Patrick Henri for Mayor of Ansonia, CT

Election Day Note from Pat Henri

Voters, Supporters, Friends,

The campaigning is over. I've been at it since Labor Day and appreciate all the support, advice and well wishes that I have received. I've done what I could with the resources I had. Maybe now I can take my wife out to see a movie. I hope my efforts have paid off in a victory of sorts whether it be the Mayor's Office, a closer race, or in making the incumbents react to do good things for Ansonia just to keep us of their heels. I feel good and so should you. We weren't afraid, we tried, we did our best. We walked the walk because we care and because we deserve better. It's a time to be proud. Thank you all very much. Good luck to us all. By the way, If you haven't voted yet, GO! Forget the rain.

Pat

From the Valley Gazette:

"Patrick Henri has made an impassioned plea for two-party representation on the city's boards and commissions, and we expect Della Volpe to honor the statement he made during the debate in our newspaper offices to consider changing the city charter to require minority representation on the 14-member the Board of Aldermen that is 100 percent Democratic.

He should form a charter revision committee as soon as possible following the election to make this important change. Ansonia Republicans need to organize a strong leadership base and slate of candidates for the next municipal election."

Letter to the Editor

The effects of a one party dominance in Ansonia are such an everyday occurrence that we become numb to it. Void of a checks and balances system within our stacked deck administration and the absence of investigative reporting not seen since the Evening Sentinel was closed, the taxpayers continue to suffer powerlessly over no accountability.

Let's take a look at the Fire Department for example. Decades ago the Civil Defense Program, now the Ansonia Rescue Medical Service (ARMS) started to perform rescue operations including, but not limited to, using the JAWS OF LIFE. Instead of working hand in hand with ARMS, the top level hierarchy of the AFD developed a rivalry that recently culminated in the purchase of a JAWS OF LIFE for approximately $50,000. This duplicate piece of equipment, actually inferior to the one we already own, seems to be nothing more than a pawn in yet another power play to massage egos. I'm sure that $50K could have been put to better use in many other places, including fire house upkeep, training and equipment that is not redundant.

Another scenario concerns emergency vehicles. When fire trucks near the 18-20 year mark, they are slated for replacement. Why is it then that the city's only rescue truck at ARMS has already reached 27 years of age with no replacement in sight? Why is ARMS, which generates nearly $500,000 in revenue for the city being snubbed by the firemen who are aldermen, fire commissioners and members of the tax board? This little clique of good party yes men just can't seem to put a hold on their ever growing need for power. There is also the matter of a $200,000 deposit that ARMS turned over to the city for a new rescue vehicle but those funds seem to have been lost or used for something else that we, the taxpayers, know nothing about.

I almost forgot to mention that these same aldermen/fire commissioners are allowed to keep their privately owned vehicles garaged for free in the Pine-Willis School building at your expense at the pretense of it being a museum. I'd like park my pickup truck there this winter too. We can call it The 98 Ford Ranger Museum while it's there.

That's life in Ansonia. The few, the powerful, the party. This town needs an enema. The top dogs might like their rings kissed in public to assure positions, appointments and favors but the good people of the AFD who selflessly put themselves on the line to protect life and property along with city employees who feel obligated to put up yard signs and make campaign contributions don't have to kiss anything in the voting booth.

As seen in the Valley Gazette

Although running for Mayor has meant constant campaigning every night and all day on Saturdays since Labor Day, I’m happy to be part of the American process of democracy. I’m just sorry that I can’t knock on every door but I invite all to contact me via my web site http://www.patrickhenri.com/ or look me up in the phone book. My campaign budget may not allow for as many flyers or yard signs as my opponent but keep an eye out for my wife and I as we drive through your neighborhood in our pickup truck with the Patrick Henri sign in the bed.

I’m not running for Mayor out of ambition or because of the huge pay cut I’ll take or because of the hold it will put on my ten year Navy Reserve career. I’m running because Ansonia needs to break the one party system that has plagued our city for eight years with absolute power. It has disenchanted, intimidated and oppressed good people who would like to participate but who can’t gamble all their time to campaign, as I have, to be the underdog and risk being shunned by the majority party even if they do win. Our government is broken. Ansonia needs to find its way back to a two party system that promotes challenge and competition just as is needed in business and sports. Without them, the consumers and the fans suffer. In government, it’s the tax payer who suffers. Until this city calls for a charter revision to guarantee minority representation, the few occasional challengers as well as the people of Ansonia, will continue to endure complacency, favoritism and settling for who and what they get stuck with.

I’d like to get Ansonia taken off the bottom of Connecticut Magazine’s list of cities in our population category. We’ve been rated 30 out of 30 for 2 years in a row. That image needs to change. I’d like to see our schools meeting state test score standards and I want a freeze on new home construction because our schools are overpopulated.
I’m against power plants and smokestacks in the center of town amidst a populated area.
I’m against paying $5.2 million to knock down apartments on Olson Drive that the federal government owns.
I want more for the taxes we pay such as summer concerts, New Year’s and July 4th celebrations, a dog park, revitalization of our parks to include volleyball courts, BMX trails, horse shoe pits, exercise stations, a paved area for skate boarding, even a temporary ice skating rink.
I’d like better parking downtown along with higher end women’s stores. I’d like to set up a pilot store where larger chain retailers such as Barnes and Noble could test the waters of Ansonia for 30 to 60 days for little cost with a sampling of their goods.

