Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Rally, The Mayor and the residents

When I first learned of the Rally by Pam Salvati I was glad to see a ordinary citizen stepping up to the plate and speaking out. It wasn't me or any other Republican saying anything negative about the Mayor it was the general population. Of course I was blamed and even asked by the Chairman of the Police Commission in the July 26th meeting if I was running the rally.

The Mayor, The Police Commissioners and the Democrats in Town know that she is in deep trouble with the electorate. Why else would the Mayor hold a press conference on the day of the Rally? Self absorbed and forever the drama queen The Mayor put on a show of nothing but a window dressing. The funniest was the Mayor telling everyone that she bought all new equipment but the latest technology, the license plate reader, was not operational because the car it's installed on is out of service. What a complete dishonest joke! Want the truth? Ask a cop.

Although not as many residents as I would like to have seen about 100 came out to Town Hall to show their protest. They came out even though the Chair of the Democrat Town Committee Gene Ruocco encouraged them not to come out to support the poilce,.Imagine that the Chairman telling people to stay home. What is Gene Ruocco afraid of? He's afraid of you the voter. He doesn't want this on TV or in the Newspapers. He's afraid of all of the negative publicity. But just because one small group comes out to demonstrate doesn't mean that the Democrats are safe and Gene Ruocco knows it!

From the political spectrum I finally saw some Democrats from the East Haven Town Council come out to support the Police. Paul Thompson,. Vinny Arpino and Paul CoFrancesco all were there to rebuke the Democrats in how their Police are treated. Congrats to these men to finally taking a stand against Gene Ruocco and his Stalinist tactics.

Last but not least. A special thank you to the residents who stood and cheered and for those residents who drove by a honked their horns and there were hundreds of them! I thank you, our Town thanks you and our PD thanks you too. You are all wonderful people!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The East Haven Board of Police Commissioners and more politics

So tonight the evening before the Rally I thought it would be important to let the residents of East Haven know about questions I had for the Board of Police Commissioners. I had eight of them. Here is a summary of the questions.

1) Why was lasts month's meeting cancelled?

Answer: After asking the question in several different ways I was informed there was no quorum.

2)      Your Police Commission meeting in June referred a disciplinary hearing for Chief Gallo to go forward to the Mayor for her resolution and decision. Was that the right decision to make? Hasn’t this board now opened the Town of East Haven to more lawsuits?

Answer: We are not going to answer that question.

3)      What is the Status of the K-9 Unit? At the Town Council meeting a few months ago Paul Hongo stood up and said he would speak to the Police Department Union to resolve the issue? As far as I know there was a meeting when are we getting our K-9 Dog unit back?

Answer: That's in negotiations.

My response: That's an existing position in this contract how can you negotiate something that's already in the contract.

Answer: That's being negotiated.

4)      What is the status of our DARE program, SRO’s and Community Officer ? Last week I went down to field 4 in Momauguin Rec League and the dugouts have graffiti all over them. When we had a Community Officer that rarely happened!

Answer: That's being negotiated.

My Response: They are already existing positions.

5)      During the DUI/DWI check points this summer why have none of them been conducted on Main Street? On Main Street you have most of our drinking establishments.

Acting Chief Nappi: These locations are assigned by statistical data.

My response: Who assigns them

Acting Chief Nappi: Sgt. Lennon

My Response: Can I see the data

Acting Chief Nappi: No we don't release that data.

6)      Why has an Officer been removed, had his gun and badge taken from him and there is no hearing or list of charges made? Where is the due process? 

Answer: That's a personnel matter

7)      Tomorrow there is a rally to support our East Haven Police Officers, are any of you attending?

Answer: None Giving

8)      Lastly, Acting Police Nappi are you or anyone else from the Administration going to try to stop this Rally from happening?

Answer: None Giving

Later the issue of Dennis Spaudling came up in 4 grievances filed by the Union. In the contract it clearly states that any officer is entitled to a list of the charges within 48 hours and a hearing with in 5 days. To this date Officer Spaulding has yet to have any due process. The union argued that Officer Spaulding should be returned to work. All 4 Board Members denied the grievance even if the contract clearly states that the Board is in violation of the existing collective bargaining agreement.

This Board of Police Commissioners along with the Acting Chief will be held to account for their lack of leadership.

