Board Approved Snow Plow Contract Forged to Benefit CUT

Board Approved Snow Plow Contract Forged to Benefit CUT Apr 30, 2021 15:23:05 GMT -7

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Post by Poor Richard on Apr 30, 2021 15:23:05 GMT -7

GLA Board Approved Snow Plow Contract Forged;
Church Universal and Triumphant Benefits

Below is an article that we ran on February 27, 2021. Copies of the original GLA Board approved contract and the forged copy that was signed by GLA President Newman Brozovsky, Vice President John McAlister and Chad Standish of Standish Excavation are now available. Download copies by clicking on the appropriate blue text above.

The GLA Board, approved, snow plowing contract limited snow plowing and sanding to platted roads within the geographical and legal jurisdiction of the GLA per Covenant Appendices A and B. The forged copy added language that required snowplowing and sanding for Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT) owned roads; Sirius paved, Aries paved and Aries gravel sections. These are NOT platted roads and the GLA lacks legal permission and insurance coverage to maintain them. The forged copy also deleted text that specifically stated "Only platted roads..." are to be maintained. The downloadable copies show the changes.

GLA President Newman Brozovsky asked the GLA Board to approve an "addendum" to the already approved snow plowing contract on February 6. The addendum would have added CUT and Park County roads to the contract. It was not approved by the GLA Board. Somehow, CUT roads were then secretly added to the contract. Newman Brozovsky signed the forged contract on February 6, scanned it and and emailed it to Vice President John McAlister on February 7. McAlister signed the contract on February 15 and sent a copy to the GLA Board. Director Brockett immediately noticed the alterations and alerted the GLA Board and Brozovsky. On February 15 Brockett wrote:

The original contract that the BOD approved was altered after the BOD approved it and before Newman signed it.

The "addendum" was added WITHOUT BOD approval.

Aries paved and Sirius Paved from the boat ramp to the 4 way intersection are NOT GLA platted roads and were NOT in the contract the BOD approved.
Sirius paved serves a for profit privately owned operation; Golden Age Village. The road is on private property outside of the legal jurisdiction of the GLA. The GLA does not have an easement or a legal obligation to maintain the road. Maintenance is the responsibility of the private firm who owns Golden Age Village so they may provide access for their customers. That is not the responsibility of GLA landowners and the cost should not be borne by them.

Please remove this part of the contract since the BOD has NOT approved it.

Several members later stated that the altered contract was "null and void". Brozovsky ignored them and forwarded the forged contract to Standish Excavation. It was signed by Chad Standish on February 22, 2021. In late March the GLA was billed for $39,920.00 for February and March snow plowing and sanding per the forged contract. By contrast the great storm of November 2010 cost the GLA just $15,000.00 to clear and sand all platted roads in Glastonbury. Over 24 inches fell during that storm and high winds created huge drifts that further blocked many Glastonbury roads. Private contractors, the GLA owned plow and Adkins excavation did most of the work.

Plowing CUT roads is a benefit to some GLA landowners. It also benefits Golden Age Village which is a CUT commercial enterprise. And the CUT owned chapel and North Glastonbury Teaching Center. But to focus on benefits for landowners is to miss the crucial points. They are:

It is illegal to alter or forge any contract that has been approved by the legal and elected representatives of the people. Newman Brozovsky signed the forged contract and refused to repeal it when the alterations were brought to his attention. His friends and employer, CUT, saved thousands of dollars by not having to maintain their private roads in Glastonbury.
The GLA has limited funds. They are unable to provide any grading, plowing or sanding on the numerous private roads that serve assessment paying landowners. Once the GLA is able to provide a reasonable level of service to ALL landowners, then they can debate taking responsibility for roads OUTSIDE of their legal jurisdiction.

The original February 27, 2021 Forum article follows:

Several Forum readers have asked for more information on the altered 2021 snow plow contract with Standish Excavation.

The 2020 contract ran out on December 31, 2020. There were several problems with the old contract and revisions were asked for. Specifically:

The 2020 contract ran from the middle of winter to the middle of winter. It was reasoned that summer would be a better time to collect bids for winter snow plowing.
The 2020 contract did not contain a list of what roads the GLA wanted maintained. It allowed Standish to plow at will and bill accordingly.
No bids were solicited for High South plowing. In 2010 Rich Spallone plowed all of High South with his skid steer and snowblower. It took less than 6 hours to plow 6 miles of roads covered with 24 inches of snow. Spallone charged $75.00 an hour. In 2019 and 2020 Standish used a very inefficient front end loader and an old grader without a front plow blade. He charged almost $300.00 an hour for the two pieces of equipment and took two days to complete High South plowing after a 14 inch storm. John Carp was asked to solicit snow blower bids but failed to secure any.

Initially the GLA Road Committee wanted the old contract reinstated. After several Board members complained the Road Committee agreed to make changes. In early January Road Committee member and surveyor Gerald Dubiel agreed to come up with a list of platted roads. A month passed and nothing was done. Snow was in the forecast and the thought of the expired contract came to the collective mindset of the GLA. Questions were raised. Finally John Carp assigned the job of writing the new contract to Claudette Dirkers. As the storm moved in Dirkers penned the new contract, included a list of platted roads, and sent the finished work to the GLA Board. The Board, by majority vote, approved the contract. Newman Brozovsky did not approve of it because CUT private roads were not included. The approved contract went to Newman for his signature. Before he signed it, CUT owned roads were added to the contract above the three bullet points on the first page.

Altering Board approved contracts is a common practice of GLA Presidents. In 2017 then President Dennis Riley altered the $78,900.00 2017 Spring Grading contract after it was approved so CUT roads would be graded and graveled at landowner expense. Read more here.

Sirius and Aries roads are privately owned roads that sit on property owned by Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT). The GLA does not have a legal right to use or maintain them. Sirius paved was created when the for profit mobile home park known as Golden Age Village was created. That too is owned by CUT. All of the property the roads sit on is outside of the legal jurisdiction of the GLA. More details are here. CUT has made it very clear that they expect the GLA to maintain their private road network in North Glastonbury for free and for all eternity.

The GLA Board has discussed the altered contract and several members have declared it null and void. But the Board 5 to 5 deadlock prevents any action to cancel it. Thus the contract was signed by the Board President Newman Brozovsky, Board Vice President John McAlister and sent on to Standish Excavation. It appears that once again CUT private roads will be paid for by Glastonbury landowners.