West Norwalk Association Board Meeting
November 15, 2010
Minutes of the West Norwalk Association
November 15, 2010
Those Board Members present were: Joel Zaremby, Ron Brown, Galen Wells, Linda Forcellina, Margaret Karl, Ron Paladino, Martin O’Connell, Bob Wagman, Regina Krummel, Candide Valadares and Chris Potts. Gay Mac Leod, Jim Forcellina, William Mitchell, Frank McGowan, Betsy McGowan and Anthony Carrano were guests.
The President, Joel Zaremby, called the meeting to order at 7:35.
Galen Wells presented the Minutes of the previous meeting. Linda Forcellina had an addition “ Linda Forcellina on behalf of the ambassador Program agreed to contact the 8 people who volunteered to be ambassadors and will draft a job description.” Bob Wagman moved to accept the minutes with this addition and Ron Paladino seconded the motion. The Board of Directors unanimously passed the motion.
Linda Forcellina presented the Treasurer’s Report. She also announced that she had sent the insurance certificate to the Board of Education and Principal Martinez and the Board of Education have agreed that the West Norwalk Association may use Fox Run School for its Board meetings free of charge. Martin O’Connell moved that the Treasurer’s Report be accepted as presented. Margaret Karl seconded the motion and the Board of Directors unanimously passed the motion.
December 9th is the Holiday Party at Dolce. The group decided that there would be two tables for people to pay dues and sign in. Jim and Linda Forcellina will man one table and Galen Wells and Candide Valadares will man the second. Joel, Gay and other Board members will act as greeters and steer people to the tables so that there is no long line. Ron and Lisa Paladino and Martin O’Connell will sell raffle tickets. An arms length will sell for $10 and a single ticket will sell for $1.
Linda Forcellina proposed that the Ambassadors Committee consist of Chris Potts, Candide Valadares, Martin O’Connell, Linda Forcellina and Jim Forcellina (ex-officio). The job description should be to distribute Association materials to neighbors; to solicit email addresses from neighbors so they can get information online; to solicit membership and encourage attendance at events; to contact a Board member if a neighbor needs help and to introduce new neighbors to the Association – be our welcome committee. Linda also said that high school kids who are interested in becoming associate members of the Board had approached her and Jim. She will meet with them at the Holiday party. Martin O’Connell moved to accept the membership of the committee and the job description. Ron Paladino seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously
The Board and the neighbors present then spoke about Dolce’s request for rezoning as a hotel. The neighbors of Dolce are vehemently opposed to the rezoning. There have been 7 zoning changes in the last 15 years and Dolce has ignored rules they previously agreed upon on numerous occasions. There is not much trust between Dolce and the neighbors. Broadreach, the current owner, bought the property for $24 million and they are operating in the red. The most likely purpose is to sell the property. The neighbors announced that they have formed their own neighborhood association and are looking for an attorney.
Joel said that he talked to Larry Cafero and he is now against the rezoning. He is upset with the fact that Dolce has violated rules they agreed to as a condition of previous rezoning grants and he is upset with the bad relationship between Dolce and the neighbors. Dolce knows about Larry Cafero’s opposition to the request for rezoning.
The Board then asked the neighbors to leave and discussed the issue in executive session. The Board took a vote on whether or not to take a position and if a position is taken whether it should be for or against the rezoning. The Board’s vote was to take a position and vote against the variance. The Board’s position will be announced if and when Dolce files the papers for a rezoning.
Anthony Carrano was voted in as a member of the Board of Directors and given a unanimous welcome.
The next meeting of the Board of Directors will be on January 3rd at Fox Run School.
Candide Valadares made a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Ron Paladino and approved by the board. The meeting was adjourned at 8:50
Respectfully Submitted, Galen Wells, Secretary