I want to uh welcome everybody to the regular meeting of the Common Council for our April 22nd.

Uh we'll begin as always with uh public participation.

It's now 702 p.m.

Just ask that uh please remember to state your name and address clearly for the record, and you limit your speaking time to three minutes.

I'm gonna call up from the list first in order.

Uh but if anybody hasn't signed up and hasn't spoken and wishes to speak, uh we're here uh for as long as anybody wants to speak, and then some also check on anybody calling in remotely.

First name on the list is Joe Fordier.

Good evening, members of the council.

My name is Joseph Fordier, and I'm an uh an assistant principal over at Pulaski Middle School.

I come before you tonight on behalf of Palascay Middle School to ask for a thoughtful compromise and a meaningful increase to the 2026-2027 school budget.

Over the past two years, we have not stood still.

We have built something real and measurable.

At Palaski, we have reduced student referrals by 751 incidences year over year, and we are on pace to reduce them even further this year.

This is not by chance.

It is a result of intentional systems, consistency, and relentless effort from our staff.

We have implemented clear and effective school-wide practices, tardy and skipping policies, cell phone expectations, stronger family communication, consistent grading, and structured behavior protocols rooted in restorative practices.

These systems have created a safer, more predictable environment where students can focus on learning.

Our commitment to instruction is just as strong.

This year alone, our administrative team, and instructional coaches, have conducted over 400 learning walks, provided targeted feedback to strengthen teaching in every classroom.

We are focused on Bell to Bell instruction and high-quality tier one learning, aligned with state standards.

We've also built systems that ensure this work is sustainable, like our lead teacher program, which meets twice monthly to refine instruction, analyze data, and plan meaningful, engaging lessons that meet the needs of all learners.

Invested in over 200 student resources and implemented a comprehensive monitoring system to push students toward grade level proficiency and beyond.

We're building a school culture that students believe in.

Without a significant increase in our budget, we risk losing the very momentum we have worked so hard to build.

Reduced staffing will stretch will stretch our capacity beyond what is sustainable.

Class sizes will rise, perhaps beyond contractual limits.

Restorative practices, restorative practices may give way to increased suspensions because we simply won't have the personnel to do the work the right way.

Teacher burnout will grow, absenteism will increase, and students will feel the impact first.

It is much easier to lose progress than it is to build it.

The students in New Britain deserve more than maintaining the status quo.

They deserve continued growth, opportunity, and stability.

We're proud to be Pulaski Generals.

We're proud of the systems we built to support academics, social emotional development, and future readiness.

But pride alone cannot sustain progress.

Capacity does.

I ask you tonight how can we continue moving forward if we no longer have the resources to do so?

Please partner with us, find a compromise, invest in our schools so that the progress we've made is not only preserved but strengthened for the future.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Forder.

We can hold our applause to the end.

We'll get to the next speaker.

Thank you.

Next speaker is Derek Roberts.

Hello.

Good evening, members of the council.

My name is Derek Roberts, and I'm speaking tonight as a proud graduate of New Britain Public Schools, a long-term educator, a current assistant principal at Pulaski Middle School, and yes, Derek Roberts, my address, 222 Main Street, downtown New Britain, Connecticut.

I'm also speaking tonight as from uh current assistant principal at Pulaski Middle School.

Um my career beginning as a BSA or actually a temp custodian S17 during the long hot summer months at New Britain High School and growing into a role as a school administrator is a testament to the value of the New Britain School District.

I also echo Mr.

Fordier's concerns, so I'm not going to restate them.

We must do better.

Our students, our staff, and our families deserve a budget that reflects a true commitment to education, not a reduction of opportunity.

The current proposal falls extremely short of the high standards our New Britain community expects and flat out deserves.

Thank you.

Thank you, Derek.

Our next speaker is Jacqueline Escalase.

Jacqueline.

Good evening, members of the Common Council and Mayor Sanchez.

My name is Jacqueline Escales, and I'm a lifelong New Britain resident, residing at 146 South Mountain Drive.

I address you tonight in three roles.

As a resident who cares for the city, as a taxpayer, and as a teacher nearing retirement after almost 35 and a half years of service to our community's children.

First, I must express my disappointment in Mayor Sanchez.

In a May going back as far as May 2021, in a Connecticut Mirror article, uh, you criticized former Mayor Stewart for years of flat funding our school district.

You were quoted saying, How will we attract new families to move into our city and keep our economy alive?

We desperately need a mayor in New Britain who values public education.

Furthermore, as a former former educator and state education committee leader, you stated that, quote, with my experience, not only just on our local board of education, but as the chair of the education committee at the legislature, I can produce an equitable budget for New Britain that puts our kids and their futures first.

I now ask, does this current budget truly prioritize our children?

It is disheartening that after all these years dating back to when I received my first paycheck and a pink slip simultaneously.

We are still grappling with school funding issues.

We must find a way to do better.

Given the right tools, resources, and supports, they are capable of achieving truly remarkable things.

Funding directly influences the quality of instruction, the level of support for our students, and the opportunities we can offer.

When resources are inadequate, our children are the first to suffer through larger class sizes, fewer programs, and reduced support services.

Investing in the Board of Ed's requests is not merely a request, it's a critical necessity.

It fulfills our moral duty to New Britain's children and represents the wisest, wisest long term financial strategy.

By champion by championing education, we fundamentally elevate the value of our entire community, ensuring a stronger, more prosperous city for all.

I've personally seen the immense strain placed on our district due to years of being one of the lowest funded in the state of Connecticut.

This chronic underfunding has pushed our school system to a breaking point.

The proposed 26-27 budget is not a wish list for extras.

It's essential for maintaining the absolute minimum staffing levels and core educational programs required to keep our students safe, engaged, and learning at a foundational level.

More cuts will destroy the basic structure of our schools.

As a taxpayer, I am acutely aware of the importance of every dollar.

However, our primary responsibility must be to prioritize education.

While I acknowledge that the state must increase ECS funding, I am imploring you to prioritize our schools in this municipal budget.

Show our teachers and students they are valued and demonstrate to our students that their city believes in their potential.

Please fund the Board of Ed budget to the maximum extent of your ability.

Thanks for your time and your service to the community.

Thank you, Jacqueline.

Our next speaker is Mark Spaulding.

Good evening, members of the Common Council.

My name is Mark Spaulding.

I live at 153 Whitney Street in Hartford, Connecticut.

I have been serving the New Britain community as its director of pupil services for the city schools for almost eight years, and I'm here this evening to address the cuts to the educate to education proposed in the budget for fiscal year 2027.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the term pupil services, the pupil services department supports New Britain students who attend district schools, private schools, alternative schools, and regional magnet schools, and who are receiving special education services or Section 504 accommodations under the rehabilitation act of 1973.

Currently, we're responsible for approximately 34% of the district's 10,000 students ages 3 through 22, supported by over 600 district employees.

This includes special education teachers, related service providers such as social workers, psychologists, as well as medical staff, powered paraeducators, and many others.

Of these students, 709 are on a 504 plan, and the remaining 2,788 students are on an individual educational plan or an IEP.

And IEP is governed by the Individualized Education Act, which became law in 1975 and was updated in 1990 and 2004.

In Connecticut, there are two, there are 14 recognized disabilities under IDA law.

The services that are in IEP are mandated services under federal law and must be provided and paid for by the school district.

This becomes a challenge with students who are highly impacted, either physically or emotionally, because if the district cannot sufficiently support a child's needs, either because it does not have an appropriate program or because it has no space in a program, it must pay a private provider to provide those services.

That is the law.

The good news that here in New Britain, we have in-district programs that currently serve 570 students.

We also have 166 students who are outplaced due to their needs, or that our programs are at capacity.

That 166 number has decreased from 180 at the beginning of the year, and I anticipate a further drop.

I also like to note that we are below the percentage sent by the state of Connecticut for students outplaced for a district our size.

My concern is that if the proposed budget is passed in its current form, it will negative negatively impact our ability to provide these mandated services in district, leading to potential legal life legal liability and increased cost and outplacements.

For example, we currently have 25 students, 25 classrooms rather, with over 250 students on the autism spectrum.

Most of these classrooms have between 8 and 11 students in them and cost the district about 500,000 each to staff.

If we had to outplace 10 similar students to private schools in the Hartford area, it would cost New Britain 1.7 million dollars to provide those same services.

In concluding, I am um I am worried about also unintended consequences that if the proposed budget will have on our ability to attract and retain dedicated staff, and more importantly, how it will inverse adversely impact our students with disabilities in their family, many of who are already struggling.

And I know that all of us in New Britain want the best for our city's children, and I am more than willing to sit down with anyone here and provide you more information, detailed information on special education if it'll help you in the decision making process.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Mr.

