Regular Meeting of the New Britain Common Council - July 10, 2024
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Regular Meeting of the New Britain Common Council - July 10, 2024
Meeting Date: July 10, 2024 Start Time: 8:11 PM (public participation began at 7:00 PM) Adjournment: 8:21 PM
The meeting began with public participation at 7:00 PM, during which residents spoke about flooding and stormwater issues, a proposed Gaza ceasefire resolution, and other local concerns. The regular meeting commenced at 8:11 PM with roll call (15 members present), invocation, and Pledge of Allegiance. The council approved minutes, amended the agenda, assigned petitions to departments, approved the consent calendar (with one item referred to committee), and adopted two resolutions. Alderwoman Simpson announced that a ceasefire resolution will be placed on the August agenda.
Consent Calendar
- Items A, C, D, E, F, G, and H of the consent agenda were approved unanimously (15-0). These included claims for injuries/damage, sale of surplus equipment, monthly checks report, and police commission responses to various petitions.
- Item B (Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for FY ending June 30, 2023) was referred to the Committee on Administration, Finance, and Law and Public Service for review at a meeting on July 22, 2024 at 6:00 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
Flooding and Stormwater Issues (Allen Street Project)
- Frank Chase (24 Roxbury Road) reported that his real estate tax bill increased to nearly $9,000 per year. He criticized the mayor for not updating the 2013 engineering plan for the Allen Street storm sewer project, which has led to chronic flooding, sanitary backups, and contaminated water (bacteria, fecal matter, motor oil, grease). He said the project is critical and should be funded by spring 2025.
- Dale Belukis (formerly of 24 Roxbury Road, now visiting) described the basement as once bone-dry but now constantly threatened by flooding, preventing his parents from leaving the property during rain events.
- Andrew Pope (87 Brighton Street) reported losing his basement to sewer water one year ago and installing a backflow valve. He noted a poll in Ward 4 found one in five houses had water damage after the June 30 storm, estimating tens of thousands or millions of dollars in damage.
- Peg Messerschmidt (6 Hampton Street) urged the council to fix the sewers to prevent flooding on Hampton Street.
- Alderwoman Candyce Scott (speaking as a council member) confirmed flooding in Ward 3 and shared her own experience of flooding in her home, including her cat needing to swim.
Gaza Ceasefire Resolution Multiple speakers urged the council to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. They argued that U.S. and Connecticut tax dollars are funding the conflict, diverting money from local needs like housing, education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
- Patrick Thompson (44 Brittany Farms Road) called for a ceasefire to end the genocide.
- Shelley Altman (207 Colony Road, New Haven, Jewish Voice for Peace) stated that 69 million Connecticut dollars could have funded 8,000+ public housing units, healthcare for 24,000 children, or 754 elementary school teachers. In New Britain, over $1 million could fund 122 public housing units or 359 children's healthcare.
- Jacob Pudlin (407 Monroe Street, Jewish resident) asked the council not to use Jewish residents as a reason to oppose a ceasefire; he supported the resolution.
- Kylie Harrington (115 Best Ave, Bristol, Hartford Jewish Organizing Collective) supported the resolution.
- Lily Mercado (19th Satcham Street) said the resolution would recognize grief in the community and pressure higher levels of government.
- Amy Martin (375 South Main Street) cited 38,000+ Palestinian deaths and 186,000 indirect deaths, arguing funds should go to human services.
- Hillary Deseraggio (407 Monroe Street) noted 20,000 babies born in Gaza since October 7 and referenced city precedents like Hartford's anti-apartheid resolution.
- Gillian Davy (974 West Boulevard, Hartford) argued neutrality is complicity with genocide and demanded a ceasefire.
- Carly Webb (811 East Street, 26-year resident) said supporting the resolution is a matter of moral solvency and that local infrastructure is underfunded because tax money goes to war.
- Stanley Heller (Danbury, Jewish Voice for Peace) shared a personal story of a Gazan friend who has been without insulin for nine months and now sleeps on the street.
- Soul Braxton (88 Wallace Street) said the issue is local because tax dollars leave New Britain to fund violence.
- Joe Wasserman (West Hartford) connected local flooding and high taxes to weapons spending.
Other Public Comments
- Melvin Rogers (161 South Main Street, senior building) requested safety measures for seniors crossing streets due to speeding cars.
- Winnie Fellow (remote caller) spoke about mortgage increases and flooding.
Discussion Items
- Council Response to Public Comments: Several council members spoke. Alderwoman Simpson noted that a ceasefire resolution was not on the July 10 agenda but assured that it will be on the August meeting agenda. She acknowledged the moral weight of the issue and the need to prioritize local funding. Alderwoman Scott expressed support for the ceasefire and connected it to broader issues of humanity and local funding. Alderman Santiago also supported the ceasefire and called for collaboration. Alderman McNamara encouraged residents to call or meet with him to discuss the resolution. Alderwoman McAdam thanked the public for their input.
