DEEP issued a two-week stop order for work on a flood control project on Monday following pressure from West Hartford residents and town officials, and a subcontractor was fired after violating it.

A DEEP subcontractor was fired for violating a stop-work order by hauling away trees that had already been cut down. This was the scene at the end of Linbrook Road Friday afternoon, Oct. 23. Photo credit: Ronni Newton 

By Ronni Newton

A trucking company that had been working for a DEEP contractor was fired after hauling trees that had been cut down at the dead end of Linbrook Road in West Hartford in violation of a two-week stop-work order that had been put into place on Monday, Oct. 19.

Montclair Drive resident Sukriti Kushwaha contacted DEEP Project Manager Dan Biron on Wednesday, after another resident sent her a photo of trees being hauled away from the project site. “We were promised yesterday that work would be stalled for two weeks other than non impactful and minor work like overseeing and silt fencing. Yet there were huge trucks taking away our now dead trees today!” Kushwaha wrote in her letter to Biron. Kushwaha, who said she was speaking on behalf of her neighbors, said the action enforced their “distrust in DEEP.”

DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee and other agency officials spent nearly three hours Tuesday answering questions and listening to a long list of concerns that area residents and the West Hartford Town Council raised about how they were blindsided by the clearcutting of a huge swath of trees in the “Horseshoe” neighborhood as part of the flood control project.

“I do sincerely apologize,” Klee said Tuesday. “We were asked to do meaningful public outreach and we failed,” he said. Klee confirmed that the stop-work order would be in effect for two weeks, and that the DEEP would also hold a public information session with West Hartford residents on Wednesday, Nov. 4. That meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Auditorium.

“I was notified of work happening,” West Hartford Department of Public Works Director John Phillips said on Friday. He also considered it a breach of the stop-work order and brought it to the attention of the general contractor.

DEEP spokeperson Dennis Schain confirmed Friday that the subcontractor had brought in a truck to haul away trees that were already  down, but agreed that the action was in violation of the stop-work order. “As a result, the contractor fired the subcontractor so he is no longer on the job,” Schain said.

Biron reponded to Kushwawa to explain the situation and confirm the firing. “Paganelli Construction had given a stop work order to Myles Crete of Northeastern Clearing on Monday. Northeastern Clearing had hired Ranchi Trucking to haul salvage lumber for them. Doug King of Paganelli Construction informed Northeastern Clearing that Ranchi Trucking is no longer allowed on the project due the failure to comply with project stoppage,” Biron wrote. “My apologies for this lack of concern by this company which is no longer part of this project.”

The stop-work order issued by DEEP on Monday stated that the contractor “will only engage in activities determined to be minor and non-impactful and will not undertake any actions that could affect natural resources or homeowners in any significant way.”

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