Welcome to the regular meeting of the common council for December 10th, 2025.

It's 7 p.m.

And as always we begin with uh public participation.

Good morning, everybody.

Uh on this day in 1948, the United Nations declared the U Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Uh so it's an important day uh in terms of the times we're living in.

Um I'm gonna uh the speakers have three minutes.

You state your name and address for the record.

Um I'm gonna read from the list.

If uh anybody's calling remotely, they'll also be recognized.

And uh so we'll we'll begin.

First name is Aram, I alone, former Alderman.

Yeah, I know that good evening, everybody, and happy to see you all.

I usually you would sit right there to listen to the public participation.

Um I put in each for each one of you the resolution we had from 2019.

Um and so on October 2019, uh the city council passed um unanimously uh with five Democrats and two Republicans co-sponsoring the first ever climate change emergency declaration among uh Connecticut municipalities.

We're number we're the first.

Uh the declaration was written based on a hearing that uh we held prior to the meeting with experts from Yukon, from Trinity College, from uh Connecticut Institute of Resilience and Climate Adaptation from the Collect Connecticut Fund for the Environment, the Connect Connecticut Green Bank and the Blue Earth Compost.

And some of you were there.

Some of you were uh there and and voted for it.

The reason why I'm bringing up this uh is because the New Britain residents are suffering from increasing extreme weather events causing increased flooding, like the Allen Street basin.

We have long hot summers that are uh uh requiring ever increasing youth utility cost uh for air conditioning, increasing air pollution, resign resulting in more health issues, compounding by the uh develop uh that uh increasing health costs.

Furthermore, uh New Britain's own development has left the city more vulnerable to floods and heat.

Uh if you can remember uh Costco had a beautiful huge trees before they got cut down.

They uh public work center, uh near near uh DiLoreto.

Um some more uh available place for water.

Um artificial turf on in sports fields.

Reduce permeable surfaces and so on.

Uh in addition, uh the city have been losing uh a lot of it trees and not being replaced.

Another reason why I'm bringing this declaration today is that the uh Trump administration is uh is scaling back all the U.S.

commitment to combat climate change.

So now ever before, it's up to us for the city and for the states to make up for what the uh uh federal administration is not doing.

So this 2019 declaration, I think it'd be a good start.

A blueprint uh for the new mayor and for uh the city council to go about.

Here are some highlights from that declaration.

You can read it on your own.

Uh number one is establish a task force.

A joint task force should have the department in there, the city council representative, city commissioners.

May if you may uh uh chairman, if I finish just this four quickly.

Uh so to to come with a plan.

Um take steps to reduce carbon pollution uh by uh we're starting with the fleet.

Today you are voting for 10 vehicles that are gas eaters, and I know some of you who know me, I always raise it up.

It's time to find hybrids and electric.

Uh creating a municipal composting program and uh and so on.

I will be willing to participate in any task force and make my contribution.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ram.

Mr.

Aylon.

Next person on the list.

Actually, I have something that says Hartford County Audit.

Is there somebody who uh answers to that?

Yeah, that's me.

Okay.

Name and address for the record, sir.

Um my name is Jonathan Figueroa.

I live at 40 Chestnut Street, New Brent, Connecticut.

Um good evening, uh, Mayor Sanchez, members of the council, members and of the public.

Everyone knows me as Harford County Audit, YouTube activist, independent journalist and advocate.

And I'm a New Britain resident.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.

I'm here to raise three concerns, I believe directly impact impact public trust, civil rights and accountability in our city.

First, police civil rights training and accountability.

I have personally witnessed and many residents have experienced interactions where council constitutionally protected activity, such as asking questions in public buildings, filing for your requests, or conducting lawful business, is treated as suspicious or disruptive.

This is deeply concerning.

Respectfully, I want to ask what concrete steps in the city taken to ensure new Britain police officers receiving ongoing training on civil rights.

First amendment order uh activity and de-escalation in public spaces.

I also want to raise concerns about internal affairs investigations being handled entirely within the same department.

Even when officers are in good faith, internal only investigations can undermine public confidence.

Independent or external oversight options should be considered to straighten transparency and trust.

Second, a follow-up on public safety enforcement.

I previously raised concerns regarding puff and go smoke shop and the alleged illegal distribution of May Wanna.

I provided video evidence and asked that the matter be reviewed.

I am here tonight to respectfully ask for an update on the status of that investigation and what enforcement steps, if any, are being taken to protect public health and ensure compliance with state law.

Third, a specific incident involving civil rights in the public library.

A resident go by the name of Jose Cruz was trespassed and arrested from a public library while engaging in a lawful activity, including submitting a FOIA request.

I did not observe harassment, threats, or disorderly conduct.

To date, I have not been contacted by officers to provide my witness statement or evidence.

Just a little bit more time, please, if I may.

Okay.

My goal tonight is not to attack anyone, but to advocate for policies that protect civil rights, promote accountability, and restore trust between the community and law enforcement.

I appreciate Mayor Sant's recent comments regarding the information of a blue ribbon task force and hope these concerns will be meaningful uh meaningfully addressed as part of that process.

Thank you for your time and for allowing me to speak.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you.

My next speaker is Kelly Nows.

Hello, how are you doing?

My name is Kelly Noss.

You guys know me very well.

State your address, Kelly, just for the record.

