New Canaan’s highest elected official is planning to meet with a prosecutor and secure additional police presence at a planned public event following a report lodged Tuesday with the New Canaan Police Department by a municipal employee.
New Canaan Town Hall on Sept. 2, 2015. Credit: Michael Dinan
A building maintenance worker told police that, earlier in the day, he had been approached by Michael Nowacki regarding a Sept. 12 Grand Opening for the newly renovated and expanded Town Hall, according to an incident report.
“[The employee] stated that Nowacki told him Cablevision would be there, and his ‘people’ would be ‘armed with whistles trying to make a point,’ ” according to the police report. In the document itself, police referred to [the employee’s] report as a ‘complaint.’
Nowacki, a petitioning candidate for first selectman, made no physical threats toward Castelluci, the report said.
Asked about the incident, First Selectman Rob Mallozzi called Nowacki’s “threats” “most disturbing” and said that it “adds to the long list of this resident’s actions to disrupt and upset our volunteers, citizens and institutions.”
“We will have a larger police presence at the Town Hall ceremony than we ever anticipated and I hope to see more of our residents attend the celebration in response to this information being disseminated,” Mallozzi said.
Nowacki in an email sent Wednesday to NewCanaanite.com and other local media outlets claims that a restaurant on Elm Street turned him down when he requested to rent the space for his Election Day “victory party.” As a result, Nowacki said he was investigating the restaurant’s liquor license number, described the bar as a hub of New Canaan corruption and now could be arrested for trespassing should he return there.
Mallozzi said: “I will be meeting with local and Fairfield County law enforcement officials tomorrow [Wednesday] on not only this issue, but on the many other disturbing actions and threats this resident is bringing to private businesses, residents and employees.”
Nowacki said he has made no threats and asserted that, by law, it is not a “threat” to say someone has legal liability or that one intends to file a lawsuit.
“He can do whatever he wants,” Nowacki said of Mallozzi during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. “I don’t really care because, by the way, this is an unlawful public meeting.”
According to Nowacki, taxpayer funds cannot be used to put on the planned Grand Opening, and as soon as a quorum of the Board of Selectmen—or any appointed or elected municipal body—is present, that constitutes a public meeting under the Freedom of Information Act.
“It’s too bad he doesn’t understand the law, he doesn’t understand his oath of office, he violates it all the time,” Nowacki said.
Asked about his specific plans for Sept. 12, Nowacki said that a group he founded called ‘New Canaan Taxpayers Association LLC’—will run “a competitive event.”
That will involve “giving all the information that went to the Audit Committee” including claims about how the Board of Education has mismanaged finances, Nowacki said.
Asked whether the group physically would be on the front lawn of Town Hall or some place else, Nowacki said: “Where I am going to be is where I am going to be. I don’t have to tell anybody where I’m going to be. We have an event we are running that day, so we have security so only members can attend. Members only.”
Asked what kind of security he planned to have, Nowacki said: “I am in the process of hiring John Milligan because the Police Commission blocked his hiring. They can’t block his right to employment.” Milligan is a New Canaan Police Department sergeant who is currently serving a 90-day suspension.
Regarding increased police presence at the Grand Opening, Nowacki said: “Go waste the taxpayers’ money.”
In an email sent to local media following Monday’s meeting of the Town Hall Building Committee, Nowacki said he flagged several issues regarding the planned Sept. 12 Grand Opening, such as: that public funds be used for it; that the presence of town officials there would constitute a quorum of public bodies should any official municipal business be discussed; and that the project at Town Hall cost more than the publicly stated $18 million because of interest on debt obligations.
Here’s the schedule for the dedication of the new Town Hall, to be held 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 12:
- 1 p.m. Town Band plays. Guests are offered complementary hors d’oeuvres and drinks, to be served on the first floor.
- 1:45 p.m. Ribbon cutting ceremony, to take place in front of entrance to the original Town Hall. First Selectman Rob Mallozzi will cut the ribbon.
- 2:15 p.m. Unveiling of the dedication plaque by Mr. Mallozzi and Town Hall Building Committee III Chairman Michael T. Avgerinos.
- 2:30 p.m. Gathering in new Town Hall meeting room on the second floor. Commemorative gifts will be presented to town officials and others who have made the Town Hall project possible. First Selectman Mallozzi will address the audience.
- 3 to 4 p.m. Open house for visitors.
- 4 p.m. End of festivities. Visitors are requested to leave Town Hall.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to remove the name of the individual who filed the report with NCPD.
I feel that the 4 pm item on the agenda should apply to Nowaki from the start of the event. To have him interrupt a beautiful town event that is not funded with town funds is a disgrace to his credibility. This man is just wasting everyone’s time and energy. I think that this is a very bright man and would better use his time to work for the good rather than show us how WACKY he can be. I believe that once he exhibits any disruptive behaviors he should be forced to leave.
I agree that Mr. Nowacki is highly intelligent, however, as you will find in his divorce decree (here’s the link: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/ct-superior-court/1606288.html), a court ordered psychological evaluation found that Mr. Nowacki demonstrates “bipolar, manic/psychotic with paranoid personality disorder with histrionic and narcissistic traits.” It goes on to say that while the Dr. believes Mr. Nowacki has a high IQ, he “is vindictive, impulsive and susceptible to boundary violations.” I believe Mr. Nowacki’s actions, blatant disregard for others and disruptive behavior supports those findings. I guess the real challenge is figuring out how to deal with Mr. Nowacki so people no longer feel threatened by him and can move forward with being more productive.