OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Regular Meeting of the Common Council – December 11, 2024

Common Council — Wednesday, December 11, 2024
BodyNew Britain, Connecticut
SessionCommon Council
DateWednesday, December 11, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
1:07

I want to welcome everybody to the December 11th, 2024 regular meeting of the common council.

1:14

And we begin with public participation at 7 p.m.

1:21

I have a list of names that I'll call from.

1:23

Um and then check if anybody's calling remotely or anybody else in the room will have an opportunity to speak if they wish.

1:32

Uh please remember to state your name and address clearly for the record.

1:36

Limit your speaking time to three minutes.

1:40

And um we'll begin that process now.

1:44

The first name is Heather Johnson.

1:51

Thank you.

1:53

Hi, good evening.

1:54

Heather Johnson, three two three Oak Street in New Britain.

2:01

Do I start now?

2:03

Okay.

2:04

Good evening.

2:05

After multiple calls to the wonderful New Britain Police Department, and going back and forth with the owner of Oliveira Automotive.

2:13

I'm here to voice my frustration on the matter that has been going on for many years and needs to come to an end.

2:19

The previous owner, Maria Torres, also complained about the same issues for many years until she moved.

2:26

Frank, the owner of Oliveira Automotive, continues to store cars from their business in front of nearby houses, commandeering most of the neighborhood neighboring houses with cars that do not live on that street.

2:40

Most of the cars sit on the street for weeks and even months.

2:44

No, there are there is room on his property for these cars to be stored.

2:49

Some of these cars sit so long that their registration expires, and the town comes and uses our money, taxpaying money, to remove these cars.

2:58

Facts.

3:01

Safety is my most important concern.

3:04

We have multiple children that live on the street.

3:08

Cars speed down the street.

3:19

Again, safety.

4:01

Also, the police uses their cameras for traffic accident references, and some police are friends with the owner's son.

4:10

I believe that this is the reason why some of the violations are getting overlooked.

4:17

The sidewalks, there's a car right now that's parked in the half of the sidewalk.

4:22

It's not been moved.

4:23

It's been their first months.

4:24

It's blocking.

4:46

He continues to just not respect anybody except for his own self.

4:51

And I'm here to ask and plead, plead.

4:55

I'm pleading for your help to please make some changes on the street and corner.

5:01

Thank you for your time.

5:03

I appreciate you.

5:05

Thank you, Heather.

5:11

Our next speaker is John Board.

5:21

Good evening, members of the council.

5:23

John Board19 Franklin Square.

5:27

Good evening, members of the council.

5:29

My name's uh John Boyd.

5:30

I'm here to speak on behalf of the New Britain YWCA Community Health Workers Academy this evening to discuss an important uh issue regarding uh public health through our Healthy Homes program uh here in the city.

5:44

Uh the CHW program at the YWCA uh trains high school students to address public health challenges through mentorship and hands-on advocacy of uh participants in this program develop leadership skills and work with local organizations and policymakers to create meaningful change in our community.

6:05

The program also helps students uh create a future in the healthcare and community services industries.

6:13

Uh the Healthy Homes program, as many of you know, was established by HUD to address uh critical housing concerns such as uh lead poisoning, mold, allergens, and safety hazards, all which have significant impacts on health.

6:28

However, despite this potential of this program and the awareness, uh the participation in this program remains limited, especially among our most vulnerable residents.

6:39

So we have a we have a proposal.

6:42

Uh we want to increase participation in this program by five percent, which translates to about 30 additional members over the next six months.

6:51

Uh to achieve this, uh, you have a multifaceted uh plan and approach uh in front of you, which targets awareness, collaboration, and targeted outreach.

7:02

Uh first of all, our CHWs have and hopefully are going to continue to create uh social media ads, justribute flyers, and host workshops in schools, libraries, and various other uh public places.

7:16

Second, we want to collaborate with our health care providers by providing training specifically at the New Britain's uh CHC to identify housing, health risks, and then refer families to the program uh to ensure that proper health screenings happen and discussions occur about healthy homes.

7:35

And third is that div uh that data-driven approach.

7:38

Using city data, we can map high-risk neighborhoods, which we started to do canvas door-to-door, uh, and our CHWs can provide tailored information where support is needed most.

7:51

So, in order to make this vision a reality, we need three things from this council.

7:55

We need to uh we want you to endorse and prioritize lead remediation in the city's most vulnerable neighborhoods.

8:02

We want to back advocacy with our state and federal partners to increase resources, and lastly, support public awareness initiatives led by our CHWs.

8:14

Working together, we can make New Britain a healthier and safer place for all residents.

