Key Inland Wetland Appointments In Limbo

Concern is growing over First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove’s delay in reappointing three members of the Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC).

Third Selectman Bruce Storm, the sole Democrat on the three-member board, raised the issue during the Board of Selectman (BOS) meeting at Fire Headquarters Wednesday.

“The topic is one that is pressing and very important, given the current circumstances, and that is has to do with the reappointment of individuals to the Inland Wetlands Commission,” Storm said.

In an earlier e-mail to Cosgrove, Storm questioned whether Cosgrove intends to turn the Inland Wetlands Commission “on its head” as it prepares to examine the Costco application for a Planned Development District (PDD). The Costco proposal goes next to Inland Wetlands if the Planning & Zoning (P&Z) Commission approves it next month.

“I am astounded and disappointed that you would take this step at this critical time when the work of the IWC will be vital to our Town’s future. Please reassure me that it is not your intention to turn the IWC on its head at this important time,” Storm wrote to Cosgrove in an e-mail obtained by the Eagle. “The only reason for looking for appointments elsewhere is to insure that nothing can go awry with the Costco PDD that I note is a key plank in the developing platform of the Republican Party.”

At the meeting last night, Storm said, “It is my hope that the individuals who are serving currently and have made their desires known, will be seriously considered for reappointment sooner rather than later,” he said.

The three commissioners whose terms expired May 31 are: Dr. Richard Orson, Wesley Vietzke; and Leo Stanlake, who is an alternate. The IWC is comprised of seven members and three alternates. Orson is pictured at left during an Inland Wetlands meeting. 

Storm asked Cosgrove what happens when terms expire and no reappointments are made.

“They serve until either they’re reappointed or replaced,” Cosgrove said.

The issue of reappointments was not on the agenda last night, but Storm brought is up under the “other” category. He also asked that residents be permitted to comment on the issue.

Crucial Time for Inland Wetland Commission

The question of whether the commissioners will be reappointed was raised by local environmentalist Bill Horne following the June 18 P&Z meeting. The main issue during that meeting was Costco’s proposed Master Plan and PDD at Exit 56. Some P&Z commissioners said if they approve the PDD, they trust the IWC members to thoroughly review the application when the site plan is submitted to them.

“Unfortunately, the reappointment of the Inland Wetlands commissioners appears uncertain,” Horne told the Eagle the day after the P&Z meeting. “Town Counsel (Bill) Aniskovich told me last night that the first selectman is looking for names of people to appoint to these vacancies,” Horne said. “He’s unlikely to find people who can do a better job of protecting Branford’s inland wetland resources, raising the question of what qualifications he is seeking,” Horne said. Click here to read that story.

The P&Z is expected to vote on Costco’s PDD at the July 9 meeting. If it is approved, the developers must submit detailed site plans to both the IWC and P&Z.

Protecting the Environment

Peter Hentschel (pictured), a Democratic member of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), spoke on behalf of the three commissioners who are up for reappointment.

“All three have served Branford well,” he said.

Hentschel said the P&Z chairman Ellsworth McGuigan; and P&Z commissioner Charles Andres have both stated on numerous occasions during meetings “they are trusting the diligence of the Inland Wetlands Commission to review this proposal for the protection of environmental issues.”  He said they were referring to the current IWC members.

Hentschel said the first selectman is “aggressively promoting” the Costco proposal, and that Hentschel is opposing it. “However, I would suggest and propose to the board the following—If your intention is to replace the three current commissioners, or any part of those, then stipulate that their terms will begin after the current sitting commission has reviewed the Costco PDD wetlands application. My feeling is that this will avoid any perception that politics versus Branford’s long-range best interests were at play in these alternative appointments.”

“Willing to Serve”

Chris Sullivan, who chairs the Democratic Town Committee and is the minority leader of the RTM, also spoke on behalf of the three IWC commissioners at last night’s BOS meeting. Pictured here at an IWC meeting second from left are IW members Wesley Vietzke; and to his right Leo Stanlake, who is an alternate.

“They’ve all been serving with distinction, some of them have been on the commission for 15 years or longer,” Sullivan said. He said at least one of the members was recently recommended for reappointment by both the Democratic and Republican town committees.

“Everybody recognizes the dedication these individuals have to the town and the commission,” he said. Sullivan said he knows the number of hours that the commissioners put into lengthy meetings, since his wife Suzanne Botta serves on the IWC.

“So these (three) people are willing to serve and they’ve all expressed interest in coming back. I think it’s a great thing to do to put them back on the board,” he said.

Sullivan said Orson has extensive expertise and a PhD in wetlands ecology. “I’ve been told that if he wasn’t on the commission, he’s the sort of person we’d have to pay to be a consultant to the commission and the town. His serving helps the town save money.”

Interviews On Tap

Cosgrove said it’s been his practice to interview people when he makes appointments to commissions and boards if there are vacancies.  “I feel it is also informative to interview for reappointments,” he said, adding that he has asked all three IWC members to come in for interviews at their convenience.

Cosgrove said it has been his policy to have residents come to him directly if they’re interested in applying for a position, rather than going through the Democratic or Republican town committees, since the majority of residents are unaffiliated.

Sullivan asked if Cosgrove has interviewed other people whose names have come up for reappointments.

“For appointments, I have,” Cosgrove said. “For the reappointments, for those I am personally familiar with, I have not. But I just think it’s a practice that I’ve been following under appointments that should carry over to reappointments.”

Following the meeting, Cosgrove told the Eagle he did remember interviewing a couple people who were up for reappointment. However, during Cosgrove’s less than two-year tenure, there have been dozens of reappointments to the multitude of boards and commissions, and also many appointments to fill vacancies.

The Eagle asked Cosgrove when he plans to make a decision on the IWC reappointments or appointments. “In no set time,” he replied.

There was recently controversy at a BOS meeting when Cosgrove made an appointment to fill a vacancy on the P&Z.  Paul Higgins Jr., who has an extensive background in the insurance and risk-management industries, was unanimously approved as an alternate to P&Z in May.

Sullivan spoke up during that meeting and said Higgins did not have any experience relative to planning or zoning. Sullivan said another candidate had 15 years experience on the P&Z commission in Durham, and was endorsed by Branford’s Democratic Town Committee. Click here to read that story.

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