- Amendments to Agenda: Alderman Sanchez moved to withdraw item 3 (Alderman Smedley's petition to amend signage regulations? Actually from the transcript: "withdrawing item three" – likely one of the petitions. The motion passed unanimously 15-0.)
- Petitions: All petitions were assigned to appropriate departments for review and action. Items 4-10 (from Ald. Smedley regarding zoning changes) were referred to the Planning, Zoning, and Housing Committee for first reading.
- Resolution 2 (Ability Walk & Roll): Alderwoman McAdam presented the resolution commemorating the 34th anniversary of the ADA. Alderwoman Scott and Beloin-Saavedra spoke in support, praising the city's inclusivity efforts. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes Approved: Minutes of May 22, 2024 and June 12, 2024 were approved.
- Agenda Amendment: Item 3 was withdrawn from the agenda (15-0).
- Petitions Referred: All 14 petitions were referred to the appropriate city departments or committees for investigation and action.
- Consent Agenda: Items A, C, D, E, F, G, H were approved (15-0). Item B was referred to the Administration, Finance, and Law Committee.
- Resolution 1 (Tax Abatements, Corrections, and Refunds): Adopted. Motor vehicle refunds total $19,693 through June 24, 2024; property abatements and refunds total $4,083.
- Resolution 2 (Ability Walk & Roll and Disability Awareness Day): Adopted unanimously. The event is scheduled for July 24, 2024, 5-7 PM at Darius Miller Memorial Band Shell in Walnut Hill Park.
- Resolution 3 (Tax Modification Agreement with Housing Authority for Mount Pleasant): Not discussed during the meeting; no action taken.
- Ceasefire Resolution: Alderwoman Simpson announced that a ceasefire resolution will be placed on the agenda for the August 2024 Common Council meeting.
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 8:21 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I want to welcome everybody to the July 10th meeting of the New Britain Common Council. We begin as always with public participation. It's now seven o'clock. I have a list that I'll call from in order. Please remember to state your name and address. Clearly for the record. You have three minutes. And if somebody has not signed up or somebody calling remotely, they will be recognized. Everyone who wants will have an opportunity to speak. All right, I'm gonna start the list now. And we're we have Frank Chase. Frank Chase, 24 Roxbury Road, New Britain. Our recent real estate tax bill has increased to nearly $9,000 per year. The clean water fund charges are added to our water sewer bill each quarter. Per the current mayor, the clean water fund money will be col which is collected from all property owners, will be used to minimize flooding in vulnerable neighborhoods. Even with this increased revenue, our neighborhood block and property continues to flood. We are told the construction for the Allen Street Project, we are the construction for the Allen Street project will take 18 to 24 months to complete once it started. If the Allen Street project is funded and started by the spring of 2025, we must live through at least two more tropical rainy seasons and the resulting flooding. Obviously, a sense of urgency must be applied to this project by all city and state officials. The current mayor's description, the Allen Street Project number two is critical to resolving chronic dish issues, including flooding due to storm sewer failures, sanitary backups, and breaks to to due to insufficient capacity and the system's age. The Allen Street problem is a hazard we need to mitigate. It is evident now more than ever that we need to see this project come to fruition. The current mayor also mayor also reports that there are storm sanitary cross connections on Allen Street, further contributing to this public health emergency. Over the years, the current mayor wrote in her memo memos to our state legislators that the Allen Street Project number two is our most pressing need. Why did the current mayor fail to prudently update the semi-final cardinal engineering plan from 2013 and press for the proper funding years ago? Instead, over the years, she has allowed the Allen Street storm sewer system to deteriorate, further threatening our neighborhoods and properties. Simply writing memos does not get the job done. Bottom line, the compromised Allen Street storm sewer system has created an open an open air cesspool on Allen Street and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Our properties are the toilet bowl catch basin where all of the contaminated flooding water gathers, waiting for the rain events to end before receding. As a reminder, we purchased our home in 1973 with a healthy dry basement and a flood-free property. Our neighborhood and our property are not the same today. Our property is positioned at the low point in our block. Consequently, much of the flooding contaminated water flows through our pro properties surrounding our structures. The cause is undeniable. The compromised Allen Street storm sewer system and the required upgrades are beyond our control. The resulting flooding and the related damage damage is beyond our control. Weston Simpson engineers wrote that the Allen Street project number two must be a high priority because the infrastructure is at crisis levels. Meanwhile, the contaminated flooding water continues to threaten our neighborhoods. As a reminder to all, the unhealthy contaminants in the flooding water includes bacteria, fecal matter, fats, motor oil, grease, etc. Thank you. Thank you, Frank. Next speaker is Dale Balucas. Did I say that right? Dale. Greetings and thank you, guys. My name is Dale Belukis. I am currently reside in La Quinta, California. I am currently reside in La Quinta, California, formerly of New B of 24 Roxbury Road, here visiting Frank, his stepson and visiting my mom there. And I just want to stand just be up here just to share a quick uh reminiscence of what that property used to be like. I grew up, my dad uh renovated that whole three-story house from that basement, and I grew up in a sea of sawdust down in that basement, and it was a completely dry.
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