29 Cedar Street again.

Um I'm calling you in regards of um a police report that I'm also having uh um a major issue with because you know I had was cracked open, feeding a breakfast at eight o'clock in the morning with 60 people witnessing it, and my priest and all my vestry members, okay.

So I have 60 witnesses that watched me get my head cracked open and almost get killed.

So I have six friends that did a police report in front of me and handed it to the police department.

During my assault, I was pretty repeated slamming against the concrete surface, giving me traumatic brain injury due to the severity of this injury.

I was medically put on social security.

Since this date of my assault, I have repeated and lawfully attempted to obtain the official police report and investigation documents and related records regarding this incident.

Despite my rights under Connecticut law, I have been considerably denied access and ignored and otherwise obstructed by the official of the New Britain Police Department.

These records are essential for me to pursue a civil right action concerning handling and investigating a potential suspicious matter.

I'm sorry, I can't read good because of my brain injury.

Refusal to release these public document records raised concern that potential or eternal consideration may exist that have shielded my investigation to individuals responsible or otherwise preventing proper disclosure of my police report.

I dressed up in Santa Claus, and I went to the police department with all my witnesses, and I don't have any of those witnesses on any police report.

My police report says that I refuse to give a statement.

So therefore, I have six witnesses that I brought to the police department.

Thanks.

All of you, okay.

God bless you.

Love you all.

Thank you, sir.

Next next speaker I have is uh Vanancio um Paro.

Did I say that correctly?

Yes.

Thank you.

Ms.

Lewis, good night, everyone.

Yes, um good good evening.

Name and address for the record.

The floor is yours.

Yes, my name is Benancio and Paro.

I said you just say it.

And um I live in Ford 65 Meadow Street.

Um, the address I put over there's a little convenience store that my wife has.

I say, my wife, because I'm the one who opened the store, but I had a brain in recent and I end up um that I cannot work like that anymore.

So here's what happened.

The reason I'm I'm here tonight is because I've been followed by the city and about way.

Because 430 West Main Street, uh AMB Mini Market, the little store, I opened it seven years ago, and it passed to my wife because I'm not allowed to work anymore like that.

But I still go to the store since I've been walking because I was not able to walk before and talk.

Now I can try it.

So I've been going to help my wife.

Whenever she wants to buy something, she don't drive, so I go with her.

And I've been getting tickets just to bring something in the store.

So I don't understand how the city gave a permission to have a business, and you're not allowed to bring you stuff to the business.

Does the matter I have today, as a matter of fact, I came to pay the ticket, not to pay it.

I came to a hearing on the third floor.

And the guy who takes care of me over there, this something that is not right.

Um by the way, do you guys understand what I'm talking right now?

Because my English maybe is not good.

But it's fine, sir.

No, but you can see my facial, everything.

You can tell that I'm Spanish.

And he says to me at the end, oh, if you have any complaint, go down the second floor today, tonight, because there's a hearing where you can come and bring whatever you want to bring.

You know why he said that to me?

Because he says they speak Spanish, Hispanic.

It's mean that he's racist.

And I don't understand how the city has someone working with people.

Over here, we got black, Hispanic, Polish, all kinds of race.

How he's gonna be racist, that's not right.

That's the only thing I can say.

And the other, oh well, about the store.

If the city doesn't want, if the city don't want that store there, the only thing they gotta do is pay what we pay for the store and get thus get us out of here.

Because before, I thought I'm sorry, can I get like 30 seconds more?

Before I had a store in Derby, Connecticut, in Sonia, Mary then, and I never was three treatment the way I've been treating in New Britain.

And there's a guy over here, he used to work downstairs with the mayor, and he can tell you guys how many times I come over there because that it was not even a parking.

They gave me you can wrap it up now.

Yeah, okay.

We get we get your uh you made it very clear.

Yes.

So, you know, if the city, like I say, I don't know.

Um, but if the city doesn't want us over here, just pay whatever we pay for the store, get us out of here, we go somewhere where they can love us.

I got love for everybody because there's a guy who made me walk and talk.

Okay, his name is Jesus Christ.

So excuse my language if I go in too high, but I feel very upset with New Brand City.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you, sir.

How much would you take it?

We still have public participation, and let's hear from the next speaker.

Who is Lynette?

Michael Russo.

Hi, I'm Lynette Macaruso, and I live at 45 Park Place in New Britain.

And I just want to uh give my endorsement to a declaration or something like this declaration about climate change and the need, I think, to get people excited about it here in New Britain.

Every man, woman, and child could really um give a hand to uh having cleaner air, cleaner water, cleaner soil, and feeling like they're part of a mission to make New Britain cleaner and greener.

I've been saying that for a long time.

Um I think this first statement, the first whereas out of the 11 whereas is whereas on November 23rd, 2018, the federal government issued a climate study detailing the massive threat that climate change change poses to the American economy and underscoring the need for immediate climate emergency action at all levels of government.

Well, that just went puff, right?

Because our federal leaders now think climate change is not even a word that you can utter.

And meanwhile, over these past seven years, pollution has only increased.

It's increased everywhere, but it's increased in New Britain, and I think it's time to face reality that the federal government isn't going to help us anymore and take it on ourselves.

I think these hard-hitting problems with pollution can best be dealt with by hard-hitting New Britain people.

And by that I mean I think we need to conduct our own study.

And there might have been, you might have knowledge, you people on the on the council and on the commissions.

You might have knowledge of prior air quality studies that have been done.

And I I seem to have heard, and this could only be you know a rumor, that the air quality in New Britain does contribute to higher rates of asthma among children.

