Volume 18, Number 6
Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
www.berlincitizen.com
FIGHT TO THE FINISH The Berlin High School boys basketball team fell one win shy of qualifying for the state tournament. The Redcoats’ fate was sealed Feb. 26 with a season-ending 58-44 loss to visiting Middletown. The locals wrapped up their 201314 campaign with a mark of 7-13. A team must chalk up eight wins to qualify for the postseason. See more on page 13. Pictured: Dominic Nuzzo battles a Middletown player for a rebound last week.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Pool player pockets Hall of Fame honor to the bowling alley with his father, and to pass the time while Dad bowled, he A local man finally got would play pool. He hasn’t put the cue his due for his accomplishdown since. ments in the pool hall. “I loved it, and it’s just B r u ce D i f ro n zo, of Berlin, was inducted into turned into a lifelong pasthe New England Pool and sion for me. It’s hard to exBilliards Hall of Fame Feb. plain,” said Difronzo, who 28. The hall is located at received a pool table of his Snookers Pool Lounge in own -- his grandfather’s -Providence, Rhode Island. just before entering high Difronzo is humbled by school. Difronzo refurbished the the recognition. “Are you kidding me? I’m table and began to use it, so honored,” the 57-year- extensively. “When I was younger, I old said. The owner of a lo- would spend hours a day cal business, D&S Sewer from the time I was 16 on,” Contractors, Difronzo be- Difronzo said. “I spent a lot gan shooting pool at the of time playing pool, beripe old age of six. The youngster would travel See Player / Page 5 By Nate Brown The Berlin Citizen
| (Photo by Matt Leidemer)
Town Council discusses BOE investigation By Charles Kreutzkamp
The Berlin Citizen
The Town Council discussed the Board of Education’s internal investigation during its Feb. 25 meeting. The BOE voted to authorize the superintendent to hire legal counsel to investigate “a board member’s alleged conduct” during its Feb. 10 meeting, following the receipt of a letter from the Berlin Interscholastic Coaches Association (BICA). BICA alleged “abuse of power” on behalf of school board President Gary Brochu, who has declined to comment on the allegations.
Mayor Rachel Rochette said she requested that discussing the Board of Education be added to the agenda because she felt it was important to address the issue. Councilor Margaret Morelli said she thought it was important to state publicly that the Town Council received a copy of the letter from the BICA. Berlin resident and former Board of Education member John Richards spoke during public comment. Richards requested that the Town Council refrain from discussing the Board of Education’s investigation. Richards said the matter should be handled internally, and noted that the
BICA requested the matter be handled as such in its letter. Rochette confirmed that the Town Council members received the letter from the BICA in December 2013, and that she has met with some of the coaches. “I will state that what was conveyed to me by those coaches was that they wanted to make sure a proper process was followed. As part of that process, they understand that step one is the ongoing investigation that is happening now with the Board of Education, and they are awaiting a decision based on that investigation,” Rochette said. The mayor also re-
quested that the town’s attorney, Robert Weber, explain what role the council might have in the investigation. “The town council’s role is going to be limited by the nature of the separation between the Board of Ed and the legislative body,” Weber said. The Board of Education could no more interfere in a matter concerning Town Council personnel than the Town Council may interfere in a BOE matter, Weber said. “The state has strong policy reasons why the board of education is independent,” Weber said. “While it may be a serious matter we don’t know what
the outcome is going to be. I would caution and remind everybody that allegations are made all the time and sometimes they are substantiated and sometimes they are not,” Weber said. Councilors David Evans and Charles Paonessa raised concerns over the cost to taxpayers of the Board of Education investigation. Weber explained that the BOE has complete discretion over its budget, which is received as a lump sum, and, furthermore, its budget contains funds for legal matters. Weber reported that he has See Council / Page 5