Yes, there's some technical uh difficulties with the uh computer.

Welcome, folks, to special meeting of the Common Council for August twenty-eighth.

We're gonna wait a couple of minutes to uh see if the gremlin in the um Google box uh can get straightened out.

Otherwise we'll begin at six oh four.

Evening again at six oh four.

This is the public participation portion of the August twenty eighth meeting, special meeting.

Please, if anybody in the room wishes to speak, uh, you have to state your name and address and limit your time to three minutes.

Also, the topic tonight is speaking to the agenda items only which have to do to have to do with uh motions on the appointment of uh two city departments.

I'll call up Kelly now.

She's gonna help you.

Uh, for that at the start of the regular meeting.

Okay, but I just wanted to express myself.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Oh, it's working.

And no callers?

Okay.

Anybody else wish to speak?

Anyone else?

Hearing none.

Good evening, everyone.

All right.

I would like to call to order this special meeting of the New Britain Common Council.

The date is August twenty eighth, twenty twenty five.

The time is six fourteen PM.

Mr.

Clerk, will you please call the ball?

Sanchez.

Simpson.

Present.

Russell.

Here.

Barbosa.

Hargraves.

Gibson.

Scott.

Connors.

Melanowski.

Pabone.

Santiago.

Thirteen present, Your Honor.

Thank you very much.

Mayor's warrant to the clerk of the City of New Britain by the authority of the state of Connecticut.

Your Honor, I make a motion to waive the reading.

I have a second by Alderman Simpson.

All those in favor of waiving the reading of the warrant, please signify by saying aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Two children, eight and ten were uh killed by uh uh gunfire at the mass starting the school year, fourteen children were injured and three adults.

So I think uh every community should just pause and reflect about the scourge of gun violence, and that uh words are empty, but we need action on what happens next, so I just like to pause for a moment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have two items on the special agenda tonight, and I'd like to go to Alderman Smedley for resolution uh number one.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I make a motion to accept and adopt item number one.

Second.

I have a second from Alder Woman Savedra.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um according to the New Britain City Charter, appointment of department heads and all department heads shall be appointed by and subject to the authority of the mayor following the consent of the common council.

And currently we have the position of director of health uh vacant and open competitive examination consisting of an oral board exam administered by the panel consisting of members of the common council and Connecticut Health Industry Professionals for the position of Director of Health was held.

Uh and the mayor and corporation council interim chief of operations officer recently interviewed the three candidates for the director of health.

The mayor has selected a candidate for the position of director of health following this search testing process and interview.

And the common council has considered the mayor's candidate for the position of director of health, and now therefore the common council consents to the mayor's selection of Caleb Cowells as director of health for the city of New Britain.

And I do urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderman Smedley.

We'd like to open up the floor for any questions or comments regarding this item.

Alder Woman Scott.

Yes, I might like to make a motion to make an amendment to this resolution.

What is the amount?

Okay.

Um the amendment is to um the term of these appointees be limited to February first, 2026 on the same process that is outlined in section eight-2b, um, which limits the terms to early 2026.

Second.

You have a second.

The amendment is open for discussion.

Alder Woman's of eight.

Could we get clarification from corporation council?

Because my understanding is when you appoint a department head, I thought they were four-year appointments going through this process.

So I'd like some clarification on the amendment as it's presented, because it seems in opposition to our standard um civil service rules.

Mayor, may I have a few minutes just to take a look at the uh relevant sections of the ordinance, please?

Thank you.

Mayor motion to go into recess for second short 10 minutes.

Moran Recess.

Time 618, Alder Woman Scott, what was the ordinance you cited?

Of what?

Mayor, I'm ready whenever the councils.

Um, Madam Mayor, I make a motion that we return to a normal special session of the council.

Court council bizarre.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor.

So I just took a look at uh Charter Section 82, which says that the common council may by ordinance uh establish a term for department heads, which terms shall be for a period of not less than four years.

I'm not aware, just talking with attorney Pakorski.

I'm not aware of any ordinance that the um council ever passed, so um you can't you have to do it by way of an ordinance.

Thank you.

Alder Woman's major.

So given that and Alderman Smedley and I just went through the charter and it says exactly that, unless there's another citation that Alderwoman Scott has, I would urge everyone to vote no on this.

It seems like it's inappropriately before us.

Thank you.

Any additional questions or comments on the amendment?

All those in favor of the amendment, please say aye.

All those opposed.

No amendment fails.

We'll go back to the item uh as originally presented and open the floor for questions or comments on this.

Alder Woman City.

I rise in support of the resolution, and I myself, along with Alderman McNamara sat on the interview panel going over with the uh several candidates who were before us.

And I want to say that I thought um Caleb had very strong knowledge, working knowledge of the city of New Britain and some of our biggest issues that have come before the council and some of the petitions, especially in the area of blight.

Caleb was the only candidate that we interviewed that was really able to sink his teeth into um the areas of blight and what that entails for the city of New Britain.

