New Britain Common Council Regular Meeting - May 28, 2025
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
New Britain Common Council Regular Meeting - May 28, 2025
The New Britain Common Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, beginning with public participation at 8:09 PM and formal proceedings at 8:48 PM in Council Chambers at City Hall. The meeting adjourned at 9:08 PM. Key actions included the unanimous appointment of Dr. Amy Pozorski to the Board of Education, adoption of proclamations for Mental Health Awareness Month and Pride Month, approval of several contracts, and referral of the Downtown District budget to committee.
Consent Calendar
The following items were approved unanimously (15-0) without separate discussion:
- Reports on claims for injuries and/or property damage (Item A).
- City Plan recommendation for certificate of location approval for Vindicator Cycle & Auto LLC (Item B).
- Zoning Subcommittee recommendation for the same certificate (Item C).
- Committee on Planning, Zoning and Housing recommendation to join the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority as a member municipality (Item D).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mary Rogers (298 Cherry St.) expressed support for the Mental Health Awareness Month resolution, emphasizing stigma reduction and access to services, and noted the library's Mental Health Fair on May 31. She also supported the Pride Month resolution, stating that LGBTQ rights are human rights.
- Ann Spire (13 Audubon St.) strongly endorsed Amy Pozorski for the Board of Education, citing her energy, capability, and experience working with students at CCSU.
- Amy Pozorski (70 Sunny Slope Dr., Ward 4) thanked the council for considering her appointment, shared her personal story of growing up with a single mother and overcoming adversity, and pledged to listen to vulnerable children and work collaboratively.
- John Board (no address given) spoke in support of the Pride resolution and urged the council to adopt rules prohibiting clapping or cheering during public comments to ensure all speakers feel safe, modeling state legislative decorum.
- Ellen Conlin (50 Sunny Slope Dr.) endorsed Amy Pozorski, describing her as intelligent, kind, and respectful.
- Ruth Bruno (59 Whiting Ave., temporarily in Torrington) recommended Amy Pozorski, calling her a former professor who leads with grace, empathy, and effectiveness, and noted that fellow graduates always ask about Dr. Pozorski.
- Paul Canton Zero (250 Hill Hurst Ave.), a parent, welcomed Pozorski but expressed dismay that the council tabled discussion on traffic cameras, arguing that cameras help police and should not have been delayed. He criticized the council for cutting off debate and urged members to "do their homework."
- Free fellow (63 [address incomplete]) called in to support funding for schools and libraries.
- Kelly Noss (29 Sear St.) shared his 28 years of community service through St. Mark's Church, including past coordination of community service for the city. He described being injured by a community service participant and feeling unsupported by city officials and church leaders.
Discussion Items
- Traffic Cameras (tabled) : Alderman Santiago and others defended the tabling of the camera item, explaining that a requested report was not received in time for adequate review. Alderman McNamara said the caucus had no issue with tabling but objected to the debate being cut off. Alderman Barbosa noted that the public meeting on cameras was scheduled during the day, making it difficult for working citizens and council members to attend.
- Downtown District Budget (Item 9) : Alderman McNamara motioned to refer the FY2025-2026 Downtown District budget to the Planning, Zoning and Housing Committee for further discussion. Ms. Bosco, representing the Downtown District, explained that the district includes 126 properties, with 102 taxpayers. The mill rate has dropped for three consecutive years (from 3.9 to 2.9) due to increased property assessments, particularly from the Brit and High Railer developments.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 (Certificate of Location Approval for Vindicator Cycle & Auto LLC) : Adopted by voice vote.
- Item 2 (Join CMDA) : Adopted by voice vote.
- Item 3 (Appointment of Amy Pozorski to Board of Education) : Adopted unanimously (15-0). Dr. Pozorski was sworn in immediately afterward.
- Item 4 (Mental Health Awareness Month) : Adopted by voice vote.
- Item 5 (Pride Month) : Adopted by voice vote. Flag raising scheduled for June 2 at Central Park.
