The New Britain Common Council held a regular meeting on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 7:35 PM in Council Chambers, City Hall. The meeting began with public participation at 7:01 PM, followed by the regular session. The council addressed a range of infrastructure, recognition, and administrative items, including multiple resolutions related to flooding mitigation, sewer rehabilitation, after-school programs, and commemorative proclamations.
I want to welcome everybody to the September 11th meeting, regular meeting of the common council. It is now 7 01 and time for public comment. Uh when there's an opening. Thank you. Well, first of all, people, you know, thank you for the opportunity to get here in front of the council and and speak to you. Uh so my name is Gaetano Di Petro. I own a property one ninety-four Overlook Avenue in New Britain. And the reason why I'm here today is the ongoing flood flooding issue that I've been having at that residence for the past forty-four years. And what I have to say when they came to the claim hearing yes uh last week that most of you guys were there, it was the first time that I felt that I was being heard, uh having empathy. And to me, when it comes to these flooding situations, it's the human aspect that I really know. My mom is here, she's been dealing with this. My dad is not here with us anymore. Thank you, Macamero. When you told us that, you know, there is a project that maybe we're gonna get a you know an outcome tonight. Uh I know on the nineteenth there's gonna be talks about you know, going forward. I know you guys had bids. So for me it's more about seeing progress. Uh I know that we're all busy here. I'm a reasonable person, and all we want is to get a resolution, get the problem fixed. When I see other projects being done around New Britain when it comes to the public parks and millions of dollars updating, I want it to be where let's fix problems. I understand that those parks are important for the kids for our future, for families to, you know, be uh partaking those exercises there. But let's come up with a solution here because this is only one step. What about the devaluation of these properties? Because this is a problem that the town has known for decades, and nothing was ever done. And now we're in this position here. So to me it's like I appreciate you guys taking the time, taking those meetings. I just want to see progress being made. Uh you know, and Aaron, she has my number, my email. Um a reasonable person. I just want to come up with some solutions and whatever feedback I can get from you guys, I would really appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. De Petro. Hold your applause to the end. Our next speaker is Jason Gorzo. Good evening. My name is Jason Orzle, uh Yatsuk for Polish people in here. Uh I I'm I'm at one Sealander Street. I uh I live in Plainville, but that is a property I own. Um I've got two tenants there, so I'm also here to talk about flooding. This is uh an area where we flood chronically. Um I'm beginning to learn a lot about the city uh claim process because I've filed a number of claims. I've been filing claims, I guess, since 2011 and 18. We had three floods last year, um, and then this year we've had two floods. I'm still waiting to be uh to resolve a claim from last year. It's frustrating. Um I guess the point of my conversation is to just express a little bit of a human problem. Um, as a landlord, I have to offer uh my my tenants space, like often quite enjoyment and uh you know, a safe place. Um I do pay uh sewer bills and stuff like that, but then um I do experience, at least in the last two years, major major flooding, like the sewers come into my house. Um that's not a service that I I would expect.