8:20

I know you guys have information packets in front of you, and uh I look forward to engaging in a dialogue uh with the council over the coming weeks and months.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural██████████████████████████████30%
Public Safety██████████████████18%
Parks and Recreation████████8%
Zoning Regulations████████8%
Fire Department███████7%
Public Participation█████5%
Public Engagement█████5%
Public Works████4%
Public Health███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Regular Meeting of the Common Council – December 11, 2024

The New Britain Common Council held its regular meeting on December 11, 2024, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. Public participation ran from 7:00 PM to 7:17 PM, and the regular meeting convened at 7:34 PM and adjourned at 8:25 PM. The council adopted a consent agenda covering numerous zoning amendments and reports, passed several resolutions, and referred items to committees.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Heather Johnson (323 Oak Street) expressed frustration about Oliveira Automotive storing cars on neighboring streets for weeks, blocking sidewalks, and raising safety concerns. She alleged police overlooking violations due to friendship with the owner’s son. Alderwoman Beloin-Saavedra responded that she had contacted the police chief and zoning enforcement to investigate.
  • John Boyd (19 Franklin Square, YWCA Community Health Workers Academy) requested council support to increase participation in the Healthy Homes program by 5% (≈30 additional members) over six months through social media, healthcare collaboration, and data-driven outreach. He sought endorsement of lead remediation in vulnerable neighborhoods, advocacy for state/federal resources, and support for public awareness initiatives.
  • Andrew Pope (87 Brighton Street) complained about recurring sewer water in his basement, stating it has been a problem for 1.5 years and noted the city’s inaction.
  • Daniel Bates (Ragged Mountain Foundation) thanked the council for prior support and asked for rock climbing access at the 375 North Shuttle Street property in Southington. He argued liability concerns could be addressed via permitting or insurance.
  • Mark Kelly (77 Gladiola Street, New Britain resident) supported climbing access, highlighting the property’s connection to regional trails and the benefits of outdoor recreation for physical and mental health. He noted his daughter, a New Britain High School salutatorian, benefited from time outdoors.
  • Daniel Solano (City Treasurer) wished the council happy holidays and reminded them that budget season begins in about five weeks, urging participation in Board of Finance hearings.

Council members responded: Alderwoman Beloin-Saavedra stated she is sympathetic to climbing access only if it includes programming for New Britain youth. Alderman Simpson said he supports climbing generally. President Santiago suggested collaboration with the YMCA for youth programming.

Consent Calendar

  • Items A through II (excluding Item P) were approved unanimously (14-0). This included claims, multiple zoning ordinance amendments (setbacks, fence heights, impervious coverage, smoke shops, short-term rentals, signage, site plans, map changes), reports from city departments, police commission responses, and committee recommendations. No objections were raised.

