Elio Floriano Named Building Official at Selectmen's Meeting

First Selectman Michael Freda announced that Elio Floriano will be appointed as the new Building Official for the Town of North Haven at last night's Board of Selectmen's meeting.

Floriano will take over the post following the leave of absence, and eventual dismissal, of embattled former Building Official David Maiden, whose activities in that position were scrutinized in a forensic audit of the Building Department concluded last month. While the investigation found Maiden had committed no crimes, numerous inconsistencies were found in the Department's inner-workings, including the charging of improper fees and the miscategorization of several renovations. Freda announced changes to Department protocol at the November BOS meeting.

Floriano, who was absent at last night's meeting, was praised for his qualifications, including State certification for fire protection, plumbing, heating, and home inspection, and willingness to maintain the integrity of the rattled Department.

"He has extensive experience, and from what I understand he does an excellent job on our behalf," said Third Selectman Steve Fontana.

"[Floriano] is very fair, competent, and a strong leader," added Director of Public Works Lynn Sadosky. "I have a lot of faith in him."

Along with the enthusiasm for the endorsement came a call for the maintenance of strict standards at the Department going forward.

"It's important for [Floriano] to know that the Department is on a different tack, one that requires more professionalism," said Second Selectman Tim Doheney.

"We expect integrity, and for Mr. Floriano to educate contractors doing work in North Haven of the proper rules and regulations," said Freda. "We want the Department to provide great customer service."

Floriano's salary was estimated by Sadosky to be about $76,500.

During public comment, Ray Fowler complemented Freda on his accomplishments over the past few months, including work on Todd Drive and the plan to bring Yale New Haven Hospital to North Haven, and called for residents to refrain from making slanderous comments in public about the exhonerated Maiden.

"We have to put a stop to baseless innuendo at these meetings," said Fowler, citing national political divisiness as a impetus for North Haven citizens to unify. Fowler's reading of his three-page letter was greeted by applause.

Others, however, had questions about the completeness of the forensic audit. Gary Amato, who raised concerns about the document in November, asked about fees paid by Second Selectman Doheney to the Department for a porch enclosure at his home while Maiden was Building Official.

Defending himself from the allegation, Doheney said he had trusted Maiden and paid the fees laid out by the Department. Later, Doheney said, he and his wife had a meeting with Sadosky and Maiden during which the fees were recalculated, and again paid in full. Following Doheney's statement, Amato apologized for the insinuation that malfeasance had taken place.

Freda also asked Fontana about his knowledge of former First Selectwoman Janet McCarty's decision to keep the investigation of the Building Department under wraps until the new administration took office in late 2009.

Fontana explained that he met with McCarty only twice on the matter, the first to discuss the original complain leveled against the Department and put an internal investigation in motion, the second to decide whether or not the make the information public prior to the campaign.

"There was the notion that if the information was made public, the people under investigation would stop doing what they were doing," said Fontana. "The initial report contained allegations against people in public office, and it was decided not to make this a campaign issue."

Mr. Freda called the previous administration's choice to keep the public in the dark regarding the accusations "a disgrace."

The next Board of Selectmen meeting will take place on January 6, 2011.