Hamden wants plans for fire station site
Published: Thursday, December 17, 2009
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By Ann DeMatteo
Special to the Post-Chronicle
HAMDEN — By year’s end, the town will seek proposals for sites for a new fire headquarters and replacement for the dilapidated Circular Avenue fire station.
“We’re going to be extremely flexible in terms of how the submissions come in,” Mayor Scott Jackson said.
Jackson is interested in hearing from property owners or builders who could provide options, from a long-term lease to building on town-owned land on Putnam Avenue with the town leasing the facility back from the builder.
The Legislative Council in early October gave then Mayor Craig B. Henrici permission to seek proposals for a lease-build arrangement in an effort to save money. The town had bought the former Dadio Farm on Putnam Avenue with the idea that four acres would be used for a fire headquarters, training center, space for administration and a replacement Station 2, Circular Avenue. Then, the Henrici administration floated the lease-build idea, which Jackson is carrying out.
“We’re looking at options for cost-effectiveness and speed of construction,” said Curt Balzano Leng, chief administrative officer.
Jackson, who took over as mayor Nov. 29, said he expects to seek proposals by the end of the year. The council will then review the information, he said.
He is hoping that the information he receives will give the town an idea of what commercial properties are available for development, including space for an animal shelter. Getting an animal shelter is second on Jackson’s list after a new fire headquarters and Station 2.
After the plan to put the animal shelter on Rocky Top Road failed, Henrici suggested the Maselli Farm as a location when the town acquired the 34 acres off Dunbar Hill Road and Gilbert Avenue. Neighbors, however, opposed having barking dogs so close to their homes.
Jackson on Monday said people got ahead of themselves on the idea because the Maselli Farm was bought around the time the Rocky Top plan had dissolved. Maselli Farm now is being considered for various farming alternatives, but there are no plans to put the animal shelter there. Putting an animal shelter at Maselli would be difficult because of neighbors’ opposition, he said.
Dolores Giannini, president of the Hamden Happy Tails Foundation, said that the only plan was at Rocky Top and Shepard Avenue. “From that point on, we were evaluating Maselli and a couple of other places,” she said. She doesn’t want any option taken off the table, because the town desperately needs an animal shelter.
Hamden rents space at the North Haven Animal Shelter, which is getting more unacceptable for a number of reasons. “The animals are being kenneled for longer periods of time than they should be because of lack of accessibility. People don’t want to travel (to adopt an animal),” she said.
Giannini doesn’t think dogs should be housed near fire stations because they will howl when they hear sirens, but a shelter is needed immediately. Cats also need a place where they can stay because they’re “being abandoned and not in the most humane way.”
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Return to Full-time Service to the Town
Leng appointed as Hamden's chief administrative officer
Published: Friday, December 4, 2009 - Post Chronicle
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By Staff
Hamden – Mayor Scott Jackson is pleased to announce the appointment of Curt Balzano Leng as the Town's new Chief Administrative Officer. Leng has served Hamden for the past 14 years as Director of Government Operations, Community Development Manager, Councilman and Councilman-At-Large.
Leng began in Hamden government a 6th District Councilman in 1997 and was selected in 1999 to serve as former Mayor Carl Amento's Director of Government Operations. In 2002, he was hired as the Town's Community Development Manager, working in the Economic and Community Development Department, where he worked for two years until deciding to run for office again as Councilman-At-Large. Since then he has served on the Council and as the Council's Finance Committee Chairman for the past 6 years.
Leng is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, with a Degree in Political Science and has a Master's Degree in Education from the University of New Haven.
Before taking the position of CAO, Leng resigned his seat as the 6th District Councilman to dedicate his efforts to his new role full-time.
“While I have loved serving on the Legislative Council, I know that I can do more for the Town and its citizens by dedicating myself to working full-time on the many important issues facing our Town. Working to help our new Mayor implement his goals of fiscally responsible, effective and transparent government will be my top priorities in the job,” Leng said.
“He has a tremendous amount of experience, having served in the job previously,” said Jackson. Also, Jackson said he believes that Leng’s experience as chairman of the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee will be “invaluable during what will be a very difficult budget year.”
As an individual who has served both in the Mayor's Office, as a Department Manager and on the Legislative Council, Leng will be uniquely suited to be the Town's liaison to the Legislative Council. “I respect the Legislative Council and its members, many of whom I have served with. I look forward to working closely with them, both Democrats and Republicans, and will have an open door to them at all times.”
Leng can be reached via e-mail at cleng@hamden.com or at 203-287-7100.
Published: Friday, December 4, 2009 - Post Chronicle
No comments posted. | Email to a friend | Print version | ShareThis
By Staff
Hamden – Mayor Scott Jackson is pleased to announce the appointment of Curt Balzano Leng as the Town's new Chief Administrative Officer. Leng has served Hamden for the past 14 years as Director of Government Operations, Community Development Manager, Councilman and Councilman-At-Large.
Leng began in Hamden government a 6th District Councilman in 1997 and was selected in 1999 to serve as former Mayor Carl Amento's Director of Government Operations. In 2002, he was hired as the Town's Community Development Manager, working in the Economic and Community Development Department, where he worked for two years until deciding to run for office again as Councilman-At-Large. Since then he has served on the Council and as the Council's Finance Committee Chairman for the past 6 years.
Leng is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, with a Degree in Political Science and has a Master's Degree in Education from the University of New Haven.
Before taking the position of CAO, Leng resigned his seat as the 6th District Councilman to dedicate his efforts to his new role full-time.
“While I have loved serving on the Legislative Council, I know that I can do more for the Town and its citizens by dedicating myself to working full-time on the many important issues facing our Town. Working to help our new Mayor implement his goals of fiscally responsible, effective and transparent government will be my top priorities in the job,” Leng said.
“He has a tremendous amount of experience, having served in the job previously,” said Jackson. Also, Jackson said he believes that Leng’s experience as chairman of the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee will be “invaluable during what will be a very difficult budget year.”
As an individual who has served both in the Mayor's Office, as a Department Manager and on the Legislative Council, Leng will be uniquely suited to be the Town's liaison to the Legislative Council. “I respect the Legislative Council and its members, many of whom I have served with. I look forward to working closely with them, both Democrats and Republicans, and will have an open door to them at all times.”
Leng can be reached via e-mail at cleng@hamden.com or at 203-287-7100.
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