If you ever travel through Bethel, then you know that the conditions of the roads are am embarrassment. During the 2009 campaign, the issue of road repair was one of the top concerns on the minds of voters and in my interview with First Selectman-Elect Matt Knickerboker on election night of that year, the Democrat promised that road repair would be one of his top priorities.

Fast forward to November 2010 and the issue of road repair is still being debated in the town with an added twist...accusations of obstruction and dirty politics are being thrown back and forth (something that's not new to Bethel).

While members of the public are accusing critics of Knickerbocker on the board of finance (BOF) of using delay tactics and scoring political points at the risk of the public's safety, members of the board of finance reject that notion and state that they're concerned with the price of the bond package for the road project (8.5 million over 4 years).

While I plan to do more posts on the road repair proposal, and my take on the controversy surrounding the situation, the purpose of this post is to give those who couldn't attend the meeting, an opportunity to see what actually transpired Tuesday night. Although I tried to stream the meeting live, portions of the meeting didn't air due to the lack of 3G signal in the building.

Here's the video from the meeting. You can judge for yourself whether or not members of the BOF are playing politics with the safety of the residents of Bethel.

Public participation:



Board of Finance debate on the road repair proposal:

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RELATED POSTS:

BETHEL PATCH: Board of Finance Sends Road Renewal Plan Back to Board of Selectmen

NEWS-TIMES (09.13.10): Bethel selectmen send road project on to finance board

In light of the tragic accident that occurred yards away from Elmer's Diner on Wednesday, here's a post I did back in 2007 regarding the numerous traffic problems that was created by the restaurant being allowed to open at that location.

In future posts, I'll outline everyone on how the owner of Elmer's Diner has further contributed to the traffic nightmare...

Why is the City of Danbury allowing this dangerous parking on a busy road to take place? Why aren't there any NO PARKING SIGNS in front of the diner? Isn't this just a disaster just waiting to happen?

While I was working on a full background post on Elmer's Diner scandal, since the News-Times did such a poor job with their story on the Diner nightmare, I felt compelled to start rolling on my footage.

The situation is quite simple and everyone knew the drill...with the limited parking space at the location, the high traffic conditions on Padanaram Road (one of the busiest streets in Danbury) and the grumblings from the public since the start of the diner's foundation, EVERYONE who travel the roads in Danbury daily were fully aware about the serious traffic problems the opening of Elmer's Diner would create (including a mayor who lives in that general area and has had an earful from the public for months).

Given this fact, one has to wonder why is it that the traffic conditions at the diner's highly congested location were not addressed?



Think about it.

Elmer's Diner consist of 22 parking spaces for a place that seats 88 people.

Again...the diner ONLY has 22 parking spaces for 88 people.

Now, based on that fact alone, you know you're going to run into some problems. Oh, lets not leave out the fact that there is no stop light present, no crosswalk, and it's only a two lane street.






(click photo to enlarge)
Since the parking is limited and the parking area is extremely tight, customers are opting to do either one of two dangerous things: park on the shoulder of Padanaram Road, (people opening their car doors while not parking properly off the shoulder and are too far into the road, customers leaving the diner AND MAKING AN ILLEGAL U-TURN IN TRAFFIC, customers leaving the parking lot are limited in the amount of traffic they can due to the cars parked an the road). WHAT'S EVEN MORE DANGEROUSLY are the customers who have no regard for the traffic laws (or didn't notice that there isn't a crosswalk in the street) and are parking across the street at the strip mall, taking their lives into their hands, and darting across the busy street.

Note the irresponsible parent rushing across the street to the diner WITH HER KIDS IN HER HANDS.


Now, again, with the limited parking, the major traffic congestion on this stretch of road, and the parking on the other side of the street, EVERYONE in Danbury knew the exact problems we now face were going to happen.

What will it take for Mayor Boughton adn those who are in charge in keeping our roads safe will show some noticeable amount of leadership and get this situation taken care of before someone gets hurt?