Don't forget about tonight at 6pm Town Hall. Take a stand for an East Haven Cop.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

A Mayor at war with her own Police Department

In 2007 then councilwoman April Capone Almon was running for Mayor and she had one of the most powerful forces behind her, The East Haven Police Department. I used to sit at the Council Table and laugh at the large presence of cops that she would bring to the meetings. It was there way of showing us that they stood behind their candidate. Mayor April rode that support all the way to victory over Joe Maturo and the face of East Haven has changed forever.

But instead of a bond that would help East Haven steer away from the controversey of the past Mayor April has declared war on the very people who helped her into power, The East Haven Police Department. Tomorrow night the citizens of this Town are taking action by holding a rally outside of Town Hall at 6pm to send a loud and clear message to Mayor April that enough is enough.

Mayor April, after her arrest at the Town Beach, has held the East Haven Police Department in total contempt. But as always her behavior is never the issue it's always the people that have corrected her. She's never been held to account for what she did at the Town Beach that day and like the child she is she is lashing out at the law enforcement community.

Her next move was to take action against Chief Len Gallo. She places the Chief on paid administrative leave because of The Department of Justice and FBI investigations of racial profiling. That was over 18 months ago and no formal charges have ever been brought on the Chief or anyone in the Department. Then this past June in some light of hope for our PD a court had to intervene and tell the Mayor she can't play judge, jury and executioner when she attempted to be the hearing officer of Chief Gallo's recommended disciplinary hearing from the Board of Police Commissioners.

Just recently, Officer Dennis Spaulding is placed on Paid Administrative Leave for reasons that are still not clear. He has not even been afforded the opportunity to a hearing which is contractual. And the latest, conducting an internal affairs investigation on Sgt. John Miller. A hero cop. A man that has saved the lives of many people and fellow officers. Why? Is it because he's the President of the Union?

This Mayor has just gone plain loco in her persuit to get even. This Town, our Police Department are at the brink and if we the citizens of this Town don't put an end to it we are going to end up like New Haven. New Haven, a city were the crimminals roam the streets, carry guns and have daily shootings. People it's coming and if we don't send a strong message to Town Hall tomorrow and in November we have only to blame ourselves to allow this Mayor to wage war on our own Police Department.

Tomorrow, 6pm Town Hall Parking Lot....Please come and tell Mayor April to cut the crap!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Democratic Town Chairman once again is wrong and short sighted on the Mauro Case

Well I certainly expected the wrath of some of Ralph Mauro’s defenders and I definitely expected that Democratic Town Chairman Gene Ruocco to speak his mind, I didn’t expect to read that I pushed to have Assistant Deputy Director Ralph Mauro terminated as  Mr. Ruocco wrote in his PATCH opinion piece. He has  laid out a version of the Ralph Mauro story that is factually incorrect and boarders more lies and deceit.

First and foremost, I have never called for the termination of Ralph Mauro. In several of my articles from both the East Haven PATCH and the East Haven Vine I called for equal treatment and to place Mr. Ralph Mauro on paid administrative leave just as the Capone Administration placed Chief Len Gallo on paid administrative leave. Chief Len Gallo was placed on administrative leave with zero due process yet the Capone Administration refused to entertain the idea that Mr. Mauro should be treated the same.

It is funny because  Mr. Ruocco cites in his opinion piece on 7/22/2011 that both Lou Crisci and I never afforded Mr. Mauro his due process and we called for Ralph Mauro’s termination upon his arrest. That is completely not true. I can only speak for myself but I certainly understand the definition of due process  and it is very clear that the Capone Administration only calls for due process when it’s beneficial to one of their own.

Is this politics? Absolutely! I will tell you and these readers that what happened to Mr. Mauro was a political opportunity to take. I took my swings, dealt a few blows and it’s unfortunate that the courts didn’t see what I saw.  Being a staunch 2nd amendment supporter and a person that truly believes in the Constitution and Bill of Rights I was disappointed to learn that the Branford Police did not act accordingly and may have violated Mr. Mauro’s rights especially with the protection of search and seizure. However, it does not negate the fact that the weapon Mr. Mauro had was a stolen weapon and he was in possession of a machine gun, which is a banned weapon. Although the court said nothing about the stolen weapon and didn’t find cause to act. The fact remains that this weapon was stolen and questions still linger of how did Mr. Mauro come to possess it? We will never know though.

