WESTBROOK - Imagine a senior citizen falling on a series of three stairs located just beyond the door connecting the Westbrook Senior Center to the Town Hall.
Such a scenario concerns Dottie La Grua, Director of the Westbrook Senior Center who sits at the nearby registration desk.
While the design is less than ideal, further complicating the situation is the refusal of First Selectman John Raffa to pay $18,000 in architectural fees which are eleven months overdue.
Such refusal has prompted the architect, C. Jim Lawler, from C.J. Lawler Associates in West Hartford to write a letter to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.
While a ramp runs parallel to the steps, LaGrua said it requires one to make a sharp turn to the right, especially difficult to make for wheelchairs and motor scooters.
"More seniors are using the ramp than the stairs," LaGrua said, who added that many find the ramp easier to use.
The Senior Center Building Committee approved the design of the door, stairs, and ramp location during the design phase, Lawler said, adding that "it was felt the majority of people would use the stairs."
Lawler confirmed that there are 61 inches between the door and the first step just barely meeting the American with Disabilities Act requirement of 60 inches.
After approval, several expressed concerns about the design, Lawler said.
In a letter to Blumenthal, Lawler wrote, "I informed the First Selectman at that time, Tony Palermo, that the steps could be moved forward 18" to 24", creating a larger landing, or the new door and frame could be provided. We also informed Tony that we would pay for the new door and frame, even though our work responded to the plans approved by the building committee and exceeded ADA regulations. Our offer was rejected; therefore, I took it off the table."
While Palermo agreed that the committee decided not to take Lawler's offer because the door was "custom made and it would take a while to get a new one," there is no mention of a vote either way in the Senior Center Building Committee minutes.
Lawler said the entrance could have had double doors rather than the current design of a door on the left side with a nine glass windows on the right side.
Such an expensive change would have cost $1,000 at the time for hardware for the new door, Lawler said.
It was not possible to have a ramp on the left side parallel to the door, Lawler said, because it would have prevent access to the registration desk and required guests to go down the ramp and come back up to the desk.
Lawler wrote that after Raffa was elected as the new First Selectman, "I was summoned to his office, and in a hail of profanity, was informed that he was '...the new sheriff in town' and that my contract, agreements and discussions with the past First Selectman and the building committee were no longer relevant. I was to do whatever he directed."
While Lawler told Raffa that requirements of ADA, fire code, building code and the contract were being met, Lawler wrote "he was expressly not happy."
Lawler said out of $65,000, the town paid for $47,000 and owed $18,000.
Despite multiple billings, Lawler said he never received the $18,000.
After discussions with Town Attorney John Weber, Lawler said he was promised on May 23, 2006 that if the bill was reduced, Raffa would release funds.
"I feel that this is a public official, using his position's power inappropriately and in a manner that appears to be to be extortion," Lawler wrote.
Lawler reduced the bill to $15,500, but after eight months, the bill still was not paid.
"I am no longer willing to reduce my fee and would like payment of the full $18,000 plus interest, as required by our contract of one percent per month for a total interest of $19,530 through January 31, 2007," Lawler wrote.
Palermo confirmed that Raffa was solely responsible for holding up the bills.
Lawler said he sent a letter to Blumenthal regarding the issue because the project was financed by a $7,000 state grant and because of Raffa's history of illegal and inappropriate behavior.
Blumenthal was not available for comment on the issue at press time.
LaGrua said about half of those visiting the center use the exterior entrance which is adjacent to five handicap parking spaces.
Visitors can either transverse seven concrete steps or a long handicap ramp, both of which are more pronounced than their indoor counterparts.
Both lead to the center's patio which has access to the building through two doors on each side.
LaGrua said more use the outside entrance in the summer and more use the hallway entrance in the winter.
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