We need to find that study and look at it.

But first of all, we have to get agreement from a um a group of people that represent every sector of New Britain.

And the K through 12 curricula needs to be updated to include what you as a young citizen can do to help reduce pollution.

Um with this air quality study, I'm just thinking tell people you're going to do it and get them excited about it.

Use TikTok, use uh Facebook, get the word out.

New Britain is going to tackle its um its environmental problems and make it better, and you can help, and then get started with that.

But I agree with um Aram that it's an all-hands on deck possibility.

It can be very exciting, it can be very positive, and uh, we'll all learn about science and we'll all breathe a little easier and a little cleaner.

Thank you for listening to me.

Thank you, Miss Megarusso.

The next speaker I have is Alberto Duarte.

Good evening.

My name is Alberto Duarte, and I live at 119 Willow Street, New Britain, Connecticut.

Reason why I'm here is I had a young woman, Mallory from Parks and Rec a couple months ago that had asked me how can we keep the Willow Street Park safer.

Now I handed out my proposal, hopefully to everybody on the panel.

So I'm gonna start.

Number one, gotta keep safety in mind when designing the park.

Two, lay out the ability to make visitors more comfortable to navigate.

The park is a major factor contributing to visitors feeling safe.

Consider adding easy recognizable landmarks or reference points to help people find their way.

Number three, here's the key takeaway vandalism and loitering after hours.

To avoid that, you need to increase public visibility in the park.

It can discourage vandals, as can create a city park that welcomes families, or another strategy is to educate your community about the consequences of vandalism.

Number four.

Install good lighting in the park facilities like the playgrounds and restrooms.

You should also have motion triggered light sensors in some areas.

Perform regular inspections, and I put self-explanatory.

Six, keep things clean.

Seven, put up clear signage, it promotes easy navigation for visitors and improves city park safety.

Signage to please displays the rules of the park.

Number eight, consider a surveillance such as AI recognition.

Nine, install emergency buttons like they have in colleges.

Have a security service, patrol the park for illegal activity, and to notify the New Britain Police Department of illegal activity.

You love them.

This is my dream all these years.

Erect a building for family activities like movie nights and other recreations and have rules implemented for start that we need a L C to get different sponsors in our community to get involved.

Thirteen do fundraisers.

So what I'm thinking is like right where the HY HRA building is.

I would like to have a rec center over there for everybody in the neighborhood.

Because summertime people are afraid to go down to the park for various reasons.

So thank you very much.

And I hope this gets passed.

Thank you, Mr.

Dwarney.

Welcome.

There's all the names I have on the list, but let me make a call for anybody in the audience who wishes to speak to the council.

Anyone wishing to speak?

anybody else?

None in the audience.

Is anybody calling in?

No calls.

That concludes the public participation.

Um this time we give any alderpons uh an opportunity to briefly or remark on what they've heard from the public.

Alderwoman Scott.

Okay, hi everybody.

Peace and love.

Thanks so much for you guys for coming out.

I like seeing all the happy faces.

Um Vicaroa, I think was the first one.

I I agree.

We need to look and oh wait, you weren't the first one, sorry.

Aram, you're first.

Aram, thanks for coming out, and thanks for sending us all that information.

It I appreciate it, and I think that we should definitely sit down and look more into helping out our environment.

And I like the plan that you guys had back in 2019.

I hope that we can all agree on looking into that.

And because the flooding is a huge issue throughout the city, and trees will help prevent flooding, and trees also help our environment.

So we really we need to replace our trees when they're getting old and and make sure that we we're replanting them so that we can help our environment.

And so I hope that we'll look more into that resolution that was already we don't have to reinvent the wheel, we just get to go ahead and run with us and figure out thank you so much for coming out.

Um you live in my word, and I'm concerned about some of the things that you said.

I am a huge human rights activist, um, and to hear some of those things, especially when our alderman said earlier ironically that this is the anniversary of civil rights or something, right?

So it's really sad with what's happening in this country today to hear some of those things, and I hope that we can sit down and talk and figure out what we can do to help you and support you and make everybody feel safe.

And Kelly, thanks for coming.

I hope that we can possibly figure out a way to help support you as well on your concerns.

And um, 40.

So somebody the person after that on West Main Street.

I didn't catch your name.

Um yeah, so I want to um I do want to sit down and talk with you as well, um, because I'm really sorry that you're experiencing what you're experiencing, and I think you're saying that you have a business, and I am a strong advocate for small businesses, especially multicultural businesses.

So I don't want you going anywhere, and so I want to help support you and make you feel safe and make you be able to have help support you to make your business sustainable in this city because that's what we're supposed to be doing with small businesses.

We're supposed to be helping and maintaining and keeping you here, not telling you to go somewhere else.

So I'm sorry that you feel that way right now, but let's try to sit down and figure out how we can help support you.

And who's after that?

Oh no.

Um the businesses and then Lynette, thank you so much for coming.

And hello, and yes, let's clean up and let's get our environment um clean.

And yes, there are studies because I'm a mental health health provider.

There are studies that connect asthma with learning, you know, learning the environment infects everything, mental health or physical health.

So it's really important that we have a clean that we are helping to clean our keep our air cleaner, our environment cleaner because our kids are not healthy when you know we we want to raise healthy children in our neighborhoods, so let's let's work on that in Alberto.

I want to thank you first of all, because I see you out there doing community work out here, like picking up the bottles, doing different things like that.

