12/18/2018 - 12/18/18 - First Selectman’s Statement on the recent mailer sent to Town residents
12/18/18 - First Selectman’s Statement on the recent mailer sent to Town residents
Over the last few days, a number of our citizens have received an anonymous mailer and/or phone calls regarding residential development in Trumbull in general, and 48 Monroe Turnpike (the former United Healthcare building) in particular. The claims made are a combination of falsehoods, exaggerations, and inaccuracies. It is telling that those who crafted and paid for this erroneous communication chose not to attach their names. Any reputable source would have.
One of the areas of development cited on this mailer is 48 Monroe Turnpike. This building has been sitting vacant for years with diminished grand list value. Unfortunately, what was intentionally not included on this mailer is that the new owner of this property is proposing a significant investment in Trumbull to build a combination of senior independent living, assisted living, and memory care housing.
The developers are very reputable and have created environments like this with great success in other parts of our state. I am thrilled with this concept of quality development coming to Trumbull. It will offer our seniors much needed options to remain a part of our community. The proposed development brings back to life a long vacant property near the Monroe border, a property that once held approximately 1,200 employees.
I have full faith that our P&Z professional staff and commission are doing their due diligence to protect the quality and character of Trumbull while sustaining economic growth.
As noted, this development is age-restricted, 55+ housing. It will have no impact on our schools. Its location, at the intersection of Routes 111 and 25, is ideal for access for our first responders. Finally, a traffic light already exists at the entrance to control traffic flow. Repurposing of underperforming commercial space is occurring across our nation and this type of development is ideal for our community. When I took office one year ago, Trumbull had the unfortunate distinction of having the highest office vacancy rate in Fairfield County, largely because this location had remained vacant after United Healthcare left for Shelton. This development would provide our 55 and over population with additional housing options, and our taxpayers will benefit by increased tax revenue.
I will close with this thought. The mailer and phone calls are an unfortunate reminder of the ugly politics that plagued Trumbull over the past decade. It is particularly unfortunate that such unpleasantness comes at a time when we celebrate friends, family, and community. When I ran for First Selectman, I promised the people of Trumbull that I would not engage in this type of politics, and that we would set a new tone and lead by example. I will not respond in kind to this type of attack. Our community is at its best when we work together to make decisions for our future.
Shortly, I will put on our town website detailed information to clarify the misinformation on the mailer. In the meantime, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to email or call me.
While debate is healthy and encouraged, this kind of communication is damaging to our community and to our reputation with reputable developers and companies who are considering Trumbull as a place to do business.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!