Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Common Council Approves Harbor Park Lease Transfer

At Monday's meeting, the Common Council voted to approve the transfer of the city's lease for Harbor Park Restaurant from it's current leaseholder, Frank Maratta, to a new partnership, the Mattabassett Canoe Club formed by Dan Cronin of Higganaum and John Krevey.

Judith Brown, who has provided commentary on the lease exhance on the Eye, was the only citizen to sound a warning about the city's approach to the long-term lease.

"The history of the city's contracts does not inspire confidence," Brown said.  "This is one of the most important sites for Middletown, and for Middletown's future.  What I worry about is that this is another lost opportunity to do something good."

Brown complained that the actual settlement reached between the city, Maratta and the new leaseholders was not available for inspection by the public, a complaint echoed later in the meeting by Council members David Bauer and Tom Serra.  She also noted that the restaurants in New York City run by the new leaseholders have sometimes received less-than-favorable reviews on the internet.

Cronin, who attended the meeting, spoke about his plans for the site.



"We believe we can give Harbor Park the focus it deserves," Cronin said.  "It is a gem.  We plan to provide good, wholesome, affordable food."

Cronin indicated that his partnership would work to transform the restaurant immediately after taking ownership, including a thorough cleaning, landscaping and an end to the amplified music played on summer nights in the restaurant's band shell.

"Right now it's a dark, dingey cavern and the people of Middletown deserve better," Cronin said.  "I've driven down Route 9 for fifteen years, and I've never stopped.  It just never called out to me."

Cronin said the partnership plans more extensive renovations beginning in the fall, but will begin immediately to change the menu, and attempt to appeal to a broader demographic than the patrons who currently come to the restaurant to hear "loud rock 'n' roll music."

Cronin plans to serve three meals daily at the site.

"This place is at it's prime between 7 and noon," he said.  "We plan to serve breakfast immediately so families can begin to enjoy the river."

Several Council members spoke in favor of the new lease agreement but warned Cronin that Spring flooding could be a problem.

Cronin admitted he didn't have an answer to the nearly-annual flooding problem at the restaurant, but seemed undaunted in his enthusiasm to transform the site.

During the questions to directors segment of Monday's meeting, City Attorney Tim Lynch explained that the new leaseholders had agreed to a review of the annual rent, currently set at $22,624 a year, and tied to the Consumer Price Index for increases.  The rent negotiations will begin eight years into the contract.

Frank Maratta received belated praise from some Council members on Monday for his initial attempt to transform Harbor Park 27 years ago.

"We have to give Maratta credit for bringing the restaurant to what it is today," Serra said describing the site previously as completely rundown.  He noted that at the time, Maratta took a big risk in taking on the cleanup of the site, and the opening of a new restaurant, and that for many years the restaurant was considered a good place to dine.

Maratta was not present at the meeting but issued a press release.

"I am very proud to have been the original developer of this historic property," Maratta said in his release.  "It will remain one of the greatest achievements of my life to have taken what was once an uninhabited shell of a building and restore it as a valuable landmark of Middletown."

Hell Freezes Over, Serra Agrees With Bauer On Absence of Contracts

As mentioned earlier, Council members David Bauer took exception to four of the proposed resolutions on Monday's agenda which asked for Council approval of contracts the city will engage in with lease holders.

"This is the only chance for the public to examine these contracts and they are not available," Bauer said.  "I think we're going in the wrong direction.  If we don't have something that looks like a contract, I can't vote to approve."

Serra noted that it was a historic moment for him to be agreeing with Bauer, but that Bauer's complaint made sense, and that contracts should be provided for Council members and the public to examine before the city engages in a legal agreement.

Council member James Streeto noted that some contract language may reveal business details that leaseholders may not want exposed to public scrutiny, but Bauer countered that by the time negotiations reach the point of drafting a contract, the document has become public information.

Mayor Sebastian Giuliano agreed that contracts should be attached to legislation, particularly when agreements are standard format lease agreements.