• Will a MAJOR accident do the trick?

• Will it take someone getting hit by a car to get City Hall to deal with the situation?

Unfortunately, the city HAS done nothing about the TRAFFIC DISASTER that everyone knew was coming. According to the News-Times, Mayor Boughton hasn't gotten around to addressing the EASIEST traffic problem that should have been addressed months ago...sending a formal request to the state to post NO PARKING SIGNS IN FRONT OF THE DINER.

Nearly 25,000 motorists drive on Padanaram Road between Hayestown Avenue and Golden Hill Road each weekday, according to city traffic statistics.

Capt. Robert Myles said even though police haven't handed out tickets for parking on Padanaram Road, vehicles could be towed if they jut out into the road.

"There is a wide shoulder, but you can see where it could be a hazard," he said.

Myles said the police are talking with the state Department of Transportation about putting up three "No Parking" signs along the state road.

Judd Everhart, a DOT spokesman, said a formal request for signs from the city had not been filed as of Tuesday.

Once it's filed, a state worker will check out the scene. Everhart could not set a timetable for the process, but said it would be "weeks compared to days."

To give you a real idea of just how bad things are over on Padanaram right now, I present to you this following video footage of the location. While your watching the trainwreck, take note of the following situations:

• AN ELDERLY WOMAN CROSSING THE STREET WITH THE USE OF A WALKER.

• A customer leaving the diner in a SUV, after parking on the shoulder of Padanaram Road, and MAKING A U-TURN.

• A woman making a ill-advised left hand turn out of the parking lot which could have resulted in an accident.

• Customers having problems turning in and out of the diner parking lot due to cars on the street, which are blocking the view of the road.

• The sound of brakes locking up on a truck that is driving too fast, which during the winter would certainly hit the set of cars pulling out of the parking lot.

After almost being a victim of an accident while videotaping on the sidewalk, and watching a senior citizen crossing Padanaram Road (using a walker) to a parking spot that was not designated for the diner, and incident after incident of diner customers causing traffic violations, it's my sincere opinion that the current administration has once again failed the residents of Danbury by not taking the necessary steps to keep one of the most heavily trafficked road in the area safe.

In other words, this whole traffic situation should not have happened in the first place because the city should have addressed the issue (at the very least). Seeing that the city hasn't requested that the DOT place NO PARKING signs in front of the diner (which would at least solve the problem with cars parking in the shoulder and being in the way of emergency vehicles) speaks volumes about the foresight of this administration.

Again the problems stemming from the opening of the diner is NOTHING new to anyone who has been keeping an eye on the construction of the site. This very blog has commented several times on the traffic conditions in that area of Danbury/New Fairfield going as far as posting a videos of the traffic near the stie of the diner late last year. When the mayor addressed the diner in the media, he felt it better to use the overused political card of placing the blame on the past administration for the conditions in which Elmer's Diner came into existence instead of maybe addressing the matters the diner is creating under his own watch.

Again, this portion of the News-Times article speaks volumes about the foresight of this administration.

Judd Everhart, a DOT spokesman, said a formal request for [NO PARKING] signs [in front of the diner] from the city had not been filed as of Tuesday.

I guess the mayor was too busy playing the role of the immigration czar (here, here, and here), to address real issues in Danbury that people are up in arms about. I guess Mayor Mark didn't get the memo that his immigration well is just about all dried out.








Well keep an eye on things and let you know when the first person is hit by a car, someone pulls a stupid traffic move that causes a major accident, when parks on the side of the road, opens a car door and it gets ripped off by a passing car, or any other host of traffic problems that even Stevie Wonder could see happening months ago.

If anyone gets hurt, you know which way to point the finger...

Sorry for the problems with the stream but I was unable to get a stable 3G connection. Luckily, I recorded the video and I'll post the footage later today.

Tonight at 7:00 PM, I will be providing a live video stream of the much anticipated Bethel's board of Finance meeting.

