Open letter from Ocean State Job Lot president to "Bristol Customers" --
September 14, 2007
Dear Downtown Bristol Customers,
In the spring of 2005, we made a decision to challenge the City in Court to defend our lease and remain in our downtown location. Earlier this week, the CT Supreme Court ruled in favor of the City. Based on that decision, it is with regret that I inform you of our plans to close our downtown store on Sunday, October 7, 2007.
In 2005, we made a commitment to our associates. Should we be forced to close our store, we would offer our people a position in another Job Lot store. We are honoring that commitment.
In our opinion, we defended our constitutional rights against an improper eviction. The city did not have an approved plan in place, did not have funding to execute a plan, and never used eminent domain to condemn our lease. In effect, the courts have found that the city is allowed to terminate our lease simply by purchasing the property and stating that ideas exist for public use. Job Lot accepts the decision of the court.
It’s interesting to note that although various city officials have discussed ideas for years, no approved plan exists to this day. Why is it that during all these years, the city has never passed any plan relating to the redevelopment of the mall? Maybe it’s not about Job Lot.
Thousands of you signed petitions two years ago supporting our efforts and questioning the city’s failure to plan adequately for this property. On behalf of our store employees, I want to thank you for the loyalty you have shown Job Lot over the past 13 years. We will try our best to continue serving you with brand name merchandise at great closeout prices and hope you continue to shop at Ocean State Job Lot.
Sincerely,
Marc Perlman
Chief Executive Officer
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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Showing posts with label Ocean State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ocean State. Show all posts
September 14, 2007
September 12, 2007
Ocean State under fire
City councilors ripped into Ocean State Job Lot Wednesday.
On the heels of a state Supreme Court ruling that upheld a lower court decision calling on the Rhode Island-based discount retailer to get out of the downtown mall, the council unanimously told municipal attorneys to seek to get the store out as quickly as possible.
“Ocean State ran us around for two years,” said city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, “They played the game. They rolled the dice. They lost. Let’s get ‘em out.”
Democratic mayoral candidate Art Ward said the city should push hard to get Ocean State out.
“The ball should not be in their court to prolong this,” Ward said.
The councilor who prodded colleagues to act, Democrat Frank Nicastro, blasted Mayor William Stortz for failing to tell the council about the court ruling until members read about it in The Bristol Press on Monday.
Nicastro also got the council to back an effort to recoup $235,000 in legal fees the city spent fighting the case.
The city attorney, Edward Krawiecki, said the city is already acting on both ideas.
Stortz said earlier in the day that he told attorneys to get moving. He said, too, that the ouster may not be as simple as some would like.
The mayor said, though, that he couldn’t talk about possible complications in public.
The city s trying to clear out Ocean State to pave the way for demolishing the mall, a crucial first step toward redeveloping the 17-acre site. The Bristol Downtown Development Committee is working on a plan for the property.
The delay in news of the decision reaching officials drew Nicastro’s wrath.
Nicastro called Stortz’s three days of silence “very disturbing” and chided him for not phoning the council.
“That bothers me immensely,” Nicastro told the mayor.
He said that if the city had lost the case, which would have made the council’s March decision to reject the mayor’s efforts to settle the case look foolish, Stortz would have called immediately.
“I probably would have got the first call,” Nicastro said.
Stortz zinged Nicastro in turn for neglecting to tell him back in March about a court date for the case that he insisted he didn’t know, but Nicastro did.
Nicastro said that Stortz knows “anything serious” should be told to councilors. He called it “common courtesy.”
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
On the heels of a state Supreme Court ruling that upheld a lower court decision calling on the Rhode Island-based discount retailer to get out of the downtown mall, the council unanimously told municipal attorneys to seek to get the store out as quickly as possible.
“Ocean State ran us around for two years,” said city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, “They played the game. They rolled the dice. They lost. Let’s get ‘em out.”
Democratic mayoral candidate Art Ward said the city should push hard to get Ocean State out.
“The ball should not be in their court to prolong this,” Ward said.
