Leone's resignation note

From:              John Leone 

To:                   art ward 

CC:                  Frank Johnson 

Date:                12/16/2009 7:59 AM

Subject:          Resignation From BDDC Board

Mayor Ward

I am writing to resign from the Bristol Downtown Development Corporation effective Tuesday, December 15.

I want to thank you Mayor, for nominating me to the position  and also Chairman, Frank Johnson and all the board members who serve on the Corporation, for their dedication in a common cause of developing the Depot Square property.

The conflict of interest, I raised at the Monday’s meeting of the Corporation, stops the progress of this important project, and could have continued to be a concern, on future votes.

I would also like to acknowledge the work of the Development Corporation’s Executive Director, Richard Harrall and Atty. David Sheriden, for their dedicated service to the Corporation.

My decision to resign is not an easy one, but I believe it’s in the best interest of the Corporation and most importantly the City of Bristol and its residents.
                                     John J Leone

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Leone's resignation takes effect today

Read Press reporter Jackie Majerus' story about the resignation of former Mayor John Leone from the Bristol Downtown Development Corp. here.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Leone resigned today

Mayor Art Ward said that John Leone resigned from the Bristol Downtown Development Corp.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Leone's tenuous position

I can't quarrel with former Mayor John Leone's view that he can't ethically take part in the Bristol Downtown Development Corp.'s decision about who should develop the Depot Square sit. If Leone thinks the situation is such that he can't vote, then he clearly shouldn't vote. He's got a better handle on the ethics of the situation than I do.
But if he can't cast a vote on the developer because his role in finding a place for the new Bristol Boys and Girls Club somehow got mixed up with Renaissance's mall site proposal -- the details remain hazy -- then how can he serve on the BDDC at all if Renaissance is chosen? The conflict won't go away.
There's kind of an obvious issue: is Leone's service to the club, admirable as it is, making it impossible for him to be an effective, useful board member for the BDDC? Certainly he's contemplating that issue just as many others are.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Let Leone vote?

A suggested way out of the fiasco, offered by former city Councilor Craig Minor:

 If Monti and D'Amato can't work it out, the BDDC should ask both of them if they are willing to let Leone vote. Of course, Leone could vote for D'Amato and that leaves it at 3-3, but he might vote for Renaissance.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Nothing against Leone, but...

If you really wanted to get something done in Bristol the past quarter century, you got John Leone on your side. The former mayor, and former head of the chamber of commerce, has the tenacity and damn-the-obstacles focus to ram most anything through all but the stiffest of opposition.
So installing him as one of the seven directors of the nonprofit Bristol Downtown Development Corp. made sense. Leone wasn't the type to let a vacant lot sit around forever with nobody doing anything.
That's why it's disappointing to say the least that when the showdown vote finally rolls around, Leone opts to abstain. I'm still not sure exactly why, something about Renaissance wanting to help out the Boys and Girls Club, where Leone's also a director.
I don't quite get that. But if Leone says he has a conflict, well, that's that.
So it leaves the other six to decide between two competing developers, opening the door to a possible tie vote. And, of course, that's what happened.
Now it may yet get worked out at tonight's meeting. In the end, maybe, they'll flip a coin in a back room and come out united behind one or the other. That could happen.
But it's too bad Leone couldn't take part in a decision he's waited three years to make.
Sitting on the sidelines when the big game finally comes isn't the place to be, unless you're a spectator rather than a player.
And I always figured Leone for a player.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Leone takes aim at Democratic healthcare plan

The intrepid Christine Stuart on her CT News Junkie site, has a story featuring Bristol's very own John Leone, former mayor and former chamber honcho, leading the charge against a plan to open up the state's health insurance pool.

Be sure to read the comments, too.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Leone honored by hundreds

More than 530 people jammed into a swanky hall at Southington's Aqua Turf Club last night to honor outgoing Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce President John Leone.