For those who are unaware, accusations of obstruction is being directed towards BOF chairman Phillip Gallagher in regards to a plan to repair badly damaged roads in the town. This recent News-Times letter to the editor from Bethel resident Steven Brill gives the details:

Bethel citizens who are fed up with the terrible condition of our local roads need to show up at the next Finance Committee meeting, which is Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall.

As folks may know, for the last few months the Board of Finance -- otherwise known in Bethel as the Board of Obstruction, has taken every opportunity to slow down, obstruct, destruct, confuse and consciously turn a deaf ear to the best interests and best plans of Bethel to deal with the terrible local road conditions.

Unanimously, the Board of Selectmen and other town officials have supported and promoted a plan that would revitalize virtually every road in Bethel. Throughout this process, the board of obstruction has said things like: The dead-end streets should stay the way they are and their taxpayers should just tough it out; or statements like: We can't afford it -- when the financial plan takes into account the lowest interest rates of modern times.

The plan put forward is extremely affordable, due to the low interest rates, some of which are well below 1 percent. The latest round of delays brings this plan, that was initially well received in June of last year, to the Nov. 9 meeting.

The chairman of the board of obstruction is telling the selectmen it will be brought up at that meeting, even though it is not even on the agenda. Are we in for another round of delays and obstruction? Can Geico save you 15 percent on your car insurance?

It's time for the obstructionists and political players to hear from the public! Playing politics with essentials such as roads is dangerous.

If past reporting on Bethel politics is any indication of things to come, tonight's meeting should be rather interesting.

The video stream will start aprox. around 6:50 PM and will be simulcasted on my piece of real estate over at the News-Times website.

The rape trial against Greater Danbury anti-immigrant activist John McGowan continued last week with the case moving one step forward to jury selection.

McGowan, the former treasurer of the Greater Danbury chapter of the Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Control, co-founder/Vice President of United States Citizens for Immigration and Law Enforcement hate group, 2007 candidate for mayor, and Pseudolaw lunatic was charged with first degree sexual assault as a result of an investigation by the New Milford Police Department.

Here's some background the case that's been recognized as one top 10 crimes of 2009:

Here how the News-Times detailed the horrific alleged assault.
In the 13-page affidavit, the woman describes a variety of sexual encounters to which she consented, but she claimed that on Oct. 20, 2008, after attending a meeting at McGowan's church, he assaulted her anally at a house he was building on Juniper Road in New Milford.

The woman told police she said, "What are you doing?" and "Stop," but McGowan instead "put his right arm around her neck and put her in a headlock," according to the affidavit.

After speaking with counselors at the women's shelter in Danbury, the victim went to New Milford Hospital on Oct. 22 and hospital personnel called police, according to the affidavit.

...the police report’s write-up on the incident is more graphic.
…he [McGowan] pushed his penis into her anus. When he did this, Victim stated that she asked "What are you doing" and "Stop." Victim states that she arched her back as she initially struggled to to get him out of her. When she did this, McGowan put his right arm around her neck and put her in a headlock.


According to the affidavit, after speaking with representatives at the Women's Shelter in Danbury, the victim went to New Milford Hospital and a police investigation was conducted, which resulted in McGowan's arrest.

According to CT Defense Lawyer website, first degree sexual assault is a CLASS B felony, if found guilty, the local xenophobe could be sentenced to 1 to 20 years in prison and fined up to 15,000 dollars.

RECAP OF LATEST COURT HEARING:

After his case was called by Judge James P. Ginochio, and the marshalls approached McGowan, as he approached the chamber, the co-founder of the United States Citizens for Immigration and Law Enforcement hate-group continued his irrational Pseudolaw claim that the court doesn't have jurisdiction over him.

McGowan: I enter of my own free will...I do not grant jurisdiction

Judge: Mr. McGowan, they need to hear what you're saying...no one understands what you're saying.

McGowan: I enter of my own free...

Court recorder: I don't understand what you're saying.

