New Britain Common Council Regular Meeting: September 25, 2024
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New Britain Common Council Regular Meeting: September 25, 2024
The New Britain Common Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included public participation, consideration of zoning petitions, adoption of several resolutions, and discussion of city finances and infrastructure. The meeting adjourned at 8:37 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Frank Chase (24 Roxbury Road) criticized city officials for decades of neglect of storm sewer systems in Allen Street and Hampton Eaton basins, stating that infrastructure is at crisis levels and that his home’s foundation wall has been breached by floodwater. He urged immediate action and noted the city is installing a 66-inch pipe on Allen Street.
- John Christoph (292 Linwood Street) questioned water billing changes and whether the overlook project fixes only 10-year flooding problems without addressing 100-year risks.
- Amy Bazorski (70 Sunny Slope Drive), a CCSU faculty member and director of the Racial Justice Certificate Program, condemned former Mayor Timothy Stewart’s anti-Asian Facebook comments and called for his removal from the School Building Committee. She argued leaders must stand up to racism.
- Ann Spire condemned racist hate speech by Stewart and requested removal of Stewart’s name from the community room at the police station, suggesting it be renamed for Chief Wardwell.
- Bill Shortell (947 West Main Street) celebrated Stewart’s resignation but warned against continued bigotry. He criticized the broader political climate.
- Roy Centeno (289 Splate Road), former council member, shared personal experiences of being called a slur and urged leaders to denounce prejudice.
- Paul Cantonzero (250 Hill Hurst Avenue) criticized the council for spending two and a half hours on a ceasefire resolution, arguing they should focus on local issues and represent all 70,000+ residents without partisanship.
Response by Council Members
- Alderwoman Beloin-Saavedra acknowledged attending a meeting about water issues on Overlook and McKinley and confirmed a meeting with Allen Street residents. She condemned hate speech but cautioned against “selective outrage,” noting that a Democratic council member had previously engaged in obscene behavior and was not removed from the council. She urged accountability regardless of party.
- Alderman Simpson agreed on selective outrage and noted the council passes symbolic resolutions (e.g., Polish Festival, Black History Month) as part of its role. He defended the ceasefire resolution as a unanimous act.
- Alderwoman (unidentified) thanked speakers, condemned discrimination, and called for ongoing conversations to build community.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda (items A through J and L through U) was approved unanimously by roll call (13 ayes). These included claims reports, various City Plan Commission recommendations (e.g., zoning amendments, traffic studies), early voting location report, standing claim subcommittee report, and recommendations from the Zoning Subcommittee and Committee on Planning, Zoning and Housing.
- Item K (Early Voting Location at Senior Center) was approved separately after Mr. Peter Gostin (Republican Registrar of Voters) explained the 14-day early voting schedule (Oct 21 – Nov 3), hours, and same-day registration requirements.
Petitions
- Seven zoning petitions (Items 1–7 from Ald. Smedley) were introduced to amend setback regulations, remove conflicting provisions, screen mechanicals, clarify fence heights, establish impervious coverage limits, adjust landscaping requirements for parking lots, and define smoke shop separation. All were referred to the City Plan Commission and Zoning Committee.
- An eighth petition from Ald. McNamara to report on Beehive Bridge Festival expenses and revenues was referred to Parks and Recreation.
Discussion Items
- Reconsideration of Resolution 36598 (Public Bids No. 4181 and 4183 – on-call electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc.): Ald. McNamara moved to refer to the Administration, Finance and Law Committee for vetting. Motion carried.
- Resolution 1 (Item 36576) – PILOT agreement with Housing Authority and JHM Group (39-year, $750 per unit): Adopted after Ald. Smedley noted language changes removing reference to Mount Pleasant Apartments.
- Resolutions 2–8 – Zoning amendments (removing caretaker dwellings in RO district, named building signs in CBD, dimensional standards in multifamily districts, historically significant building protections, roofed porch projections, zoning permit process, accessory dwelling units): Each adopted after brief discussion. Ald. Smedley described #8 as eliminating an unnecessary new section.
- Resolution 9 – Ground lease and land disposition agreement with Housing Authority and JHM Group: Ald. Smedley moved to amend the resolution by striking references to JHM Group in several paragraphs. Amendment adopted; then resolution adopted as amended.
- Resolution 10 – Appointment of Shayne Livingston as Common Council Clerk of Committees: Adopted after questions. Ms. Livingston introduced herself as a lifelong New Britain resident with experience in schools and coaching. Some council members noted the resume was not shared with all caucuses.
- Resolution 12 – Acceptance of $14,968.68 state grant for early voting implementation: Adopted after Mr. Gostin explained the grant formula and costs.
- Resolution 13 – 10-year lease agreement for new voting tabulators at $1 from Secretary of State’s pilot program: Adopted after Mr. Gostin described equipment improvements, training, and security protocols.
