The New Britain Common Council held its regular meeting on May 14, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included public participation, approval of minutes, consent agenda, and multiple resolutions, including a lengthy debate on the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan for HUD programs. Key decisions were made on funding allocations, with several amendments ultimately adopted.
Stay away. Yes. Welcome to the May 14, 2025 regular meeting of the Common Council. It's now 701 p.m. And we begin as always with public participation. I have some names on the list that I'll call up. Please remember to state your name and address for the record. You have three minutes. Our first name tonight is Frank Chase. Frank Chase, 24 Roxbury. During the years 2013 through 2025, Mayor Stewart wrote memos to our state legislators detailing the Allen Street problem and project. She noted the Allen Street project is our most pressing need. The Allen Street project is critical to resolving chronic issues, including flooding due to storm sewer failures, sanitary backups, and breaks due to insufficient capacity and the system's age. Mayor Stewart also identified storm sanitary cross connections on Allen Street, contributing to this public health crisis. The contaminants in the flooding water include a toxic mix of bacteria, fecal matter, fats, motor oil, grease, etc. Remember, the Allen Street neighborhoods are not in a designated flood zone. For 10 years, Stewart held up Mayor O'Brien's Allen Street plan with full knowledge that it was outdated. For 12 years, our state legislatures funneled hundreds of millions of earmark free dollars to Stewart, where she spent her way while neglecting and mismanaging the Allen Street problem. In 2023, Stewart exclaimed, we need an updated Allen Street plan. Thanks to our Alderpersons and Director Moriarty, 16 months later, we have an updated shovel shovel ready plan. But Stewart is eight million dollars short. Sharon and I continue with our advocacy for the Allen Street project because our property is in the flooding water crosshairs, and fifty plus other properties are affected by the flooding water and sanitary backups. Over the years, Stewart obviously had no intention to prioritize plan, fund, and construct the Allen Street project until we completed our due diligence, exposing the neglect and mismanagement. Stewart and her allies continue with their go-to talking point, identifying our state officials as reneging on their obligations. Aaron's budget relief tactics cause massive deficits while flat funding our education system. Aaron approved and confirmed a phony $4 million transfer for Allen Street just days before an election. Meanwhile, 13 floods since 2018 and countless sanitary backups and breaks harmed our neighborhoods. Folks are leaving our neighborhoods, and property investors are disgruntled because of the callous neglect in Ward 4. This should not be a political problem. It's truly a human problem. Our quality of life continues to suffer. Our safety continues to be in harm's way, and our properties and structures are at risk. All of this is out of our control. Weston Simpson Engineers declared in 2023 the Allen Street Project must be a priority because the infrastructure is at crisis levels. Mayor Stewart, leadership requires empathy. What stops you from funding the Allen Street Project while our neighborhoods, properties, and structures are flooding, flooding. Step up and complete the job. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Chase. Next speaker is Peg Mezerschmidt. My name is Margaret Messer Schmidt. I live at Six Hampton Street here in town. And I just showed up to let you know we're still waiting. Frank's been the face of this thing, but there's a bunch of us. We try to get them out here for meetings, but whether we're here or not, we're still waiting. Thank you. Thank you, Peg. Our next speaker is Carmelo Rodriguez. Good evening, Carmelo Rodriguez, 1254 Slater Road, and I'm here to represent a couple organizations.