The councilor who prodded colleagues to act, Democrat Frank Nicastro, blasted Mayor William Stortz for failing to tell the council about the court ruling until members read about it in The Bristol Press on Monday.
Nicastro also got the council to back an effort to recoup $235,000 in legal fees the city spent fighting the case.
The city attorney, Edward Krawiecki, said the city is already acting on both ideas.
Stortz said earlier in the day that he told attorneys to get moving. He said, too, that the ouster may not be as simple as some would like.
The mayor said, though, that he couldn’t talk about possible complications in public.
The city s trying to clear out Ocean State to pave the way for demolishing the mall, a crucial first step toward redeveloping the 17-acre site. The Bristol Downtown Development Committee is working on a plan for the property.
The delay in news of the decision reaching officials drew Nicastro’s wrath.
Nicastro called Stortz’s three days of silence “very disturbing” and chided him for not phoning the council.
“That bothers me immensely,” Nicastro told the mayor.
He said that if the city had lost the case, which would have made the council’s March decision to reject the mayor’s efforts to settle the case look foolish, Stortz would have called immediately.
“I probably would have got the first call,” Nicastro said.
Stortz zinged Nicastro in turn for neglecting to tell him back in March about a court date for the case that he insisted he didn’t know, but Nicastro did.
Nicastro said that Stortz knows “anything serious” should be told to councilors. He called it “common courtesy.”
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Council votes to go after Ocean State, fast
With no dissent, city councilors voted to seek the removal of Ocean State Job Lot from the downtown mall as quickly as possible. They're also seeking to get reimbursement for $235,000 in legal costs.
Councilor Frank Nicastro led the charge. He also told Mayor William Stortz it was "very disturbing" that councilors weren't told of the Supreme Court decision until they read it in the paper. He said it violated common courtesy.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Councilor Frank Nicastro led the charge. He also told Mayor William Stortz it was "very disturbing" that councilors weren't told of the Supreme Court decision until they read it in the paper. He said it violated common courtesy.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 10, 2007
Flashback: Mayor loses Ocean State deal (March 2, 2007)
Mayor loses Ocean State deal
By Steve Collins, The Bristol Press
03/02/2007
BRISTOL - For months, Mayor William Stortz has haggled with the last remaining tenant in the downtown mall in hopes of working out a deal that would persuade Ocean State Job Lot to get out.
He finally put the finishing touches on a $507,000 deal with the discount retailer last week that he believed he could convince the City Council and Board of Finance to support.
But the mayor blew it.
When it came up for a vote Thursday, city councilors uniformly opposed the proposed settlement. Stortz cast the sole vote in favor.
"I'll be the Lone Ranger in this particular case," Stortz declared.
It was a stunning political defeat for the Republican mayor, with even Councilor Mike Rimcoski, the only GOP councilor, lining up with the Democrats who shot down the plan.
Ocean State's lawyer, Bridget Gallagher, expressed disappointment that the deal went down in flames.
It wasn't clear that there would even be a vote on the issue because councilors told Stortz during a half-hour, closed-door executive session that they would rather take their chances in court against Ocean State. Most of them figured the mayor would simply adjourn the meeting without a public vote after they returned to public session.
But Stortz instead announced there had been "an interesting discussion" in executive session and asked the council if anyone would read the motion to accept the deal, which offered to pay the Rhode Island-based retailer $225,000 in relocation costs and $47,000 a year for six years to reimburse it for higher rents it would pay elsewhere in town. In return for the money, Ocean State would leave the city-owned mall by May.
Stortz argued that the $507,000 payoff was the safe bet, ending a legal dispute that the city could still lose and hastening redevelopment of the 17-acre mall site that officials hope can be the centerpiece of a new downtown.
City Councilor Frank Nicastro, a Democrat and former mayor, wasted no time in declaring his opposition.
"What we're doing here is truly wrong," Nicastro said, arguing the deal would hurt the city and cost taxpayers too much.He said it "turns my stomach" to think of giving Ocean State so much after defeating the store in court already.
