The New Britain Common Council held its regular meeting on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers, City Hall. The meeting began with public participation at 7:01 PM, followed by the regular session at 7:19 PM and adjournment at 7:48 PM. The council addressed public comments, approved the consent agenda (with one item removed for separate discussion), and adopted all eight resolutions, including amendments.
Welcome to the February 13th meeting of the New Britain Common Council. There being a sufficient number of aldermen present. I'm going to call public participation to order. Just a reminder for anybody listening and in the audience. You have three minutes to speak. Please state your name and address for the record. And we'll begin tonight with Mr. Frank Chase. Let me just note for the record it's 701. So Alderman Russell will not correct me. Frank Chase, 24 Roxbury Road. Back in the mid-90s, Director Kirilly determined with his engineers that the Allen Street basin needs storm sewer upgrades. Fast forward 28 years to August of 2023. Weston Simpson engineers declared the Allen Street project must be a high priority because the infrastructure is at crisis levels. Mayor Stewart knew for knew from day one about the storm sewer sanitary issues on Allen Street and in the surrounding neighborhoods. She failed to complete and fund the required infrastructure resiliency plan for the Allen Street basin. We've heard the commentary regarding the cost benefit analysis regarding the Allen Street project. Yes, it's a costly, difficult project. Director Moriarty and his engineers need to step up and complete the required CBA clearly detailing the Allen Street problem. Whether one home is flooding due to compromised infrastructure systems or 50 properties or 100 properties. Each case requires and deserves the needed effort and upgrades from our city officials. Get the job done. Over the years, the record clearly shows Stewart failed to prioritize the Allen Street problem using city resources for other higher profile projects. Meanwhile, our quality of life continues to suffer, our safety continues to be in harm's way, and our properties and structures are at risk. Mayor Stewart has waffled for twelve years regarding the Allen Street project. 50 plus properties continue to flood in the Allen Street neighborhoods on Stewart's watch because she has failed to prioritize and fund the Allen Street project. We have prioritized the Allen Street project for the benefit of all. Next speaker on the list is Peg Measure Schmidt. My name is Margaret Message Schmidt. I live at 6 Hampton Street here in New Britain. And I don't have Mr. Chase's deep knowledge of the details on this project. All I know is I want to get it done. Because I'm really tired of cleaning my basement and hearing my sump up run and having a flooded yard and having the big yellow sewer truck come and blow compressed air and water down the sewer pipes, which backs up into my toilet drain and sprays toilet water all over my bathroom. They come by about once a month. We have that little party. And uh I know that they're working at funding on the state level, but one thing I would really strongly agree is if it has to be bonded here in the city and city pitch in more money, please do it. Um I can't think of anything more important than actually having sewers and drains at work in a city that's prone to flooding. Thank you very much. Thank you, Margaret. Third speaker, I have an election John Postopic. Good evening. John Kristoffic, 292 Lindwich Street. Well, I'm happy to say that I was the only person on YouTube watching the Schaylor abatement. In last meeting, there was no estimated savings given for shalers abatement. Allow me to do the math. If it's a 12 million dollar cost, assessed value at 70%, that's $8.4 million at a 39.59 mil rate. The normal property tax would be $332,556. Reduced to 10% for the first year. That's $33,535.