Spaulding.

Our next speaker is Madeline Figaroa.

Hi.

Good evening, members of the Common Council.

My name is Madeline Figueroa.

I live at 75 Sylvan Road.

I am here as a taxpayer and as a parent, a grandparent with children in New Britain public schools.

I raise four granddaughters.

A one million local increase against double digit inflation is not a status quo budget.

It is a budget for decline.

When the funding falls short, we lose more than line items.

We lose programs that keep students learning and safe.

For example, this budget would cut special education services for my autistic grandson.

Removing support that are essential to his progress and well-being.

Okay.

Born and raised.

I know.

I know what it's like from Mount Pleasant to run those streets.

If our schools falter, our property values and long-term health of our city will follow.

I am a homeowner.

If these schools fail, my property value, our property values suffer with that, right?

The math is not mathing.

It's not a balanced proposal.

I am asking for a balanced responsible approach.

That's it.

A modest one-time bridge from reserves.

I respectfully ask the council to authorize a one-time two to three million draw from the fund balance.

Authorize it.

Get it done.

A million is not enough, right?

And so we bridge this gap, right?

This will prevent a catastrophic staff layoff while we wait for state aid.

Aggressive state advocacy.

I urge the council to stand with the Board of Education in demanding an edge an updated education cost sharing formula.

So New Britain receives its fair share.

Classroom first spending.

Commit to a rigorous review of administrative overhead.

So any additional local funding goes directly to teachers, special education.

Please authorize a one time two to three million dollar drawer.

Our children are worth it.

Three of them are college graduates.

One of them is the Maxwell Facial Surgeon here, New Britain.

They're here.

My son says it all the time.

I'm not the only black and brown person that's smart here in the city of New Britain.

There are many of us, but no one gives us the chance.

Respectfully.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madeline.

Our next speaker is Elise Archibald.

Good evening, members of the council.

My name is Elise Archibald from 135 Amherst Street in New Britain by the college.

And I am here because New Britain is at a crossroads.

Right now, our school district, as you know, is facing a critical budget shortfall for the 26-27 school year.

To cut funding now isn't just a belt tightening measure.

It is a direct threat to the safety, stability, and future value of our city.

Every dollar we cut from our classrooms today will be paid back tenfold tomorrow in the costs of unemployment, public assistance, and the criminal justice system.

Research shows that every one dollar invested in local education can lead to a $20 increase in home property values.

Conversely, when we slash funding, we don't just lose teachers.

We lose the families and homeowners who keep our economy alive.

I am a transplant from a city that I love dearly.

I'm from New Haven, and I've been living here for 20 years.

And I love that things are beginning to grow and culture here is happening in the schools are improving.

And it's so what I am so proud to be here.

And I want to continue that pride.

I want all of us to continue to have that pride.

New Britain's students are already working against the grain.

They deserve a city that views them as an investment, not a line item to be trimmed.

I urge you, please, to reject these cuts, protect our alliance district status, and ensure that our schools remain a foundation for growth, not a casualty of the budget.

Please, let's invest in New Britain's future, not its decline.

Thank you for your time and your ears.

Thank you, Lise.

Next speaker is Desiree Costa.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Desiree Costa.

I live at 193 Amherst Street.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight.

I'm here to ask you clearly and respectfully to fulfill the Board of Education's full funding request.

For decades, education in New Britain has been underfunded.

That is not a reflection of one administration, but of a longstanding pattern that has left our schools working harder with less.

Today we have an opportunity and a responsibility to begin correcting that.

While we appreciate the effort to increase the flat funding rate, the current proposal still represents a reduction of approximately 1.6 million dollars compared to last year.

That is not just a number on a spreadsheet.

That is fewer resources, fewer opportunities, and real limitations placed on our students' ability to succeed.

And it is our students who will feel this the most.

For over 40 years, I have dedicated my career to the children and the families in this city.

I stand before you tonight, not just as the principal at homes, but as someone who has grown up in the system, worked in the system, and believes deeply in the system.

But I need to be honest with you.

Year after year, we are asked to do more with less.

And I'm here to tell you clearly, there is no more to give.

It means difficult decisions that impact real children sitting in our classrooms every single day.

We're talking about the basic conditions needed for children to learn and educators to do their jobs efficiently.

Our students deserve better.

They deserve fully staffed schools, they deserve access to support services, they deserve opportunities that prepare them for the future, not limiting them created by budget fall short lines.

And our educators who show up every day with dedication and heart deserve the resources necessary to meet the needs in front of them.

I have given my entire professional life to this city.

I have seen that what New Britain can do when we invest in our youth.

I have also seen the growing strains when we do not.

Tell me how badly I did that.

I am very concerned with the 1.6 million school district budget cut that has been submitted for consideration.

We are already at an 8.18.9 million deficit.

This additional cut in funds will be detrimental to the education, social and emotional well-being of our students.

This will this will cause cuts in education in staff sports programs, arts, special education, field trips, and other specialized services that are vital to the educational development of our youth.

What message are we sending to our youth if this is passed?

We want you to succeed, attend every day, complete your work, be prepared, focused, but yet but yet you will not have the same services, supports, and resources that you had before.

We are already struggling financially.

How can we possibly decrease funds?

My grandson has attended North End for five years, and he will be graduating and entering middle school.

If it was not for the staff and services that he has received, he would not be where he is today.

This is a school that greets each student as they walk through the door, and they know each student's name, from the administrators to the custodians.

They demonstrate their love, care, and value each and every child.

I am amazed at their dedication and commitment to not just eating the students, but encouraging engagement in activities and nourishing the friendships that they have developed.

With the cuts that we are facing, smaller schools like North End could be closed, and that will be a huge disservice to the staff, students, parents, and the entire community.

I live in that community, and I know firsthand the harm that will cause.

I'm a property owner, I pay taxes, and I value the town of New Britain.

I also work at an agency here for 25 years, and I know the needs of our community.

I know you are faced with a difficult decision, but think about the impact those decisions will have in our school district and the progress we have already made.

Let's not go backwards.

Let's move forward and continue to make those strides, achieve our goals and put the students first.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Thank you, Letitia.

Our next speaker is John Kristapic.

John Kristapic, 292 Lynwood Street.

Good evening and thanks for this opportunity.

I feel like this is going to be a commercial break.

A great job repaving Walnut Hill Park last year.

But what happened to the traffic signs?

Speed limit, one way, bicycles on a certain part of the road.

My wife told me that the city doesn't have money to replace them.

Where are the old ones?

Recently I went to a water board meeting.

The city has collected four and a half million dollars in the Clean Water Fund since it started in August of 2022.

I want to know how much of that is going towards the Allen Street project.

At this meeting, I heard two stories.

One where a citizen owed over $25,000 for a week at his house.

A sadder story was a daughter whose mother, for whatever reason, hadn't paid her water bills for some time, quite a long time.

She was making payments of $700 a month.

$8,400 for the year.

And it only reduced the principal by $2,500.

That's that 18% interest.

Isn't there some mechanism at the water department where they would notice something like this and maybe reach out and try to find out hey, what's going on here, instead of just letting it accumulate.

There's a new apartment complex in Farmington on the other side of Batterson Park, the Homestead.

The Cotovitas brothers.

This is what they said about their project.

We are developers and construction managers and owners.

We think of it as a building a very large home for ourselves.

So you take pride in the details and pay attention to the quality of the work.

Getting at least and then running off.

Retaining the clientele is really important.

Maybe some of the developers in downtown New Britain should take heed.

And oh, on politics.

I don't think it's it is Governor Lamont's minions who should be worried.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Christabik.

Our next speaker is Ann Spire.

Sorry, LRG time.

Okay, Anne Spire 13 Audubon Street.

I'm a homeowner.

I'm a retired teacher.

I've been an advocate for education longer than some of you dear people have been here.

Some of you knew me when you were students.

So I'm here to speak tonight in support of additional funding for education in the proposed budget.

Yes, I agree with moving the special fund monies for the school district back into the education budget.

It's the responsibility of the Board of Ed to allocate education funding, not to have a special fund controlled by the mayor's office.

I agree with that move.

The funds will now be considered part of the base of education funding when they set the next MER.

In time it will benefit the schools.

However, that time is not measured in months.

It won't happen by July.

It'll be years down the road before we see that benefit.

So meanwhile, I toured homeschool today.

This building is spacious, it's well planned, it offers a lot of improvements as to educational space.

But I kept thinking, will we have the staff, the teachers and the paras to run this school to be here?

Or are we going to have empty classrooms all over the place?

Beautiful, but will we be able to use this if we can't increase the budget?