So thanks for doing all that, and you see a lot that's happening in our neighborhood.

And I know you gave me the list a couple times, and I know you did a lot of work on that.

And so, yes, so I think we should um work on cleaning, and we'll look over your list and hopefully we can connect with the NRZ, I'm thinking, um, to work on some of the things that you have there.

So thanks so much for coming, and I think I got everybody.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other Alderman?

Any other Alderman?

Alderman.

Thank you, sir.

Um, I'll be brief.

I just wanted to um rise to provide some supplemental information to what Mr.

Aylon spoke about this evening with the climate change.

Um, just to give you guys some factual information.

This past summer, we planted eighty-nine trees, eighty-nine trees at Osgood Park.

Uh, the year before, uh, we planted thirty trees uh throughout the east side area, and the year before that, um, twenty throughout the West Side area through a grant program.

Um, and those are just free planting of trees in our parks and in different areas.

In addition to that, I want everyone to remember and consider that when we renovate a school building, uh, we do work to make it a leads building, which means that it complies with most of the green energy rules and regulations for new construction, which also uh requires that we reduce the impervious uh area on those properties.

And for instance, home school will include a brand new green real field, not turf, we don't do turf fields on our school renovation projects.

But in addition to that, those school building projects also include new tree plantings uh throughout the campuses as well.

In addition to that, green energy, we continue to put solar installations on all of our new buildings and look for ways to reduce our utility utilization.

So we are continuing to meet the requests of that climate change that we all uh unanimously voted for.

And we still plant trees.

Thank you.

Good evening.

I call to order the December 10, 2025 regular meeting of the Common Council.

The time is now seven forty PM.

Mr.

Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Alder Persons McNamara.

Here.

Scott.

Simpson.

Here.

Smedley.

Malinowski.

Hargraves.

Gibson.

Delernia.

Santiago.

Barbosa.

Sancho.

Vargas.

Maldonado.

Senteno.

Ortiz Luna.

Fifteen members present, Your Honor.

Thank you.

Mr.

Clerk, may we all rise within location, which will be followed by the pledge of legions.

Let us pray.

Oh God, our heavenly father, as we celebrate the holidays with our families, neighbors, and friends, we give thanks for the fond memories of Christmas and holidays past of the loved ones that may no longer be with us.

Protect those who keep New Britain safe and to those who provide services for the less fortunate in our community.

We ask this in thy name.

Amen.

Okay.

So send that to the council office.

Alderman Smedley and Delernia for a complete list of all city new of New Britain job positions, civil service or appointed that have been frozen for the ninety-day period.

That would go to the human resource department.

Alderman Smedley for the appropriate department to provide information on the Allen Street project status.

And that would go to the public works department.

And Alderman Smedley and Delernia for a complete list of all members of the mayor's transition team, including their names, titles, and roles.

And that would be referred to the mayor's office.

That's all your honor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Honor.

I make a motion to accept an a consent agenda of item A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.

So motion may I Alderman Santiago and second by the Alderman Sanchez.

Mr.

Clerk, please call the role.

Scott.

Simpson.

Yes.

Smedley?

Yes.

Malinowski.

Hartgraves.

Gibson.

Delernia?

Yes.

Santiago?

Yes.

Barbosa.

Yes.

Sanchez.

Yes.

Vargas.

Maldonado?

Santeno?

Yes.

Ortiz Luna.

Yes.

Fifteen in favor, Your Honor.

Motion carries.

We will move on to the first item on the agenda.

Alden.

Alderwoman Scott for item number one.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second.

Second party, Alderman.

This is our seasons.

Greetings.

And we rejoice with our families and during these holiday season is a time of the year to uh for us to reflect on our traditional values and what is truly worthwhile in our lives.

Families and friends gather to reflect on the past and look forward to a hopeful new year.

So let it be resolved that the common council of New Britain that the Common Council sincerely expresses our wish for a holiday, a a peaceful and loving and uh hopeful and joyful and happy happy, happy, healthy, prosperous new year to all the citizens in New Britain.

And also let it be resolved that we wish all the citizens of New Britain a happy winter solstice, a Merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, and a happy Kwanzaa.

And I don't want anyone here in New Bretton to feel that you're alone.

We are all family here in New Britain.

So I urge adoption of this.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

Any questions or comments?

Okay, seeing none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Motion carries.

Item number two, Alderman Santiago.

Thank you, honor.

Make a motion to accept and adopt item number two.

Second.

Second by Alderwoman.

Thank you, Honor.

Um this is for the add addition um timeline for the petitions for uh for our res our petitions for the city council for submission to uh to the clerk.

Um also I would like to make a motion to amend section 101 as provided to all members and the documents being forwarded.

That part it was also uh add-on, in which um I read it.

So let me read it.

Section 101 would be sorry, excuse me, honor.

All right, and which I hear for the the amending is any table items shall not be carried over to a new session of a common council.

In addition, we're in considerations of an item is only in order during the same session of the common council that the items to be reconsidered was voted upon.

Um this pertains to uh resolutions that are tabled or um that were voted on that uh prior to the to the elections.

But what happens is is that um when we have when we have the new session, a new uh term, those are items that some people would consider would think we'll be able to consider, but we wouldn't have those members might not come back to the council.

So this is just one clarification that we had sent to uh corporate council for some um you know wording, and they sent these recommendations and I urge adoption.

Is there any other uh urge uh uh amendment?

