Op-Ed – Response to Ayalon’s Commentary on Infrastructure Proposal

To Our Neighbor’s in Ward 4,

The federal grants (PROTECT and FEMA) have been in the pipeline for years, they have not been funded. The Allen St. and Overlook-McKinley projects have been ignored and neglected for 30 years including 10 years on the current mayor’s watch. City and state bonding initiatives are required immediately to properly fund the Allen St. Project.

New Britain Officials over the years have concealed and downplayed the serious nature of the compromised Allen St. Storm-Sewer System. The Allen St. System requires immediate upgrades. Over the years we pleaded for Alderman Ayalon’s assistance. He did not assist us.

The Allen St. Problem is a public health emergency, including contaminated flooding water which city officials have chosen to ignore. Here is the current mayor’s description, “The Allen St. Project #2 is critical to resolving chronic issues including flooding due to storm-sewer failures, sanitary back-ups and breaks due to insufficient capacity and the system’s age. The Allen St. Problem is a hazard we need to mitigate. It is evident now more than ever, that we need to see this project come to fruition”. Now the current mayor reports there are storm-sanitary cross connections on Allen St. further contributing to this public health emergency.

The Allen St. Problem must be called what it is; Dereliction of Duty, Gross Negligence and Nonfeasance by all past and present city officials. We have discovered 60 million reasons for our conclusions. Of the $60M the City of New Britain has recently received from our federal and state partners, not $1 has been allocated for the Allen St. Project. As the current mayor calls it, “Our most pressing need“. Infrastructure issues cannot be ignored, we have been patiently waiting for 30 years. Enough is Enough!

The truth cures all ills. It’s all about results…We need a consensus builder in the state legislature with a no non-sense attitude, including no BS. No Bias and No Spin!

Thanks.

F&S Chase
Taxpayers and Flooding Victims