If we can't afford teaching staff, if we can't afford paras, we cannot run a school district that takes care of our kids, no matter how many beautiful rooms we built.

So, well, I believe this budget is built on the best projections of the mayor's office, more accurate than some I've seen in previous years, I might say.

I ask you as members of the common council, search through it.

You've done it before, other years.

Question the priorities.

Question whether funds can be found to at least increase the education funding by at least another million dollars.

This is far from filling the hole that the millions that past flat funding has left.

But one, every dollar counts, it will be used, it won't be tucked away somewhere, it'll go to the kids' benefit.

The teachers will make sure of that.

Two, it will start us in a new direction, a direction that supports our schools, and that we become the people who say, yes, education needs funding, whatever we have to do, that is our number one priority, our children.

I know that as always, we're waiting to hear what the state has to offer.

And indeed, our mayor has been at the Capitol talking to the governor about our need for help.

I hope that every person here tonight, including ladies and gentlemen of the common council, will call the governor's office and say, these are the needs of New Britain, and our schools desperately need you.

Our kids need you.

For many years, one more thought, guys.

I've suggested a small tax increase.

I don't think we can do it in this economy.

It's too hard out there right now.

So it means look at the budget, work it through.

I came tonight rather than on the 28th, it is of the proper budget hearing, so that you could start now.

You need time to do this.

The budget is complex, I know that.

But our kids need it, and it's in your hands.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Meyer.

Our next speaker is Tamika Perkins.

Tamika?

Please.

I say that right.

No.

It's okay, it's not you.

I have crazy handwriting.

My name is Tamisha Perkins.

I live at 335 South Main Street.

I am a parent.

I grew up in this town.

Um, I have three kids that go to school in this town.

And I just want to speak a moment.

I'm here tonight to urge you to prioritize and strengthen the educational budget for our district with a focus of protecting special education service and the paraeducational who make exclusive learning problems possible, sorry.

Budget reductions may appear to offer short-term relief, but the long-term consequences like staff layoffs, reduced services, and potential school closings.

One could be the one my kids go to, which is North End.

We profoundly harm students, families, and the community.

Nowhere is that is this more impact more immediately and lasting than in special education.

Students who rely on special education services require most importantly consistency as well as individual attention and train support staff.

Paraeducators are essential to the system.

They provide one-on-one in small group assistance, help intimate IEPs, and assure the students with device diverse learning needs can access the same educational opportunities as their peers.

Reduction though, this workforce undermines not only the students' outcome, but also legal and ethical obligations to provide equal education.

Cut the special education services and school closures would shift the burden onto already strained teachers, families, and external systems.

This can lead to larger classrooms, diminish instructional quality, and increase burnouts among education educators.

If we invest in these services, it will straighten the entire district.

It would improve students' achievement, support teachers' intentions, and foster a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

I asked you to protect funding for special education programs and preserve paraeducation position positions and avoid school closings that disrupt vulnerable students' populations.

I am asking you to explore substantial funding situations that prioritized students' needs over short-term cost savings.

An investment in education, especially for students who need additional support in an investment in our communities for sure.

Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, and every educationer deserves the resources to help them get there.

I grew up and raised in New Britain.

I graduated through New Britain schools.

I have a daughter that just graduated two years ago and just graduated college and got her, so she is in IT.

I got three little ones.

And North End is a very good school.

New Britain is a very good town.

And I want to see my kids get the same education that I got.

And I know the pandemic and COVID kind of pushed us back, but New Britain's getting back on his feet.

New Britain is, we're on the map, and we need to stand behind our kids.

And what I'm asking is to please stand behind our kids and give them the education they rightly deserve.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Perkin.

Our next speaker is Danielle Palmerlow.

Danielle.

Good evening.

I just came here today, like most people, to advocate for our children and for the budget.

I'm not a parent, but I am a product of New Britain.

I do work in the school district.

And I just wanted to read to you guys that interaction and maybe give you a different perspective to think about the budget from.

So there was a comment that was put up on a post that said the spending on schools continues to increase while the results continue to decrease.

I then responded, person's name.

That is untrue.

The baseline for the educational budget has been the same since 2020, as far as I could see on the CSDMB website from doing my research.

That's six years.

Even though the cost of living goes up every single year, and class sizes get bigger every single year, but the baseline for our children's education remains the same.

New Britain students receive about 17,000 per student per year, while the state average is about 23,000 per student per year.

Meaning our district, our kids, are severely underfunded.

I asked him, is this what you call increase in spending?

This is where I'll ask you to take a different look at it.

If we relate this to the real world, if you guys spent six years in your job and you showed up every day, you did your job every single day with improvement.

You're you're meeting your quota, right?

Yet your boss continues to keep you at a flat pay rate.

Would you feel appreciated?

You'd probably feel undervalued.

You'd probably want to fight for a raise or look for a different job, right?

Now add on to it the fact that they require more from you every day.

They require more from you, more tasks are put on your plate, more responsibilities are put on your plate, yet your pay rate remains the same.

Would you still do it?

I don't know many people that would.

A lot of people would either look for another job or fight for a raise.

And right now, our kids don't have the option to simply walk out and look for another job.

They can't shop for another school district.

They are where they are.

We need to give them the chance.

Thank you.

Thank you, Danielle.

Our next speaker is Lara Bokey.

She pronounced it right every time.

That's one out of four, Laura.

Good evening, honorable members of the New Britain Common Council.

My name is Lara Bolkey.

I live at 85 Settlers Knoll in New Britain.

I mean, in Newington, excuse me.

I grew up in the great city of New Britain in the 70s and 80s, however.

My brother and I attended city schools.

Our mother was a teacher here for her entire career, and our father worked at CCSU.

I've always been proud of this background.

It shaped me into the lifelong educator I am today.

I have served New Britain schools since 2004.

Currently I serve as the district coordinator of 612 curriculum and as president of local 51, the administrators union.

I'm here today because I'm alarmed.

We are at a financial crossroads where remarkable student achievement achievements are being threatened by a local funding model that's no longer rooted in reality.

As you know, the superintendent requested an $18.9 million increase over last year's city allocation.

I know how startling that number is, but it's the bare minimum needed to maintain current services.

The mayor's proposed budget not only denies this request, but through a series of accounting shifts actually decreases our allocation for this from the city by over 1.5 million from last year.

This isn't just flat funding, it's a retreat.

The bottom line, by failing to meet even last year's minimum allotment, this proposal leaves us millions in the red.

Tens.

A deficit of this magnitude cannot be managed through efficiency.

It will result in massive catastrophic impacts on the 10,000 students and families we serve.

New Britain is proving it can succeed despite being historically underfunded.

Our staff and students have achieved incredible green shoots.

You've heard of these of success.

How's Academy was named a 2025 Connecticut Blue Ribbon School?

These gains are fragile at the middle school level, where progress is hardest won.

This shortfall threatens to balloon class sizes to 30 students and force the elimination of content-specific teachers, the arts, and vital support staff.

I understand that the state may allocate an additional $8 million to our schools to address funding inequities.

While that is a necessary step, it's not a hall pass for the city to do less.

State aid is meant to supplement local investment, not replace it.

A garden unwatered cannot grow.

We've pruned every easy item from our budget.

We're now down to the roots.

Please protect the progress our community has worked so hard to achieve.

When the NEASC team visited New Britain High School just a few weeks ago, they were impressed with everything the team had accomplished.

I got this quote from Damon Pierce, who's in the back, the principal at the high school.

Their comment was you are doing great things here.

We can only imagine what you could do if you had the resources.

Let's imagine that together.

Please endorse a budget that reflects reflects the true cost of educating our children so the future of New Britain remains secure.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to our schools.

Thank you, Laura.

Our next speaker is Myrna Queves.

Good evening.

My name is Myrna Cuevas from 97 Bassist Street in New Britain.

My daughter is a fourth grader in North Ends Elementary.

She's on a 504 plan for reading and math.

I'm here tonight because I believe in responsible, responsible spending.

I pay taxes here, and I don't want a dollar wasted.

I want contracts reviewed.

I want administrative costs scrutinized, and I want every state dollar, alliance, ECS, all of it, used efficiently.

If there's blow, cut it.

Taxpayers deserve that.

But responsible spending also means we fund the things that keep a school system running.

For my daughter, running means the reading specialist who works with her three times a week.

It means the math intervention teacher who makes sure her 504 accommodations are just aren't just paper.

They're actual help.

It means the parent in her classroom who can redirect her when she gets overwhelmed, so she doesn't lose the whole session.

Superintendent Gasper said the mayor's budget is 1718 million before what the district needs to avoid cuts.

