Special Meeting of the General Council Commission - May 27, 2026
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Special Meeting of the General Council Commission - May 27, 2026
The Middletown General Council Commission held a special meeting on May 27, 2026, to address several ordinances, job descriptions, and staffing updates. Key actions included approval of exemptions for a temporary amphitheater location, a 40-year tax abatement for St. Vincent's Commons (moved to committee for further detail), and new fire mechanic and building official job descriptions. The meeting also featured public testimony, a historic preservation tax abatement, and a vacancy report.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mary Ellen (St. Vincent dePaul Middletown) presented the St. Vincent's Commons project, a $14 million facility at 272–295 Liberty Street combining a cold weather shelter, soup kitchen, homeless services, administration, and 16 HUD-subsidized supportive housing units. She requested a 40-year real estate tax abatement on the 16 units only, noting she has paid property taxes on the land since purchase and will continue until building opening. She expressed commitment to serving Middletown.
Discussion Items
- Ordinance – Exemption of Certain Nonprofit Organizations (272-36): Attorney Witsneski explained the amendment adds 1000 Silver Street as a temporary location for NHCPA’s amphitheater while environmental work proceeds at the planned River Road site. Director Marks stated HUD approval is expected in August 2026, with a five-year lease at Silver Street. The ordinance was approved unanimously.
- Ordinance – Noise Exemption (272-95): Mirrors the above change, adding 1000 Silver Street to exempted noise zones. Approved unanimously.
- Ordinance – Tax Abatement for St. Vincent’s Commons (272-95): Councilwoman Salafia raised concerns about the 40-year term and lack of projected tax revenue loss. Director Marks and Mary Ellen noted similar abatements had been given (e.g., Shepherd Home, former Middletown High) and offered to provide projections. The item was moved back to the Finance & Government (F&G) Committee for further discussion on dollar amounts. Motion carried unanimously.
- Ordinance – Historic Structure Rehabilitation Tax Abatement (272-16.2.4): For 116 Washington Street (Air and P's house), developer to spend ~$239,000 on rehabilitation. Director Marks highlighted the city's participation in the state-authorized program. Approved unanimously.
- Job Description – Master Fire Mechanic: Chief Albert cited rising repair costs ($200,000/year, up from $100,000) and labor fees ($200/hour). The position would share time with Public Works and reduce reliance on outside vendors. Councilwoman Sweeney raised supervisory oversight; Chief Albert confirmed coordination with Public Works Director Beach. Approved unanimously.
- Job Description – Assistant Building Official (Correction): Director Richardson acknowledged his error in a 2023 update that incorrectly included an E1 electrician license. The corrected version (based on 2012 labor-management agreement) excludes that requirement. Councilwoman Salafia clarified the change. Approved unanimously.
- Old Business – Recruitment Efforts: Director Richardson reported events (Cultural Day, truck driver open house, Chamber career expo) and announced Maria’s receipt of the Distinguished Presidential Award for community outreach.
- Baker Tilly Workshop: A workshop on implementation of the classification and compensation study is scheduled for May 26, 2026. Director Richardson noted ~$1,000 cost for NeoGov implementation and that most of the 187 positions are within existing pay ranges; only a few changed salary. Details on cost and impact will be presented.
- Vacancy Report: Director Richardson reviewed funded/unfunded positions. Funded positions to be posted include: assessment aid tech, parking operations manager, public health sanitarian, insurance coordinator, account clerk, development specialist, and others. Deputy Director of Central Communications interviews complete; candidate will require council confirmation. Several positions remain at $1 (unfunded).
Key Outcomes
- Approved Unanimously: Exemption and noise ordinances for 1000 Silver Street; historic rehabilitation abatement; master fire mechanic job description; assistant building official job description.
- Moved to Committee: St. Vincent’s Commons tax abatement (272-95) was referred to F&G for financial projections (40-year tax impact).
- Next Steps: Recruitment for funded positions continues; council will interview deputy director candidate; Baker Tilly workshop on May 26 to provide implementation details.
- Date Note: The meeting transcript states May 20, 2026, but official records indicate the meeting was held on May 27, 2026. This summary uses the latter date per instructions.
Meeting Transcript
We are on. We're on. So thank you, Withnesky. Good afternoon, everybody. We are here for the special meeting of the General Council Commission. It's Wednesday, May 20th, 2026. I'm calling the meeting to order. I do see individuals on. I'm assuming you're here for the public comment. So I'll move right to public comment and allow comments at this time, or you can comment as we get to the item that you're here to uh speak speak on. So what's your preference for those that are here? So Chief Albert, Deputy Chief Davis. I would say for the for the city staff, perhaps you want to wait till we get to the item. I do see Ms. Mary Ellen on. She may want to speak since there is here. So are you here to speak, Myth Mary Ellen for public comment? Sure, I can if if you'd like me to as I think you all know, and and the city has uh funded with ARPA funds for a million dollars is our new facility, which is going to be known as St. Vincent's Commons, which is currently under construction. Um we are moving our operations totally off of Main Street into the new facility on Liberty Street uh this time next year. And what came up is uh it's sort of a first of its kind in Connecticut for Department of Housing, where we're we're merging a cold weather shelter, homeless services, our soup kitchen, and uh administration, our scattered site housing program, and also um 16 units of what's called um efficiency supportive housing units of housing permanent housing under the supportive housing model from HUD. Uh those units are fully subsidized by a HUD grant in our name, and uh the individuals will be coming off the Middle Town Meriden Wallingford Coordinated Access Network, which is the statewide system that we all when we do housing for the homeless have to take clients off the list. So 16 individuals who have prolonged um uh history of homelessness as well as a disabling condition will qualify for this housing. There will also be a full-time case manager embedded in the project who are dedicated to the 16 units, uh housing case manager, also funded by HUD. And what what this triggered with the city, because the whole building is in our nonprofit arena um legally, but there's a state statute, I believe, and I'm not a lawyer, so please bear with me that the 16 units uh were taxable for uh real estate taxes. Obviously, um, you know, we we raise a lot of money every year. We're a two and a half million dollar organization operationally. Um the new building is a 14 million dollar project, which we have raised all of the money for without carrying a mortgage, which took me uh four years to do, but we did it. Um so I have worked with the city legal department with economic development with Christine. That and certainly the warming center is a project we do for the city every year. Uh we took that on when Columbus House um ended their tenure with it, and I was committed to do it to build a space for it, so I don't have to rent a space in the community. Uh it will have bathrooms, laundry, and shower. It will also serve the city when we have uh disaster of some need and there's uh or a fire where we have to get a family or some people quickly before we can get them in a hotel. We'll open our space for you, and we'll probably be helping to run it for cooling centers in the summer as needed. I kind of do that already in the soup kitchen when I can. Um, so we are seeking a real estate tax abatement of 40 years on the 16 units only. I have paid taxes and water taxes and sewer taxes since I purchased the three lots in 2022 or three, I can't remember now. But I've made the commitment. I I paid um all the property taxes going forward. I will continue to pay those till I open the building next year. In fairness, um, you deserve to be paid for those taxes, and I've carried that um and I will continue till we open the building. Um, and I will continue till we open the building. So I think that's my quick synopsis of my ask. Um we are here to serve Middletown for as long as you need us. And I think it has been a goal for a long time to get St. Vincent's off of Main Street, which I wholeheartedly support as the right move. Uh we will be in a gated community. Um so we are very excited and construction is we're almost ready to put the first floor on. We're out of the basement. Happy to answer any questions.
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