Politics & Government

Town Meeting Approves Heart and Hypertension Settlement and Debris Clean Up Funds

Voters approved a $48,815 settlement with Sgt. Robert Koistinen and an additional $400,000 for storm debris clean up.

 

The funding of an agreement between Windsor Locks and police Sgt. Robert Koistinen for a $48,815 state-regulated heart and hypertension settlement was approved by voters in  a town meeting Tuesday.

Payment of the settlement was recommended by the boards of finance and selectmen.

Resident Douglas Hamilton asked if the town had a choice in whether to pay the settlement or could the police commission be required for it out the police department’s budget.

Town Attorney Scott Storms said because the settlement is state-regulated and a stipulated agreement, the town would face penalties if it did not provide the money for the payment.

First Selectman Steven N. Wawruck Jr. said the commission would likely have to come back to the town later in the year to request more money to fill the hole in the department’s budget.

The police commission in June authorized attorneys to negotiate a settlement with Koistinen, who has been on administrative leave since an October 2010 accident in which his son, Michael, is charged with killing 15-year-old Henry Dang in a traffic accident. Robert Kositinen has been charged with interfering in the investigation of the accident.

Both Koistinens are awaiting trial after rejecting plea offers last month.

The voters also authorized the spending of an additional $400,000 to complete the clean up of debris from the October 29 snowstorm.

Public Works Director Scott Lappen said the money is needed so contractor Ash Britt can remove the remaining estimated 7,500 cubic yards of debris, 534 hanging branches and 14 leaning trees.

Voters last month approved spending $1 million for the debris clean up. In both cases, FEMA will reimbursed the 75 percent of those amounts, officials said.

Lappen said before the contractor began work about 28,000 cubic yards has either been collected by town crews or dropped off at the compost site. Ash Britt has collected about 28,000 cubic yards of debris as well. Town crews have collected another 2,000 cubic yards in the last week, he added.

When Douglas Hamilton questioned why the town had not sought local contractors or went out to bid to do the clean up like surrounding communities such as East Windsor, Wawruck said Windsor Locks sought to remove the debris as quickly as possible and used the state-approved contractor.

Wawruck said the contractor will resume work on Thursday.

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