"It's unbelievable," Leone said

Leone said  that it was touching that so many people, including Gov. Jodi Rell, would come "to pay tribute to a guy who loves to do what he does."

Leone, a former mayor, called the event "overwhelming" and said that he was deeply grateful that so many showed up.

Leone has led the chamber for nearly two decades after stepping down from the mayor's post to take the job. He is handing over the reins at year's end to his successor, Mike Nicastro.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

New chamber president: Mike Nicastro

On the Open Solutions website, there is this on the background of Mike Nicastro, a younger brother of former Mayor Frank Nicastro:

Michael D. Nicastro
Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
Prior to joining Open Solutions in 1994, Mike Nicastro spent 10 years with the Data Services Division of the NCR Corporation in the marketing and management of micro based financial systems, leaving NCR as the National Product Manager of Platform/Branch Automation. While with NCR, Mr. Nicastro was one of 15 employees worldwide to win the “Chairman’s Customer Satisfaction Award.” Mr. Nicastro spent the nine years prior to NCR working in the banking industry with Connecticut based Bristol Savings Bank, as well as New York based Citicorp. During his tenure with these organizations he held positions in branch management, lending, underwriting and marketing. Mr. Nicastro holds a Bachelors Degree in Marketing from Central Connecticut State University and a Juris Doctor from Western New England College, School of Law.

My understanding is that Nicastro will take John Leone's place -- as if anyone could -- at year's end.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

New chamber prez to be announced Tuesday

Well, well, who will it be?
Though it's hard to imagine the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce without John Leone, a former mayor, it's going to happen.
His successor is supposed to be announced on Tuesday.
The trend has been to pick former mayors -- Mike Werner and Leone come quickly to mind -- but it's hard to believe that Frank Nicastro, Gerard Couture or Bill Stortz would make even the short list. They're not quite of the Werner-Leone mode.
So who they gonna pick? It could be quite interesting, particularly given the clout that the chamber has in town.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

New anti-blight law heads to City Council on April 8

A tough new proposal that aims to ease the way for City Hall to crack down on messy, unsafe properties is on the fast track to approval.
The city’s Ordinance Committee unanimously backed the proposed statute Wednesday, opening the door for the City Council to enact it on April 8.
The move won the endorsement of both Bristol Hospital and the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce this week, which helped spur the three-person panel to act quickly.
“This is an important step,” said former Mayor John Leone, president of the chamber. “We are going to set the bar higher.”
What officials hope the new law will do is allow them to pressure recalcitrant property owners to clean up or fix up their property before it drags down the surrounding neighborhood.
Dale Clift, an assistant city attorney, said there is “a lot of overlap” between the existing blight ordinance and the code enforcement effort. The new proposal would combine them so that both can be more effective, he said.
One reason the push has won such strong support is that residents are happy with the way Building Official Guy Morin and police Officer Tom Lavigne, who deals with code-related issues, have handled enforcement in recent months.
“It’s tremendous to see the difference it’s made,” said Sue Roesch, a Federal Hill resident.
Karen Pio, president of the Greater Bristol Property Owners Association, said the pair has done a good job of offering suggestions to owners on how to comply with the law, not just cracking the whip.
She said they don’t make landlords feel like slumlords. They’re just trying to get people to comply with the rules.
But they’ve also issued many citations to violators, including two they gave to Pio.
Pio thanked them for singling her out. “It got my son my son off his butt end,” she said.
Tim Furey, chairman of the hospital board, said that the hospital has seen “a spiked increase” in the use of its emergency room by people who may be living in substandard dwellings.
He said the community’s health is being affected and the new law is “vital” so that medical care focused on the wellness of the entire community can continue.
The ordinance panel, chaired by Councilor Craig Minor, opted not to go along with a provision urged by Pio that would let the city give 90-day extensions to those targeted if they are making good faith efforts to comply but have limited resources.
With the economy sagging, she said, “there are going to be people crying” who simply can’t afford the expense involved.
“They are going to be hard-pressed to fix everything,” Pio said.
But councilors said that enforcement agents such as Lavigne have the discretion to come down hard on some while quietly lending a hand in other situations.
Lavigne said that discretion is a key part of law enforcement.


