Eye on the Air, August 15 - By the Time I Got to Woodstock

Eye on the Air, WESU 88.1 FM, for Friday August 15

In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, Middletown resident Mark Masselli recalls his trip to the infamous gathering.

Eye on the Air, August 14

Live, 1-2 p.m. on WESU, 88.1 FM, (wesufm.org)

GUEST: Lifelong Middletown resident Mark Masselli reminiscing about his trip to the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969.

Eye on the Air, July 31

Eye on the Air, July 31, WESU 88.1 FM.

Guests: Mark Masselli, president and CEO of Connecticut's Community Health Center and Brian Burness host of UH Radio Bluegrass on WWUH-FM, 91.3.

A Drenched Garden Party

From the Middletown Eye Society Pages

When the skies opened up late this afternoon, it was likely a post-script to all the graduation garden parties that took place at student housing in Middletown. But the newest doctors in town, Mark Masselli and Jen Alexander celebrated their honorary degree from Wesleyan early in the day with a soiree that was forced to move indoors when the skies opened.

To celebrate their justified recognition by Wesleyan with honorary doctorate degrees Mark Masselli and Jennifer Alexander opened their grand center-chimney colonial house on

Washington Street to friends from near and far. It was not just a joyful celebration of a wonderful couple and their accomplishments, it was also a celebration of Middletown lives on a steamy Sunday on the cusp of summer.

The sun and rain dueled during the party, and guests in turn came out to enjoy the evening light in the garden and then retreated back into the house. Looking around at the party, it was

obvious their honor was well-deserved, as the

people in the Alexander and Masselli lives came from so many parts of Middletown. Board members at the Community Health Center embraced theater producers from Artfarm. Children from 5 to 18 mingled in contentment and independence from their parents.

The food was delicious, the highlight being two 2-gallon buckets of Italian Ice from Vecchito's.

Nonetheless professors mixed with politicians, and musicians rubbed elbows with carpenters, and eventually the rain let up enough so the party was able to seque to a humid evening with anxious mosquitoes. There was Indian food and Broadway tunes around the piano, and enough chatter to vanquish the noisy motorcycles on Washington Street.

New Doctors in Town

Jennifer Alexander and Mark Masselli, town leaders and activists were awarded for their accomplishments, their devotion to the city of Middletown, and their vision with honorary degrees from Wesleyan University today.

The commencement was held under brilliant skies after morning thunderstorms fled South and left the air crisp and warm.

President Michael Roth, invoking the memory of murdered student Johanna Justin-Jinich, reminded the students that the event which rocked the college and the city two weeks ago, was a reminder of the work that needed to be done in the world. He told students they could honor Justin-Jinich by pursuing improvements in woman's health, by working to make more sensible handgun laws, and by working to abolish violence against women.

"The status quo is idiocy," Roth reminded students.

In accepting her honorary degree Jennifer Alexander quoted from Charlotte's Web reminding graduates that they were like Charlotte's babies - aloft on a wind to new places and experiences where they would build their own webs. She also said that some spider children will build their webs close to home, and that it's not only good for those around the spider, but for the spiders themselves.

"The simple act of staying," Alexander said of her decision to remain in Middletown after graduation. "Brought more joy and accomplishment than I could ever have imagined."

Mark Masselli, CEO of the Community Health Center, told graduates that he would speak a few words that were not being spoken at graduations around the country."

"We're hiring," Masselli said of his health center for underserved populations. "Let me repeat that once for the parents. We're hiring."

Masselli acknowledged that student may not take him up on his offer but that these Wesleyan grads, like many before would find ways to to good in the world.

Author Anna Quindlen began her talk by admitting, "I am not Barack Obama." She urged students to forgo material gain for other rewards.

"Stuff is not salvation," she said as she urged students to pursue meaning and accomplishments in ways that would provide adventure and innovation.

UPDATE: Watch all the speeches here.

Alexander and Masselli Featured in Press

Community Health Center founder and president Mark Masselli and Jennifer Alexander, founder of Kidcity, will be receiving an honorary doctorate degree from Wesleyan Sunday. They are featured this morning in the Middletown Press.

Week in Photos: Crew Down at the River, Music up on Foss Hill.

MHS crew boat.



















MHS crew team gets ready to race.














Mark Masselli enjoys wes festivities.

Planning and Zoning Approves Community Health Center Exception

Representatives of the Community Health Center hoping to build a new headquarters on the corner of Main and Grand Street won approval to construct the building without retail on the ground floor level.

The new CHC will consolidate administrative offices and medical examination rooms from several Middletown buildings into the new headquarters.

Attorney Ralph Wilson, representing CHC, claimed that the Planning and Zoning Board had no authority to rule on parking, since the building is in a B1 zone, where parking does not have to be a part of a development package. Still he, and traffic and parking consulting engineer, Joseph Balskus spent an hour demonstrating how the CHC would be providing a net increase in parking in the North End, though the current lot of 55 spaces would be reduced to 29. Additional parking would be accessed by employees and patrons at a new lot next to the former trolley barn on Kings Avenue, and in the Liberty Square parking lot.

