South Windsor Town Council Argues Strawberry Fest Controversy

The South Windsor Town Council’s regular meeting on Monday ended by devolving into a rancorous debate over the recent controversy concerning the Cub Scouts Pack 390 withdrawing from participating in last Saturday’s Strawberry Festival.

One councilor even stormed out of the meeting.

The argument started at the end of the 3.5-hour meeting when representatives from Pack 390 voiced their displeasure over Democratic Town Councilor Keith Yagaloff getting in touch with a Boy Scouts of America representative to inquire whether it was permitted for the Cub Scouts to participate in a political fundraiser.

Strawberry Festival is an annual event that is organized by the South Windsor Republican Town Committee, with the proceeds going to the committee.

While the RTC typically charges craft vendors and for-profit organizations to have booths at the festival, the Cub Scouts were being allowed to have a booth free of charge.

Still, the issue wound up being kicked up to the Boy Scouts national office, which barred Pack 390 from ever participating in Strawberry Fest.

All of which did not sit well with the representatives from Pack 390, who did not believe that the national organization had all of the facts available.

Pack 390 fundraising co-chairperson Marietta St. Onge, who identified herself as a registered Democrat, said that while Cub Scouts are prohibited from participating in political events, she did not believe that the Strawberry Fest qualifies as such.

Cubmaster Scott Kelley agreed with St. Onge.

“Obviously, Mr. Yagaloff, you do,” Kelley said. “What was your motivation to keep us out of the Strawberry Fest? … You used Cub Scouts as a pawn. As a means to an end. Why do that to these kids?”

St. Onge said that she had to answer to disappointed 7- to 10-year-old boys who wanted to boost the numbers for their Pack.

“We have sheltered them from this,” St. Onge said. “We had to come up with a way so they did not know - and they asked questions about this, ‘How come we can’t go to the Strawberry Fest?’”

Yagaloff, for his part, remained unapologetic, stating that the proceeds from Strawberry Fest - some $15,000 to $20,000 - go directly to the local Republicans’ coffers.

“This is an event that raises money for an organization to campaign,” Yagaloff said. “The money goes to benefit politicians, including ones sitting up here.”

Yagaloff noted that town employees and school performers were barred from taking part in the popular festival.

What Yagaloff would like to see is the Strawberry Fest be made into a “community event” in which the money goes to the public, like the Wapping Fair, which is run by the South Windsor Jaycees.

Further, Yagaloff said that he did not make any decisions, but merely inquired about the issue to a member of the local Cub Scouts - he did not recall the name, but believed it was someone from Pack 390 - about whether the Boy Scouts charter permits any participation in a political fundraiser.

Yagaloff said that he stood by his decision to make the inquiry - which was raised by a constituent - even if it is an unpopular one, because it was the right thing to do.

People in similar situations - Town Manager Matthew Galligan and former Superintendent of Schools Robert Kozaczka - came under fire for their decisions to bar town and student groups from participating in Strawberry Fest, Yagaloff said.

“I understand how upset you are,” Yagaloff said to the Cub Scouts representatives.

Several Republicans clearly objected to Yagaloff’s comments, with Town Councilor Cary Prague standing up when Yagaloff started to speak.

“This is low, even for you,” Prague said to Yagaloff as he stormed out of the meeting. “You’re evil.”

Prague let his feelings on the matter be known at the start of the meeting by giving the Boy Scouts Salute during the Pledge of Allegiance.

Republican Town Councilor Kevin McCann said that there was a difference between actively supporting a fundraiser and passively attending one.

McCann said that the Cub Scouts were not renting a booth, nor were they going to be engaged in any fundraising.

“I want to apologize for getting you caught in the maelstrom,” McCann said. “You were participating in a community event. A community event that 10,000 people attended.”

McCann added that the only campaigning that took place at the Strawberry Fest last year was when Yagaloff put fliers on people's car windshields for his unsuccessful run for probate judge. McCann held up one of Yagaloff's fliers for effect.

Prior to McCann's comments, Kelley and Yagaloff  got into an exchange over who Yagaloff spoke to and why.

Kelley said that Yagaloff had become the “self-appointed police” of events in South Windsor.

“What was the catalyst and why did you exclude us from the event?” Kelley asked.

“I didn’t exclude anybody,” Yagaloff said.