- Item 6 (Fuel Oil Contract with Tuxis-Ohr's Fuel Inc.) : Adopted. Fixed rate of $2.2852 per gallon from May 29, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
- Item 7 (Caddy Shack Repairs at Stanley Golf Course) : Adopted. Purchase order of $32,039.08 to Houzpital, LLC for roof, siding, windows, and doors.
- Item 8 (HVAC Replacement at NBPD Dog Pound) : Adopted. Purchase order of $10,726 to Perfect Temp.
- Item 9 (Downtown District Budget FY2025-2026) : Referred to the Committee on Planning, Zoning and Housing.
- Item 10 (Agreement with SLR International Corporation) : Adopted. $70,600 for inspection services for the 2025 Annual Pavement Rehabilitation Program.
Meeting Transcript
Members to uh seats. Members to the seats, please. Members to the seats. It is now eight oh nine PM, and this is public participation. I have a list that I'll call from. We'll check if anybody's calling in remotely. Or if anybody in the room wants to speak who hasn't signed up, we'll be given that opportunity. Just going to state your name and address, and then the floor is yours. And our first speaker tonight is Mary Rogers. Good evening again. I'm Mary Rogers, living at 298 Cherry Street in New Britain. Um I wanted to support the resolution for recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month. I agree with the importance of raising awareness about mental health issues, reducing stigma, and promoting access to mental health services for all the residents. I'll add in that the New Britain Library, which is really more than books, as we've heard tonight, will be hosting a free stronger together community mental health fair on May 31st from 10 to 2 at the main library in the community room. I also support the resolution of recognition of June as Pride Month. I agree that LGBTQ rights are human rights and are protected by the Constitution, and that everyone should be treated fairly and equally, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. At a time when other states and the federal government are trying to take away rights and seemingly erase the existence of LGBT LGBTQ people, it is important to recognize those in the LGBTQ community. I'm glad the city will be right raising the pride flag on June 2nd in Central Park. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Mary. Our next speaker is Ann Spire. Okay. Good evening. And Spire 13 Audubon Street. I'm here tonight to say that I am very pleased to hear that Amy Pizorski is being put forth as a person to serve on the Board of Education because we have had to say goodbye to Joey Listro. I've worked with Amy on the library board and on the community relations committee of the library board, which meant organizing large major fundraisers, whether there were events or whether they were putting out fundraising letters, etc. What I found with Amy is that she is energetic, wonderfully positive about everything, capable. When she said she was going to do something, she did it. It happened. In voluntary positions, and that's not always quite what you find. It's been a pleasure working with her because she is so capable. And what is her main specialty? Amy has worked at CCSU for many years as a professor there. Not only is she quite knowledgeable in her own specialty, but her relationship with her students understand, shows me how much she understands about needing to be committed, needing to be there for people, needing to be the person that people can turn to when they need help. Same pattern of capability, energy, and willingness to step up when something needs to be done and absolutely coming through with it. So I recommend to you highly, Amy Pizarski. Thank you. Thank you, Ann. Our next speaker is Amy Pazorski. Thank you, Ann. Amy Pazorsky, 70 Sunny Slope Drive, New Britain, Ward 4. Thank you, members of the City Council for considering the resolution to add me to the Board of Education as Joey Listro's replacement. I think I mourned for all of us when I heard that he had moved. I want to thank you for taking my phone calls during a holiday weekend and for asking to see my resume. One of the things that came out repeatedly in our conversations is that you are looking for a member with a strong ability to see many sides of an issue and to work well with others. I realized that while I spent a lot of time showing you the products of my work this weekend, I did not do well to explain how I work and why I do what I do. I grew up in the 1980s with a single mother who sent me to a Catholic school. She thought even though the Catholic nuns believed I had a stain on my soul because her marriage was not annulled, I would get a good education. You may ask why I write so much about trauma and vulnerable children. The fact is that I was once a vulnerable child who is now an unexpectedly resilient adult.
openpublica.com