He said that gap means larger classes size and losing reading and math coaches and paraprofessionals.

Those are the exact people my daughter relies on to access her education.

If they go away, her 504 plan becomes a list of promises we can keep.

So I'm asking you for the spot for the responsible medal.

One, fund the staff who are in classrooms with our kids, teachers, reading, math intervention, paras, counselors.

Two, use the state increases.

We did get to offset the local share, but don't use them as an excuse to go backwards.

Three, give us accountability.

Report back every quarter, class sizes, services delivered, progress for kids on 504s and IEPs.

If the money isn't working well, be the first to say so.

We'll be the first to say so.

I'm willing to pay my share for a school system that works.

I'm not willing to pay for waste, and I'm not willing to watch my daughter lose support because we called 1% increase fiscal responsibility.

Responsible spending means funding North End at a level where my daughter can actually be learned and then making sure those dollars don't do those dollars do not jump.

Please don't balance this budget on the backs of kids who already need extra help to keep up.

Thank you.

Thank you, Myrna.

The next speaker is Lucy D'Anofrio.

Good evening.

My name is Lucy Donofruit, and I live on a 145 Bassett Street in Witten.

I'm here tonight as a mother of a third grade student from North End.

Asking you all with the heart to provide the funding support, this school needs to keep serving our children.

Our children are already caring so much in this world.

They hear, they fear, and certainly stress about them every day.

They need one place that stays safe, stagnant and full of hope.

For many of them, that place is the school.

The school is more than a building.

It's just it's a children learn to go, making friends and feel loved.

Is where teachers know their name, understand their struggles, and help them believe in themselves.

When the schools do not have the resource they need, children are the ones who suffer.

They lose opportunities, supports, and the chance to thrive.

Families feel the burning too.

I ask you tonight to think not only with the minds but with the hearts.

Behind every number is a child.

Behind every decision is a family.

Behind the school is a community that needs you to stand with them.

Please invest in our children.

Fund the program, staff, and resource that help them succeed.

Keep them, keep hope alive for our children.

Give them the chance, safety, and future that they deserve.

Thank you.

Thank you, Lucy.

So the names I have on the list.

Last four numbers, please.

7069.

Caller 7069.

Name and address, and the floor is yours for three minutes.

Next.

Not responding.

And no more calls?

Thank you, sir.

All right.

Uh does anybody else wish to speak to the council didn't sign up?

Anyone else?

Yes.

Hello, my name is Julia Ainsley.

I'm a lifelong resident of New Britain.

I live at 327 Steele Street.

This is my son, Roman.

Say hi, Roman.

Hi.

He has profound autism.

Here, Daddy.

I'm here as a parent of three children in this district.

Tonight I'm not here as a number or a line in a budget.

I'm here as a mother asking you to see my children.

Because the proposed school budget cuts are not just numbers on a page.

They represent real lasting consequences for families like mine and for the entire community.

When you talk about cutting over a million dollars from our schools, what I hear is this fewer supports, fewer services, and fewer chances for children like mine to succeed.

My son has profound autism.

He relies on specialized support every single day.

Support that helps him communicate, regulate, and simply navigate the world around him.

These supports are not optional.

They are not extras.

They are a foundation of his ability to learn, to grow, and to have independence in his future.

And here is the reality.

When funding is cut, children like my son are the ones who feel it first and the hardest.

What does that look like?

It looks like less individual attention.

It looks like overstretched staff.

It looks like less safety.

It looks like less progress.

For a child like mine, it doesn't just slow progress, it can erase it.

Skills that have taken years of patience and consistency can disappear overnight.

This is not abstract.

This is my child's life, my children's life in our district.

And it's not just my child.

These cuts will ripple through every classroom.

Larger class sizes, fewer resources, and less support for teachers who are already doing everything that they can.

This affects every student in this town, every family, and the future of our community.

We say we value education.

We say we support children, but those words mean nothing if they are not backed by action, especially when it is difficult.

I understand that budgets are complicated.

I understand that decisions are not easy, but I'm here to say do not make these decisions at the expense of children who have no voice in this room.

Do not make these decisions at the expense of children who are already working twice as hard just to keep up.

Our children shouldn't have to bear the burden of adults playing monopoly.

Because once these supports are gone, the damage cannot simply be undone.

Please protect their education and protect their future.

Thank you.

Thank you for speaking.

Does anybody else wish to address the council?

Come on up.

Hi, I am Amanda Glowicky, 57 Miriam Road of New Britain.

I come to you as a New Britain resident, a parent of two children in our elementary schools, and a district employee.

I am asking the common council to please reconsider the flat funding and instead provide a meaningful increase to the Board of Education budget.

The more I think about it, our school district budget is more, the more I realize is not just about funding academics.

It's about everything we offer our students.

It's about our sports, our music, our arts, and the programs that we give many children a reason to even show up, belong here, and shine.

Every single day we ask our students to show up for their classes, their teams, their performances.

We ask them to give their best effort to have pride to work together and to represent our city with heart, and they do each and every day.

They show up under the lights on the field, they show up on the mat, pushing themselves to be stronger, they show up in uniforms on stages and in parades, bringing home championships, awards, and recognition.

They make our city proud.

Our athletes are breaking barriers, including the including home of the top female wrestler in our state.

Our band shows up year after year representing us with excellence and pride.

These are our students, and they show up for our city.

It is time for us to show up for them.

I see firsthand, both at home and at work, the progress our schools are making.

Our students are improving, gaining confidence, and being given opportunities that truly matter for their futures.

Their work is something our community should be proud of.

But I am deeply concerned about what happens next if funding does not keep up with these needs.

A loss of funding will directly impact our classrooms.

It means fewer resources, less support, and ultimately larger class sizes.

Larger class sizes do not just make it harder for students to learn.

They also place an incredible strain on our teachers who are already working tirelessly to meet each and every child's need.

I am especially worried about our special education students.

These children rely on consistent individualized support to succeed.

Without adequate funding, those supports are at risk.

When that happens, we are not just showing progress.

We are failing to provide the education every child deserves.

Right now, our district already ranks near the bottom in local per pupil funding.

Continuing this pattern, excuse me, continuing this pattern sends a message message that our student success is not a priority.

We cannot expect strong outcomes while investing at one of the lowest levels in the state.

Without proper funding, the very opportunities that inspire, motivate, and connect our kids that connect our kids could disappear.

And once they are gone, we do not just lose programs, we lose pieces of what makes our schools and our community so special.

Our students are making progress, but progress requires support to continue.

If we do not invest now, we risk undoing the gains that have been so hard-earned.

I urge you to break the cycle of flat funding and commit to a budget that truly supports our students, our teachers, and our schools, our children, my children, and their futures depend on it.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Does anybody else wish to address the council?

Come on up.

Hi, good evening.

Christina Soto, 22 O'Donnell Road.

I come to you as a proud 2407 paraeducator, works in the key program for children with profound autism.

Um, as a parent of a fifth grader at homes and a Gaffney preschooler, also in the key program.

Um I wrote something down, but I don't think it felt adequate.

As parakeeducators, we are getting more and more work put on our load.

We have less, especially due to the loss of COVID funds.

But I love my job, and I'm willing to do what I have to do for my students because I love my students and I want them treated the way I would want my children.

We cannot afford to lose staff.

We cannot afford to afford to lose services.

There's already a shortage in speech pathologists.

My daughter was without one for about half a year last year.

Not saying this is a fault, but without money to hire these people, what are we gonna do?

Our BCBAs are short staff.

We have two in the district for how many schools?

The high school, the middle school, the elementary school.

How can they take care of all these kids more and more coming in to specialized programs, whether it be bridges, key, or just in the genetic setting who need special education, like my daughter who's in fifth grade at homes?

Um, she wouldn't be where she would be is right now with her autism if it wasn't for the dedicated staff, paraprofessionals, support staff to guide her there that looked out for her.

She started out in Key and Gaffney, and now she's going to Pulaski.

She's in ban, she's in chorus.

She has a future because of these people.

We cannot lose these services.

We've been flat funded for how many years?

How are we gonna play catch up?

You know, um, I'm sorry.

Um we need these people to work in our district.

We need good people.

We need people to look out for our students because they deserve it.

I'm tired of people talking about New Britain.

I'm always one to support New Britain to stand up for New Britain.

If we lose money, if we lose, you know, the people that make our schools important.

What are we gonna do?

We can't go back to when I first moved here in 1996.

Remember how Arc Street was.

Remember, it was not a good place to live.

But because of policies, because of the school system, I believe that we've grown further from that, and I want to see that track continue.

I want my son to have the same opportunities she did.

He was homebound at first last year because there's not enough paras.