- Resolution 14 – Tax abatements, corrections, refunds (approx. $246,000 in properties, $56,900 in vehicles): Adopted.
- Resolution 15 – Neighborhood flood relief initiative for owner-occupied properties: Referred to AFL Committee.
- Resolution 16 – FY 2023–2024 budget transfer and amendment (General Fund): Adopted by roll call (13 ayes). Finance Director Jonathan Pierre-Jean detailed sources of surplus (2.8M under budget expenses, +5.8M interest income, +1.5M tax liens, +2.7M MERSA grant, etc.) and allocations to pension funds, self-insurance, capital projects (road paving $2.5M, Mount Pleasant $600,000, school renovations, parks). Ald. McNamara requested more historical data for future transparency.
- Resolution 17 – DEEP grant for Stanley Loop Trail Neighborhood Connections project ($6M+?): Adopted.
- Resolution 18 – Additional design work for Beeline Trail Phase 3 ($163,000 to Fuss & O’Neil): Adopted.
- Resolution 19 – On-call engineering services for landfill monitoring ($31,000 to CMG Environmental): Adopted.
- Resolution 20 – CRCOG Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2024–2029: Referred to AFL.
- Resolution 21 – Conveyance of Black Rock Avenue right-of-way parcels from CT DOT: Referred to City Plan Commission and PZH Committee.
- Announcement: Mayor Stewart (or council member) announced a $6,070,952 grant from the state’s Community Investment Fund for the “Transforming East Main” project to demolish the old public works yard and realign Route 174.
Key Outcomes
- Referred to AFL Committee: Resolution 36598 (on-call contracts), Resolution 15 (flood relief), Resolution 20 (hazard mitigation plan).
- Referred to City Plan and Zoning Committee: Petitions 1–7.
- Referred to Parks and Recreation: Petition regarding Beehive Bridge Festival.
- Adopted unanimously: Consent agenda items A–J, L–U; Items K, 1–10, 12–14, 17–19.
- Adopted as amended: Resolution 9.
- Adopted by roll call (13 ayes): Resolution 16 (budget transfer).
- Item 11 withdrawn: Demand for removal of Timothy Stewart from School Building Committee (Mr. Stewart had resigned).
- Meeting adjourned: 8:37 PM.
Meeting Transcript
I want to welcome everybody to the September twenty-fifth uh regular meeting of the common council. Uh this is the public participation part of the meeting. It's now seven oh one. Um and we have a list to draw from. Uh please remember to state your name and address clearly for the record. Limit your speaking time to three minutes. If uh no one has signed up but still wants to speak, anybody in the room will be recognized who wants to be uh recognized. And we'll check on remote to see if anybody's calling in. So with that we'll begin with Frank Chase. I'm old. Frank Chase, twenty-four Roxbury Road. He is hoping to get a date established this week. The compromised outdated and undersized undersized storm sewer systems in the Allen Street basin and in the Hampton Eaton sub basin were first identified 30 years ago by Director of Public Works Joe Corelli. These systems have been ignored, neglected, and mismanaged by the by elected and appointed city officials for decades. The unhealthy contaminated flooding water contains bacteria, fecal matter, fats, motor oil, grease, etc. The cause is undeniable, the effects will be catastrophic if the flooding is allowed to continue. Weston Simpson Engineers reported the state of the infrastructure is at crisis levels. Now sections of our interior, front foundation wall, the north side, which faces the retention pond, have been breached by the flooding water. This is an emergency situation which we will attend to as soon as possible. The cost of this repair will be sent to the city's insurance company for immediate reimbursement, along with our other recorded outstanding flood-related expenses. As Morre already has noted, the city will be installing a sixty-six-inch pipe on Allen Street, replacing the compromised 24-inch pipe. Flooding our neighborhoods and compromising the smaller pipes and drainage structures in the Hampton Eaton subbasin. Really? Who is feeding whom here? We pay you for your services. You are criticizing us for our civic efforts to uncover the truth about the flooding. We are engaged because our city officials have neglected our infrastructure problems for decades. The more we shine the light on this problem, the more defensive our city officials become. After all, it has been decades. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chase. Our next speaker is John Postopic. John Christoph, 292 Linwood Street. Good evening. Media companies are being pressured to restrict internet for children. Maybe they should include former mayors. Going back to water. Our most recent water bill. Now it has a post office box in Woburn, Massachusetts. That's after a Hartford Connecticut post office box. And then a New Britain Connecticut Post Office box. Who we paid a bill to. It used to be the Board of Water Commissioners. Then the New Britain Water Department. Now it's the city of New Britain. Just curious. Was it my understanding from the last common council meeting that the work approved for the overlook project fixes deficiencies in the present system, but does nothing to prepare for the future, which is happening right now. Are they fixing 10-year flooding problems and doing nothing about the hundred-year problem? Just curious.
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