New Britain herald., 1923-08-20
Receive Letters Asking
Them to Resign But Will
"Stand Pat, They Say
in Statement
Paonessa, Asking Them to
Leave Official Family,
Says Commission Did Not
Act in Harmony With
His Policy.

Chairman Thomas w Grove and
Commissioner John Di Nonno of tie
. board of public works have been re-
quested in letters sent out by Mayor
A. NJ. Paonessa to resign their COM
missionershps, the mayor explaining
that they have ignored his request of
last spring to make an effort to live
within their appropriations
Both announced this afternoon that
they would not resign
The requests for designations is
result of the dispute between the ex-
ecutive and the public works board
based on the boards refusal to accede
to the mayors request that no semi
permanent pavement be laid on Grove
Hill this year. The mayor explained
that there was no money available
with which to do the work. The
board however, introduced figures
which, it is claimed, would show no
overdraft would result and according
ly it recomme ended to the common
council that the pavement be laid.
The resolution was passed by the
council and subsequently vetoed by
the mayor. At later meeting the
council passed the resolution over the
mayors veto and the work was start
ed last Wednesday after an 18th hour
conference between the mayor and
Chairman Grove had been productive
of no results favorable to the citys
chief executive.
letter Sent to Commissioners
| The following letter was delivered
| in tpdat,s n to ,tss, i
Crows and nj Nonno.
! Dear Sir: .'@.
Your recent actions in the
conduct of the affairs of the board
| of public works were directly
contrary TO my policy of remain
Ing within appropriations.
I'm accordance with the reso-
luton introduced by Mr. Searle
and passed by the city meeting
board, addressed to your board
as well as other boards a COM
munication requesting your board
TO make every effort to live with
in your appropriation. This has
been entirely ignored and ! find
1t necessary to request your res
ignation.
Respectfully yours,
"A NJ. PAONESSA,
Mayor
Grove Not Surprised
Chairman Grove said the mavor,s
action did not come as a surprise to
him. He said he took the matter up
with the mayor before ii went to the
public works board for consideration.
If the mayor had objections he should
nave voiced them at that time and
nothing would have been done con-
trary to his wishes, Chairman Grove
said. After it had been passed by the
council the mayor vetoed the resolu-
tlon and then Chairman Grove did
everything within his power to work
lts passage, he admitted. The retir-
Ing chairman feels that the board has
taken the right stand, he said this
m orning
Singled Out Leading Figures
Mayor Paonessa was asked this
morning why he had singled ont
Grove and hi Nonno when the action
he objected to was the unanimous ac-
llon OF the board. He replied that he
the two commissioners as the
eadlng hgures in the movement Ask
"a II he would retire other commits
'loners, the mayor said that he prob
ably would not, but he intimated that
ne incident was not necessarily clos
ID with the developments of the week
md
Refuse 10 Resign
Messrs. Grove and Di Nonno this
afternoon sent letters to the mavor
ieclining to resign and explaining
Vhy. Mr.. Groves letter follows:
Replying to your request for
my resignation, will not offer il
because l believe it is on account
of my fulfilling the orders of the
Common Council, which orders
were within our appropriations.
However, if you wish my place
on the Board of Public Works
hiled by some one who will carry
out your personal wishes, rather
than those of the people, which
are expressed through their repre-
sentatives in the Council then il
becomes necessary for you to dis
miss me.
Since have done my duty as
public servant, j see no reason
for my sending in a resignation
Mr.. Di NonnOis Letter
l am In receipt of your letter
requesting my resignation as
member of the Board of Pubic
Works, on the ground that my re-
cent actions in the conduct of the
affairs of the Board of Public
Works were directly contrary TO
(your) policy of remaining within
appropriations
Your letter is rather vague.
and l ask you to be more speciA
with your charges. As member
of that board, / wish to state.
that the said board has not ex-
(Cantintad - utfsh n.-x