{news} Stamford mayor hopefuls speak their minds on issues

Mon Oct 17 18:42:20 EDT 2005

What this article from The Advocate does NOT report is that Darek Shapiro 
was NOT invited to this debate, sponsored by the North Stamford Association. 
  Instead, he had to crash the debate, speak with the moderator, then stand 
up and appeal to the audience, after which the Association's board met 
hastily and decided to include him, in order to avoid further embarrassment.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-mayors6oct17,0,5914465.story

Stamford mayor hopefuls speak their minds on issues

By Christiana Sciaudone
Staff Writer

October 17, 2005

STAMFORD -- Mayor Dannel Malloy stood before the North Stamford Association 
yesterday and said he is a pro-choice, pro-gay rights, pro-civil union and 
pro-embryonic research Democrat.

The mostly older crowd of nearly 100 people erupted in applause before he 
finished speaking.

But when Republican candidate Christopher Munger and Green Party candidate 
Darek Shapiro criticized the Lake Windermere luxury housing development 
slated to be built in North Stamford, they, too, received applause.

It was the first public forum for the three mayoral candidates together. 
Each was allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of 
questions and answers.

Thomas Lombardo, president of the North Stamford Association, collected 
written questions from the audience, which included state Sen. Andrew 
McDonald, D-Stamford. The candidates answered four questions chosen by 
Lombardo.

Malloy, a Democrat, is seeking a fourth term. Munger, a former FBI agent who 
works for the Rockland County, N.Y., police academy and Shapiro, an 
environmental architect, have never held public office.

Munger focused on his strength -- public safety -- and criticized the city's 
outdated emergency radio system.

"When you're out in the field, communications being the lifeline . . . it's 
the scariest thing in the world when you can't call for back-up," Munger 
said.

The system used by police and firefighters has broken down repeatedly. The 
signals have massive gaps in parts of North Stamford and the East Side, 
according to city and police officials. Power outages have shut down the 
downtown tower and the system's computer several times.

Munger suggested that a U.S. Department of Justice technical team look at 
the system and suggest ways to fix it.

Malloy defended the $17 million replacement that is in the works now, saying 
that his administration has been working on the problem since 2002, securing 
sites for antennas and trying to get funding from the U.S. Department of 
Homeland Security.

Munger questioned a shake-up in the police department in which rookie 
officers have been filling in for veteran detectives because of a labor 
dispute.

Malloy defended himself by saying that he stays out of labor negotiations 
and, "I'm not running for police chief."

The candidates discussed overcrowding in public schools. Malloy said that 
since his first term in 1995, 4,700 new students have enrolled. Under his 
watch, Stamford Academy, the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering 
-- both high schools -- and Trailblazers Academy -- a middle school -- have 
opened, housing about 800 students.

All schools are being renovated and the state largely funded the purchase 
and construction of a new elementary school at the Clairol site in the Cove, 
Malloy said.

But Munger said there are only two high schools in Stamford as far as he is 
concerned. He would have opted for a third high school rather than 
renovating Westhill and Stamford high schools, Munger said.

Shapiro proposed pre-kindergarten for all. Too much money is being spent on 
special education students who could have been diagnosed and helped earlier 
in life, he said.

On the Lake Windermere development, Lombardo said he would combine the eight 
questions he received from the audience into two issues that have been at 
the center of the debate -- the residential zone change that allowed homes 
to be clustered, and a community septic system that residents fear will 
fail.

The Erskine Road development will span 74 acres with 50 acres of open space, 
including 25 acres given to the Stamford Land Conservation Trust. The 24 
homes will be 4,700 square feet each, with four to six bedrooms and 
multiple-car garages, and are expected to sell for more than $2 million 
apiece.

Malloy said he got involved in the project years ago when the developer was 
proposing a tennis and swim club. The developer, Donsis LLC of Greenwich, 
scrapped that plan after criticism from him and from North Stamford 
residents, and instead proposed housing, which residents also did not want, 
Malloy said.

"Sometimes you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't," Malloy 
said, and vowed not to get involved in projects outside of downtown.

The sewage estimates were based on 10 people living in each house, which is 
unlikely to be the case, he said.

Munger, an engineer, said he knew of a case in Canada in which five people 
died because of a septic system failure. He also said that someone should 
listen to the more than 600 people who oppose the housing development.

"Let's listen to them a little bit more, not to a developer who has a 
financial input into campaigns," Munger said.

A developer and a consultant to the developer gave $2,000 to $10,000 to 
Malloy's mayoral and gubernatorial campaigns.

Malloy said he did nothing wrong.

"Nothing I have ever done in my public life in respect to campaigning is 
without full disclosure," Malloy said, adding that he has "never sought to 
influence" the project.

Shapiro said his concern lies in pesticides ruining wells.

"We're drinking $4 a gallon water because we can't drink our own well 
water," he said. "Why is that? Does anybody wonder why? Why aren't you 
drinking your well water?"

One audience member was overheard mumbling, "I drink my well water."

Shapiro said cluster housing in that area should be limited to 16 homes, 
which the audience applauded.

A debate among the candidates will be held 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 
the Harry Bennett branch of the Ferguson Library, 115 Vine Road.  [This has 
been moved to UCONN-Stamford, Broad St. & Washington Blvd.]