Is there any other section?

No, that's the one for that part, but that was amended as a 10 more.

Okay, so any questions or comment excuse me.

Any questions or comments on the amendments deliver through you to Alderman Santiago?

I question the need we just approved the standing rules most recently at our last committee meeting.

So I'm wondering why the change now and if you can explain the basis for why we're doing this.

Yep, thank you.

Do you honor?

Proceed.

So uh we did accept the rules in the beginning, but obviously, through all the through all the things of transitioning and everything that's going on due to the fact that we don't have a supervisor, uh uh administrative superorder at the point of time.

We're considering the new person that will come in.

It's given a chance to be able to kind of adapt to everything that's going on, and at the same time, petitions, it takes a lot of paperwork.

Everyone thinks it's just quick write on.

No, the clerk, whoever the person is has to write it up, has to report it to the clerks of committees, has to do a there's a lot more things to it than just a quick uh pen or the paper.

So this was just give some time for the person that's gonna be stepping in, you know, to be able to get used to everything and and adapt to what our system is.

Um my understanding is it's worked fine in the past, and at what point is this new person gonna be brought up to speed?

How long is that gonna take?

All the Ms.

To be honest, I can't tell you until we find a person and actually have them sit there and talk because I can't tell you how the person's gonna work out until we we hire them.

So sorry to say that.

And then I've got previous, there was some times too that were some games played about the petitions.

They wanted to hold off to the last minute.

We did it before.

It was back and forth, some games they were playing.

I'm trying to cut the games and trying to be straight up forward about things so this way the people have a chance opportunity to see the things as they go, not just games that are being played.

So this is just a you know, for like I said, transparency reasons.

Any other questions?

Alderman Smith just a point of parliamentary figure.

Do you want to um vote on the amendment and then continue the discussion?

Because I I do want to continue discussion.

So okay, seeing all all in favor of this amendment say aye.

Aye, all opposed say nay, nay, nay.

Motion carries.

Any further discussion on the amend amended amendment?

Yes, sir.

Um Alderman Smedley.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um, through I just have a few questions for our um uh council uh administrative supervisor Jessica Giratana, if I may, through you, Your Honor.

Um was is that a that a no?

She's not gonna answer questions or uh no, no, I I have a question for Ms.

Giratana related to petitions.

Correct, which is related to the petitions.

They're trying to change the standing rules related to the petitions, correct?

The petition procedure by point of information to to help you out, Mr.

Smidley.

Sure.

Okay, Alderman.

I just like to read the the amendment amendment uh on um on petitions, uh which is section 5.1 that uh it asks that any petitions be submitted the day before the regular council meeting by 8 15 a.m.

That's correct.

Uh and the intent of that is is transparency.

It is so that there'll be a written statement for the council this evening.

It may not be in hopefully posted to the public ahead of the meeting.

So the intent is transparency, so everyone can see a petition.

If a member of the public wants to come down and and comment on it, they can.

So it's it's uh mainly uh uh to uh President Santiago's point um uh creates uh reasonable time for everyone to see it plainly in writing and for the public to respond to it.

Yep, that I have no question about that, and we discussed the same thing in leadership.

I do have a question um through you, Mayor, to Miss Giratana, though, if I may, and and I'll say the question ahead ahead of time.

I just want to inquire about how many petitions during your time as uh council uh aid supervisor did you have to file paperwork or do anything related to the petitions beyond helping type a petition up for a council member who may have asked you in advance.

Was there any formal process that you um took part in as part of filing petitions with the clerk's office?

Uh through you, Your Honor.

Uh corporate counsel.

The uh my question is I'm sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you as well.

The question is well taken.

Um we're gonna have to look look that up and get back to you on that.

Okay, so Ms.

Giritana's present, she can't answer that question.

She doesn't have the information available to her right now.

She worked in the position for more than 14 years.

Your Your Honor, this is all the information that I have.

We will follow up on it.

Okay.

All right.

Um, and and I'll I'll wait the follow-up.

Um, if I may continue.

So um I I just I have some real concerns about creating a stop gap in the petition process because um essentially it's an avenue and a catalyst for us as council members who've been elected by the citizens of New Britain to bring concerns forward to the council publicly, right?

So there may be a chance or a time where uh citizen has a concern and they bring it to a council member, and for instance, in November and December, we have one meeting a month, right?

So if I don't make the Tuesday deadline to get that petition, and I now have to wait a month for the next meeting to bring something of concern up to this body.

So that's my first concern.

My second concern is what's next?

Are we gonna require the public to have to stop into the mayor's office to file their questions and their statements to be reviewed prior to public participation?

Because that's essentially the same thing, right?

The public walks up to the podium and asks their questions, and then they get a response within a timely manner if it if it requires a response.

Same thing.

The petition process, all their people submit a petition handwritten or type to the clerk of the city.

The clerk reads them aloud publicly at the meeting so that they can't be censored or changed or altered, um, even though tonight that all the words didn't get read aloud in our uh petitions, but then moving forward, it's a one to two-week response process, which we accept and we understand.

So it's not a gotcha process that we're looking for, it's just a continued transparency.

And to say that there's a process required that takes time that a new council aide or supervisor will have to learn.

I I don't buy it for one minute.

I really don't.

Um I'm aiming to keep this process transparent by allowing us to continue to submit petitions live at any meeting.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any other comments on Alderman, not to prolong this, but uh uh the last term uh as a new uh a newly elected member, I was discouraged from filing petitions for information, you may recall, and said just call the department head correct.

