A new West Woods school was supposed to come to Hamden but it looks like it will have to wait.
In 2016 the legislative council approved a $26 million project proposing to build a smaller school, but as of this year that is no longer the case.
The new school is no longer being built because the town missed the Oct. 31 date to start construction. Although the town missed their date to start construction Superintendent Jody Goeler says a new West Woods Elementary school is still possible.
West Woods Elementary School. Photo credit: Cam Silver
The reason for a new West Woods building was due to an ongoing water intrusion in the building because of an old roof and HVAC system. And now because there will not be a new school, the town still has to address these needs.
The company that’s supposed to be building the new school, Silver Petrucelli and Associates, is going to conduct a water study to see if the current building site or new construction site will be suitable for a building in the long term. They are expected to have a report by mid January.
Last fall Hamden Board of Education proposed a 3R plan which is to balance elementary schools, move 6th grade to middle school and consolidate schools. The Board of Education also wanted to renovate West Woods instead of building a new one but the state required Hamden to stick to the plan of building a new structure.
Goeler wrote a letter to the state requesting an extension on West Woods and Alice Peck Elementary School projects. The state rescinded the money for West Woods but they will still be renovating other schools like, Alice Peak elementary and Hamden Middle School.
“There was never a grant. It was a percentage of construction cost reimbursement that was agreed upon by the state of Connecticut.” said Karen Kaplan Director of Program Innovation, Technology & Communications.
Hamden Middle School is on the priority list in 2020 for a new wing for sixth graders. This project will allow Hamden to get a reimbursement to begin the project and is estimated to take 15 months.
To learn more information like, Hamden’s plans for the new schools, projected timelines and expected completion dates, visit their websites.
The image posted outside of the condemned dorms, showing what the renovated dorms are set to look like once their finished. Photo credit: Cam Silver.
Over the summer, students at Quinnipiac received new housing assignments this fall due to findings of asbestos in dorms that are currently being renovated.
Students expected to live in dorms Larson, Perlroth, and Troup received an email over the summer stating that these dorms are going to be closed for the 2019-20 school year and that students are being moved to different dorms. Some students were able to stay with the friends they chose to live with while others became separated.
“When I first received the email, I was incredibly upset because my group of suitemates was split up and placed on York Hill, which is an entirely different campus.” said Kassidy Berger sophomore at Quinnipiac.
The students assigned to Crescent received upgraded parking permits that allow them to park in the York Hill parking garage at any time and Hilltop parking lot as well from 6 a.m. to midnight. Students were also credited $1,000 toward their housing bill for next year, but even with these perks the school gave these students, it is still an adjustment living on a different campus.
“The main difference with my current living situation is that I need to drive down to class everyday. It is incredibly frustrating to have to deal with parking.” said Berger.
Part of Bobcat way has been shut down at different times throughout the past few months in order to move materials and tools into the dorms. Photo credit: Cam Silver.
According to Robert Labulis, Hamden Building Official, Quinnipiac applied for permits to install air conditioning in the dorms. The University’s Connecticut-licensed asbestos consultant inspected the buildings and determined that certain material in the buildings that would be disturbed contained asbestos. He is also on campus inspecting the buildings twice a week to make sure the renovations are progressing as planned.
Labulis knew parents were concerned with students’ health regarding the findings of asbestos.
“Unless students were chewing on the walls then their health in the buildings were not at risk,” said Labulis.
The university could have painted over the walls and carpet the floor and would not have to worry about the asbestos but Sal Filardi the Vice President for facilities and capital planning did not want to do that.
The backside of the condemned dorms, showing how much of the campus has been blocked off due to the asbestos. Photo credit: Cam Silver.
“Most of the time you can paint over a wall and that’s fine or plywood over a floor and put carpet down, said Sal Filardi. “The fact that there’s asbestos tile underneath the plywood it’s fine.” “We decided as a university to remove all of the asbestos.”
If they took the route to paint over the walls or carpet down the floors then the dorms would have been open this school year.