I would argue that I wasn’t right or wrong. I was calling for equal treatment of two Town Employees. One who was charged with a felony crime, Mr. Mauro who was not punished and the other who has still to this day not been charged with anything and is still out on administrative leave, Chief Len Gallo. It seems that the Mayor, Mr. Ruocco and the Board of Police Commissioners all want to play judge, jury and executioner as was evident when the Board of Police Commissioners made the motion to hand Chief Len Gallo’s case over to the Mayor for disciplinary action up to and including termination last month. If you recall, a State Court said that the Mayor cannot be the Judge, Jury and Executioner.  So really Mr. Ruocco are you for real? Do you see what your very own people are doing around you and do you think the residents of East Haven don’t see it either?

Lastly, I must take exception to Mr. Ruocco's claims that Mr. Mauro is the hardest working town employee. Mr. Mauro is compensated very well earning two salaries one for the Deputy Director and the other for Public Works. In addition, Mr. Ruocco cites his vital experience. Is that how Mr. Mauro is able to land town jobs for family and friends and parcels of properties around town at a song? Mr. Ruocco, your words need credibility and Mr. Mauro's employee status is very questionable when it comes to ethics.

November can’t come fast enough so we can rid ourselves of these people who impose their own rules and their version of justice. Lastly, I'll take a quote from Marcia Clark, the infamous trial lawyer in the OJ case, "Just because a court finds you innocent doesn't necessarily mean that you really are innocent."

Friday, July 22, 2011

Maturo has golden opportunity to build lasting legacy after Republican Town Committee rejects his comeback

After what seems to have been a long fight to secure the East Haven Republican Town Committee endorsement it is finally over. John Finkle defeated Joe Maturo in a 2 to 1 victory amongst Republican Town Committee members. It was a strong message to send to the former Mayor in a closed vote. Message is it's time to let go of trying to recapture what you once had and realize that we need a Republican in the Mayors seat.

When Bob Norman lost to Hank Luzzi back in the early 1990's people said that the Republicans in East Haven were dead. But it was a young man named Joe Maturo who was a Councilman from the 1st District that took the bold step and ran for Mayor. He lost 3 times before he became Mayor and do you know who was there for him? Mayor Bob Norman was there ready to mentor the young new Mayor.  By Mayor Bob Norman doing what he did he cemented his legacy as one of the best Mayors East Haven has had.

This is what Mayor Joe should be looking at. He has a job, people remember that when he was Mayor things were good so why not be that former Mayor ready to mentor this Town Committee nominated candidate John Finkle. I think Mayor Joe knows that with his input, guidance and mentoring they could be a force that can easily defeat Mayor April.

So why not Joe? A united Republican Party can easily defeat the Queen. A John Finlke candidate with a Joe Matruo right there next to him is the nightmare that Mayor April thinks of.

Come on Joe offer congrats and come over and help John and the residents of East Haven free ourselves from this Administration. Be the guy that we know you're capable of being and don't force a primary. The unknown is at risk here and us having another 2 years of Mayor April is simply unthinkable.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Rally on July 27th to support East Haven Police Department

Have you had enough of this Mayor and her antics with our fine men and women in Blue? Our East Haven Police Department puts their lives on the line daily for you by patroling our streets, protecting our property and maintaining a civil society. Show them your appreciation by coming out on July 27th at 6:00 at the East Haven Town Hall for a Rally of Support.

Tell Mayor April and her Administration to bring back the respect due to our Police Department and to show support for what they do for us citizens.

Thanks and continue to enjoy your summer!

The Vine

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Maple Street Bridge Project is indicative to this Administration's incompetence on managing Town Affairs

Lately, it seems that every time Mayor April Capone rolls out of bed in the morning there is a new crisis in the Town. The latest one involves the Maple Street Bridge. This has been an on going problem for the Administration from faulty plans to a contractor that just doesn't seem to have their act together. The end result? The neighborhood around Maple Street is cut off from North High Street a main road in the Town. To further compound the problem just over the past few days we've had some major injuries at the Kennedy Field aka The Pitt.

The perception is that because the bridge is closed that the response time to the field was delayed. That would only be a case if the Squad 5 was in quarters at the time of the call. If it had been anywhere else in the Foxon area the call time could have been different. While response times are a valid concern I really believe the real issue here is the lack of this Administration's management of this entire project.