After dealing with McGowan's bizzare statement, Judge Ginochio checked the calander in order to find a date to finally move the case forward to possibly jury selection. After given a JAnuary date, McGowan objected and requested a date in late March, to which prosecutor Dawn Gallo stated was not a good date. While attempting to find a agreeable date, McGowan attempted to shift the conversation by alleging that his argument of juristirciton hasn't been addressed (which of course is incorrect):

Judge: Just have your motions in.

McGowan: Same ones as before, the state hasn't proven juristriciton.

Judge: I've dealth with that. Give me a date in Feb.

McGowan: I object your honor

Judge: You object with the date

McGowan: About juristrciton

Judge: Your objections are entered into the record

After a date of Feb 23rd was agreed by all parties, McGowan bizarre actions contiuned as he attemtped which seemed to look like a box of paperwork into the record.

Judge; File it the corect way so that everyone gets a copy.
McGowan: I owuld like to but it was lost the last time.
Judge: I won't stop you from filing anything...you need to file it the appropriate way.

With McGowan's laughable behavior, it's easy to loose sight of the fact that the charges against McGowan are very serious and that there is an alleged victim in this case who was possibly seriously assulted. As this case moves forward, hopefully we can get beyond McGowan's nonsense and get to the actual case.

RELATED POSTS:

• McGowan harass marchers, desecrates Mexican flag at 2006 immigration rally



• McGowan joins racist local access personality Tom "Big T" Bennett in inciting people to harm members of the immigrant community.



• Fairfield Weekly mocks McGowan's campaign for mayor.



• Elise Marciano anti-immigrant group members applaud while speaker advocates placing immigrants in WW-II style concentration camps.



• Court trial day seven: Jury trial



• Court trial day six: Motions denied



• Court trial day five: Endless Endless subpoenas and bizarre motions to dismiss



• LITCHFIELD REGISTER-CITIZEN: Local man accused of rape is competent for trial
  
  
• NEWS-TIMES: McGowan found competent to stand trial in New Milford rape case



• Court trial day two: Excuses, excuses



• Court trial day one: Strange behavior, disturbing arrest warrant affidavit



• McGowan arrested, charged with first-degree sexual assault

The last honest man in Danbury continues to lie his ass off.

via Cool Justice Report:

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cooljustice / MayorMark

cooljustice @MayorMark That's fair. 5 minutes ago via Echofon in reply to MayorMark

MayorMark @cooljustice Apologize? I guess we will have to agree to disagree. 22 minutes ago via TweetDeck in reply to cooljustice

cooljustice @MayorMark Where does the buck stop in Danbury? Do you deny that Danbury cop picked up workers in van? When will you apologize? 31 minutes ago via Echofon in reply to MayorMark

MayorMark @cooljustice Neither. about 2 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to cooljustice

cooljustice @MayorMark U Deny Danbury Cop Drove Van To Jail Immigrant Workers? R U Lying Now, Did U Lie @ Deposition Or R Your Lips Moving? less than a minute ago via web in reply to MayorMark

MayorMark @cooljustice Nice try. Neither one of those are true. But, just keep repeating it. It's flattering. about 2 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to cooljustice

@MayorMark U Deny Expressing Interest 2 GOP Members In 5th CD? Is that Like Denying Set-Up Raid By ICE Against Danbury Immigrant Workers? about 6 hours ago via web in reply to MayorMark

Boughton Not ‘So Sure' Re; 5th District Congressional Run He Has Been Chatting About
http://twitter.com/MayorMark

MayorMark
@cooljustice Don't be so sure of that.. about 19 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to cooljustice

5th District Congressional Candidate On The Stump http://blog.ctnews.com/election2010/2010/11/05/boughton-calls-for-a-recanvass-in-gov-race/ 12:55 PM Nov 5th via web

You didn't LIE about the city's role in the Danbury 11 case? Really Mark?



Hey cocky guy, why don't you just release your VIDEO deposition in the Danbury 11 case and let the people decide if you're a no good, dishonest, racist, bigot.