Council member Gerry Daley said that all pertinent language for agreements to be voted on Monday was available in the language of the resolutions presented to the Council and the public.

The Council approved all the lease agreements, with Bauer being the only Council member to vote against.

In the end, the Common Council did not change policy regarding the attachment of legal agreements to the resolutions being voted on at meetings.

When questioned after the meeting Bauer indicated that it's not the major clauses of an agreement that he's worried about but the "fine print."

"The devil is in the details," Bauer said, indicating that's it's common wisdom to read the fine print of a legal contract before signing on the dotted line.

Bicycles On the Table

The proposed ordinance to create a committee to examine improvements for non-automobile transit in the city was quickly tabled after complaints from Planning and Zoning Commission chair Quentin Phipps, and P&Z member Catherine Johnson that neither the title of the committee, nor its makeup reflected the needs to examine all aspects of transit in the city.  Both P&Z members noted that the purview for such changes usually is assigned to the P&Z and that the fact that the resolution made it to the Council without comment by that body was unusual.

Biking proponent Beth Emery also complained that while she has testified publicly on several occasions about the need for new biking regulations, she was not invited to the table by City Planner Bill Warner when the ordinance before the Council was drafted.

"I'm easy to find," Emery joked.

The Council voted to send the resolution to the Public Works department for consideration, to ask the Planning and Zoning Commission for comments, and to have the Economic Development Committee and the Ordinance Review Committee to re-examine the ordinance.


Oh Yes, The Showmobile

Once again a city organization appeared before the Common Council to ask for a waiver of fees for use of the city's Showmobile, a portable stage in a trailer, and once again it became the topic of the longest and most contentious debate of the evening.  Even the mayor, who chairs the meeting, brought attention to the Showmobile's reputation as a lightning rod for debate.

Cross Street AME Zion Church was requesting the waiver of fees, and Council member Ron Klattenberg was the first to indicate he would abstain from voting.

"Some of these events who we are waiving fees for make ten's of thousands of dollars at their events" Klattenberg said.  He indicated that the city was in dire financial times, "looking under rocks for nickels" and that the waiving of any fees was not good practice.

David Bauer chided Klattenberg saying that if were against the waiving of fees then he should vote "no" instead of abstaining from the vote (even with two abstentions - Klattenberg and Vinnie Loffredo, and Bauer's "no" vote, the waiver passed by large majority).

Council members including Phil Pessina and Bob Santangelo said that the Showmobile helped deserving organizations in town like AME Zion Church and that it promoted events in Middletown which make Middletown an interesting place to live and visit.

"If we back down on support of these events we may as well shut down Main Street," Santangelo said.

Klattenberg countered that the lack of a Showmobile would not make any of the planned events any less successful..

David Bauer called for new regulations about the use of the Showmobile from the Public Works commission, and Council member James Streeto suggested that waiver of all fees, at all times might be a more effective policy.

The Council voted to waive the fees of the Showmobile for use by Cross Street AME Zion Church for their Celebrate Me Cultural Bazaar.

13 comments:

Judith Brown said...

The big take-away message from last night’s Common Council meeting is that Middletown’s government needs to be more transparent and to inform the public in a timely manner of the content of contracts it’s about to sign. These should be posted on the web BEFORE they are brought for a vote before the Council. This should have been done with the Harbor Park lease agreement and others. While we can’t undo the past, we can do something about the future. Middletown’s government should post the Harbor Park agreement on the web right now. There is nothing to prevent it from doing so. This is the only way we can hold our elected officials accountable for the future outcome of agreements they sign now. Councilman Loffredo raised questions about whether the Harbor Park agreement includes provisions that enable the city to hold the lesees accountable to fulfilling the vision they presented to the Council. The discussion that ensued suggested that there were no such provisions in the contract. While all of us hope for the best, unless such provisions are in the contract, the city may well be repeating the past. There is no substitute for a smart contract and disclosure to the public.

Judith Brown

Anonymous said...