Mr. Gene Ruocco seemed to make it a "State problem" in his recent article to the East Haven Courier and he passed the blame on to them for this problem. It's been the design, the location of the sewer pipes and all of these other problems which are not this Administrations fault he goes on to say. Well, let me turn the tide in a positive light. What if the bridge was completed on time, on budget would Mayor April and Gene Ruocco be in the paper touting how well they managed the project and how what a great job they did? You bet they would!

Facts are that this Administration never takes accountability for all the wrongs they do, they just find a scapegoat, usually Joe Maturo. But on this one I have to back Joe up. Joe Maturo's Administration had nothing to do with this project. This disaster is 100% owned and operated by the Capone Administration.

Good leaders run with the good news and take accountability for the failures. It's obvious we have failed leadership in Town Hall. Will it take a new Mayor to get this project done or will we continue to hear excuses, fake deadlines and headlines of what the next steps will be?

Maybe we should round up some of the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge workers and get them over here to show how it's done. Seems those people know how to build a bridge and stick to a budget and deadline.

From the Vine we wish both children a speedy recovery and the very best to your families.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

More East Haven Corruption? Ask Mr. Mauro about his relationship with the new Community Affairs Coordinator

So we already know it is no secret that Deputy Assistant Director Mr. Ralph Mauro, or whatever his title is this week, has been dodging the halls of justice for past year for his alleged felony charges of illegal possession of guns and stolen weapons. But did you know that the Vine has discovered something you may not know?

It appears that Mr. Mauro has a very close and new member to his family working right in Town Hall and just helped her receive a $43,170 per year position at full time hours with FULL BENEFITS! It seems that Megan McAuliffe forgot to tell the PATCH in her July 8th interview that on April 29, 2011 at 4pm at Holy Trinity Church in Wallingford, CT she became Megan McAuliffe MAURO, When she married Mr. Vincent Mauro. The below links are the wedding announcement from Holy Trinity Church and a special registry of weddingchannel.com. Don't you just love the internet and what you can find? 



Yes residents of East Haven, once again Mayor April Capone, Paul Hongo and Ralph Mauro think they are fooling you. However, the VINE is your ally and will expose the truth and dig deep to show you the proof that Mr. Ralph Mauro is not only dodging his day in court but is making sure that everyone in his inner circle is taken care of. Take for example, 4 Gerrish Avenue in East Haven. Think there was a sweet heart deal on that property? Picking up a piece of property for $20K?  I'm also hearing there was a couple of inland wetland issues there too. Not to worry though when Ralph Mauro is in charge! House gets built, family gets house, all is good as long as it stays in the family!


It would be a credit to the reporters of this Town if they would not just write a story but to dig in a little and not take things for face value. Questions of qualifications, schooling, how you came about getting this job are what the people of East Haven want to see. I also have to laugh at Mayor April. I recall so many times when she as a councilwoman and would call for the qualifications of the person just to serve on a Board and this is what we are getting now?

Now I certainly don't know Megan and by no means am I saying she is not qualified but nepotism is running down the halls of Town Hall and you have to pay attention! These people will do anything to promote and keep their gravy train going.

This coming November it is time that we show Mayor April the outside of Town Hall once and for all. This Town has been abused enough by her and her cronies.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Town Fair Tire Flexes muscle and Mayor puts cop on Administrative Leave

Well she's at it again! On the same day as her hero Governor Dan Malloy proudly signs a new state law allowing illegal immigrants to get the same in-state tuition breaks as us United States citizens get, Mayor April panders to the "largest" tax payer, Town Fair Tire, and put Police Officer Dennis Spaulding on PAID administrative leave, because management at Town Fair Tire are complaining that their workers are being harassed about driving to and from work with no drivers license and not properly registered cars. Worst of all who at Town Fair Tire is checking the I-9 forms?

 I'll give some free instructions, it's a simple form to fill out. I do it a couple of times a month. You either have a United States Passport or two of the following, a valid drivers license and either a United States issued Social Security Card or a Birth Certificate stating you were born in the United States. If you don't have those you then can submit a valid Green Card stating you are eligible to work in the United States. If you have none of these then you are deemed undocumented, illegal and a sworn officer has every right to enforce the law as Officer Spaudling did.