Imagine a tutor coming to your school, your house for a preschooler that needs in-depth speech OT services.

He needs to be in a social setting.

How many students are gonna get left behind because we just don't have the amount of classrooms, Paris take care of these children?

This is the most vital time in their life when they're young.

Thank you.

Thank you for speaking.

Does anybody else wish to address the council?

Good evening, everyone.

How are you doing, Ms.

Vargas?

Uh, my name is Tyrone Richardson.

I live at Nine Warbler Circle in Bloomfield, Connecticut.

I am the academics and accountability officer for grades six through 12 for New Britain.

I've been here for the last um four years of my educational career.

I've been an educator for over 28 years, most of my time spent in Harvard as a resident student, um, teacher, coach, principal, assistant superintendent, and where I am now.

And so I've seen a lot of budgets come and go and seen a lot of systems come and go.

And I want to make two points, and I'll probably want to use all my time.

One is I've never seen a superintendent be as transparent and thorough with the budget as our superintendent has.

He has gone through every single bit of our finances and our staffing and our resources and inflation and been extremely transparent using data, um, comparing us to other districts to support our uh proposed budget.

So there is no fluff in there.

The second point I want to make is I know we were talking a lot about the um students and what they're gonna miss in by by um having these budget cuts, but myself and a few of my colleagues over there have the very very unfortunate task of meeting with about 50 staff members from teachers to support staff to administrators and letting them know that they may receive a um a pink slip tomorrow, right?

And some of their names are gonna be public, and some of the positions might be public, and it's been hard this week.

It's been extremely hard.

Um, seeing some of our staff members who work extremely hard, who come to work every day, who put a lot on the line for our staff and our students.

And I work 612, so I'm dealing with middle school and high school.

I deal with the alternative schools.

I see our teachers bust their behind.

I see our administrators bust their behind.

And it's been it's been um very challenging for me and my staff members to have to make you know have these conversations with folks.

And I just want you guys to know that we all know that teachers are regular people too.

They have lives, they have families, and to have those discussions with them tomorrow that they will possibly receive a pink slip is is just gonna be heartbreaking.

So I hope that we can come to some agreements about what we're doing, and it doesn't all fall on you.

This is federal level, this is state level, um, and also the local level when it comes to um educating our students.

We need a better way to figure it out.

But thank you for your time.

Thank you, sir.

Anyone else we should address the council?

Anybody else?

One more time.

Anyone else?

Seeing none, that concludes this portion of public participation.

It's now 8 07 p.m.

Uh I'd invite any older person to remark briefly on what they've heard.

Hold on Smedley.

Thank you.

Uh, just want to stand and recognize the incredible support that's here from the district administrative team tonight.

Uh, I'm a colleague with all of you, and I stand as a council member and uh employee of the school district for a very long time uh to say thank you for coming out to advocate.

It is grossly obvious that the mayor's proposed budget is not going to work for the school district, and the minority caucus, myself and the four uh the four of us in the minority caucus intend to make suggestions to the majority caucus that we hope uh they understand will make uh a minor impact towards helping the the school district uh with the resources they need.

Mrs.

Spire uh visited Holmes Elementary School today, and um during that tour, she made some very good points and asked some really good questions, and she made a very good statement to be honest with you.

And I'm gonna tell you another short story that relates to what she said.

Smith Elementary School is next to be renovated, it is going to be the building of buildings that we are renovating.

We're building an early learning pre-K center there.

By doing that, we have to follow rules for pre-K and kindergarten education, and that involves a bathroom in every single classroom.

There's a point to my story.

We are adding 35 new bathrooms to Smith Elementary School on top of the 15 that will be renovated in the primary building.

That's 40, 50 bathrooms that will exist.

We don't have the custodial staff for that.

And the mayor's proposed budget cuts funding by 1.6 million.

It doesn't math up.

So uh, like I said, we intend to uh make suggestions supporting uh a different budget for the school district, and um I ask that you all as administrators keep the momentum.

Invite your parents to the April 28th meeting.

It's right here in this chamber at 6 30.

This council needs to hear more of the similar stories that we heard tonight.

More of the reason why the school district needs to be funded correctly.

Uh I encourage you to encourage your parents and yourselves, email this council, email the mayor's office.

All of our email addresses are on the city website.

Continue to reach out and advocate because that is the only way that there is going to be any change, is if you continue to put the pressure on.

This room is full tonight, and it is fantastic.

There's people sitting on the floor.

Keep that for the April 28th meeting and keep it for our committee meetings.

The committee meetings will also be listed on the city's website.

Hold hold these elected folks accountable.

Hold us accountable, hold the mayor accountable for his campaign promises to support and provide more funding for education.

Thank you.

And then sorry.

Um peace and love, everybody first.

And John, I've I want to start off with you because you gave us that little commercial break.

Um, the water, I I know firsthand what it's like to get that unexpected water bill, and I do think that that is something that we need to look into on how we can help support people when that's happening.

So thanks for coming out and sharing what you witnessed at the meeting.

I missed that one.

I try to get there as much as I can.

Um, and I then I want to address everybody else here.

Um, thanks so much for all of you for coming.

Your voice matters.

Um, thank you to the principal and other people who work in the schools, the board of ed.

I see some board of ed people here.

Thank you guys for coming.

I want to and neighbors and residents, but I want to specifically thank people who work in our schools right now.

Thank you for what you're doing with our children.

It's it's extremely important.

Thanks for showing up for them today.

Um I agree with all of you.

Our future is our children.

When we provide preventive care and programs and the necessary staff, we see positive future.

We see a reduction in the school to prison pipeline.

We see a reduction in this so-called, and I've heard it here in New Britain High, freshman repeaters.

Failing is not an option.

I couldn't believe it when I heard that because I just couldn't.

Um learning does not just happen in our schools.

Our kids need to get out, they need to experience things.

So I heard that uh principal Pierce is here.

Thank you so much for helping me out and assisting and planning a field trip for some of our kids this week.

We went to the Capitol, and our mayor came and spoke with the kids there and supported the trip.

So I I thank him so much for being there, and he does care deeply about our children and the education.

I raised a child here in New Britain, and I remember fighting for her, just like many of your parents that were here today.

Um, services that she needed for special education.

I witnessed it.

I witnessed her school getting closed because of funding and the struggle that she had after that.

I don't want to see that happen to any other child.

That's part of the reason why I'm standing here today in this position.

Our children need us to protect them and guide them to a positive future.

I'm sure we will all sit down and work on the educational budget.

For many years, the education here in New Britain has been flat funded, which makes me extremely unhappy.

We have to do better.

Last term we tried to pass a budget that would help support education.

It was vetoed.

We have to prioritize, and I really pray that we will sit down and figure out a way to do that.

Also, working with our governor and the state level because we need some help and support in our desperate hour right now.

This moment, we need help.

Our kids need us.

So that's pretty much all I wanted to say, and I just want you to know.

And also, I forgot I left out the kids.

Thank you so much.

For I know most of them left already, but hopefully they'll see that I'm thanking them for being here, and I hope that this was a learning experience for them to be here.

It's important for us to bring our kids to stuff like this.

They need that experience, that one-on-one experience.

So thank you guys and peace and love.

Thank you, Alan.

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who came out tonight, who spoke up and who continue to advocate for our children.

Your voices do matter.

I also want to be fair and clear.

Our mayor has been a strong advocate for education.

He has brought millions of dollars into our school system in the past recent years, and that investment matters.

He is fighting for our children, and I do not believe we should lose sight of that or lose hope in the direction he is working toward.

Please understand this budget before us is a proposal.

It is not final, and that means we still have responsibility and an opportunity to get this right.

I share your concerns.

I am deeply concerned about what happens if we do take a cut into education.

As a councilwoman, and more importantly, as a concerned parent and grandparent, and a proud product of new brand and its public school system, I cannot stay silent on the need for increased funding in our schools.

This system didn't just shape me, it shaped my children as well.

And now I'm watching it play a critical role in my granddaughter's life.

That's three generations who have depended on the strength of our schools, and I know firsthand what's at stake if we allow their foundation to weaken.

My granddaughter struggles with anxiety, something many of our children are facing today.

There are days when even going to school gives her physical pain.

But because of the support systems in place, the counselors, the educators, the staff who understand her needs, she is able to walk through those doors and make it through each day.

So I have to ask what happens if those services are cut.

Are we really prepared to push families into impossible choices like homeschooling?

Not because they want to, but because the system can no longer support our children.

Our children deserve more than just education on paper.

They need socialization, interaction, and a safe environment where they can grow emotionally as well as academically.

We are fortunate to have phenomenal teachers, dedicated administrators, hardworking custodians, caring cafeteria staff, committed principals, and invaluable paraeducators.

