Vernon Housing Authority Board Rejection Now A War Of Words

VERNON, CT — The town council's rejection of a proposed member of the Vernon Housing Authority's board of commissioners has turned into a war of words in addition to a series of legal maneuvers.

The scenario is outlined in a series of documents obtained by Patch via a Freedom of Information request.

The dispute centers over Vernon resident Ian Mills, who in August was chosen by housing authority tenants to fill a vacancy on the authority's board of commissioners. The rejection, documents show, was centered on accusations of "disruptive behavior" on the part of Mills at the Vernon Senior Center.

Vernon Town Administrator Michael Purcaro said the Vernon Town Council is in charge of the board and didn't have to consider Mills for the vacancy in the first place because the initial notice of his appointment was submitted after a statutory deadline. His name was sent to the council anyway out of "professional courtesy to the housing authority," Purcaro said. Mills' appointment was rejected by the council at its Aug. 18 meeting in a 10-0 vote, with two abstentions, minutes show. Purcaro said the rejection was based on "repeated disruptive behavior" on the part of Mills at the Vernon Senior Center and he added Mills "was not in good standing with the town."

When asked to elaborate via an FOI request, Purcaro forwarded a complaint filed by Vernon Senior Center Director Maureen Gabriele in 2018 regarding about $200 worth of damage in the senior center billiards room. Gabriele said in the complaint that an outlet in the room was considered off limits to members and was covered to discourage use. Mills is accused of removing a sign covering the outlet to plug in an electronic device anyway, according to internal town memos. He is accused of damaging a wall in the process, documents show.

Purcaro said Mills never paid for the damage, despite a request from Gabriele.

According to other 2018 correspondence, Gabriele told Purcaro that Mills was involved in repeated verbal disputes with other seniors in the billiards room.

In letters, both Mills and housing authority lawyer Michael Wrona questioned the town's authority over the board appointment. Franklin Avenue West resident David Derosiers questioned it at the council meeting Tuesday.

Mills, 67, who described himself as a reputable board member who can represent residents well during a period of "daunting challenges" took a few shots at town officials at the public forum portion of the meeting.

He said executive orders issued by Gov. Ned Lamont during the coronavirus pandemic made the appointment deadline moot.

He then became animated.

Mills said at the meeting the "true reasons" the council failed to approve his appointment were not because of "accidental damage to a wall at the senior center," but rather Mayor Daniel Champagne disagreeing with the size of the billiards room during the design phase of the new senior center.

When the mayor "holds grudge, he does not let it go," Mills said.

He also said seniors are "not normally charged for accidental damages," while adding he was asked to pay the bill of slightly less than $200 and serve a short suspension.

He called the transgressions cited "trash talk," and proceeded to do some of his own by claiming a "bonehead" from the Vernon Department of Public Works used double-sided adhesive tape to fasten the sign over the outlet.

He said a verbal dispute was him speaking out against "one pugnacious individual" who "annoyed" him.

"Little ole me, bully the town? This is David against Goliath," he said. "I Look forward to being sworn in without further interference."

Champagne simply said at the meeting, "Your description of myself is completely wrong."

Purcaro added, "Attacking the mayor and our dedicated hard-working public works and senior center staff that serve our community was a deliberate and misguided attempt to deceive the public. Mr. Mills' rude comments and bullying behavior appear to be consistent with past reports about him and further support the council's bi-partisan decision to vote down his appointment as tenant commissioner to the Vernon Housing Authority Board. In doing so, I believe the council acted in the best interests of the residents of the Housing Authority.

"Mr. Mills is not in good standing with the town of Vernon. He has a history of disruptive behavior at the Senior Center which culminated in his destruction of town property of which he still has not paid for. As a result, his membership to the Senior Center was terminated."

Police reports obtained by Patch show Mills had run-ins with others in public streets and at the then-Cornerstone shelter on Prospect Street. Both police and municipal officials said it is the same Ian Mills described in the reports.

According to a police incident report, on June 3, 2015, the director of the shelter called police to assist him in removing Mills from the premises. The director said the normal stay in 31 days and Mills had been there for more than 200, a report indicates. During his stay, Mills was involved in several "disturbances" with other clients, according to a report.

A police report indicates that, in April 2013, a resident of a Housing Authority property on Brooklyn Street filed a complaint about Mills. Neighborhood children had been drawing on the driveway with chalk and Mills and an acquaintance had repeatedly poured water over the artwork, claiming it was "defacing" the property, a report indicates. Police suggested Mills discuss the matter with the board he was recently voted to, according to a report.

More recently, in October 2010, a Brooklyn Street resident complained that he was rude while repeatedly knocking on her door to obtain information on the local recycling schedule, according to a report.

Mills was not arrested in any of the cases.