Valley Independent Sentinel

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Derby Tax Board Meets Illegally, Chairman Apologizes

by Eugene Driscoll | May 21, 2012 9:41 pm | Comments (3)

Members of the Derby tax board held an illegal meeting Monday, but the board’s chairman apologized after being told the meeting was improper under state law.

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One Derby Dog ‘Appeared Neglected,’ Vet Says

by By Oxford Patch and The Valley Indy | Apr 20, 2012 5:54 am | Comments (0)

A veterinarian’s letter detailing the condition of a dog found at the Derby pound is raising new questions about the level of care provided at the embattled facility.

The letter states one pit bull taken from the pound April 13 “appeared to be neglected.”

The undated letter, obtained by Oxford Patch and the Valley Independent Sentinel, was written by Dr. T.C. Nanavati of the Ansonia Animal Hospital in Seymour.

The dog was brought to the vet by an assistant animal control officer from Oxford, who found the dog in the Derby pound and was concerned for its health.

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Derby Dog Pound Closes, Questions Linger

by Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry | Apr 17, 2012 11:55 pm | Comments (4)

Lauren Samperi went to the Derby animal shelter last September with her 9-year-old son and instantly fell in love with a dog named Chase.

She went to the Coon Hollow Road facility several times in an attempt to see if the dog would make a good fit for her family.

About 18 months old, the pit bull would follow commands, was “submissive and sweet,” and had good manners, Samperi said.

She didn’t say the same about Derby’s veteran animal control officer, Joe Klapcik.

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Two FOI Complaints Pending Against Derby

by Eugene Driscoll | Feb 27, 2012 4:35 pm | Comments (5)

Two unrelated complaints against the City of Derby are pending in front of the state’s Freedom of Information Commission.

One complaint involves the New Haven Register and the city’s public works department, while the other involves Derby Democrat Sheila Parizo versus the Derby Board of Aldermen.

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Documents Reveal Conflicts Of Interest At Ansonia Housing Authority

by Jodie Mozdzer | Feb 3, 2012 4:57 pm | Comments (2)

While James Finnucan was in charge of the Ansonia Housing Authority, his family also collected rent from tenants in a Section 8 apartment the Finnucans owned, the Valley Independent Sentinel has learned.

The arrangement was a conflict of interest and Finnucan should have resigned or sought a waiver, according to the regulations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

However, Finnucan never sought a waiver and he didn’t resign until Dec. 28, 2011 — 17 months after Ansonia Housing Authority employee Gwen Archer first complained about the situation.

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Few Details Released In Ansonia Housing Authority Shake Up

by Jodie Mozdzer | Jan 15, 2012 12:35 pm | Comments (0)

The Ansonia Housing Authority won’t release the complaint that led to the resignation of its executive director and the termination of another employee.

The housing authority Jan. 12 denied a Freedom of Information request from the Valley Independent Sentinel for the complaint, citing “pending litigation.”

The Valley Indy filed several FOI requests for several documents as part of its reporting on the resignation of Executive Director James Finnucan.

Continue reading ‘Few Details Released In Ansonia Housing Authority Shake Up’ »

State Panel Probes Alleged Seymour Police Commission Meeting

by Jodie Mozdzer | Jan 10, 2012 11:22 pm | Comments (0)

The Freedom of Information Commission started hearing evidence Tuesday to determine if three Seymour police commissioners held an illegal meeting to talk about embattled Seymour police Detective Ron Goodmaster.

Six people testified at the FOI hearing Tuesday — detailing rumors, overheard conversations and information surrounding the alleged meeting of May 25, 2011.

After more than two hours of testimony in Hartford, an attorney for the Freedom of Information Commission decided she needed to hear more — and said she might subpoena two Seymour police officers to get to the bottom of what happened.

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Shake Up, Silence, At Ansonia Housing Authority

by Jodie Mozdzer | Jan 6, 2012 6:25 pm | Comments (0)

Ansonia Housing Authority officials would not comment this week on the resignation of its executive director and the dismissal of another employee.

James Finnucan, the housing authority’s executive director, resigned on Dec. 28. Finnucan is a former mayor of Ansonia.

His resignation comes four weeks after the Ansonia Housing Authority Board of Commissioners fired their “compliance coordinator,” Tiffany Reeves.

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Shelton Superintendent’s Contract Extended, $7,500 Bonus Approved

by Jodie Mozdzer | Nov 13, 2011 8:53 pm | Comments (1)

The Shelton Board of Education has approved a one-year extension to Superintendent Freeman Burr’s contract that bumps his salary to $165,000 in 2013-2014.

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RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: JUNE!

by STAFF | Jul 17, 2011 7:03 pm | Comments (0)

NOTE: The Naugatuck Valley Health District provided the Valley Indy with a summary of its food service inspection report for the month of June.

Anything below 80 is categorized as failing. A restaurant may also fail if it receives a single, serious violation.

Continue reading ‘RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: JUNE!’ »

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