reversal

For of those of you who read about my friend with the tsunami of troubles, some caused by the HD, there has been a turn about. A couple of weeks ago the landlord (a cousin of hers) contacted the HD for an inspection. They came and asked me after that because I had specifically asked if they could delay things till after school ends (tomorrow) because her children would be down in North Carolina with grand Ma after that and she would have until September to find a reasonable place. They were more than happy to do so, but it turns out the landlord is not doing his part, but surprise! In this case the HD will come to the rescue. Apparently, Code violations are handled the same a condemnation, its done at the landlords expense. So the last laugh will be done even as he shows the apartment, telling the prospectives that she will be out at the end of the month.
By the way the HD social service help her get the ex to court and get the needed child support

So what do I do When not at work?

Sometimes I cause trouble - I know most of the regs and rules for this town, tho I am not in the enforcement end, sometimes when people try to get away with things it just gets me. It was this way last Saturday night in downtown Stamford. God knows there were enough people on the street to keep 2 more clubs full, I was harassing the club that is close to my heart, Twenty, to make sure they keep their numbers legal. They changed some entry regs - guys have to be over 25 and the dress code is stricter - no boots, no T's, no hoods, backward baseball caps etc..then I look across the street at Black Bear. Now I have no problem per se with Black Bear - I have eaten there a few times and to me, it was a simple hamburger joint, but I don't like the crowd. Anyway off the point, I look and see them taking all the tables and chairs out and placing them outside the perimeter of their allowed space, so more people could cram in.
I kinda think things were getting dangerous.

I did report the issue to Zoning, Fire marshalls, Health and DSSD.
I had one response from DSSD

From: John Ruotolo
[mailto:operations@stamford-downtown.com]
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 10:05 AM
To: Kuntz, Joseph
Subject: FW: 11:30 Saturday Evening Black Bear Saloon

Mr. Kuntz,

Thank you for your e-mail regarding over extended sidewalk cafes. We try our best to help monitor the cafes but rely heavily on citizen input to know when there is a problem. You cc'd all of the correct people on your e-mail. I'll keep an eye on the process but I'm sure you'll see a change soon.

Please feel free to call if you have any questions.

Regards,

Well any thoughts?
Saturday after the rain at black bear

A short break

Will be going away for a short time and will return with more.

Sergio De Jesus

I will take another break from my 'normal' postings (is any thing I write normal?) to honor an AIDS outreach worker who yesterday had a bench in one of the city parks dedicated to him. He died last year after a long struggle with many health problems, but he was perhaps the most courageous man i ever knew. He came to work faithfully through this long struggle and actually cheered me and many other up. I think we thought we had lost him as many as 5 times before he finally left us. He was creative and persistent in his outreach work to those who were most vulnerable to contracting the HIV virus. He brought many people in for counseling and testing and maybe helped prevent some of the spread of this disease. The dedication was attended by coworkers, family and the people he helped.

Why do Politicians Lie?

Any one who has read any of my posts, knows that I am a 'civil servant' and that I frequently take issue with the politics of the moment. I have been work a long time and have tried (not always successful) to give service in my capacity to the rest of the citizens who come to me for assistance. I have no problem telling some one that I can't help them, but I might know some one who does - or I have no clue. I have no problem going out on a limb and saying what my knowledge tells me, even if it is not 'company policy'. I have no problem giving an educated guess - even if that guess turns out to be wrong and I have no problem being wrong about something. But I have never bald face lied to any question given to me.
So why do they do it?
This situation occurred just recently - with something that was a simple query concerning construction occurring at the Stamford EMS on Long Ridge Rd. I wanted to know what was going on cause some one had told my friend that there was quiet a story going on.
Now I don't fully understand the Mayor's dispute with the volunteer fire companies and I generally like what the mayor has done in this town at least as far as upgrading the 'stone age' items we were working with as far as record keeping and communication are concerned.
I do have a problem when anyone does something behind everyones backs and is sneaky about it, particularly when they are a 'public servant'.

So the story is I want to know what is going on at the Stamford EMS and all the construction. I E-mail a few people with some picutes and ask what is going on?

and then I see Bill Callion, the Director and oversight of Police, Fire and Health and think surely he must know. I do so as a citizen of Stamford, not an employee.
He says that There is nothing going on and they are not putting a firehouse there and says that there is already a foundation there.
Representative Day, District 13, E mails me and says it is only an expansion of the parking lot.

I am now curious, so I go over and take more pictures and notice that the storm drain in front of EMS is being moved and that there are electrical panels being put up.
An article in the advocate exposes more issues and all is clear,

Territory dispute mars volunteer fire talks - By Wynne Parry
Staff Writer

STAMFORD - Turn of River volunteer fire officials said they learned last week - days before today's scheduled mediation with the city - that city officials plan to set up trailers for paid firefighters in their district. View Full Story

So the question again is why do politicians lie???

More Email to me confirming the story, which I am sure are available via FOI.

So the question again is why do politicians lie???

A light at the end of the tunnel

I thought of the comments from StamfordTalk about editing posts and know that the feelings that occurred during this latest flurry of posts are as they occurred and the feeling of anger and hopelessness exist in these situations and so there will be no editing.
There is light though at the end of this tunnel and though the laws and codes that I have written about have no heart, the majority of the people enforcing them do. They are bound however to respond according to those laws and codes that have been set forth to protect people, but they are allowed to do so in a timely manner and to provide help to allow the negative impacts to be minimal.
This is what appears to be happening, orders are being written, but they are being 'delayed' so that time for compliance can occur. The order has to do with an illegal cellar occupancy and over crowding - it will take one month to be enacted (?)/enforced and it that time 3 of her children will be down in North Carolina with their grandmother leaving herself and one child in a now uncrowded apartment.
In the meantime, other persons are becoming involved so that perhaps what appeared to be a bleak tragedy may have a much better ending.
-The ex who is not helping maybe brought to task by the powers that be.
-a better place may be found for my friend and her children.
-employment maybe offered to her son who graduates from high school.
A lot of maybes, but they actually seem possible.
Did this loud mouth some what mad chemist have any thing to do with it? Maybe my loud mouth helped.

It seems that everyone in these situations needs an advocate who isn't overwhelmed by the actual situation.

The system does not work part 3 - maybe a final entry

I thought we were going to have a happy ending, I thought the complete redo of this apartment was going to be a blessing, but alas I was wrong. It turns out that this two room with a kitchen going for $1200 a month did not meet minimum housing standard sizes for the four persons to be living there. Rightfully the code specifies size - one person gets a bedroom of 70 sq ft, another add 50 square feet and each additional adds 50 sq ft. She would need 220 sq ft of bedroom space to meet the minimum requirements. I don't have the figures, but apparently this one does not and according to sources, should not even have been approved in the first place. There is also a cellar, which is finished, but for reasons of safety (no egress except through the apartment) should not be used as a sleeping space. So sometime soon the landlord will be issued a condemnation order and my friend will be force to find other substandard housing to provide for herself and her children. Will the Department of social services be able to help? I really hope so - it is the heart side of the code enforcement side of the health department and the relocation person is aware and involved. Will my friend allow herself to be helped - that is another question that I cannot answer. When a person has been burned too many times, they shy away from helping hands.
The cracks are wide in the system and if there had not been a fire, this would have never been discovered.
The rules are blind to the plights of people who only make $1200 a month plus what ever extra they get on side jobs.
And unfortunately, many of the people enforcing the rules have forgotten their hearts for what the 'code' says.
And yes this is a rant and a condemnation to all those who follow the letter of the law.