These are not extras, these are essential.

And we cannot afford to lose even one of them.

This is not about politics, this is about priorities.

If we truly believe in the future of our community, then we must prove it by investing in our children today.

I urge this body to find a way and any way to please allocate more funding to education.

Because when we invest in our schools, we invest in the stability, health, and success of every family in the city.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alan.

Any other members briefly want to address the council Alderman Simpson.

Thank you, Alderman.

I just want to first thank everybody for coming out here tonight.

I know you guys have lives.

I know it's busy, I know the world's fallen apart, but I know you're here, so thank you.

Having to turn out the light and not being able to afford to forget.

Sorry.

Um I remember seeing the buckets on the first floor of Smalley Elementary, catching the rain from the roof through the other floors.

I was a student of Gaffney, Vance, Smalley, Northend, Slade, EC Goodwin, and Yukon Hartford.

I have only public education to thank, and that comes with investment, right?

These kids have higher obstacles than I did to obtain an education, one that's promised to them.

And I didn't have to miss out on the fundamental reading, writing, and math skills that our students did because of a pandemic.

We don't overcome that without investment.

We look at our middle schools struggling today.

They were elementary school students during the pandemic.

No wonder we're struggling.

Can I have taxes or rent go up?

If it's yes, by all means we need to know.

We are accountable to you.

We must answer this question together because if we raise that number beyond what our budget can actually afford, and I'm talking our household budget, not the city budget.

We risk pricing our students out of their own homes and with it their school.

That entire 18 million plus ask probably comes with a tax increase, an increase that could match the mayor's contribution 18 times forever.

Not some band-aid that we have to debate next year and never honor again.

And so that being said, I'm focusing on recommendations for this budget that give us some options and outline some clear priorities.

By paying no more dollars than the mayor's proposed budget.

I'm working towards one that fully funds the public library and one that at least levels education spending, keeps our utility costs as a municipality down, and honors our debt obligations.

We are fighting an uphill battle, and a shovel is not going to dig us uphill, but walking this road together will.

As if people don't move here or Southernton or Avon or our neighbors without regard to the public school system.

The folks who do that aren't in the public school system, or they're not in ours yet, because not everybody comes here for education.

People come here for housing too.

So I will gladly stand behind our students today simply because yesterday I had to stand in front of them.

And that's it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Olivan.

Do any other members have a word to say about what they've heard tonight?

Any other woman Ortiz Luna.

And then you thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, I did come prepare today because I was expecting a full house.

Um thank you for everyone being here.

I know that you guys care deeply about the children and the future of our schools, and so do I.

I I went to New Britain Schools, went to the Loreto, I went to Slate Middle School.

My daughter also uh went to Smith Elementary School, and she went to Slate.

Now I have my son that's at DeLoreto.

Um, and I I understand the struggle.

Um, especially having a child that needs extra support just to get them through the day in school.

So I I understand as a parent.

At the same time, you deserve honesty and a perspective on the budget process.

The superintendent chose to create fear and uncertainty before that process has even played out, scaring families, alarming employees, and suggesting worst case outcomes before discussions are complete is not the right path.

What the mayor presented is the first step, not the final word.

The proposed budget increases the MBR, which stands for minimum budget requirement by one million, creating a new recurring funding floor for our schools and moving away from the one-time patches.

Let me state this for the record and make it very clear.

The mayor and the common council are continuing to work to secure additional funding for our schools.

We are actively partnering with our state delegation and state leaders, but we are doing so with a firm understanding that the answer cannot simply be to place a massive new tax burden on families, seniors, renters, and homeowners of the city.

Our fiscal year closes on June 30th, 2026.

In September, if the city has a surplus, the mayor will review that surplus to give money to education.

So let's reject the fear and focus on the facts, and let's remember that supporting education and respecting taxpayers are not opposing goals.

This council will review the budget, have discussions with the Board of Education, which that will happen on May 7th, and the city will continue working to identify additional support in any way that protects both our students and our taxpayers.

Thank you.

Thank you, all one.

Any other members want a word?

Seeing none.

Oh, I'm sorry.

President Santiago.

To my right.

Thank you, thank you.

You know, I've been every year that I've been here in this in this seat.

I always been advocating for the school system about the students, how important it is for the students to be invested, for them to be able to come back and invest back into the city every time.

And again, this product of individuals that came here and spoke that were product of the city that graduated from the school system and they came back as paras, teachers, principals.

And um every year, and this year included, I will be doing the same thing.

We go through the budget, we go to slim things up.

Even with the mayor being as as transparent as he can be about the budget.

I mean, I know this could be some spots that we could try to slim off, and I always we do.

I was just even discussing some ideas right here while we're just listening to individuals speaking.

My mind's always been clicking, always about the parents, always about the teachers, especially about the students.

For me, I always been about making sure the kids stay off the streets because I was one of those products.

And you know, I know how hard it was, and I'm sorry to be to run the streets at 15 years old, you know, 16 years old, not knowing what was the next day was my bet at still doing the things I had to do to survive.

And yes, I made mistakes in my life.

But you know what?

I did have individuals that came around that were supportive that helped me understand that was life more than the streets, and that's the one of the main reasons why I am where I'm at right now.

Because there was individuals that trusted me, they encouraged me and helped me do the things that I did and saw vision that was more life than just the streets.

So being that each day I come here and I I speak, it's is all here because I know that how these students are struggling.

I know from my wife also works as a school system, and she saw talks about how the students are not being able to have all the needs, and they try.

And I've been and I'm I see how remarkable Jefferson has been trying to lift these kids, you know, and and I've seen through my kids going through Jefferson, Small Lee, Chamberlain, uh uh uh sorry, Slater, Slate.

Again, you know, they didn't go to New Brent High, they all went to EC Goodwin, which is still a new brain.

I still claim as a new brand school because majority of the kids in there are New Brunswick residents.

So that being said, every time I've I've looked at these kids, I look at them as my own.

I look at them as I want them to do the best.

I want them to be invested in too.

And again, we will look at the budget, because again, it's not the final budget, like we always say every year, and we will go through it.

And at the same time, I was with the mayor multiple times where we're at the governor's office pleading that they would be support given from that side, and they have been.

The delegate has been working on it more every single time.

They have a moment.

It's talking about there's there's there's there's numbers coming in again.

That's not patched and it's not a fix.

We we definitely have to ECS.

We have to look at that formula because again, you know, between the federal government and everything that's coming down is all the circle effects, and then and obviously we as a city, we have to support all every individuals.

And at the same time, you know, we we all work together.

I try to work together where we want to make sure that we have something here that's that's this is representing the city.

So at the end of the day, we do have the fifth is uh fifth to sixth and seventh.

This is our um budget conversations with all the directors, and also the seventh is our the board of ed meeting.

The 28th, absolutely, I would love to see this.

I would love to see more parents, more visions, you know, and more ideas because that that's what helps us look at things in a better perspective.

But in the end of the day, I love that you guys are here.

Please come and I wish you guys come more often, please.

But you know, thank you.

Thank you, Alderman.

Seeing no other hands raised.

Oh, Alderman Barrero.

Good evening, everyone.

Um, I want to thank you all for coming out tonight.

Um, I'm glad to see a lot of individuals who are uh citizens of the city who have students or are teachers in the city who also support our students.

Um I was born and raised here, went through all the schools here in New Britain, not all the schools, but you know, Slade Middle School, uh the Loreto Elementary and Easty Goodwin as well.

I do have uh son who graduated from New Britain High School last year, and I also have another one who is currently in EC Goodwin, um, including a young one who eventually will be in the school system.

So I do understand how important it is for the funding for this education.

Um, I'm all for it.

Um, I also want to take time to thank um those individuals who came here with their special needs uh uh kids.

Richardson also said um I'm all for uh sports as well as a scholar athlete for my year of graduation I know it's important for the students to stay in sports to keep them occupied to keep them off the street and to hopefully keep them in uh in a good environment as we are here currently um so I support it fully and again I just want to thank you guys all for coming out and please appreciate some more people that we were supporting sorry um I I do want uh more more individuals to show up for the 28th to show some more support um the more support the more we you know the better we are here in our city to get that funding that is needed thank you guys thank you Alderman with Haldeman Gibson good evening I usually speak but um I get to I get the pleasure of working with uh great group of people I work for the district um I know how much um their jobs meet in them I know how much they mean to the kids and I know how much the kids um also respect and love them um I get to see it every day I get to see the work that is put in I get to see the effort that is put in and I over the years as it was stated before COVID hit us in an unimaginable and put us in an unimaginable position but I see the progress I see the work that is done this budget yes it definitely needs uh more funding um and I hope and I will believe that more funding will come but I just wanted to get up and say that I'm glad to work in this district I'm glad to be on this council and I'm glad to support each and every one of you the parents the teachers administrators the kids the parents I'm a parent of uh of uh recently graduate um from CCSU but she went to uh New Brandon High School um got her um necessary credit to go on to college and actually graduated in three and a half years at CCSU the school district is well deserving of funding that it needs to be able to continue and to succeed and I think what a lot of folks do not see it what is not seen on a daily basis that that is the true grit that that that is worth every single dollar that needs to go into this um budget for education so I hope that we will come to a compromise or a solution to better put our education in our school district in a better position to help our kids become successful.

