New Haven Independent

Posted by: king james v | December 14, 2007 10:47 AM

Paul, sometimes you just don't know when to shut up.
Chris Vigalante personally revitalized state st. over 20 years ago when he opened Christopher Martins at a time when the nieghborhood was indistinguishable from ceder hill. (sorry cedar hill, but the hess station and pawn shop don't bring up images of vibrancy)
He has fed thousand upon thousands of needy people not just on thanksgiving, but throughout the year. He's collected tens of thousands of toys at christmastime and has showcased many local artist shut out by yale and the uber-clique that is the Arts Council.
He had every right to not recuse himself from this particular situation. The state street corridor from Bradley to Lawrence cannot support any more traffic or parking even with two municipal lots bookending the area.
I know you refer to your V-log as opinionated, but sometimes your sense of self righteousness is a big fat turn off.

Posted by: Bruce | December 14, 2007 1:35 PM

King J: Whether Chris had legitimate reasons or not for voting against the bar is irrelevant. He had a clear conflict of interest. This is Ethics 101. It is standard practice to recuse yourself from presiding over issues that could affect your personal gain.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | December 14, 2007 3:43 PM

king james v

:(

I know... :(

But we are trying

Posted by: Ben Berkowitz | December 14, 2007 8:16 PM

Paul,
Chris offered to recuse himself.
You hear what you want to.
1)The BZA did not follow procedure and notify the neighbors. Chris took this into account where the 4 other members did not.
2)They were at zoning APPEALS because there is a parking minimum required for a bar which this property does not meet. Having parking nearly 1/2 mile away does not satisfy this requirement in my eyes.
3)This business proposal came to be under false pretenses. The owner was telling neighbors that he was opening a contracting firm. There is promises of a granite store front for the builing when he has already nearly completed the facade work which is nothing of the sort. His design for the facade shows the removal of the new canopy for the business next door. Do you think that carretta will go for that?

You are truly hearing what you want and accusing an honest person of things that they are not guilty of. The only atrocity here is that the rest of the BZA did not listen to the concerns of Upper State Street and you jumped right on the band wagon.

Posted by: king james v | December 15, 2007 2:44 AM

Bruce, just how are you and the bicycle lobby + local greens contributing to the parking situation on State St.? And don't tell me in December that bicycles and light rail will make it all bettter. This wonderful new spot doesn't have the physical space required for new parkers as required. It's just not reasonable to assume vallet parkes will be content parking 2+ blocks down the street on a friday night.
Mr. Bass's V-log's attitude implies Chris was no different that McGrath's vote snatching or Destefano's attitude towards the media. The tone and sense of disgust are completely overboard.
Chris' decision to not recluse himself is a world away from Mcgrath's arrogance (which was not addressed in his friday backyard chat the weeks his actions were reported - both of them) which challanged the rights of someone not aware of their own rights, opposed to the gentleman whose's business was in question - who opted to not request vigalante's recusion.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | December 16, 2007 8:49 AM

Rules, disclosure and self policing are at the heart of good governance, particuarly when it comes to elected boards and especially volunteer boards appointed by City Hall.

The record of these boards and City Hall in general is replete with examples of public policy rooted in non-disclosure, conflicts of interest, and hidden agendas. It's past time for this to stop and City Hall promised it would. But like so much of what goes on there, there is a giant chasm between what they say, and what they do. If the DeStefano Administration put half as much energy into the public's right to know as they do their payraises and implementing censorship, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Consider: BOA President Carl Goldfield and Alder Sergio Rodriguez knew Mayor DeStefano wanted a double digit - 22% to be exact payraise. They all hid it until after the election. Rodriguez advertised a public hearing on City Hall management's 16% payraise - then refused to hear from the public at that meeting. All the details of the Shartenburg/Becker giveaway were done out of view of the publc and only after the details were worked out, did City Hall activite the required "public hearings." The Shartenburg deal caused a quarter million dollar shortfall for the fake trolley with no riders on it in downtown, so City Hall developed a plan to layer on a third tax on parking lot operators quietly telling them months before the "public hearing" to get ready to pony up because the fix was in.

Now, enter Chris who by all accounts is a good and decent individual. That may count in heaven, but again, it has no standing here. He should have self policed himself and recused himself from voting. Period. That was the right thing to do. With full disclosure, he still could have particpated in the discussion, even making the points made above. But that's where it should have ended.

Posted by: eli | December 17, 2007 12:18 AM

Boo Paul Bass. Boo indeed. You know I like this little snippet of cyber news. It's different and local. It is not however always balanced nor fair. The outrage you concentrate on Chris Vigilante Vs. what you should be dumping on Brian Mcgrath or YOUR alderwoman Silverman, or perhaps Joe Lieberman, maybe even whoever is in charge of the lousy snow removal in new haven - Is way over the top.
Mr. Vigilante and Mr. Elser (Elsler? Sp?) are both respected men in the restrarant business, and both are on the BZA. Please check his record thouroughly before you decide he's a deviant. You've chosen to attack a man who actually gives back to the people of new haven, has no political ambitions nor yells at mentally disabled citizens when they express an interest not to vote. ...
Get out of westville for an evening, park somewhere on the street near Portofino's or Studio Zee, THEN tell us about your parking experience.
Sometimes you can be too opinionated Paul.
Those of us in the Orange / State area don't need city hall or westvillians to tell us how to run our ship thank you.