So um given that we've had issues and Caleb has presented to us in the past, we know his work ethic, and um I just I just think that going through the process, he came out, he they interviewed with you, your honor, and I strongly encourage everybody here to support this appointment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alderman Smedley.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um obviously I I rise in support, I did uh present the resolution, but um I I get to work with Caleb on a regular basis, uh working with the school district and uh other um situations in our neighborhood, whether it's blight or uh condemned buildings or things like that.

And um Caleb brings common sense to the table, which doesn't come easy for some people, but Caleb's approach at work is to uh educate and then work to help the uh homeowner, the business or what whoever it may be correct what the situation is.

So uh we really appreciate the approach that Caleb takes at work.

So I do support Caleb uh to be appointed to the director of health.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alderman MacMara.

And also the other one before us tonight.

Um I find that uh Mr.

Cowles uh meets all the qualifications and experience as required by the public health law, Connecticut public health law, which those requirements have been in effect since 2010.

So for that reason, uh I'll support uh this appointment.

Thank you.

Any additional Alderwoman Scott Okay, so um I want to first start off by saying I do appreciate you, Caleb, and I appreciate the work that you do, and none of what I'm about to say has anything to do with you or the work that you do.

Um since the amendments um were did not go through that I just tried to put in.

Um I have some concerns.

Um the Republican caucus members voted prior appointment on the grounds of no phone calls, not having any phone calls, um being received, not having a resume being received, and now today we're being forced to push through two director level appointments without providing the council with resumes and without appointments appointments um reaching out to all of the council members.

This is very much the definition of hypocrisy.

You should not have higher standards for some, and then ignore those same standards for others.

The mayor's timing is very interesting.

She is trying to hire department heads when she is leaving, and it's kind of inappropriate, and it's undermining the incoming administration.

This should be left up to the incoming administration.

We could always hire as an interim and appoint an interim, continue the interim that we already have.

Um the city ordinance and the state law both allow the interim appointments, and the state has confirmed that this interim directors can serve with a simple waiver, an extension request.

This would allow us to continue services without blocking into long-term decisions.

Good governance.

This is not good practice.

It is not good procedures.

The council members deserve transparency and consistency and need to have resumes for all, not just for some.

I am voting against this today because it's irresponsible.

You can't have standards for some and then set the rules for some and then have different rules for others.

So thank you guys so much.

Alder Woman, a few questions for you.

Who did you ask for the resume from, and it was not provided to you?

We we weren't all given the information, and we weren't all invited to the interview.

So did you did you ask anyone for the resumes?

They weren't provided to us.

Did you but you didn't answer the question?

Did you ask anyone for the resumes?

Well, I did not, but you guys didn't ask the other person that I'm talking about for the resumes either.

Thank you for answering my question.

We never asked for the resume.

You didn't, but it was vetoed that day.

So I'm just something that you're not asking for.

You would have been given it, given it.

That's all you have to do is ask.

Um this process followed the same process that we always follow for hiring department heads.

It was an interview panel, which um historically we have not included uh members of each caucus to be a part of, but because I knew what was happening here, I thought that this was a good idea to include both caucuses in this process for transparency so that information could be shared with the caucuses.

Um, and that's what happened with the building and health, and that is what will happen with the finance director position that's posted right now, and what will happen with the planning and development director position that's posted right now, too.

Um, business doesn't stop, and municipality the work in the municipality cannot stop just because of an impending election.

Um, there is an ordinance that does address that, um, and it and it talks about the time frame, and we are not within that time frame right now.

Therefore, business must continue.

We can't just stop doing our jobs just because an election is going to happen.

The city and the taxpayers still deserve us to work.

Um, and each department does not have a deputy director, and there are also limitations based off of union contracts for how long you can have someone serve in an interim capacity.

There are maximum days that are allowed for individuals that are currently employed by 818 or 1303.

They can't be in these positions for longer than a certain period of time before posting and the hiring has to happen.

Um, so we are cognizant of that.

We have pushed the limitations too with the State Department of Public Health.

They have been um we have had an interim director since Mr.

Lupo left us in February and March.

Uh we have been pushing the limit with the State Department of Public Health.

We have forwarded all of those emails that we've been pushing those limits.

Um, and every month, it's like clockwork.

They are emailing uh Mr.

Dorsey asking us where we are at, and we're having to continue to explain what's been going on, and they are not happy with us.

Um, those are just facts.

We've provided all of that information and and have been very transparent about this.

Um, I think Caleb will be a great hire for the health department after everything we've been through.

I can't believe I'm saying that.

Um I really do truly uh believe that.

Um, and I will say that this is a hundred and ten percent not politically motivated, as Caleb and I couldn't be on further ends of the spectrum politically, and I am proud to say that.

Um, and he will be a great health department director for this city.

Um I know that, and I feel that my heart of hearts.

Alderman uh just want to point out hopefully we can move on that uh I pointed out in committee that uh members of the council were uh uh blamed for losing a health grant, and as we know the administration in Washington has cut 150 million dollars from Connecticut's health grants, and uh that I think uh um needs needs to be clarified for the record.

In fact, I have the governor's statement about the immunization grants and everything.

Uh not done by uh members of this council.

Thank you.

Any other Alderman Connors?

