OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Regular Meeting of the New Britain Common Council - October 23, 2024

Common Council — Wednesday, October 23, 2024
BodyNew Britain, Connecticut
SessionCommon Council
DateWednesday, October 23, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:48

I'm here to welcome all to the October 23rd meeting of the New Britain Common Council.

0:55

This is time for public participation at 7 p.m.

1:02

Uh if there is anybody who wishes to speak, I understand we have qu callers in the QI.

1:07

I have no names who have signed up, but we will turn to the audience if anybody wishes to speak.

1:13

But do we have a uh call in?

1:18

Okay.

1:20

If you can hear me, please state your name and address, and you have three minutes.

1:24

Go ahead.

1:31

Hello, caller.

1:33

Please state your name and address for the record, and you have three minutes.

1:37

Please proceed.

1:47

Begin to feel like my I was the audiovisual guy in eighth grade, and nothing works.

1:52

So yes.

1:58

Hello.

1:59

If you can hear me, please state your name and address for the record, and you have three minutes to speak to the council.

2:09

All right, we'll come back to our callers.

2:12

Uh let me uh make a call for anybody in the audience wish to address the council.

2:20

Anyone in the audience wish to address the council?

2:24

All right, next.

2:27

Hello.

2:32

Can I uh address the council?

2:36

Oh, could oh, go back.

2:38

Could you step in?

2:39

Hello, can you hear me?

2:44

State your name and address for the record, and you have three minutes.

2:54

All right, we'll wait.

2:56

We'll be patient, but please can you step up and if you'd like to speak, please.

3:14

Caller, can you hear me?

3:16

Don't be shy.

3:20

Hello once.

3:23

Hello twice.

3:25

Hello.

3:27

Can you hear me?

3:28

Hello.

3:28

Can you hear me?

3:30

Is that something?

3:31

Yes.

3:31

State your name and address for the record.

3:33

The floor is yours for three minutes.

3:36

Go ahead.

3:37

Okay.

3:37

My name is Harry Crescamaro.

3:40

I live in 5050 Street New Britain, Connecticut.

3:44

I'm the president of the Angela Tomato Linger Lodge, number 2155, or the Clums and Daughters of Italy in America.

3:53

The Council and Daughters of Italy is the oldest nationwide fraternal organization of Italian Americans founded in 1905 by Dr.

4:02

Congento Pelero in New York City.

4:06

On behalf of all the brothers and sisters in our order, I thank Mayor Stewart and the Common Council of the City of New Britain for designating the month of October as Italian American Heritage Month.

4:21

Thank you very much.

4:29

No, okay.

4:33

Welcome.

4:40

This is uh heart wretching um issue.

4:46

I'm dealing with I'm here in the city as a can can you just state your name and address for the record?

4:52

Well, I'm gonna get to that.

4:54

I'm a domestic violence victim that has relocated here.

5:00

And so I've been working with a couple of people basically out of uh Prudence Crandall.

5:06

And basically, I've been dealing with an issue as I think everyone has maybe a photo of where I reside at my ethnicity is a combination of indigenous people and as well as um descendants of slaves, and where I reside, my uh neighbor was um encouraged by the landlord um the investor and that's to prompt the neighbors and with the help of the New Britain Police Department to condone lynching and my front lawn of numerous um dolls, burned them like um in the south.

5:58

My family um descended as slaves, my dad had to relocate to the north for you know to uh avoid that, and um the police reports that was written um was fraudulently um written to omit these type of um hate crimes, and I've never I've always been a law-abiding citizen, and I'm um it what grieves me is that here I'm a DV and I'm trying not to disclose where I am, my safety, but now in order for me to address the issue, I had to come before this council to let them know what's going on in 2024 with lynching.

6:43

So to have that in front of my front lawn to be condoned by the police department telling them that they have rights to um infringe upon the my side of the property um is is concerning.

6:57

So this is something I just wanted to let them know that's going on in our community in 2024, along with the cross, which I am a clergywoman with the uh torn animal on the right-hand side.

7:10

This is all on our front front lawn, and I asked could they intervene, and it was made as if it it was no of concern, and that I was just a um older complaining woman next door that lived in that unit a year almost prior to these new people moving in.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████████████31%
Public Participation███████████████████████23%
Racial Equity██████████████14%
Public Safety████████████12%
Public Health█████████9%
Cultural Heritage█████████9%
Personnel Matters██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Regular Meeting of the New Britain Common Council - October 23, 2024

