, even a behind-doors secret meeting is subject to record-keeping and minutes of what was said. Has the Independent sought those records? If not it should so those interested as well as the press can see what exactly transpired illegally. The city should also compensate the Independent for its time and trouble in correcting this violation of state laws.

Posted by: NewHavenNow | August 8, 2007 11:47 AM

I remember sometime ago a great piece in the Advocate, "Rev. Boise Kimber, the Mayor's Favorite Felon." I think Paul Bass wrote it.

Things need to be cleaned up, and it has to start from the bottom up. Too many people are enmeshed in the cogs of the DeStefano Machine. Board of Ed APPOINTED by the Mayor, city employees dominating democratic ward committees, Kimber and Champagne doing the bidding of the Machine and asking for political favors, all reflect a stank that needs to be shaken off and out of our city government.

Gary, organize a citizens and put candidates up for office and appointments. Infilitrate these wards with citizens who are not beholden to the Destefano Machine. It will take some work, and some time, but your perspective is important, and I believe there are others who feel the same.

Posted by: nhrr | August 8, 2007 4:44 PM

Thanks to the Independent for showing some journalistic fortitude. As one commentator said during the governor's race...DeStefano is highly mortgaged to special interest groups. The NHI seems to be the only publication willing to dig into this story. Keep digging...you'll find lots more.

Its time to start draining the DeStefano cesspool.

Posted by: truepurplect | August 8, 2007 5:13 PM

Maybe they went behind closed doors because the sound of all the emergency vehicles' sirens BLARING outside was not conducive to their meeting environment - just a simple example of Hanlon's razor.

I suppose after the apparently really hard test has been implemented long enough, we will get some people who may question the current siren logic. Of all the cities I have lived in or visited, I have never seen - I mean HEARD - anything like this place. I don't plan on leaving any time soon, so could someone please turn it down?

Oh, and as long as I see that Egan can forgive them at least once for closing the doors, I think I can too (and I think the new test was a great idea).

Posted by: here | August 11, 2007 12:17 PM

To Cap Colman --

The Independent is eligible for fines if the FOI commssion orders them. I don't know if they ordered them in this case, but I know thye commissionn has been very reluctant in the past to do so. The commission hasn't seemed to realize yet how many public bodies (I don't know if that includes this one -- the fire commission - it sounds like it was an honest mistake) are totally taking advantage of the fact that they face no monetary fines. It is not good. Even when the violation is an unintended one by volunteer commissioners, some fine should be granted to the complaining body - like the Independent -- because of the trouble they have to go to. There is this intense sympathy for violators, even while ruling against them, when they are government of any kind. It isn't really fair.

Secondly, the FOI commission also has been extremely weak on forcing the records of an illegal meeting to be disclosed. Instead they hope their ruling corrects future behavior. This also is something I think the FOI commission needs to correct. I believe savvy public agencies routinely abuse the rules knowing that even if ruled against, the record of an illegal meeting will remain sealed.

It is considered shocking in Connecticut to force the material into the open, but there is precedent in other states. I know of a meeting in New Hampshire where the material discussed in closed session would have qualified for confidentiality, but the group did not close the meeting properly. The court ruled not only that the meeting was closed improperly, but the confidential info had to be turned over. Imagine that in Connecticut. Real consequences.

A real deterrent, real teeth. Connecticut, which seems to insist on leniency in just about all things governent, doesn't have the courage to do this.

One example of category of public agency that constantly and knowingly violates FOI in Connecticut is police agencies. They routinely force people to complain to FOIC to get info they already know is public.

They waste tax payers money doing it and are almost never fined. It is a routine for them. They know that not everyone will take a complaint to FOIC. It's a disgrace, but welcome to Connecticut - the land of steady bad habits.