OCTOBER 2, 2011

THE SUNDAY REPUBLICAN

5B

FACTORY: Memory Lane turns to Nightmare Alley

Continued from 1B graph recording reproduction. By the time Quattro went to work there in the late 1960s, the original Bristol family was long dead. But their descendants, he said, made the factory a pleasant place to work. I used to love to come to work, Quattro said. It wasnt like a normal factory. It was a family place. He worked alongside his cousins, and his uncles were his bosses. At lunchtime, he and his co-workers would take an elevator to the roof and get a suntan. After work, families would gather across the street at the companys ballfield and pavilion. Quattro said he even met his wife there, and their kids eventually worked for a short time at the Bristol Co. It was just a great place to work, he said. They treated everybody good. Then, in the mid-1980s, the company decided to move to Watertown. Quattro said he and his co-workers, who had grown accustomed to having their own on-site credit union and even elevator operators, were dismayed. He said he always held out hope he would return to the Bristol Street factory someday. But he came to regret this visit Thursday. into one sprawling building of more than 310,000 square feet, sitting on more than 6.5 acres of land. All of it is owned by developer Norman S. Drubner, who bought the property for about $3 million around the same time the company by then known as Bristol Babcock moved to a building he owns in Watertown. Drubner said Thursday he had intended to rehabilitate the property into apartments overlooking the Naugatuck River. An economic downturn at the end of the 1980s killed that plan, he said. And, he added, newly strict environmental laws pretty much doomed the property to sit and decay for the next 25 years. Remediation of asbestos and other materials is so costly, he said, that cleaning it up and tearing the building down is just not economically feasible. Its going to sit there until Ive got some use for it, Drubner said Thursday. If the market was hot enough that it made some sense to rehab the building and do the remediation of the asbestos, it might make some sense on some level, but right now I would say the market is no good for that now. We do everything we can. The Bristol Co. site may be even more polluted. Aside from the asbestos Drubner said hes certain is in the pipes and even in the floor tiling in the massive structure, a 1993 site inspection revealed the propertys soil may contain compounds like acetone, trichloroethane, PCBs and metals such as cadmium,

Im paying for it are too much, Drubner said. Its not salable.

Heartbreaking

ERIN COVEY REPUBLICAN AMERICAN

The former Bristol Co. factory at 40 Bristol St. in Waterbury. What was once a bustling factory is now deserted. Garbage, graffiti and signs of homeless encampments now dot the property. chromium, copper and lead. Groundwater beneath the property is also suspected to be contaminated with chlorinated solvents, PCBs and metals. An estimated 6,227 people live within a one radial mile of the property, in the Platts Mill section of the city. The truth is, if you say the land is worth something, but the building is a disability to the land, it costs more to demolish the building than the land is worth, Drubner said. Therefore, it has no value. Thats the fact. Another fact Drubner acknowledged is that the property is easily accessible to anyone who wants to go in there and poke around. The building inside has been stripped of anything of value; every bit of copper and brass, anything you can ever dream of, he said. At one point, there were people living in there. You cant have 24-hour guards. Mayoral aide Steve Gambini said the city has sent Drubner notices in the past ordering him to secure the property, paint over graffiti and board up the broken windows. The most recent notice, he said, stems from an open fence where someone apparently drove in to dump old roofing material on the property. Gambini said Drubner has been responsive to these notices in the past, and noted he pays his taxes on the property almost $8,000 last year and about $14,000 a year for the last few previous years. The truth is, whatever taxes

A disability to the land

At first glance, the Bristol Co. buildings look like a sort of Victorian corporate campus. But not visible from the road is the fact that theyre all connected

It looks like a bomb hit it, local resident Charles Trombley said, looking at the collapsed mess that had been the rear of one section of the building on Thursday. Trombley, a local political gadfly, said he was discouraged that the photos of the blighted Bristol Co. building hed sent to Mayor Michael J. Jarjura went unacknowledged. People come by on the train and this is the first ugly thing they see about Waterbury, Trombley said, gesturing to the Metro-North Waterbury Line railroad tracks that run between the factory and the Naugatuck River. This is their first greeting of Waterbury. Trombley said he has heard neighbors tell tales of children going inside the building to light fires, and has himself witnessed homeless people camping on the companys grounds. Beside him, Quattro eagerly pointed out places on the property he remembered. That empty brick building in the front? Personnel. That rear building collapsed into a crumbling heap? His office. Hes retired now, and said he has resisted the temptation in the past to come back and visit the old building where he spent so much of his career. Its very disturbing. I used to have very fond memories, now Im sorry I came and looked at it, Quattro said. Its heartbreaking, it really is.