But what sealed the deal's fate was Nicastro's announcement that the state Supreme Court plans to hear Ocean State's appeal of its first-round legal loss by April 20. A decision could be handed down before summer.
With the case likely to end so soon, said Councilor Craig Minor, "it just doesn't make sense financially" to settle for so much now.
"It's worth gambling" that the city will win the final round of the legal case, said Councilor Ellen Zoppo, rather than cutting a deal.
Stortz said he didn't know the court date was coming up so quickly. He said the early date "caught a few of us by surprise."
Councilor Art Ward, a Democrat running for mayor, said a settlement might have made sense but the early court date "sheds another light."
He said the bottom line is that in the deal Stortz negotiated "the concessions are all being given by us" and all Ocean State is doing in return is moving out a little sooner.Rimcoski expressed doubt, too.
"We're gambling, no matter how you cut it," Rimcoski said. "I feel like I'm at a blackjack table wondering whether to hit a 17."
Rimcoski decided to play it safe.
Stortz, though, went for broke, and lost big.
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
By Steve Collins, The Bristol Press
03/02/2007
BRISTOL - For months, Mayor William Stortz has haggled with the last remaining tenant in the downtown mall in hopes of working out a deal that would persuade Ocean State Job Lot to get out.
He finally put the finishing touches on a $507,000 deal with the discount retailer last week that he believed he could convince the City Council and Board of Finance to support.
But the mayor blew it.
When it came up for a vote Thursday, city councilors uniformly opposed the proposed settlement. Stortz cast the sole vote in favor.
"I'll be the Lone Ranger in this particular case," Stortz declared.
It was a stunning political defeat for the Republican mayor, with even Councilor Mike Rimcoski, the only GOP councilor, lining up with the Democrats who shot down the plan.
Ocean State's lawyer, Bridget Gallagher, expressed disappointment that the deal went down in flames.
It wasn't clear that there would even be a vote on the issue because councilors told Stortz during a half-hour, closed-door executive session that they would rather take their chances in court against Ocean State. Most of them figured the mayor would simply adjourn the meeting without a public vote after they returned to public session.
But Stortz instead announced there had been "an interesting discussion" in executive session and asked the council if anyone would read the motion to accept the deal, which offered to pay the Rhode Island-based retailer $225,000 in relocation costs and $47,000 a year for six years to reimburse it for higher rents it would pay elsewhere in town. In return for the money, Ocean State would leave the city-owned mall by May.
Stortz argued that the $507,000 payoff was the safe bet, ending a legal dispute that the city could still lose and hastening redevelopment of the 17-acre mall site that officials hope can be the centerpiece of a new downtown.
City Councilor Frank Nicastro, a Democrat and former mayor, wasted no time in declaring his opposition.
"What we're doing here is truly wrong," Nicastro said, arguing the deal would hurt the city and cost taxpayers too much.He said it "turns my stomach" to think of giving Ocean State so much after defeating the store in court already.
But what sealed the deal's fate was Nicastro's announcement that the state Supreme Court plans to hear Ocean State's appeal of its first-round legal loss by April 20. A decision could be handed down before summer.
With the case likely to end so soon, said Councilor Craig Minor, "it just doesn't make sense financially" to settle for so much now.
"It's worth gambling" that the city will win the final round of the legal case, said Councilor Ellen Zoppo, rather than cutting a deal.
Stortz said he didn't know the court date was coming up so quickly. He said the early date "caught a few of us by surprise."
Councilor Art Ward, a Democrat running for mayor, said a settlement might have made sense but the early court date "sheds another light."
He said the bottom line is that in the deal Stortz negotiated "the concessions are all being given by us" and all Ocean State is doing in return is moving out a little sooner.Rimcoski expressed doubt, too.
"We're gambling, no matter how you cut it," Rimcoski said. "I feel like I'm at a blackjack table wondering whether to hit a 17."
Rimcoski decided to play it safe.
Stortz, though, went for broke, and lost big.