Mark Masselli, CEO of the Community Health Center, arrived to the meeting late as a result of meeting with Connecticut representaties in Washington DC today. Masselli addressed concerns of commission member Deborah Kleckowski who worried that approving an exception for a property which is not yet owned by CHC, and is, in fact, until April 1, out on RFP (Request For Proposal). Masselli explained that in the search for federal economic stimulus dollars, the process of vetting by municipal agencies has been compressed. He apologized for the need for haste, and city planner Bill Warner explained that CHC had accepted all responsibilities for liability if their plans were not approved.

"The building is another star for the North End," Masselli said. "We're hoping to do something our forefathers dreamed of for the North End. But we're in competition with 10,000 other applicants for stimulus dollars."

Eli Cannons owner Phil Ouellette appeared and spoke in favor of the development.

"We were in the North End before anybody wanted to be in the North End," Ouellette said. "And parking is important to our business. If the parking issue is to be solved as it was described, with better lighting, safer, and more aesthetically pleasing then it is now, I support it. This would connect us to the flow of Main Street."

Neighbors living in the homes at 12 and 16 Grand Street which will be demolished to make way for new parking worried about displacement.

"I would hate to see my home destroyed," said Brenda Stassola who lives at 16 Grand. "It would be a good idea if you could find me a place to move."

"I 'm hearing that this is a stimulus project," Patrick Young of 12 Grand Street said. "I'm a laid off construction worker, and I'd love to have a job working on this project."

For his part Masselli was open to helping in the relocation of families, hiring local workers and accepting design modifications for the building, including suggestions that a ground level brick wall on Grand Street include windows.

"We have a responsibility to the community. We have a responsibility regarding housing," Masselli said. "We don't throw people out onto the street. And it's been our mission to employ local people."

The commission also approved plans for a food manufacturing plant for Norpaco Gourmet Foods in the Liberty Commerce commercial park on Bysiewicz Drive.

Masselli Unveils Plans for New Community Health Center Building

(Architectural rendering of proposed Community Health Center headquarters.)


At the Economic Development Committee meeting Monday, Community Health Center CEO Mark Masselli unveiled plans to build a new headquarters for dental, medical and mental health services offices on what is now a parking lot on the corner of Main and Grand Streets. The parking lot is a city-owned lot adjacent to Eli Canon's.

This is the first of three meetings at which Masselli will appear this week, seeking quick approval for a plan that's been in the works for three years to take advantage of potential funding through federal stimulus dollars available in the state. CHC will also seek approval this week from the city Design and Review committee, and will appear before the Planning and Zoning Commission to schedule a public hearing.

According to Masselli, the three story LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building will be have 40,000 square feet and will include office space for staff, and treatment area for patients, consolidating offices currently spread over several Main Street buildings. If the plan is approved, CHC will return several Main Street store front offices to retail space along the North end of Main Street.

"We've spent a lot of time, energy and focus getting prepared," Masselli told the EDC. "We really thought, 'How do we stimulate this neighborhood."

CHC has options on two Grand Street homes it will demolish to create parking for the project. The new parking area will reduce capacity from 54 to 29 spaces, but Masselli insisted that extra parking would be located next to the old trolley barn just North of Eli Canon's. The new parking will remain a city lot.

Masselli has met with many of the neighboring businesses to gain support for the plan, and while he has made an effort, he had not yet connected with the owners of Eli Canon's whose patrons utilize the current parking lot.

"We need to be good neighbors, and we're seeking their support," Masselli insisted. "We want to be sure they're happy."

While most members of the Committee were enthusiastic in their support of the plan, committeem member and town Councilman David Bauer was put off by the haste at which the plan surfaced and required approval.

"This is the politics of urgency, when we're told we don't even have a month to issue a proper RFP," Bauer said. "The date set is way too abrupt. Too aggressive."

City planner Bill Warner explained that the haste was necessary in order for the city to capture stimulus money.

"This is something I think the governor will find exciting," Warner said. "Another signature building for Main Street."

The committee voted to send the offer for the site to a legal RFP (request for proposal), with a requirement that the RFP would close in time for the Planning and Zoning Board to consider approval in April.

(Grand Street homes considered for demolition for new municipal parking lot adjacent to planned CHC headquarters.)




"We want to be pouring concrete in June," Masselli said before the committee voted approval on RFP issuance.

In other business, the EDC voted to move recommendation of the formation of a city parking authority to review by the Finance and Government committee, the Personnel Committee and the Common Council.

The committe also passed approval for easements for the Algonquin pipeline which will provide natural gas in a pipeline largely located beneath River Road to the Kleen Energy plant.

The EDC also voted to study legal ordinances developed by the town of Berlin to prevent the opening of businesses which deal in sexually explicit materials within city limits, and craft similar ordinances for Middletown.

And in a discussion of shovel-ready projects, the committee voted to draft a letter to be distributed to state legislators urging adoption of a series of eight projects recommended by Mayor Sebastian Giuliano.