Thank you.

Thank you Alderman you should speak more often I think that concludes Alderwoman Vargas compelled me to talk go ahead I just really want to thank all the 19 people that came up tonight to talk on behalf of uh all the children all the wonderful children um in our great city uh we have great great um educators um I've heard all of you speak about um all the schools that your children attend um all the services that um your children are dependent on um and I was a I wasn't gonna talk because I get a little emotional when I talk about my daughter um but um you know my daughter has gotten to where she is because of the services that were uh provided to her um in New Britain and I'm I always say I'm thankful um you know I heard a lot of North End uh parents speak um you know she uh started at North End there was some reshuffling during her years then she went to Vance they were able to manage the same edge uh the teachers that she had so it was a smooth transition I know that took work um and thankfully um you know she didn't regress but I um you know she received special ed services and again she's 23 years old right now and I would not I I cannot thank um I cannot thank the school system enough for where she is right now I want everyone to know that I have read every single email I have read and opened up every single letter that I have received and I have written down all of the 19 people that spoke today and I want to say thank you because we're all your voices are being heard um you can count on me to to really fight for as much as we can um as we possibly can as we know as we all know we're all struggling um you know trying to make ends meet and you know our our our mill rate is is is is hasn't gone up thank god now we have to find other ways to make this happen so um please continue to to show up um please continue to you know share your voices bring the kids we need to see the kids because at the end of the day the the that's our future so

Um, you can count on me to really fight for as much as we can.

Um, as we possibly can, as we know, as we all know, we're all struggling.

Um, you know, trying to make ends meet.

And you know, our our mill rate is is is hasn't gone up, thank God.

Now we have to find other ways to make this happen.

So um, please continue to show up.

Um, please continue to, you know, share your voices.

Bring the kids.

We need to see the kids.

Because at the end of the day, though that's our future.

So um, thank you.

Thank you, all right.

On what we've heard tonight.

I just conclude by saying public participation matters.

You approved it tonight.

As my colleagues reminded you, on next Tuesday at six thirty.

We'll have the public hearing on the municipal budget.

We're spending uh a good part of May reviewing the mayor's proposed budget on the seventh.

We'll be scrutinizing Dr.

Gasper's uh proposed school district budget to look at to make sure every dollar uh is used in an appropriate manner.

And we look forward to hearing from you next week and continuing to uh participate in this process.

That concludes public participation.

It's eight thirty-six.

Council members, please find your seats.

I call to order the April twenty second, twenty twenty-six regular meeting of the common council.

The time is now eight forty-eight PM.

Madam Clerk, please will you please call the roll?

Yes, Your Honor.

Here.

Alderman Malinowski.

Alderman Gibson.

Alder Woman Delarnia.

Alderman Santiago.

Present.

Alder Woman Barbosa.

Alder Woman Vargas.

Alder Woman Maldonado.

Alderman Centano.

Alder Woman Ortiz Luna.

Alderman Barrero.

Fourteen present, Your Honor.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Gracious Father, we thank you for this day and for the opportunity to serve the people of New Britain.

We celebrate this weekend's opening of the New Britain Little League, bless the children with joy, teamwork, and growth, and may the coaches, families, and volunteers be guided by patience, encouragement, and a love that builds confidence in every child.

And as we celebrate Earth Day, we are reminded that we are stewards of all you've created.

Renew on us a commitment to care for our environment and protect the resources entrusted to us so that future generations may inherit a world that reflects your beauty.

Amen.

And to the Republic, which stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay.

So I would like to call up Art Simonian for the Matta Basset District budget presentation.

How are you, sir?

Good evening.

Yeah, very good.

Thank you.

With us tonight, we have our board chairman behind us.

And we have a couple of uh.

And Danny Salerno as well.

Uh and all three serve on the Metabasset District Board.

Um, I'll try to keep it relatively high level in the interest of time, but um we do this every year for all the communities that we serve.

We kind of give you an understanding of what goes into the Mattabasset budget and how it impacts the city of New Britain.

Um we do this uh as a courtesy.

Our budget's already been approved and adopted by our board.

Um, but we like to touch on some of the highlights so you guys understand uh what goes into the Mattabasset system.

Just for everyone's benefit, in case you don't know, in Mattabasset District is a clean water facility.

It's actually a sewage treatment plant, better known to most people.

It's located in Cromwell, Connecticut.

It serves New Britain, Berlin, Cromwell, Middletown, and parts of Rocky Hill and Newington.

Uh it was formed in 1968, uh, mostly by the charter members, City of New Britain, Berlin and Cromwell, when there's um some environmental issues uh back in the 50s uh with the sewage treatment plant.

They used to discharge in Willowbrook in on Christian Lane from the City of New Britain.

So uh we were formed, and as a result of that, the plant was built.

We do not own any of the collection systems, the sewage collection piping.

We just have one single trunk line that runs about nine miles from Christian Lane through Berlin through Cromwell into Mattabassett system.

Um, and then obviously we treat the uh wastewater before it discharges into the Connecticut River.

We have to meet all our permit numbers, and uh we're one of the um uh third largest plant in the state of Connecticut and also one of five plants in Connecticut that has uh what's called an incinerator to burn the solids and sludges.

Other states do not have that luxury and have to uh pay to have a trucked out of state or out of the country.

So um just want to touch on some highlights uh on our budget uh this year.

Uh we did have a pretty significant increase uh in our overall budget of about 17.7 percent.

Uh on the plus side, we are able to use some of our reserves to offset uh a 93% increase in capital.

We do have some pretty significant capital increases coming, so by offsetting that capital um increase, we're able to uh reduce the operating debt and debt service budget to about 5.6 percent increase.

And New Britain uh benefits from the city of Middletown joined our district fully back in 2019.

They closed their treatment plant when they came, they paid a $13 million essentially buy-in fee, and New Britain gets credits on their assessments every year.

Um, and that's uh it tails off in the year 2030, and so far um by Middletown joining the district.

Uh New Britain benefited about 9.1 million dollars since they joined.

This year's credit for New Britain is about six hundred thousand dollars off of your uh assessment.

And um New Britain is currently paying about 29% of our debt service, and your reserve capacity, which is essentially what percentage of the plant you have reserved for your flows, is about 41%, so you're paying less than what your reserve is, which is a good thing, and that's really due to the joining of Middletown to the district back in 2019.

Um your assessments this year are uh increasing slightly.

Uh it's about 3.6% or about 270,000.

Um last year, I believe the increase was uh about 0.3 percent.

This year it was up a little bit because of our uh capital projects, and also because uh the interest rates are a little bit lower, so our revenues were down.

Um, as a comparison, the Berlin community, which is next door, uh is getting about a nine percent increase, Cromwell about a two percent increase, and MDC about a 2.8% increase.

Um, so we try to be relatively uh responsible in terms of our budgets.

We are using a pretty healthy amount of our reserves, um, but we're still in pretty good financial shape uh with that as well.

Um Britain over the last um number of years has averaged.

Um Britain over the last uh number of years has averaged there is a spreadsheet called a budget comparison, hopefully in your package, but you averaged about a 3.2 percent increase over the last um about eight or nine years, so relatively small.

One of the things that drives the uh your assessments higher or lower is your flows and your five year average flows.

Uh I know New Britain has done a pretty good job with your uh New Britain flush program, it's called, and that has made some serious headway.

Uh we feel in terms of your flows.

Some of the other communities' flows were going up the last uh few years.

Your flows actually went down a little bit, your five-year average flows.

Um, and what that uh what that really says is that you're doing a good job removing those flows that get into the sewer pipes that don't belong, your stormwater, your catch basins, um roof leaders, um, yard drains, things like that that don't belong in the sewer system, they belong in the stormwater system.

So by separating that, you do you decrease your flows, and uh that helps us out in terms of our capacity and also helps you guys out in terms of your annual assessments.

So that's kind of the the plus side of what you're doing.