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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Mayor "Rocky" to punch down the mall Monday

As the Bristol Central High School marching band plays the theme to the movie “Rocky,” Mayor Art Ward will deliver the first punch to downtown’s decrepit mall Monday.
“I certainly hope he doesn’t incur any serious injuries,” said Frank Johnson, chairman of the Bristol Downtown Development Corp. “He’s not a young man.”
Ward, who will have boxing gloves on, should come through unscathed since he’ll be sitting in “a quad type device” when he gets the “first opportunity to take a bite out of the mall, ” said John Leone, the president of the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce.
“I think it’s going to be fun,” Leone said. “It’s meant to be that way.”
A celebration is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday to mark the beginning of the mall’s demolition, which should be done by month’s end. The debris will likely be gone by St. Patrick’s Day, Johnson said.
After all the hard work of the past three city administrations, Johnson said, “It’s okay to have a little fun.”
Leone said the chamber and the United Way of Central Connecticut are sponsoring the party. “There’s no city money being spent,” he said.
Leone said the party – which is open to everyone – is a good moment to look ahead to a better future for the city center.
“Any time that you’re starting something new, you should be happy about it,” he said. “This is a celebration for this community.”
Leone said he selected the “Rocky” theme because the little-known boxer in the film, Rocky Balboa, “always had a tough opponent, but he always won in the end.”
The mall site “has always been sort of like an underdog” – like Rocky – but now it’s aiming to be a champion, Leone said.
Perhaps it means nothing, but in “Rocky,” the star, played by Sylvester Stallone, makes it through 15 rounds with the champion and emerges bloody and barely able to stand. He doesn’t actually win the fight.
Rocky’s victory is mostly that he avoids a knockout and leaves the champion equally beat up, a scenario that Ward probably hopes to avoid.
In any case, the public will watch from a safe designated spot nearby. Refreshments will be provided by the chamber and the United Way at 200 Main St.
Leone said that only Ward is going to get a chance to take a whack at the mall because the demolition experts want to make sure nobody is endangered.
Johnson said that pictures of Ward with the boxing gloves “may down the road provide great campaign fodder for someone” but it will be an important milestone for the city.
Once the mall is down, he said, “I hope that whatever we do” there in its place “is something is more sustainable” and creates “a heart to the city” that’s badly needed.
Johnson said that businesses and tenants will come and go on the site for decades to come after it is revitalized, “but the concept and the theme, we’re hoping, will be enduring.”
Leone said he hopes the public will turn out.
“This is probably once in a lifetime that you’ll either see a mall like this go up and come down,” he said.
The razing of the mall is being done by the Trumbull-based Standard Demolition Services for $987,675. The contract calls for the job to be finished by the end of March.
The city purchased the 17-acre mall site in 2005 for $5.3 million. The BDDC, a nonprofit created by the city, plans to find a developer for the property this year.
For more information about the celebration, call the Chamber at (860) 584-4718.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Officials react to grocer's effort to stay downtown

