WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012

REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

3B

State suspends medical license of boroughdoctor

Investigation: Abrupt closing of office abandoned pateints
BY ALIA MALIK
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN ARCHIVES

The Willow Plaza Community Center on Elmwood Avenue in Waterbury.

VACANT LOTS TO BE PUT TO GOOD USE

Blighted area to get parking, activity site
BY MIKE PATRICK
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

WATERBURY The Willow Plaza Neighborhood Association plans to use two vacant lots to provide parking and outdoor activities in the blighted neighborhood. Using state and federal money, the community group purchased and plans to develop blighted tracts at 66 Elmwood Ave. and 369 Willow St., said Rafael Herrera, the organizations president. The two lots are adjacent to the existing Willow Plaza Com-

munity Center. The 66 Elmwood Ave. tract was purchased from the citys tax auction for $2,000, and will be developed into a parking area with fencing and lighting, using $90,000 in federal grant money, Herrera said. More than $200,000 in state money left over from the construction of the community center will be used to develop the 269 Willow St. property into some kind of outdoor recreation area, he said. It was purchased last year by the community group from its previous owners, who had been

cited several times for blight violations. Herrera said the group hopes to develop the property into a recreational area that would include a playground and spaces for the older members of the community center to conduct outside activities. It makes sense because they dont have a big neighborhood park like the other neighborhoods have and theres not a lot of parking in the neighborhood, said Joshua Angelus, president of the Waterbury neighborhood Council. Im glad that they got

the land. We need a little bit more open space. These neighborhoods are really, really crowded. The projects are being administered through the Waterbury Development Corp., Herrera said. Because state money is involved, Herrera said, the group is required to solicit public discussion on the project. They require the stakeholders to have something to say about how that piece of land should be improved, Herrera said. That meeting will be Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Willow Plaza Community Center, 60 Elmwood Ave.

Flood-damaged properties get reassessments

BY CHRIS GARDNER
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

SOUTHBURY Twenty taxpayers whose land and homes were damaged or destroyed by flooding last year have had their property assessments reduced. The total assessment reduction for the 20 taxpayers was $424,487, which under the current tax rate amounts to $9,086 in lost tax revenue for the town, Assessor Michael Moriarty said. Moriarty and Building Official Mark Cody inspected properties along the Pomperaug River that sustained damage due to flooding last spring and fall. Moriarty said he reduced assessments for 20 properties either because the homes suffered structural damage, or the land literally washed away. Some reductions were specifically to the house, while others were people who lost substantial amounts of land, he said. The affected properties were on Flood Bridge Road, Pom-

changes to their assessments. Moriarty said he asked Cody to accompany him on the inspections because Cody knows more about construction, and could help him determine the extent of damage. Some homes along the river were inundated with water three times last year during storms in March, August and September. In some cases, people still had not finished repairing damage from the heavy March rains when Hurricane Irene rolled through in late August, followed by more flooding rains in September. Moriarty said the assessment reductions for homes REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN ARCHIVE probably wont be permanent. Once a person applies for a Flooding from the Pomperaug River surrounds a home along building permit and completes Flood Bridge Road near South Britain Road in Southbury in September. Southbury has reduced property assessments for 20 renovations, the assessment will be increased to reflect the taxpayers whose homes and properties were damaged or improvements. destroyed by flooding last year. The reductions for any loss peraug Trail, River Trail, Riv- sessment year. Tax savings of land will be permanent, he er Hill Road, Crook Horn Road will be reflected in the July tax said. He said the town has reand South Britain Road, he bill. Homeowners were mailed duced assessments for propersaid. The reduction took effect letters from the first select- ties damaged by fire, but never Oct. 1, the start of the new as- mans office notifying them of on this scale.

HARTFORD The Connecticut Medical Examining Board suspended the license Tuesday of Dr. Carl Schiano, a Naugatuckbased physician who suddenly closed his practice last year with no communication to ALIA MALIK REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN his patients. After an investiga- Dr. Carl Schianos former office at 59 tion, the state Depart- Rubber Ave. in Naugatuck. ment of Public Health concluded that Schiano aban- day for comment. Schiano had about 200 padoned his patients last September by closing his practice tients, most of whom relied on without adequate notice, failing Medicare or Medicaid, accordto arrange for their continuity ing to his former assistant, of care and failing to respond to Megan Bartlett. About half his records requests. He left false patients were diabetics, Bartlett information concerning records said. After Schianos practice, requests on the door of his of- Associated Health Care, went fice at 59 Rubber Ave., accord- locked and dark, patients uning to the department. successfully tried to call his disFrom October until last connected office and cellphone month, Schiano lived with two numbers, in search of their of his patients, according to the records to bring to other docdepartments statement of tors. Diabetics were left without charges. He borrowed $3,000 prescriptions for insulin, pafrom the patients and has not tients and pharmacists said. repaid the money despite their Patients who still need their demand, according to the de- records can call the Departpartment. He is also accused of ment of Public Health at 860taking expensive tools and oth- 509-7552, spokesman William er things from their home and Gerrish said. pawning some of them. State health officials have Schiano left more than 100 been able to talk to Schiano on pages of medical records, be- his cellphone, Gerrish said. longing to 36 patients, unseThey are in touch with him, cured in the basement of the Gerrish said. home, in violation of professionSchiano first disappeared al ethics and medical privacy without notice for two weeks laws, according to the depart- last July. Then, as now, his ofment. fice was locked and dark, the An investigator found Schi- phone disconnected. He said he ano no longer had malpractice had been on vacation, the phone insurance in December when and electricity bills went unhe prescribed Lexapro, an anti- paid and his staff failed to show depressant, for one of the pa- up for work in his absence. tients he was living with. The medical examining Schiano wrote a July 2011 date board suspended Schianos lion the prescription, telling the cense for about three months in patient he did so because he had 2006, claiming he was abusing malpractice insurance then, ac- drugs and set up a scheme precording to state health officials. scribing methadone to a patient The medical examining who gave it back to him. board voted to suspend SchiHe also prescribed large dosanos license pending a March 1 es of medicine for his then-wife hearing on the charges. Schiano and did not record the prescripwas not at the boards meeting tions in her files, according to and could not be reached Tues- the state.

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BRIEFLY A schedule of Lenten programs

WOODBURY Special services and programming for the Lenten season have been announced at Woodbury United Methodist Church, 4 Church St. A Lenten Bible study will begin today at 11:30 a.m. An Ash Wednesday service will be held in the sanctuary at 7 p.m. Bible studies with bread and broth also will begin Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. Tuesday Lenten prayer meetings for the season will begin Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in the music room.The church is handicapped accessible. For information, call 203-263-4775 or

Attention Individuals and Businesses

visit www.woodburyumc.net.

African-Amercican mayor celebrated

WATERBURY A Greater Waterbury African-American Mayor for a Day celebration will be held today at 6 p.m. at the Goodwill Lodge of Elks, 238 North Elm St. Karen E. Harvey will be the honoree. The free event is sponsored by the African-American Mayor for a Day Committee of Waterbury and is open to the public. For information, call the Rev. Thomas Mallory at 203-2330782.

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