WOODBURY: Group wants to address future

Continued from 1B proposed a seven-point agenda to address the towns future. The group calls for a three-year strategic plan with each years budget, closer collaboration with the Region 14 school district, a professional evaluation of Main Streets economic potential, a marketing plan for the town, and improved communication among town officials and residents. The bottom line is you have to be able to put a rationale behind any tax dollar you spend or any tax dollar you cut, DeSorbo said. If Im cutting now I have to be able to say what that impact will be a couple of years from now. If Im spending now, does that mean I dont have to spend a couple of years down the road? DeSorbo, 58, spent 20 years as president and chief executive officer of camera battery and charger manufacturer Anton/Bauer. He wants the town to think bigger and longer. We seem to have a mentality that says were going to create a budget over a three-month period and then were going to use the next nine months recovering from that exercise and prepare to do it over again, he said. We take snapshots, not motion pictures. I think the process is just a little more motion picture. Stomski said such long-term planning would require a change to the towns charter. There are plans and provisions in there for capital plans, Stomski said of a direction calling for the Board of Selectmen to submit a five-year capital plan with its yearly budget proposal. But in fulfilling duties of the budget, the budget is done on an annual basis. Stomski touts the accomplishments of his administration, including tight budgets, the SummerFest concert, a youth workforce program, a more user-friendly land use office, and job fairs and other events sponsored by the Business and Economic Development Commission. Fiscal prudence is certainly proven on our part, Stomski said. Were saving the town money. They can say what they want. But DeSorbo doesnt see a sustainable strategy with clear goals. We dont have economic development, DeSorbo said. We put on events. DeSorbo envisions a BEDC focused on attracting new residents, businesses, and customers while broadening the tax base. He wants the committee working with a business advocacy group like the Woodbury Business Association to propose policies that could be brought to a town meeting for adoption. As an example, he proposed forming enterprise zones to ease regulations on new businesses. He believes the selectmen must serve as ambassadors for the town, cultivating a marketing strategy targeted at a specific audience. And DeSorbo believes the town must conduct a professional evaluation to help develop Main Street to its full economic potential. The piecemeal approach is not my approach, he said. We have to look at it holistically. And it has to be sustainable. Stomski rejected DeSorbos premise and opposed a tax and

DOCTOR: Something

ALEX DESORBO
Age: 58 Address: 22 Forest Ridge Road, Woodbury Party: Unaffiliated Education: Bachelor's CONTRIBUTED degree in political science, University of Connecticut Experience: None Occupation: Owner, Geppetto's Toys, Woodbury; and Toy Journey, Southbury Family: Wife, Deb; daughter Sabrina, 6; sons Evan, 22; Justin, 22 Contact: alexdesorbo@forwoodbury2011.org

GERALD D. STOMSKI
Age: 55 Address: 54 Washington Road, Woodbury Party: Republican Education: Associate's REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN ARCHIVE degree in plant and soil science (2 years), University of Massachusetts; Lenox High School Class of 1974, Lenox, Mass. Experience: First selectman; former member of Shade Tree and Sidewalk Committee (20 years), former Inland Wetlands Agency chairman; former tree warden (27 years) Occupation: First selectman Family: Wife, Joan; daughters Sarah, 26, Andrea, 24, and Hannah, 15; son Andrew, 21 Contact: gstomski@yahoo.com

keeps the doctor away

Continued from 1B

spend plan to produce an expensive report. I appreciate their proposal, Stomski said. It sounds good. Id be interested to see where the money comes from. Does that mean we raise peoples taxes to spend money for this report? Do we take it out of the fund balance? In addition, Stomski defended the current BEDC and his leadership in engaging local business owners for ways to prod economic activity. Were utilizing and marketing the towns infrastructure so people see what a wonderful town we have, Stomski said. And businesses follow. DeSorbo also wants to recruit voices from across the town, proposing more open and extensive communication through mailings, local access television, advertisements in the newspaper, quarterly reports,

and non-legislative town hall meetings. Mostly, DeSorbo advocates knowledge before action. I want to know what the return on our investment will be, he said. I think any taxpayer would. If someone says were not going to make that investment, I want to know what the cost of that is. But his plan will not be to plan forever. Doing nothing is not an answer, DeSorbo said. Theres no way to remain static. And there is no way to cut your way to prosperity.

RIVERFEST: Greyhounds and rubber ducks

Continued from 1B

DUCK RACE WINNERS

Disc jockey Kyle Brennan, a Woodland High School graduate, and the Red Dirt Road, which performs its own brand of Americana music, entertained. The newest addition, a silent auction, attracted attention inside the Beacon Falls Senior Center. It offered for bid anything from four tickets to a University of Connecticut mens basketball game to a cottage for warm weather use in Rhode Island. Judging by the bids, popular items included the UConn tickets, a wine basket and a Boston Red Sox jersey. Heather Plantamura, 40, of Seymour, perused the items on three long tables. This is nice, Plantamura
First place: Marybeth Behlre, of Beacon Falls, won $1,000 Second place: Bill Arias, of Norwalk, won an iPad Third place: Michelle Mendillo, of Milford, won $300 worth of gift cards Fourth place: Karen Ambari, of Beacon Falls, won $165 worth of gift cards Fifth place: Sue Dowdell, of Beacon Falls, won a Kindle Sixth place: Jim Laurencelle, of Wolcott, won $110 worth of gift cards Seventh place: Lorraine Bukowski, of Bridgeport, won $85 worth of gift cards

said. Its a great idea. Plantamura hadnt place a bid on anything yet, but had bought two duck tickets. Only seven ducks could win. Prizes ranged from $1,000 for first place to $85 in gift cards from local merchants for seventh.