If after 4 terms you’re still not happy, that’s not going to change unless you take a stand. I’m offering hope. Vote for change. You deserve better.

As seen in the CT Post during the week of OCT 22

The residents of Ansonia need to take a few minutes to consider the proposed power plant at the Ansonia Copper and Brass facility. Mayor DellaVolpe thinks it'll be great for jobs and our economy. If he likes it, that's a clear indicator to beware.

As noted in "Don't bring Ansonia back to the bad old days" (on-line 10/04/07), the Latex Foam plant was the winner of the daily "who is stinking up downtown Ansonia the most today" prize. Even so, when it burned down, the Mayor wanted to bring back that stink in exchange for the tax dollars.He thought that was a good trade. His failure was our breath of fresh air. What will this four term money driven administration trade for a generator plant? Stink? Noise? Vibration? Interference with satellite dishes and cell phones? What's a few three-eyed fish in the Naugatuck river compared to the color of money? Consider that then multiply it by two because the same one party administration who wanted the "stink" to stay also want to build their own municipal generating plant. Matching smokestacks at the same height of the Assumption School playground will look smashing in the summer haze, don't you think?

Generator plants don't belong in the middle of city especially when they'd be surrounded by apartments, condominiums and schools. At a minimum, all residents should at least get free electricity for the rest of their lives to even consider allowing the environmental and safety risks of such facilities.

Debate Reviews:

Read the recap of Tuesday night's debate in the New Haven Register and Connecticut Post.

Connecticut Post: Growth needs divide Ansonia mayoral foes
New Haven Register: Ansonia mayoral hopefuls mix it up

Debate Goes Well

The October 24 mayoral debate at Ansonia High School went well with Pat Henri stomping on the administration's rose colored glasses and telling it like it is.

Thanks to Bob Purchell of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce for moderating the event and Ansonia NAACP Greg Johnson for sponsoring it. Thanks to all those in attendance. It's always nice to see voters no matter who their candidate is. At least they get off their couches and participate.

In the news:

From yesterday's issue of the Connecticut Post:

"Henri said he's confident that he can challenge - and beat - the powerful Ansonia Democrats. "I'm a passionate guy and I'm gonna win this election," Henri said. "We've got the best chance in a long time. They [Democrats] had better spend three times the money or keep it in their pockets. I'm coming after them. I'm going to play and I'm going to play hard."

Henri's primary goal is to stir debate and generate more ideas to address city problems. He does not see that happening with a Board of Aldermen and a mayor in the same party. "If there's not competition, nobody gets better," Henri said. "You need people to push you to get better. I think that's common sense." Henri said he'd like to focus on adding more culture and activities to the city, such as making more use of parks for activities other than sports and starting a New Year's Eve celebration. He'd also like to see what should be done to improve the poor scores of students on achievement tests.

Ray Vanacore, Henri's co-worker at Sikorsky and a friend for 20 years, said he knows Henri has "an uphill climb" ahead of him. But he counts Henri as a person who cares about what he does for his friends and his hometown, whether it be on the job or helping a pal with moving.

"I think he'll do very well," said Vanacore, who lives in Orange. "He's really true to himself and everyone else. What you see is who he is. He's a true friend. There's been times where I've needed an extra hand and he's helped. He's a real stand-up person.""

Read the full article...

Conn Post: Mayoral debates scheduled in Ansonia

MELVIN MASON mmason@ctpost.com

ANSONIA — Mayor Jim Della Volpe and his mayoral opponent Patrick Henri appear ready to square off and discuss the state of the city in three debates next month. Della Volpe, the four-term Democratic incumbent, and Henri, the GOP mayoral nominee, have agreed to take part in a series of debates tentatively scheduled for Oct. 10, 17 and 24. The first and last debates would be held at 7 p.m. at Ansonia High School. The mid-month debate would be held at the Ansonia Senior Center in the afternoon, though the proposed 1 p.m. start time may be changed.

Joan Radin, chairwoman of the Ansonia Republican Town Committee, said she proposed the debates to Democrats as a way to let people know Della Volpe is facing a challenge for a fifth term as mayor. Henri, of Harris Road, is making his first run at the town's top office. Radin is running for a seat on the Board of Aldermen.

"Well, I think people should have the chance to meet the new candidate," Radin said. "We should have the opportunity to hear about what Pat has to say."

Kevin Blake, the legal counsel for Della Volpe's campaign, proposed that the debates be an hour each, have one-minute opening and closing statements and have questions presented by moderators. Blake said Della Volpe is "looking forward to an informed and civil discussion of the issues affecting our city."

View the original article HERE.

Meet the candidates!

The Ansonia Republican Town Committee will have a booth set up at the Ansonia Harvest Festival, Saturday, October 6 from 10 - 4.

Stop by, meet the candidates and enjoy the day