Special Meeting of New Britain Common Council Appoints Department Heads – August 28, 2025
Special Meeting of the New Britain Common Council – August 28, 2025
This special meeting was called to consider two appointments: the Director of Health and the Director of Licenses, Permits, and Inspections. The meeting was held at 6:14 PM in Council Chambers and adjourned at 6:38 PM. Thirteen council members were present.
Public Comments & Testimony
- A resident, speaking during the public participation portion, referenced a recent mass school shooting that killed two children (ages 8 and 10) and injured 14 children and 3 adults, and called for action on gun violence. The Mayor paused for a moment of reflection. No other public comments were made.
Discussion Items
- Item 1 – Appointment of Caleb Cowles as Director of Health: Alderman Smedley moved to accept the mayor’s selection. Alderman Scott proposed an amendment to limit the appointment term to February 1, 2026, citing Charter Section 8-2b. Corporation counsel clarified that the charter requires a term of at least four years unless modified by ordinance, which had not been passed. The amendment failed on a voice vote. During debate, Alderman Scott opposed the appointment, arguing the process was not transparent (resumes not provided to all council members, timing inappropriate as the mayor is leaving office). She suggested an interim appointment would be permissible and legal. Aldermen Smedley, McNamara, and others supported the appointment, citing Cowles’ strong knowledge of blight issues, his experience in city health, and the pressure from the State Department of Public Health to fill the interim position. The Mayor clarified that both caucuses were included in the interview panel for transparency, and that union contracts limit how long an employee can serve in an interim capacity. Cowles thanked the council and expressed dedication to the city.
- Item 2 – Appointment of Michael Nomack as Director of Licenses, Permits, and Inspections: Alderman Smedley moved adoption, repeating a similar process as for the Director of Health. Alderman Scott again expressed concerns about lack of transparency and the need for an interim appointment. Alderman Smedley clarified that both caucuses were invited to the interview panel, contrasting with a prior appointment where resumes were only provided on the meeting day. Alderman Palone stated that the committee had already agreed on the appointment. The motion to call the question was made and carried. Alderman Scott was the only recorded opponent.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution #1 (Appointment of Caleb Cowles as Director of Health): The amendment to limit the term failed. The main motion carried on a voice vote, with Alderman Scott recorded as the sole opposing vote. Caleb Cowles accepted the appointment.
- Resolution #2 (Appointment of Michael Nomack as Director of Licenses, Permits, and Inspections): The motion carried on a voice vote, with Alderman Scott recorded as the sole opposing vote.
- The meeting adjourned at 6:38 PM.
Meeting Transcript
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.
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