Reports & Resolutions Discussed

  • Item P (Martha Hart Park after-hours gate) – Eric (public works) explained that a security arm was effective at Fairview Cemetery and a similar solution is being pursued for Martha Hart. A quote is in hand, but the city must go to bid. Funds from park security (cell tower money) and $20,000 from capital improvements are available. The council adopted the item.
  • Item 1 – CRCOG Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024-2029 adopted.
  • Item 2–8, 10–14 – Various zoning ordinance amendments (setbacks, unused provisions removal, fence heights, impervious coverage, landscaping, smoke shops, signage, site plans, map changes) all adopted.
  • Item 6 (impervious coverage) – A friendly amendment changed the maximum for highest-use business sites from 100% to 90% to reduce flooding. Adopted.
  • Item 9 – Short-term rental regulations adopted.
  • Item 12 – Rezoning from A-1/T to A-2 (moderate density) with map adopted.
  • Item 13 – Rezoning from I-2/T to B-1R (neighborhood business revitalization) adopted.
  • Item 14 – Conveyance of Black Rock Avenue right-of-way parcels from CT DOT adopted.
  • Item 15 – Contract with POM Inc. and Duncan Technologies for parking meters and kiosks (Public Bid 4180). A friendly amendment capped the total project cost at $50,000. Adopted as amended.
  • Item 16 – Contract with Nettech Solutions for parking management systems and pay-by-cell services. Adopted.
  • Item 17 – Season’s Greetings resolution adopted.
  • Item 18 – 2020 Assistance for Firefighters Grant for professional development training (contract with CT Fire Academy) adopted.
  • Item 19 – 2023 Assistance for Firefighters Grant budget amendment ($522,561.83) for training including safety officer, hazmat, and rope rescue. Adopted.
  • Item 20 – Federal Highway Safety Funds for Click It or Ticket program ($9,926.72) adopted. Alderman Hargraves urged seatbelt use.
  • Item 21 – Vision Zero New Britain Goal: reduce fatal and serious injury crashes by 50% by 2035, reaching zero by 2045. The resolution was adopted after discussion noting the task force’s bipartisan work and community survey to come. Council members commended the effort.
  • Item 22 – Tax abatements, corrections, and refunds ($19,173 for motor vehicles, $17,597 for real property) adopted.
  • Item 23 – Every Kid Counts After School Program ($100,000 from Consolidated School District) adopted.
  • Item 24 – Public Bid 4175 with A.M. Rizzo Electrical Contractors ($678,086.92) for traffic signal replacement at South Street, Rocky Hill Avenue, and Roosevelt Street. Adopted. Alderman Hargraves noted it connects New Britain to Newington.
  • Item 25 – Five-year lease for a copier in City Hall mailroom ($742.26/month) adopted.
  • Items 26–30 – Referred to the Committee on Planning, Zoning, and Housing to amend city code sections (graffiti removal, garbage, sidewalk neglect, etc.) to be consistent with Connecticut General Statutes.
  • Item 31 – Minutes of Common Council Committee Meetings. Alderwoman Beloin-Saavedra raised concerns about inaccuracies in committee minutes, particularly the October 2024 PZ&H meeting where motions were described as “illegal” after the fact. She argued minutes should reflect only actions taken, not opinions. Alderman Malinowski supported accurate reflection. Alderman Simpson noted the Freedom of Information Act requires agenda items to be included in public notice and maintained those motions were not in the agenda. The item was referred to the Committee on Administration, Finance, and Law. A brief heated exchange occurred after the vote.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent agenda approved unanimously (14-0).
  • Item P adopted – Martha Hart Park gate to be bid, funded by park security funds and capital.
  • Resolutions 1–25 adopted (with friendly amendment on Item 15).
  • Items 26–31 referred to committees.
  • The meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM.

Meeting Transcript

I want to welcome everybody to the December 11th, 2024 regular meeting of the common council. And we begin with public participation at 7 p.m. I have a list of names that I'll call from. Um and then check if anybody's calling remotely or anybody else in the room will have an opportunity to speak if they wish. Uh please remember to state your name and address clearly for the record. Limit your speaking time to three minutes. And um we'll begin that process now. The first name is Heather Johnson. Thank you. Hi, good evening. Heather Johnson, three two three Oak Street in New Britain. Do I start now? Okay. Good evening. After multiple calls to the wonderful New Britain Police Department, and going back and forth with the owner of Oliveira Automotive. I'm here to voice my frustration on the matter that has been going on for many years and needs to come to an end. The previous owner, Maria Torres, also complained about the same issues for many years until she moved. Frank, the owner of Oliveira Automotive, continues to store cars from their business in front of nearby houses, commandeering most of the neighborhood neighboring houses with cars that do not live on that street. Most of the cars sit on the street for weeks and even months. No, there are there is room on his property for these cars to be stored. Some of these cars sit so long that their registration expires, and the town comes and uses our money, taxpaying money, to remove these cars. Facts. Safety is my most important concern. We have multiple children that live on the street. Cars speed down the street. Again, safety. Also, the police uses their cameras for traffic accident references, and some police are friends with the owner's son. I believe that this is the reason why some of the violations are getting overlooked. The sidewalks, there's a car right now that's parked in the half of the sidewalk. It's not been moved. It's been their first months. It's blocking. He continues to just not respect anybody except for his own self. And I'm here to ask and plead, plead. I'm pleading for your help to please make some changes on the street and corner. Thank you for your time. I appreciate you. Thank you, Heather. Our next speaker is John Board. Good evening, members of the council. John Board19 Franklin Square. Good evening, members of the council. My name's uh John Boyd. I'm here to speak on behalf of the New Britain YWCA Community Health Workers Academy this evening to discuss an important uh issue regarding uh public health through our Healthy Homes program uh here in the city. Uh the CHW program at the YWCA uh trains high school students to address public health challenges through mentorship and hands-on advocacy of uh participants in this program develop leadership skills and work with local organizations and policymakers to create meaningful change in our community. The program also helps students uh create a future in the healthcare and community services industries. Uh the Healthy Homes program, as many of you know, was established by HUD to address uh critical housing concerns such as uh lead poisoning, mold, allergens, and safety hazards, all which have significant impacts on health. However, despite this potential of this program and the awareness, uh the participation in this program remains limited, especially among our most vulnerable residents. So we have a we have a proposal. Uh we want to increase participation in this program by five percent, which translates to about 30 additional members over the next six months.

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