Thank you, Your Honor.

I just wanted to thank Caleb for uh being willing to serve the city.

I'm willing to vote for any qualified applicants who you know go through the normal process, and uh furthermore, I just wanted to note that uh extended interim hires don't uh just materialize that folks require some level of certainty to accept a job or make plans or uh do any sort of big decisions like that.

So um, with all those considerations, I'm uh yes, and thank you for your willingness to serve the city.

Thank you, Alderman Connors.

Any other alder person, Alderman Simpson.

I'd like to move this question.

Okay, motion's been made, second on moving the question.

Alderman Russell, all those in favor of moving the question say aye.

All right.

Any opposed, let's vote.

All those in favor of appointing Caleb Cowles as our director of health, say aye.

All right.

Any opposed?

For the record, Alder Woman Scott.

Motion carries.

Congratulations, Caleb.

You're here, please.

Live.

Um, I just uh I wanted to thank um well first my family for coming um and supporting me and um the mayor, obviously, for uh putting my selection forward, and then to all of you for supporting me.

Um I'm not a new Britain resident, I wasn't born here.

Um I kind of married into it.

Um yeah, so I'm I'm I'm your cousin by marriage.

Um but you know, I I I've I've been with the city for almost 20 years now, and um a lot of the things I've done have been in my professional career um for the benefit of the people here, and uh I I love this place very much, and I've I've given um as much uh professional dedication as I can, and I brought every bit of knowledge that I can to support and help people in this community.

Um I think we can do a lot of good, and that's why I want to be here, and that's why I want to stay here, and that's why we I appreciate your confidence in me being your director of health.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Alderman Smedley.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I make a motion to accept and adopt item number two.

Second, second from Alderman Gibson.

Thank you.

Um same traffic as the previous resolution.

The position of director and licenses, permits and inspections is currently vacant and open competitive examination consisting of an oral board examination by the panel consisting of members of the common council and the Connecticut building official for the position of director of licenses, permits and inspections was held.

The mayor incorporation council, interim chief of oper chief operations officer, recently interviewed the three candidates for the position of director of licenses, permits and inspections.

The mayor has selected a candidate for the position, and and following the search testing process and interview, the common council is considered the mayor's candidate for this position, and therefore the common council consents to the mayor's selection of Michael Nomac as director of licenses, permits and inspections for the city of New Brent, and I do urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderman Smedley.

Any questions or comments on Mr.

Nomac Alderwoman Scott?

I'd like to ask the court counsel um if these are lifetime appointments.

Um department head can be removed for clause.

There's a process that's outlined in the charter.

But they have to go through a call uh process to get removed if there is an issue or problem.

Sorry.

That's right, just like any other employee would okay.

Thank you.

Um if these are lifetime appointments are they term limited there's there's no term limit alder woman they um the department head serves um it can department head can be removed for clause there's a process that's outlined in the charter but they have to go through a call uh process to get removed if there is an issue or problem sorry that's right just like any other employee would yeah okay thank you um I guess just like before same traffic um I have concerns with us um for the same reasons I won't go in and repeat everything but I will say um that um I feel as an alder woman as an alder woman serving here for the people that I shouldn't have to have to run around and get information um from people that it should just be provided to me um to everybody on the council should be getting information um and things should be very transparent and when one person is getting appointed and they didn't get the resumes um it was a huge production and now I wasn't given the resume or we weren't given resumes everyone here on this council and it's like it was okay that some people didn't ask for them that time but now it's a whole different story so I just I want to be clear I am here for the people and I'm here for transparency and I'm here for fairness and the fact is is that we could and we can and it is totally legal by state and our charter to hire and to have them have this person continue as an interim so um I this is nothing against the people who are getting these positions I think you guys are wonderful it's just the process so thank you again I will reiterate that there are limitations set forth in union contracts that these individuals are employees of Alderman Smedley thank you your honor I just I I need to clarify something the the situation that you're talking about Alder Woman Scott is completely different this situation both sides of uh the caucuses were invited to the table your leadership failed to provide you with the resumes our leadership Sharon Bloin Savedra and myself shared the resumes of the candidates after the interview process with our membership so we were educated by our membership and by our our membership was educated by our leadership who was invited to the interview process the other situation that you're talking about that a production was made of um we weren't invited to the table for that and when we did email in writing and ask for the resumes there was nothing provided until the day of the meeting so your situations are blended and are incorrect alderman Pabone well what would you like to say I did I said in that committee with Macamera and a couple other Democrats and we all agreed on it now what good is having the committee if you come to the last thing and they asked somebody wants paperwork at the end we shouldn't we shouldn't even have to deal with that's a waste of time alder woman Scott I think everybody is entitled to their opinions and um I appreciate your opinions and I'm entitled to mine and the facts that I have in front of me.

So thank you Alderman Connors motion to call the question all in favor opposed questions been called I don't get a chance to explain I had a whole thing written out that's fine all those in favor of appointing Michael Nomac please signify by saying aye any opposed for the record alder woman Scott motion carries motion to adjourn executive all those in favor all those opposed we are adjourned the time is 6 38 p.m thank you