March 12, 2025 To: All parishioners of SS. Isidore and Maria Parish
From: Father Mark Suslenko, Pastor
Date: March 12, 2025
Re: March 6, 2025, Glastonbury Citizen article regarding the Town of Glastonbury’s contribution to SS. Isidore and Maria Parish parking lot
A recent article in the Glastonbury Citizen regarding the parking lot agreement between the town and the parish contained multiple inaccuracies and mischaracterizations that we wish to address with you.
- Town Council member Kurt Cavanaugh is quoted in this article as saying that the parish did not disclose the planned expansion of the parking lot and church building at the time the agreement was entered in 2021. In fact, however, the parish agreed to enter into the agreement based on the expansion of the parking lot. That expansion was not only disclosed and discussed in the agreement, but it was also depicted as an exhibit to the agreement.
- The Town pays no rent for the public’s use of the parking lot. However, the agreement requires the Town to pay for certain aspects of the parking lot and for the expanded parking lot. There was a good faith disagreement regarding what the Town was required to pay based on different interpretations of the agreement.
- The parish never requested as much as 50% of the total cost of the parking lot expansion and surfacing. It requested what it believed the town owed to it under the agreement (which was significantly less than the cost of the expansion and surfacing). It never attempted to “hustle the town,” as asserted by Mr. Cavanaugh. The town’s initial offer to resolve the matter did not include costs that the parish believed should be paid. The parish provided the town with invoices for all of the costs incurred. The total expense was higher than anticipated by either the parish or the town. The expense resulted in large measure from the parking lot being located near wetlands areas and the costly imposition of requirements to protect those wetlands.
- The parish attended a total of 18 hearings with town commissions before the parking lot plans were finally approved. No town official should claim the scope of the project was a surprise.
- As pastor of this parish, I did not threaten anyone with a “flock of parishioners”. Indeed, to my knowledge, no parishioner or parish employee ever contacted town officials regarding the payment that was due from the town over the past 13 months.
In Christ,
Father Mark Suslenko
Pastor