I was discouraged from filing petitions for information, you may recall, and said just call the department head.

Correct.

Uh which you do you do both things, I think which I support filing petitions, but um I don't think you can have it both ways in terms of uh on the one hand on one day discouraging petitions from being filed, which I was, and now uh putting a reasonable uh time frame so that it can be put in writing with clarity for all to see to respond to, and also there's always exception if there's an emergency or something else.

There are always exceptions uh to our regular order.

Thank you.

Any further Alderman Smedley.

Thank you, Mayor.

Through you to my colleague uh Alderman McNamara.

Uh I I don't believe we discouraged you from filing petitions.

I believe what we discouraged was the repetitive um request for information that was easily obtainable by calling a department head or emailing a department head that you could then share publicly if if so required as an elected official.

Any further discussion?

Alderman I just want to move to move the amendment voting.

Is that it?

Okay, thank you.

Candace.

Um Alderman Alderman Scott.

Ohderman Barbosa.

I just want to say that um allowing the time frame to be changed only allows promote only promotes transparency and public access.

Posting petitions ahead of time gives the residents a chance to review what will be discussed, attend the meeting, and participate when appropriate.

This protects the community's right to be informed.

I don't think petitions should be a last minute thing.

I think they need to be properly reviewed, properly submitted, so that the public can get it all together on the agenda.

Shouldn't be a surprise.

Someone shows up, there's a petition put in, and the public doesn't know about it, and it's discussed in a meeting, and a resolution is created and it's passed, and no one knows about it except for the person who put in a petition.

I think it's a discouragement to the public, and I think it's it's an unfair move to the public to try and slide in a petition last minute, in my opinion.

Alderman Scott.

I agree with um our alder woman that this does promote transparency and having it in writing um is good to have it in writing for the public, similar to the resolution uh process that there's a time limit that you can put it in.

And I don't think that there's any reason that we can't address concerns that the public has, whether it be in writing or not, like you can still call and address your concerns with the department head or uh talk to our mayor.

Um there's ways to go about that if there is an emergency, it doesn't have to be in a petition form to do that.

So I think there's no reason that we shouldn't be able to do it this way so that there's a time limit to having it in writing, and I also do agree with our other aldermen that we were discouraged um to put in petitions before in the past, and there wasn't clear transparency, even when calling department heads and such.

So I just I think that there's nothing wrong with doing this so that our public knows when we're putting something in writing, and we're still going to be responsible for addressing concerns ongoing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alderwoman Delerna.

Again, I want to comment on thinking that you were discouraged in the past.

I know as a former commissioner on the police commission, we oftentimes would get uh redundant uh petitions that have either been answered in the past or could have easily been uh answered by the chief if a phone call was made.

So um I really ask that you not state uh being discouraged.

I don't think that was the case at all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alderman.

Your Honor, I'm gonna call the question, please.

Okay, alderman calls question.

We've done the amendment, right?

Yeah, so yeah, roll.

So we'll um all in favor of I uh of the item as amended.

Your honor, there was no second on the I side.

Well, yes, there was a second.

I actually said second.

Oh, I'm sorry, I said all those in favor of the item as amended, say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Nay.

Motion carries.

Umchez for item number three.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I make a motion to accept and adopt uh item number three.

Second.

Thank you.

This resolution is for amending resolution three six five seven five-two to authorize Mayor Bobby Sanchez to negotiate and execute a ground lease between City of New Britain, New Brain Housing Authority and JHM Group.

And it rings like as follows.

To his honor, the mayor and the common council, City on New Britain, the Undersign Bay leave to recommend the adoption of the following.

Whereas on September 25th 2024, the Common Council approved resolution 36572-2, which authorized Mayor Erin E.

Stewart to negotiate and execute a ground lease with the New Brand Housing Authority and JHM group and any and any document related there to in accordance with the terms outlined in the resolution.

Whereas the City on the Brand, New Brent Housing Authority Authority and JHM group have been negotiating the terms of the ground lease but have not finalized finalized not executed the document and on November 11, 2025, Mr.

Bobby Sanchez was sworn in uh in as a mayor of the city of New Brent, and we're as resolution 36575-2 needs to be amended to authorize Mayor Sanchez to negotiate and execute the ground lease with the New Brand Housing Authority and JHM group and resolve that resolution 36575-2.

He's everybody everybody amended to authorize Mayor Bobby Sanchez to negotiate and execute on behalf of the City on Brand a ground lease agreement with the New Brand Housing Authority and JH M group and any documents related there to in accordance with the terms outlined in resolution in the resolution and I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Any questions?

Any questions or comments?

I just asked Alderman Simpson.

I have a I think a point of information on the prior resolution.

Did we vote to call the question or did we vote to just pass as amended?

Mayor.

Point of order.

Thank you, Alderman.

You're absolutely correct.

Oh the mic.

Yeah, you're absolutely correct.

Um you voted on the um to move the question, but you didn't move you didn't vote on the amendment.

So you'll need to go back.

Go back to vote on the amendment.

You can finish this one here and go and then go back to that one.

Okay.

Thank you, Corporation Council.

Um other comments on this.

No.

Okay.

Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Now going back to item number two.

And that's to vote on the on the amendment.

Item as amended.

Do I get a second?

Second.

That would be item as amended.

I'm sorry.

Second by Alderman Sanchez.

Okay.