Filardi and Labulis both state that the buildings will be ready for the 2020-2021 year with air conditioning and will be asbestos-free.
Kerry Ellington offered her concerns about policing in Hamden and the case of police officer Devin Eaton to the Hamden Police Commission. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Emotions ran high at the Hamden Police Commission meeting Wednesday night Nov. 14, as one hundred protesters attended the event to voice their concerns about Hamden officer Devin Eaton. Most of the protesters were New Haven residents, Yale students and Hamden residents.
Protesters came to demand that the commission put the officer on its agenda the commission has not heard from the community since the April 16 shooting when Eaton fired 13 shots at an unarmed couple on Argyle Street in New Haven.
As of Oct. 21, Eaton was put on administrative unpaid leave and was charged with one felony and two misdemeanors.
Hamden Police Commission members heard public comments, all of which were centered around the April 16 shooting and police brutality. Left to right: Mitchell Strickland, Raeanne Curtis, Michael Iezzi. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
One by one, protesters expressed their frustrations to the police commission because it has not fired officer Eaton.
The Hamden Police Commission heard public comments during their monthly November meeting. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
“You have the power to act,” said Kerry Ellington, Hamden Action Now activist. “The felony charges presented against officer Eaton provide adequate evidence and just cause to discharge him now, and it did yesterday, and it did months ago.”
Even though Eaton was charged, the Hamden Police Department still has him on the force. That does not sit well with protesters.
“Today I want to say it is unconscionable that Devin Eaton continues to be employed by the Hamden police force. That night he jumped out of a still-rolling vehicle and quickly opened fire, even as the young man is exiting his vehicle arms up,” said Amber Kelly, employee of Quinnipiac and Hamden resident. “With criminal charges against him, he should not be a police officer in any jurisdiction.”
Amber Kelly giving comments to the Hamden Police Commission. Right, Bo Kocak. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Some protesters described the fear they have for their children if they decide to keep officer Eaton on the force.
“I have children that live in Hamden. I have grandchildren. That behavior is unacceptable from anyone. Any officer especially, an officer of the law,” Marine Hebron a Hamden resident stated.
The protest hit a breaking point when a Yale student Ben Dormus called out the commission for everything they had on the agenda Wednesday night which included, the retirement of an officer, the handling of petty cash and donations to an animal control facility.
Ben Dormus taking a deep breath and collecting himself. He voiced his concerns with the way the Hamden Police Commission runs and how it is treating the protesters. The crowd clapped for Dormus because he didn’t back down when Iezzi interrupted him. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
“It seems to me that you’re not as much of a police commission as you are the social planning committee for the police department,” said Ben Dormus.
Mike Iezzi interrupted Dormus and told him to stop insulting the commission. This led to both of them shouting at each other but neither one could hear each other as other protesters shouted back, “Let him speak!”
Michael Iezzi firing back at Dormus’ comments that Mitchell Strickland can’t look protesters in the eye. Left to right: Robert LaTorraca, Michael Iezzi, and Larry Esposito. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Hamden Acting Police Chief John Cappiello has until Nov. 20, to bring disciplinary charges against Eaton. If Cappiello brings the charges against Eaton the commission will have to schedule a hearing within 30 days but not sooner than a week.
Acting Chief of Hamden Police, John Cappiello, answering Kerry Ellington’s questions about a timeline for Eaton’s case. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
As the meeting was closing Ellington led a chant as all protesters were exiting.
“Justice for Stephanie and Paul! Discharge the officer now! We will be back!” protesters chanted.
The next scheduled commission meeting is Dec. 13.
The crowd that showed up to the commission meeting. Center of the aisle, people are lined up to voice their concerns with the commission. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Protesters standing in front of Mayor Curt Leng’s house, Smith Dr., Hamden. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
On a bitter cold Wednesday evening police cars circled the neighborhood as Hamden Action Now stood in front of Hamden Mayor Curt Leng’s house demanding that Hamden Police Officer Devin Eaton be fired.