The problem lies not with Town Hall but with our activist Mayor. Her own personal beliefs of how our Federal Laws should be contradict what is reality. The reality is she is putting US Citizens that live and pay income taxes, state taxes and property taxes at risk to being hurt by these people. We have a Department of Motor Vehicles for a reason. Their job is to make sure that there are proper ways to operate a motor vehicle under a license issued by them. They also are in charge to make sure our vehicles are properly registered so your local town can collect tax dollars as well. What is Mayor April going to do or say when one of these illegals with no license or insurance runs down one of our Towns people?

I stand next to Police Officer Dennis Spaulding for doing what I pay him to do and protect the people of East Haven. In addition, I am personally boycotting Town Fair Tire and I hope you follow suit. Not just for what happened here but for their practice of using illegal immigrants to do their work. This is absolutely disgusting.

It's time people. This November we can make the biggest change by not re-electing Mayor April and get our Town back from the biggest liberal we have ever seen.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Got Mail? East Haven Tax Bills are in and so are the list of lies

So today, June 30th, I received my tax bill that is due tomorrow. Well, actually I won't pay it until August 2nd, not because I can't afford to but as a small protest for the list of lies that Mayor April Capone has listed in her letter to us. Please do me a favor. Pull out the letter that came with your tax bills. Read it then come back here and read my comments.

She lists her several milestones to include eliminating the 5.2 million dollar deficit that has been running since 2008 under her very first budget. Once again to correct the record when I left the Town Council in November 2007 the Town had a fund balance of 4.5 million dollars. It was the same Council Mayor Capone was apart of and was 100% professionally audited. The Mayor will continue to lie about the facts to deceive you the voter. Don't believe this it's a solid 100% lie.

Additional corrections needed to be pointed out.
  • The fund balance was spent in 2007-08 by Mayor Capone's first term and the Town ran a deficit for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. She blames Paul Rizza, former Maturo Finance Director, for over estimating revenues. However, she retained Rizza from Maturo's Administration so she is 100% accountable for the Management of the Towns funds. In other words more lies.
  • Due to my affiliation as a Volunteer Fire Fighter I will not comment about the Fire Department.
  • Additional Police Personnel? There are currently 2 open vacancies for Lieutenant and we just laid off the K9 Dog. Another Lie.
  • New Radios and Computers at the PD haven't been verified but the Training Room? Is she kidding me? Slapping paint on the walls and rearranging the tables and chairs constitutes a New Training Room?Another deceptive lie.
  • New Teen Center. Yes I agree it's a new location. However, the location is absolutely horrible. Near I-95 and Chilis where too much traffic and seedy people congregate. My teenager is not permitted to go near the facility because the area of Town is just not safe and is an Amber Alert waiting to happen.
  • Funding for All-Day Kindergarten, a true statement but fails to explain to the taxpayers that some of these students will be in portable classrooms that are costing the taxpayers more than anticipated. In addition, the closing of Dodge Avenue schools has increased the budget at the Board of Education. As for the the BOE they still can't balance the books. 
  • The Community Bus is a nice gesture but we already have My Ride for the Seniors that provides the same service. This is a waste of Taxpayer dollars and is designed to patronize and pander to the Senior vote.
  • Lower the Mill Rate by .25 mills but the Mayor fails to tell you that she smacked you with a 17% tax increase from the 2010-11 tax year. MORE LIES
The bottom line is that this Administrations wheels are falling off and they know it and you know it too. The day of accountability is here and the general mood of the tax payers are they are fed up and want a change.

My candidate John Finkle has been knocking on doors and has been hearing quite a bit from the residents about the Mayor and that other former Republican Mayor. The unofficial tallies are coming back that the Mayor is losing support from people that elected her in 2007 but those same people are not going to put the former Mayor back in office either! Don't forget it was the former Mayor's lack of work ethic that put Mayor April in office in the first place.

The people of East Haven are ready for a change. Stay tuned I will soon do a full descriptive background on the cast of characters surrounding this current administration and the former Administration too. I promise that birds of the same feather do flock together!

Even though I wasn't born here I certainly understand one thing about our Mayors. A Mayor in East Haven is never elected in because they throw the other one out and we have never brought back a Mayor we've thrown out. Things are looking good for John Finkle.

Stay Tuned and have a Safe and Wonderful 4th of July!

P.S. If you want the truth keep coming back here The East Haven Vine tells the truth unlike your local government website!