This was her first time to attend, and she wasnt rooting for any particular item. It doesnt matter, Plantamura said. Its for charity. Food and craft vendors spread outside in a curve from the senior center to around the back of Beacon Hose Company

No. 1 headquarters. Firefighters, which held demonstrations, had opened the inside of its building to vendors due to the rain. A popular spot was the booth for Pups Without Partners, a nonprofit greyhound adoption program in West Haven that places former racing dogs with families. Adults and children pet four greyhounds on leashes, one of which was up for adoption. Two of the greyhounds were owned by volunteers, Brian Ploss and his wife Susan; the third was owned by Gemma Schlegel. Brian Ploss said they had the most traffic last year, and organizers demanded they return. Schlegel, who has 11-year-old triplets, said, I like they are so good with my kids. They are just so easy.

him from October 2010 until last June. Bartlett, who is Angelicolas daughter-in-law, Good Hill Lane in Roxbury, estimated 90 percent of Schibut clothes and other person- anos patients were Medicaid al items could be seen inside. patients. The garage door was open, Schiano lost at least 60 parevealing four stacked boxes, tients last spring when he damp from rain, containing started failing to show up for envelopes and some files with appointments at the last names on them. minute, Bartlett said. Schiano caused a stir when He would cancel on pahe went away for two weeks tients after the patients sitin July on what he said was a ting in his waiting room for vacation. While he was away, hours, Bartlett said. He his office was not staffed and would call and tell me to canthe phone line was discon- cel his day. nected. Bartlett, who When he reis 30 and lives turned, he was in the borough, HE AFFECTED only at his ofsaid she evenPROBABLY 100 fice intermittually quit and PATIENTS ALONE tently and the filed a comphone still did plaint with the THAT WERE not work, and state DepartDIABETICS. I now he has ment of Labor FEEL SORRY FOR seemingly gone alleging she ALL OF HIS again. was owed Schianos about $2,300 in PATIENTS. company, Assounpaid wages. MEGAN BARTLETT ciated Health The complaint DR. CARL SCHIANOS Care, owes is still under FORMER MEDICAL money to Nauinvestigation. ASSISTANT gatuck Savings He affected Bank, which probably 100 holds a mortpatients alone gage on the building at 59 that were diabetics, Bartlett Rubber Ave., records show. said. I feel sorry for all of his He also owes the borough patients. about $1,000 in taxes on propPeople all over the borough erty and equipment inside are looking for Schiano, said the building. Bartletts husband, 32-yearHis wife, Cheryl Schiano, old Scott Bartlett. filed for divorce in June and We cant go anywhere is suing for alimony, accord- without Megan running into ing to court records. patients asking how to get a Angelicola has joined the hold of him, Bartlett said. ranks of patients, fed up with Schiano retains an active Schianos extended and physicians license, and the unannounced absences, who state Department of Public are unsuccessfully seeking Health cannot confirm or their files. Angelicola said deny that it is investigating a she has been Schianos pa- doctor, spokesman William tient since 1999, but said she Gerrish said. When doctors ran into problems this month decide to close their pracwhen he failed to call in an in- tices, they must place two nosulin prescription for her. tices in the newspaper and Her blood sugar levels began call every patient they have to fluctuate abnormally until seen for the past three years, a spike last week sent her to under state law. If they do the hospital, she said. not, the states medical examAngelicola said she has ining board can review their called and driven by the of- case and determine approprifice multiple times but has ate consequences, such as not been able to contact the suspension or revocation of doctor since a late August ap- medical licenses, Gerrish pointment. said. When he didnt call in that We do work to make sure script, I tried all that week, there is a continuity of care, Angelicola said. Thats when Gerrish said. He was not able I said, I cant take it. to say specifically if or how Angelicola, who has Medic- the department could reunite aid, said she is now being patients with their medical treated at Cornell Scott-Hill files. Health Center in Ansonia, but The medical examining the doctors there need the board suspended Schianos lidocuments showing dates cense for about three months and past courses of treatment in 2006, claiming he was for her fibromyalgia. Until abusing drugs and had prethey get the paperwork, they scribed methadone to a pacan do no more than manage tient who gave it back to him her pain, Angelicola said. in a scheme. He also preSchianos former medical scribed large doses of mediassistant, Megan Bartlett, cine for his wife, which he did said he had about 200 pa- not record in her files, actients while she worked for cording to the state.