By JACKIE MAJERUS
Press Staff
BRISTOL – Whether the Bristol Discount Food Outlet remains on the 17-acre mall property in the future will be the decision of the developer, several city development officials said.
"We can't tie anybody's hands," said John Leone, a board member of the Bristol Downtown Development Corp. and the president of the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce.
"Ultimately, the buyer of the property will have to determine what makes sense," said Jonathan Rosenthal, the city's economic development director.
The city is in the process of having the mall demolished. There are no immediate plans to raze the DFO building next to the mall – and no specific plans for the mall property as a whole – but the store is on a month-to-month lease with the city and faces an uncertain future.
Shoppers have signed petitions asking the city to let DFO continue to operate. Store manager Bob Veilleux said there are more than 5,000 signatures – something that Mayor Art Ward said didn't surprise him.
"We recognize the market," said Ward, who said he would like DFO to stay in the area. "We recognize the need."
But Ward said the developer's perspective will be the determining factor as to whether DFO can remain in place on the mall property.
In a "very amiable" meeting with DFO and its parent company Bozzuto's this week, Ward said the city and the grocery store found common ground.
"We came to an understanding," said Ward. "We've vowed to give them 90 days notice."
Ward said DFO will let customers know that whether the store remains is in the hands of an as-yet-unknown developer.
Leone said that the city-owned mall property, which includes the freestanding DFO, must be viewed as a whole, not in pieces. He said the entire parcel must be a planned development, with the good of the community in mind.
"We need to be careful that we don't put ourselves into a situation that we were in a year and half ago with Ocean State," said Leone.
Ocean State Job Lot, a longtime anchor store in the mall, was the last of the tenants to leave after the city issued eviction notices. The Rhode Island-based closeout retailer held on through several court battles, arguing that the store's lease allowed it to stay. When the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled for the city last year, the store packed up and left.
DFO store manager Bob Veilleux said his store has a month-to-month lease. He said Bozzuto's, the Cheshire-based IGA grocery store chain that owns DFO, would like to stay, but understands that it can't fight the same court battle that Ocean State did.
DFO can remain in place as long as there's not a developer in the picture, said Frank Johnson, chairman of the BDDC, and Leone.
"You can't set yourself up for a delay in this project," said Leone. "That would be terrible."
While Ward said he would be "more than willing" to help Bozzuto's find an alternative space, he said the store owners aren't likely to get the $5 per square foot deal they have now.
"It would be a lot more," said Ward. He estimated that the rent would probably more than double.
Ward, Rosenthal and Johnson said the city could use a small grocery store downtown.
"We definitely understand the need for a store to service the community in that section of town," said Ward.
"The shoppers' concerns certainly are valid, as are the store's concerns," said Johnson.
The mayor said DFO meets the need for a "pedestrian-friendly" store.
"You do see a lot of people that walk to that store," said Johnson.
"It's clearly something that serves downtown," said Rosenthal. "It's desirable to have a grocery store downtown. The most important thing is there is something convenient to walk to."
Johnson said a medium-sized grocery store, like an average Bozzuto's IGA, would be a nice fit with the project."Whether it's that store in that location is an open question," said Johnson.
Leone wasn't convinced about the need for DFO or a grocery store on the site. He said there are about five grocery stores not far away on Farmington Avenue.
As for how people who rely on DFO's reduced prices would be able to cope financially if the store closed, Leone said, "That's not my problem."

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

John Leone retiring as chamber prez

Former Mayor John Leone's 17-year tenure as the head of the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce is coming to an end. He said he notified the chamber's board that he's going to retire at the end of 2008.