Do we have any further discussions?

No.

Okay.

All those in favor of this I um item amended, say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Parting line.

Parting line, motion carries.

Okay, item number four.

Alderwoman Sanchez.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second.

Second by Mr.

Santiago.

Thank you.

This uh this resolution is for the amending resolution 36576-2 to authorize Mayor Bobby Sanchez to negotiate and execute a couple a cooperation agreement between City of New Brand, New Brand Housing Authority and JHM Group.

And it reads as follows.

To his honor, the mayor and the common council of the city of New Brand.

They understand by leave to recommend the adoption of the following.

We're asked on September 25th, 2024.

The Common Council approved resolution 36576-2, which authorized Mayor Aaron Eastwort to negotiate and secure a cooperation agreement, including an amendment to the to the existing 2012 cooperation agreement to remove the reference to the unpleasant apartments with the New Brent Housing Authority and JHM group and any document related there too in accordance with the terms outlined in that resolution.

Whereas the City on the Brand New Brand Housing Authority and JHM group have been negotiating the terms of the cooperation agreement, but have now finalized not executed the document and on November 11, 2025, Mr.

Bobby Sancho was sworn in, was sworn in as a mayor of the city of New Brent, and we're asked resolution 36576-2 needs to be amended to authorize major sanchez to negotiate and execute the ground lease with the New Brent Housing Authority and JHM group and I urge adoption.

Any questions or comments?

Alderman McMahon.

Could I ask Ms.

Woody to come up and answer question?

This was authorized a year ago in September, I believe, but as the amendment uh as the resolution explains the agreement between JHM Housing Authority and City did uh did not uh get done.

And as I recall, this was a um phase one, just phase one.

Ms.

Woody, there'll be other parts of this project coming forward uh in the near term.

The project has five phases.

Pardon me?

The project has five phases.

Okay is um we're tearing down two hundred and fifty-three one units, and we're replacing it with three hundred and thirty-three units.

So instead of moving all 188 people out of Mount Pleasant at one time, we divide it into four phases to limit the disruption to the families.

Families that are currently living in Mount Pleasant will be moved into the vacant units as people move out.

We're keeping those units vacant so that people can move into those so that children don't have to switch schools and uh medication, everything else can stay the same.

So one of five.

This is one this is one of five.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Woody.

Any other questions or comments?

Seeing none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Item number five, Alderwoman Barbosa.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second.

Seconded by Alderwoman Sanchez.

This resolution is for the federal highway safety funds of 9,999 and 36 cents for overtime for the clicket or ticket program to support seatbelt law enforcement efforts during the holiday season.

I urge adoption.

Any questions or comments?

Okay, seeing none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Alderman McInmer for item number six.

Thank you, Honor.

Make a motion accept adopt number six.

Second by Alderwoman Luna.

Uh this is uh uh regular report from the revenue collector, formerly tax collector, on uh refunds, abatements, corrections, uh, with uh funds going back to the taxpayers.

It's in the amount of uh total amount of 28,680 dollars for this this report and I move adoption.

Any questions or comments?

Okay, seeing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye all those opposed say nay.

Motion carries item number seven, alderman embargus.

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

Second by Alderman Simpson.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Whereas the city of New Britain uses ESRI enterprises, GIS software to maintain a database of vital information related to police fire, EMS, accessors, assessors office, building planning and development, and public works departments, and the public works department seeks to engage ERSI uh who was the existing software provider to provide the support services outlined and the submitted proposal for a fee of 16,720.

And uh this funding is available from the engineering professional services account, and I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Any comments or questions?

Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Item number eight, Alderwoman Ortiz Luna.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second by Alderman Santiago.

This is to authorize a purchase of two wind windstorm blowers for the New Britain Parks and communicate community services department from Snow White Power Equipment and the amount of 22,384.

Funds are available, and I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Any questions or comments?

Alderman Hard Ravens.

Thank you, somebody's in front of my call.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um first there's no new Brent Parks and Community Services Department.

It's the recreation and community services department.

Um but also I spoke to the director of the recreation and community services department, and they said it's not for her department.

So I'm just curious.

I don't know if Mr.

Mori already knows what exactly this department is is for your mic, Mr.

Um.

Let's see.

No, I don't know.

I I assume based on the resolution that it was for those community services.

Um I know what they're replacing, but I do not rate I did not write this resolution.

Yeah, I was I wasn't informed that it's neither for the the golf course nor the cemetery, and that would be the only things that the recreation and community service department would need.

So I don't know what departments is for.

Um actually, I mean it's it there's it's it probably is miswritten.

Uh I mean uh though from our fleet manager.

I mean, these are our basic units that we use at the golf course in parks on trails.

I mean they're basically just lead blowers or for multi-use trails that where we blow off debris from a trail, could use them in a downtown area.

They're they're just um a stand on um stand on blower.

Um and these two are replacing two that are we use in parks and roadways.

Um yeah, so uh for that resolution why the route why it's written about community service and parks.

I'm not sure.

So do we know who submitted this resolution?

Um I don't know if uh it was written in by the purchase and agent in accord and in accordance with our fleet manager.

I'm not sure.

Maybe there's a fleet manager.

I'm not sure.

I would I just don't I don't I don't understand how they're gonna pass this.

I don't know all the answers to the questions.

Alderman Santiago I can get I can get a resolution pretty quickly.

Uh well your honor Alderman Smithley.

The the resolutions have to be submitted through your office, correct?