I agree, why is the public not informed about the contract. Is the Common Council trying to hide this from the public. Do right by the people who put you all in office

Anonymous said...

Where is the transparentcy

Anonymous said...

Did we attend the same meeting? What I saw was enthusiastic support (10-1 vote) from the Common Council for the plan of the proposed new leaseholders of the ailing Harbor Park restaurant. To go right to Ms. Brown misrepresents the tone of the meeting.

Anonymous said...

Need more information on content of contracts. The taxpayer should be able to read it before the Common Council votes on it. Need more transparentcy to inform the public.

Anonymous said...

Judith Brown makes an excellent point. Such an important waterfront property requires more scrutiny. Still, we hope for the best.

Matthew L Scarrozzo said...

Their appears to be alot of important issues that effect the taxpayers of the City of Middletown and should be out their in a timely manner for the public to have a chance to look over.I would agree with Mrs.Brown we need to hold our elected officials ACCOUNTABLE for theirs actions and take note of their actions in the next City election.

Middletown Eye (Ed McKeon) said...

To Anonymous 4:50. Shame you can't identify yourself. There were so few of us there. I think I led with a headline that showed the Council support, repeated that support in the first graph, and then went to Mrs. Brown's comments, which apparently were pertinent since three Council members voiced the same concern. As for how the Council votes, it has little correlation with what the public is concerned with, unless they're in the room. Tone, I think, is an accusation about subjectivity. Guilty.

Anonymous said...

How much was Maratta paid to turn over the lease to Cronin and Krevey? According to a story this morning in the MPress, Maratta estimated the future earnings at 3 million. Might one conclude that this is the amount he was paid by the new partnership, or close to it? Is this why no one on the Council wants the terms of the lease made public? Yet another example of bad fiscal management on the part of our City Fathers?

BCFire said...

Honestly I think the background on this lease needs to be recalled before any comments are thrown at City Hall. If you were a resident of this City back when that building was originally leased, City fathers were excited to have the building being put to good use. It was an eyesore and flooded every spring. The lease was drawn up at the time with the best intentions. Sure by today's standards the amount of monies and length is ridiculous. But hindsite is 20/20. It kickstarted the resurgence of the water front as a link to the City.

Remembering that this new lease agreement is the result of a court action by Mr. Marrotta to maintain his lease with the City. He signed the lease and the City was happy with him from the start. As with a lot of things, the establishment currently there lost sight of family orientated dining, and chose the more lucrative bar scene. That was his right as the operator. I personnaly think that this new agreement paves the way for a return to the original thought process the City fathers had. One that connects the riverfront with Middletown's citizens.

Commenting how poorly the City did in your opinion does not help the mindset that the Middletown Eye has been promoting. Hey, it's Middletown, great things can happen here! I for one am completely happy with it's outcome.

Bob said...

I agree with Judith Brown totally to approve the Harbor Park Lease and wait eight years before negotiations on changes makes no sense. Access to the Connecticut River is the most important asset that the City of Middletown has, what happens to this agreement if the land becomes more important than the restaurant do we have another law suit to deal with? The current lease agreement at around 1,900 per month with no sharing in the profits of the restaurant. This has been going on for what 25 years. Nice deal if you can get it thanks to Michael Cubeta Mayor at the time. It seems to me that the public is aware of important issues after the fact rather than before. What comes to mind is the land sold to Wesleyan which would have been an ideal site for the new high school. Middletown has such potential I believe it is time to give serious consideration to a professional Town Manager, rather than having a Mayor run every two years. Just my opinion

Fred In Westfield said...

The town can lend the showmobile for free but does not have the courage to revaluate our property taxes.

Anonymous said...

WOW I cant believe this is happening again, remember the last time they sold harbor park? It does need a makeover and a a really good chef with a better menu, I highly doubt it will do well with a new family theme & breakfast?? The music on the River was the best part about going there? That was the draw and the dancing. I have gone there for over twenty years, It will be interesting to see what they do with the property. Although I am not a resident, I do agree with the others, why is the contract not public??