Here's what Leone had to say:
I recently informed the Chamber Board of Director’s of my decision to retire as President of the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce effective at the end of 2008.
I will have served in the position of Executive Director/President of the Chamber for over 17 years.
My decision to retire allows the Board and Officer’s the opportunity to select my replacement over the next year and give them adequate time to do a search.
Chairman of the Chamber, Jeff Sonenstein, has taken the lead, along with the Officer’s in identifying and interviewing candidates.
A Connecticut firm, Decision Point, will assist Jeff and the other officer’s with the task.
Over my tenure as President and Executive Director, I have been assisted with a dedicated staff, great Chamber Chairpersons of the Board, Officer’s, and Board members who have supported the organization and our community with their time, monetary support and ideas making our Chamber one of the largest in Connecticut.
We also have a tremendous group of members who understand by working together we can make a difference in our community and the region.
Over the last 16 years, we have seen many changes in our community, some were good, and others could have been devastating.
Together City and State elected and appointed officials worked with the Chamber to partner on improving our City and dealing with enormous changes we could not have predicted or controlled.
Over the last twenty years we have seen the erosion of our manufacturing base and the building of our service industries.
We have seen the majority of our retail move onto Rt. 6, with some big box stores added to the mix, including Wal-Mart and Home Depot.
We have become a tourist destination with Lake Compounce attracting 700,000 visitors a year and our city’s museums including the Carousel Museum of New England, American Clock and Watch Museum, Museum of Fire History, Imagine Nation Museum, Bristol Historical Society and the Plymouth Lock Museum adding an additional 100,000 patrons a year.
I have worked with four different Mayors, Frank Nicastro, Gerry Couture, Bill Stortz, and Art Ward and all have worked hard to grow our economy and make a difference.
I’ve worked with hundreds of Federal, State, and Local elected and appointed officials, including Governor Weicker, Governor Rowland, and Governor Rell.
Also, I have developed many friends in the Chamber world, and include the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce President Larry McHugh as a mentor and friend.
What I have learned leading our Chamber is there are a tremendous number of individuals who love our City and volunteer to make a difference.
Our Chamber members continue to make a financial commitment along with volunteering to support this community we call home.
They make a difference and do their part to improve the quality of life in Bristol.
Over the next year, we will focus on the downtown revitalization and economic development, with the Rt. 72 completion being a great catalyst for both.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

A full-time federal guard for Bristol's Social Security office?

Shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack, Congress decided that every Social Security office in the nation needed a full-time guard.
So for the past six years, the federal government has been shelling out more than $60,000 annually to cover the tab for having a guard watching over the 5-person Social Security office in Bristol.
That office is slated to close Nov. 2 so that the Social Security Administration can save about $113,000 annually, officials said.
More than half the savings will come from eliminating the need for a guard in Bristol.
The requirement “makes no sense,” said state Rep. Frank Nicastro, a 79th District Democrat.
“It seems so ridiculous,” said state Rep. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican whose 78th District includes part of Bristol.
John Leone, president of the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce, said it is “like shooting a fly with an elephant gun” to combat terrorism by hiring full-time security for a tiny Social Security office.
The other Social Security workers who are currently in Bristol will simply transfer to a New Britain office that is likely to be moving to new,larger quarters soon.
Local officials and aides for congressional offices who gathered at the chamber offices Friday afternoon said that one way to fight for the Bristol office to remain open may be to reduce its hours so that it would be open only four days a week instead of five.
Apparently, they said, the guard wouldn’t be necessary under the law if the office is less than full-time.
The federal Department of Homeland Security hires the guards and charges the Social Security Administration the cost of paying the guards along with a 15 percent management surcharge.
“It’s overkill,” Leone said, and clearly isn’t necessary in Bristol.
Mayor William Stortz, city councilors, state lawmakers and others said Friday they’re going to push hard to keep the office open.
“Once it’s closed, it’s closed,” said city Councilor Mike Rimcoski. “It would take an act of God to reopen it.”
Nicastro said he can’t understand the priorities in Washington.
“One bomb in Iraq” costs more than it would take to keep serving more than 12,000 people yearly at the Bristol office, Nicastro said.
He said, “We can spend that kind of money overseas - and we don’t seem to be getting anywhere, looks like another Vietnam - and we can’t this office open?”

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

A new job for John Leone?

Before introducing the state's transportation commissioner at today's Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce luncheon at Chippanee Golf Club, emcee John Smith hailed Rocky the Rock Cat, who was on hand because the New Britain team had helped pay for the event.
The young man in the Rocky suit gave a big thumbs up and offered to sign autographs. Nobody took him up on it.
But before Rocky took off for his next gig, Mayor William Stortz turned to former Mayor John Leone, the longtime chamber director, and told him, "That's your next job, John."

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com