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Ocean State decision is online in PDF form
The Ocean State decision is available now, here, and shows the Connecticut Supreme Court unanimously upheld the trial court ruling.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 9, 2007
Bristol wins, Ocean State loses
Who knows why Mayor William Stortz sat on this news for two days, but he decided today to let everyone else in on it:
Bristol, CT, September 9, 2007 – In prepared comments released today, Mayor William T. Stortz announced that the City of Bristol has received early notification that the Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled in the City’s favor in the matter of the City of Bristol versus Ocean State Job Lot.
Stortz said, “The City will now have the ability to move forward in concert with the Bristol Downtown Development Corporation to implement a plan for the revitalization of our downtown area. Our goal is to make the mall site as attractive as possible to potential developers. All along, it has been felt that the mall had to be demolished to attract the developers and work out the best plan for Bristol. The City has throughout this extended litigation process believed that Ocean State did not have a valid lease”.
Stortz continued, “While Ocean State has not been successful with an appeal, we are pleased that they will continue to be in town at their Bristol Plaza location.
I will work with the Corporation Counsel office and other departments in cooperation with Ocean State to work out the relocation process and smooth transition.”
Stortz added, “I have not yet received the complete formal decision, which will be released on Monday, September 10. I will then be available in the Mayor’s Office for additional comment, once the formal decision has been completely reviewed by myself and the Corporation Counsel’s office.”
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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Bristol, CT, September 9, 2007 – In prepared comments released today, Mayor William T. Stortz announced that the City of Bristol has received early notification that the Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled in the City’s favor in the matter of the City of Bristol versus Ocean State Job Lot.
Stortz said, “The City will now have the ability to move forward in concert with the Bristol Downtown Development Corporation to implement a plan for the revitalization of our downtown area. Our goal is to make the mall site as attractive as possible to potential developers. All along, it has been felt that the mall had to be demolished to attract the developers and work out the best plan for Bristol. The City has throughout this extended litigation process believed that Ocean State did not have a valid lease”.
Stortz continued, “While Ocean State has not been successful with an appeal, we are pleased that they will continue to be in town at their Bristol Plaza location.
I will work with the Corporation Counsel office and other departments in cooperation with Ocean State to work out the relocation process and smooth transition.”
Stortz added, “I have not yet received the complete formal decision, which will be released on Monday, September 10. I will then be available in the Mayor’s Office for additional comment, once the formal decision has been completely reviewed by myself and the Corporation Counsel’s office.”
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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
June 21, 2007
Had Stortz prevailed, would the mall be down yet?
There will be more on this in a news story soon, but Mayor William Stortz said this week that had the council backed the negotiated deal he made with Ocean State back in March, he’s confident the city would be tearing down the mall instead of waiting, watching and wondering.
“In my mind, I believe that if the council had taken the deal, the mall would be under demolition by now,” the mayor said.
“Speculation at best,” fired back city Councilor Art Ward, a Democrat running for mayor.
Another Democratic mayoral contender, city Councilor Ellen Zoppo, said she is not sure how Stortz can say the mall would be demolished if the “sweetheart deal” had been approved given that “two environmental remediation contracts have been gathering dust for weeks, and the time frame for remediation is months, not weeks.”
City Councilor Craig Minor said that even if the council had backed the settlement, Stortz “would have found some other excuse to delay knocking it down, because his goal is to leave Bristol in November exactly the way he found it two years ago.”
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
“In my mind, I believe that if the council had taken the deal, the mall would be under demolition by now,” the mayor said.
“Speculation at best,” fired back city Councilor Art Ward, a Democrat running for mayor.
Another Democratic mayoral contender, city Councilor Ellen Zoppo, said she is not sure how Stortz can say the mall would be demolished if the “sweetheart deal” had been approved given that “two environmental remediation contracts have been gathering dust for weeks, and the time frame for remediation is months, not weeks.”
City Councilor Craig Minor said that even if the council had backed the settlement, Stortz “would have found some other excuse to delay knocking it down, because his goal is to leave Bristol in November exactly the way he found it two years ago.”
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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