Protestors shouted.
“Justice for Stephanie! Justice for Paul! Discharge the officer now!”
While Witherspoon wasn’t injured, 22-year-old passenger, Stephanie Washington, was seriously injured but survived.
Though Mayor Leng wasn’t home to see the protest, organizer of Hamden Action Now, Rhonda Caldwell, said he watched the group’s Facebook Live broadcast.
Eight different protesters took a turn with the microphone to give a speech.
“My message for the mayor tonight is that your police disturbed our neighborhood, Newhallville South Hamden, that’s my neighborhood,” said Laurie Sweet, a Hamden resident. “We are here to disturb yours.”
Laurie Sweet speaking in front of Leng’s house demanding justice for the police shooting that took place in April. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Rodney Williams, Witherspoon’s uncle, showed up to the protest to express his frustration. Eaton was charged with a felony and a misdemeanor.
“If the state found enough evidence to convict him, not convict him but at least charge him, how is he still a Hamden officer?” Williams said. “Our family ain’t going to heal, the community ain’t going to heal, until this officer at least gets terminated.”
Rodney Williams said his family has been wronged by the mayor, the police, and the media. Left to right: Cassi Meyerhoffer, Kerry Ellington, Rodney Williams, Zach Carter. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
On April 16, there were reports of an attempted armed robbery at the Go On Gas Station. The suspect was said to be driving a red Honda Civic. Eaton and Yale officer, Terrance Pollock (who was not charged), investigated the reports.
Eaton pulled over Witherspoon’s car, and Pollock, arrived at the scene.
The two people in the car were later found to be unarmed.
In investigations, Eaton said he saw Witherspoon holding a gun in his hand, but an evidence report showed there was no gun in Witherspoon’s possession, or in the Civic. Hamden Police Commissioner, John Cappiello, stated in a press conference on Oct. 21, that the department will complete its internal investigation by Nov. 20.
On the day of the press conference Cappiello also announced Eaton was being put on unpaid leave from the department, and facing charges of first-degree assault (a felony), and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. Eaton posted bail of $100,000.
Kerry Ellington, a Hamden Action Now activist, says she doesn’t agree with the town conducting its internal investigation.
“The city is giving us the excuse that it needs to do its own internal investigation, even though this officer has been charged with felony charges,” said Ellington.
After her speech Ellington led a chant saying,
“No justice, no peace, no racist police!”
Kerry Ellington said she doesn’t agree with how Hamden’s handled Devin Eaton’s case. Kerry Ellington (left), Zach Carter (right). Photo by Bryan Proctor.
A week prior to the protest at Leng’s home on Oct. 30, protesters walked down Dixwell Avenue holding protests signs and blocking traffic. They walked to Leng’s office demanding justice and action. Protesters said Hamden Police Department contracts state that there must be a hearing about an officer’s unpaid leave status 10 days after the leave is given.
> “We will not ever stop fighting for justice for your family Mr. Williams.”
— Caldwell
On Nov. 5, Eaton pleaded not guilty to his assault and reckless endangerment charges. He’s scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 10.
Protestors say a lack of justice by the Hamden Police Commission, and an insufficient show of remorse by Eaton continue to fuel their protests.
“You keep saying you’re waiting for the internal investigation to be completed before you can make a decision about the termination, but there is nothing in the union contract that says you have to do that. There is enough just cause to discharge the officer,” Cassie Meyerhoffer, professor of sociology at Southern Connecticut State University, said.
Cassie Meyerhoffer speaking to the crowd in front of Leng’s house. Left to right: Zach Carter, protestor, Justin M. Farmer. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
Protesters say they plan to show up at the Hamden Police Commission’s monthly meeting next Wednesday and will continue to fight until justice is served.
“We will not ever stop fighting for justice for your family Mr. Williams,” Caldwell said.
Rhonda Caldwell, organizer, speaking at the protest in front of Leng’s property. Photo by Bryan Proctor.
