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The meeting is set for 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1. The meeting will be held at 19 Quintard Ave.
All are invited to the informational meeting, especially residents of Shorefront Park, Village Creek, Harbor View, East Norwalk and the Coalition of Norwalk Neighborhood Associations. Informational handouts will be available on the group's progress in its grassroots activism to block the facility.
According to the neighborhood group, politicians from the city, state and federal levels have been invited to attend. Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff has confirmed his attendance along with state Rep. Gail Lavielle and two Norwalk city councilman.
The re-entry facility would operate as a halfway house for prisoners returning to the community. It would be operated by Firetree Ltd., a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit company.
Firetree is currently being sued by Pennsylvania’s attorney general, accused of diverting public funds into the private coffers through a series of shell companies and unnamed affiliates.
The previous owner of 17 Quintard Ave. was Pivot Ministries, a faith-based charitable organization headquartered in Bridgeport that treats individual with substance use disorders.
Under a zoning variance obtained in 1976, Pivot Ministries was allowed to operate a half-way house at 17 Quintard Ave. — in a residential neighborhood — for those recovering from substance abuse.
Firetree bought the property and received federal funding to operate a prison re-entry facility there.
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