So um does Mr.

Tanner know who submitted this resolution?

Corporate counsel Jeff Piper okay, I got them wrong here.

Jack Piper, Jack Piper.

Did you get that?

Yep.

Okay.

So is Mr.

Piper here?

No.

Okay.

I uh I move that we uh take resolution until we have further information.

Second update.

Okay, so we'll table this.

Um motion all in favor to table um I item number eight, say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Uh alder woman Barbosa for item number nine.

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

This is regarding the purchase of a 2026 Ford F-150 for the public works department utilities division water department to replace a 2015 Ford F-150 that was damaged due to an accident not at fault of the city employee.

Uh I urge adoption.

Any questions or comments on item number nine?

Alderman McNamara.

Uh just uh just a comment.

I I recognize the need to uh these vehicle purchases, but I think it was a year ago.

Uh I think the council can expect a report, a new report on efforts to uh uh uh be uh have conservation and and uh move toward uh vehicles that have uh a less of a carbon footprint and uh I think that's incorporated into the plan and uh is it Mr.

Piper that provides that?

Yes, yeah, so I look forward to seeing that report, but I'm supportive of the resolution tonight.

Any other questions or comments?

Okay, seeing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye all those opposed say nay.

Motion carries item number 10.

Um thank you, Your Honor.

I make a motion to accept and adopt item number 10.

Second by Alderman Sanchez.

This is to authorize a purchase of one new 150 Ford pickup truck for the New Britain public works department in the amount of 42,751 dollars and ten cents funds are available, and I urge adoption.

Any questions or comments?

Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye, all those opposed say nay.

Motion carries item number 11, alder women barbosa.

That's amountable.

That's not what I have here.

Okay, okay.

I think I have Alderman Melanowski.

Thank you, Honor.

I make a motion to accept and adopt item 11.

Second second by Alderman gets and this is to purchase two new vehicles for the uh facilities and energy department, uh one of which being a new 2026 F uh Ford F 250 truck in the amount of 57,846 dollars to replace a 2009 GMC pickup truck, and the second one is a 2026 Ford Explorer in the amount of 36,140 dollars.

Um and this will be a new vehicle added to their fleet, and um I believe there was a placeholder for account number, so the item has to be amended, but I urge adoption your honor Alderman Alderman Santiago like to make a motion to amend include the count number, which is provided to the members of the document, which is second by Alderman, which is 2553 15055-5741.

And I raised the amendment okay.

Any questions on the amendment?

Um Alderman Hard race.

Thank you, honor.

If I may through through uh John Delgadillo, is he still in a row?

Did he leave?

He was I don't think John Delegal, I don't think he's here.

He was here earlier.

I just want to make sure that the correct uh department is listed here.

Um I'm not sure if these vehicles are actually for the facilities and energy department.

Um so I wanted to clarify.

Do you know, Mark?

Or yeah, um, they are uh 130, which is the explorer is a replacement vehicle for um John Delgadill specifically.

Uh it's the vehicle it's replacing.

Did you guys I think you guys got copies of the issues for uh all the vehicles?

Um 130.

Let's see.

It's replacing a vehicle 19 years old.

Transmission is in need of replacement, the estimated repair costs on that repair is 6500.

Um yeah, it's also having other codes showing the transmission overheating while it's um while it's driving.

Um yeah, the the point of repair costs are exceeding the value of the vehicle.

Um the vehicle's been brought to Jangris Ford multiple times, and they have not been able to fully diagnose the issues.

The other vehicle that's listed in this one is a uh primary plow unit used in property management.

It's 17 years old, has a vehicle life cycle, 10 to 12 years old.

Um, and the repair calls also exceed the value.

So thank you for that additional information.

We didn't have that in our package.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any any other comments or questions?

Okay, so this is as amended.

Um all those in favor say aye.

As amended, all those opposed say nay.

Wait, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Your Honor.

Your Honor Your Honor Pointer.

the repair costs also exceed the value so thank you for that additional information we didn't have that in our package okay thank you thank you alderman any any other comments or questions okay so this is as amended um all those in favor say aye is amended as amended all those opposed say nay wait no I'm sorry I'm sorry your honor your honor your honor point then we're still under the discussions of of the amendment so we'll still okay so any other questions on the amendment seeing seeing none all those in favor say aye aye all those opposed say nay now discussion on as amended any questions seeing none all those in favor say aye aye all those opposed say nay motion carries item number 12 alderman centenal thank you there he goes I make a motion to accept and adopt uh item number 12 second this resolution is in reference to uh purchase of two uh 2026 Ford police interceptors for the police department through for uh through the public works uh fleet division and um i urge adoption the the the uh total cost is 142 500 500 000 and uh i urge adoption thank you alderman uh any comments or questions seeing none all those in favor say aye aye all those opposed say nay motion carries alderman centeno for item number thirteen uh make a motion to accept and adopt item number thirteen second second by alderwomen luna also on this uh resolution it's for the purchase of um another Ford Explorer for 4491 dollars 79 cents three of them I'm sorry three of them and uh for the police department and I urge adoption thank you alderman any questions or comments any questions or comments none seeing none okay all those in favor say aye aye aye all those opposed say nay motion carries to adjourn motion to adjourn second aye alderman centeno okay all in favor say aye aye all those opposed say nay motion carries meeting adjourned at 821 p.m thank you all right second one of the year see this one I have so with her mistake then over here so yeah anyway