The New Britain Common Council held its regular meeting on October 23, 2024, beginning with public participation at 7:00 PM and the regular session at 7:14 PM in Council Chambers, City Hall. The meeting included public testimony on multiple issues, unanimous approval of the consent agenda, adoption of resolutions for EMS services, Italian and Polish heritage months, tax abatements, and approval of a labor contract with public safety telecommunications union following executive session.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Harry Crescamaro (president of the Angelo Tomaso Senior Lodge, Sons and Daughters of Italy in America) expressed gratitude to the Mayor and Council for designating October as Italian American Heritage Month.
  • An anonymous domestic violence victim (clergywoman, relocated to New Britain) reported that her neighbor, with encouragement from the landlord and the New Britain Police Department, placed burned dolls with nooses and a cross on her front lawn, which she described as a lynching and hate crime. She stated police reports omitted the hate crime aspects and asked the Council to intervene.
  • Paul Catanzero (250 Hillhurst Avenue) spoke in strong support of Resolution 1 (EMS extension agreement), noting he was an original employee of New Britain EMS in 1978 and that the service is one of the best in the state.
  • Lisa Liu (63 Bassett Street) called on Mayor Stewart to publicly condemn racist comments made by former Mayor Tim Stewart about the Asian American community, criticizing the current mayor's response as cavalier.

Following public comments, a Council member (an alderwoman, not identified in transcript) thanked the speakers, expressed deep concern over the reported hate crime urging its removal, and also thanked Lisa Liu, stating racism and discrimination must not be tolerated.

Consent Calendar

  • Items A (Claims for Injuries and/or Property Damages), B (Sale of Surplus Equipment), C (Recommendation for Extension Agreement with NBEMS), and D (Settlement of Claims) were adopted unanimously by roll call vote (13-0).

Discussion Items

  • Resolution 1 (Extension Agreement between City and New Britain Emergency Medical Services, Inc.): Adopted unanimously. Alderman Connors moved adoption, noting the agreement ensures continued emergency medical services. Alderwoman Beloin-Saavedra mentioned the new EMS Chief offered a council tour of facilities, and Alderwoman Scott expressed appreciation.
  • Resolution 2 (October as Italian American Heritage Month): Adopted unanimously. Alderman McNamara moved adoption, highlighting contributions of Italian-American organizations. Alderwoman Beloin-Saavedra noted it was submitted on behalf of the entire council to remedy a prior oversight.
  • Resolution 3 (October as Polish American Heritage Month): Adopted unanimously. Alderman Melanowski moved adoption, emphasizing Polish-American contributions and the success of Little Poland. Alderwoman Beloin-Saavedra praised previous councils and the Polish community.
  • Resolution 4 (Tax Abatements, Corrections, and Refunds): Adopted unanimously. Alderman Connors explained it corrects errors and provides refunds after hearings.
  • Resolution 5 (Approval of Agreement between City and UE Local 111 No. 25 Public Safety Telecommunicators): Alderman Simpson moved adoption; the Council then went into executive session with the Mayor, Gennaro Vizarro, and Mary Pikorski to discuss contract details. Upon returning at 7:54 PM, the motion was approved.

Key Outcomes

  • All five resolutions were adopted unanimously.
  • The consent agenda was approved unanimously.
  • A petition by Alderperson Scott regarding safety mechanisms at 140 Columbus Boulevard/Price Rite Plaza entryway (pedestrian crossing signs/lines near train tracks) was referred to the council office.
  • The Council entered executive session and subsequently approved the telecommunicator union contract.
  • A moment of silence was observed at the start of the regular meeting for victims of the Berlin fire (including a CWPM employee and a retired firefighter) who lost their lives during the Lamentation Mountain blaze, and the Council President offered condolences.

Meeting Transcript

I'm here to welcome all to the October 23rd meeting of the New Britain Common Council. This is time for public participation at 7 p.m. Uh if there is anybody who wishes to speak, I understand we have qu callers in the QI. I have no names who have signed up, but we will turn to the audience if anybody wishes to speak. But do we have a uh call in? Okay. If you can hear me, please state your name and address, and you have three minutes. Go ahead. Hello, caller. Please state your name and address for the record, and you have three minutes. Please proceed. Begin to feel like my I was the audiovisual guy in eighth grade, and nothing works. So yes. Hello. If you can hear me, please state your name and address for the record, and you have three minutes to speak to the council. All right, we'll come back to our callers. Uh let me uh make a call for anybody in the audience wish to address the council. Anyone in the audience wish to address the council? All right, next. Hello. Can I uh address the council? Oh, could oh, go back. Could you step in? Hello, can you hear me? State your name and address for the record, and you have three minutes. All right, we'll wait. We'll be patient, but please can you step up and if you'd like to speak, please. Caller, can you hear me? Don't be shy. Hello once. Hello twice. Hello. Can you hear me? Hello. Can you hear me? Is that something? Yes. State your name and address for the record. The floor is yours for three minutes. Go ahead. Okay. My name is Harry Crescamaro. I live in 5050 Street New Britain, Connecticut. I'm the president of the Angela Tomato Linger Lodge, number 2155, or the Clums and Daughters of Italy in America. The Council and Daughters of Italy is the oldest nationwide fraternal organization of Italian Americans founded in 1905 by Dr. Congento Pelero in New York City. On behalf of all the brothers and sisters in our order, I thank Mayor Stewart and the Common Council of the City of New Britain for designating the month of October as Italian American Heritage Month. Thank you very much. No, okay. Welcome.

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