Posted by: Bruce | December 17, 2007 9:53 AM

King J: Proper ethical conduct is not something to be exercised at one's discretion. Just because you support his opinion, you shouldn't turn a blind eye to the fact that his professional interests should have automatically excluded him from this vote. This is a totally separate issue from the merits of the business proposal. I almost feel bad harping on this because I hold no ill feelings towards Mr. Vigilante, but really he should take his responsibilities seriously enough to follow the bare minimum ethical standards.

For those of you who are still stuck on the parking issue, take a moment to consider how valet parking works. The patron pulls up directly in front of the business and someone else is paid to park your car elsewhere. The patrons don't have to walk anywhere but from the curb to the door. This is much more convenient than scouring the neighborhood for a spot.

To answer your question, I have no idea what the Greens are doing about this issue. I have not been involved with them for years. Yes, I think more bicycles will help the parking issues, but I am not naive enough to think that this is the answer to all the parking woes. When I lived on that block I walked to all the bars and if more people did this then there would be more room for out-of-towners to come in and support the economy.

Posted by: Len Swobieki | December 17, 2007 11:45 AM

Bruce, you have lots of ideas. Lots and lots of ideas, yet the only thing you DO is clog traffic with your little bicycle group when i'm trying to get back home the last friday of the month.
I'm a neighbor of yours, you introduced yourself to me at one of the neighborhood bars and tried to explain your actions and i didn't want to hear it because i was waiting for my wife, and you thought you had all of the answers.
Well you don't have any answers, and paul bass thinks he's the most perfect being on earth. The two of you should move to Portland Oregon and let us live in the reality that is new haven.
Stay out of my way next time i'm in my car with my daughter on a friday evening, and don't tell me it's NOT about parking, because that's what all of state st. is about now.

Posted by: Bruce | December 17, 2007 2:18 PM

Len, my neighbor...where did we go wrong? That almost sounds like a threat, but I'll assume that wasn't your intention. I know I should stay on target (conflicts of interest in zoning appeals) but I feel a sudden urge to defend myself.

First of all, let me say that I have nothing to do with organizing Critical Mass. I have been on maybe one or two rides in the last three years. They're a lot of fun, though. Sorry if you were delayed for what, 2 minutes at most? Lighten up. You should take your daughter out of the car now and then and see what it's like on the other side of the glass.

Secondly, you're right I do talk a lot (post #3 on this thread!) but I do actually volunteer time and energy to get things done. Elm City Cycling (not MY group but I am very involved) has spent countless hours successfully lobbying city hall and the state for better bicycle facilities -- painted lanes, racks, signs, education, etc. We have also organized dozens of safety education events, helmet & light giveaways, arts & ideas tours and many many other concrete benefits to the community. I spend my own time and sometimes my own money to try to make New Haven a better place.

Third, I really wish I could remember meeting you. Did you have little bits of chicken in your beard?

Posted by: nfjanette | December 17, 2007 7:34 PM

The focus has been lost in this exchange. As the owner of a rival business in the area, Mr. Vigalante should have recused himself. He didn't, and Paul is correct to call him on it. Nothing more is stated or implied about the parking issue or anyone's character.

Posted by: Clark Pearlman | December 19, 2007 1:06 PM

Let's not forget that Mr. Vigilante did vote in favor of Castaway, a bar and restaurant two blocks in the opposite direction of Christopher Martin's. I didn't hear any negative comments about Chris then. Why did Chris vote in favor? Because Castaway had ample parking and did not try to decieve residents. I live two blocks away from Bishop St. and believe me Chris was right in voting against Granite. There is no parking now, what will that mean if yet another bar opens up on that part of State St. I was in Portofino last night and the owner had no idea a bar might open up right across the street. His response "where are they going to park." Kudos to you Mr. Vigilante the people of our neighborhood are behind you and we thank you!

Posted by: Gary Doyens | December 19, 2007 3:32 PM

Sometimes, it sure seems people only see what they want in these posts and they react to it without addressing the real issue. I don't think anybody has suggested something sinister in Chris' vote on Granite - it's that he voted at all given that he has an obvious conflict of interest. To put a larger point on it, Chris should not have voted on Castaway either - again, a conflict. Chris is not on the zoning board to represent the State Street neighborhood - he's there to make zoning decisions that affect all of us. If he wants to represent State Street - stand for election. Unless and until he does, follow the rules of good governance and recuse yourself when you have a clear conflict or perceived conflict. How in the world can this be so difficult to understand?????? Also noteworthy - the continued silence from City Hall.

Posted by: Ralph Ferrucci | December 29, 2007 8:54 AM

This is about good governance. Chris is a good guy, but he should have recused himself because of conflict of interest.

He would have been allowed to argue against another bar on state st., but should not be allowed to vote on this issue.

As a State St. resident living near Christopher Martins, I would have argued against another bar on State St. There is a major problem with parking in this area and State St. cannot handle more vehicles parking there.

I am also a Green (former candidate for Mayor of New Haven). I talked about parking problems in New Haven and also traffic problems.

I have not done Critical Mass in 4 years. I believe in their objectives, I do not believe in how they try to accomplish it.
Ralph