I just want to let you know that program, whatever your I know it started a number of years ago, it has made some progress already in terms of the numbers, and uh hopefully that'll continue because uh the more you can reduce those numbers, the better your your budgets will be your assessments and uh again.

We have John Dunham's here in case he wants to maybe highlight a few things, um, and then obviously we could take any questions that you may have.

And we will try to set up a tour too sometime uh very soon.

Thank you, Art.

Yeah, I'll be very brief.

Um, you know, the major uh driver in the increase is uh is part of our capital program, and we don't bond, we bond for the major upgrade that we did for the plant, which was a hundred million dollars, but most of our projects are pay-go.

We pay as we go.

So over the next two to three years, we have a couple of uh projects on the trunk line that are gonna run about two, two and a half million dollars a year.

So that's kind of driving that increase, and so we'll hopefully that'll that'll drop off a little bit more in the future.

But uh construction costs keep going up, so don't have my crystal ball.

We'll see how it goes.

But we are cognizant of the uh costs, and we have a finance committee that uh each member town is a member of, and and that finance committee approves the budget and and reviews it.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Is that that's it?

Yeah, that's it for your presentation.

Do we have any questions from and any members on the council?

Ohderman Simpson.

Thank you.

Uh could you explain?

I'm seeing on what page is this?

Uh page two.

Could you just go into a little bit of detail about the relationship New Britain has with, I'm assuming this print parenthetical is Farmington?

Sure.

So part of Farmington actually discharges into the New Britain system.

If you go up uh past Target and uh on the left-hand side where Pizza World used to be, now uh there's a Chili's.

That area there is actually in Farmington, but because of its proximity to the New Britain system, that part um goes into the new into the New Britain sewer system.

Target store is actually in New Britain, so that's already included in the New Britain flows, but that small section of Farmington actually discharges through the New Britain system.

So we assess Farmington, I think it's about $15,000 uh directly.

They pay that, and that comes off of your um your flows essentially.

What's that?

Any other questions?

CNN, thank you, sir.

All right, thank you.

Have a good night.

Okay, so um today, as we recognize Earth Day, I want to take a moment to reflect on what it means for our city and the role each of us play in the protecting and enhancing our environment.

Earlier today, I had an opportunity to be out in the community alongside residents and local partners promoting tree planting and sustainable practices.

It was truly encouraging to see the people engaged and committed to making our city greener and healthier.

These actions, while simple, carry a lasting impact on our neighborhoods and our in our future generations.

I also want to recognize our strong partnership with the New Britain roots.

Their work continues to make a meaningful difference by expanding access to green spaces, supporting urban agriculture, and empowering residents to take part in environmental solutions.

This Friday, April 24th, from 4 to 6 p.m.

at the Willard Dealeretto on Atrium at CCSU, they will be hosting an event to promote their tree giveaway program, disputing this this distributing um 100 trees to city residents.

That's great.

I believe it was 114,000 grant that they received.

I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity and pick up a free tree.

In addition, Alder Woman Candace Scott, along with the North Oak NRZ will be hosting a community cleanup.

And it will be Saturday, April 25th, from 10 a.m.

to 12 noon, beginning at the North Oaks substation.

I encourage residents to come out and be part of the effort and to keep our city clean and welcoming.

At this time, I would like to shift our focus to another important recognition.

April is sexual assault awareness month, a time to stand in support of our survivors and to reaffirm our commitment to prevention, education, and healing.

I would like to recognize the incredible work of the New Britain YWCA's sexual assault crisis service, who continue to play a critical role in empowering survivors, promoting healing, advancing a safer, more supportive community for all.

We are proud to present them with a proclamation and recognizing in recognition of their dedication and impact.

I also want to thank Alder Woman Candace Scott for her leadership and assistance in helping facilitate this recognition.

With that, um we will now move.

Yes, go ahead.

So I just wanted to say this resolution, which we'll read later, is extremely important.

Last night, Mayor Shanchaiz and I attended the take back the night at CCSU, and I wanted to also thank the women's center, which she was here earlier.

She I think she had to leave.

As an alumnus of CCSU and LPC and an Alder Woman and also a sexual assault survivor, I want to say that I what I said last night that you you are not alone.

Um I believe you, and whatever happened to you, it is not your fault.

It is a collective commitment to train children from a young age to not be ashamed to speak up.

Adults need to listen and support most sexual assault is um from a familiar person that we know, but that is all the more reason for us to support every survivor and thank them when they share their story.

We need to teach everyone that consent is not an option, it's mandatory.

Sachs at the YWCA has worked hard tirelessly to educate and prevent and support survivors.

I know this firsthand.

I worked with you guys many moons ago, and as an advocate, you get out there, you get that call, it's the middle of the night, you go.

You get to the hospital, you're there through the rape kit, and it's quite the experience being there with someone in that moment.

You keep survivors safe, you talk to the police and DCF and make sure that they know how to communicate with survivors, which is extremely important.

We need to do more work around that.

You help survivors in these moments, and one of the things that people don't think about, you provide clothing.

No one really thinks you wouldn't think about that, but when you're assaulted and you go to the hospital, you have to you lose your clothing, you have to give it to the kit.

So they provide clothing for survivors and make sure they get a ride home.

Um, you have the 24-hour phone hotline, and I'm just so thankful that you guys do all that you do, and I want you to know that we appreciate you, and I'm quite sure that there are many, many, many survivors right here in Newburgh.

And the other thing that you guys provide is free counseling.

Um, many survivors here that have benefited from you from what the work that you do, and I'm just happy that we're able to acknowledge that today.

So I think you guys should come up and because we appreciate you.

Thank you.

Um, thank you to the council and to the mayor, and I echo all of the gratitude that came for Alder Woman Scott to who really helped put this on the agenda for tonight.

You know, she mentioned a lot of what we do, but I just sort of want to reiterate.

Our program is a member center of the Connecticut Alliance to end sexual violence, and so we provide free and confidential services to folks who've been impacted, both directly and indirectly, right?

Violence has ripple effects across our communities, and it impacts so many people.

Our services are broad-ranging.

We have a 24-hour crisis hotline in which folks are answering that phone 365 days a year.

We provide short-term crisis counseling.

We go with survivors to the hospital to the police station to the courthouse.

We run support groups out of our offices and in partnership with other agencies, and we do a lot of community and prevention education.

Sexual violence exists in the dark, right?

It exists when survivors are silenced and they're not able to speak out about what happened to them.

And so resolutions like this acknowledging Sexual Assault Awareness Month, supporting our program, really centers survivors and their healing, and it it makes spaces where they're they are safer.

And so I thank you all.

I don't think I even introduced myself.

My name is Alyssa D'Amato.

I'm the program director for the Sexual Assault Crisis Service.

I've been involved in this work since 2018.

I started as a volunteer, and I I can't explain to you how much it matters for folks to recognize what's happening and to point out the impact of that.

So I thank you all very much.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Take a take a picture for the why don't you come and be in the picture?

Thank you.

If you want, she she'll take a picture for you.

Do you want to have a thank you?

Oh perfect.

The proclamation helps with knowing what to do with your hand.

Thank you.

Thank you all so much.

Thank you.

Thank you for the record.

Thank you.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you so much.

Oh, yeah, we're gonna ask.

With that, we will now move on to the minutes.

Alderman Santiago.

Thank you, Honor.

I make a motion to accept the minutes of the regular meeting of January 28th, 2026, and April 8th, 2026.

Second by Alderwoman Um Ortiz Luna.

Okay.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Oh, I just have a point of order.

There should be discussion.

Or no, I'm sorry, no, never mind.

I was drawing.

Um Alderman Santiago for any amendments.

No amendments, sir.

No amendments.

Okay.

Madam Clerk for petitions.

Yes, Your Honor.

There's one petition.

Petition for to improve the traffic safety during school drop-off and pick up advanced elementary school.

Okay.

Refer to Board of Police Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Alderman Santiago for the consent agenda.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Make a motion to accept the consent agenda of A, B, D, and E.

Second by Alderman Borrero.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Alderman McNamara.

Yes.

Alderwoman Scott.

Yes.

Alderman Simpson.

Yes.

Alderman Smedley.

Yes.

Alderman Malinowski.

Yes.

Alderman Gibson.

Yes.

Alder Woman Delernia.

Alderman Santiago.

Alder Woman Barbosa.

Yes.

Alder Woman Vargas.

Alder Woman Maldonado.

Yes.

Alderman Santano.

Yes.

Alder Woman Ortiz Luna.

Alder Alderman Borrero.

13 years.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Alderman.

DeLernia.

Alder Woman, I'm sorry.

Thank you, Mayor.

I make a motion to accept and adopt item C.

Second by Alderman Smedley.

So this pertains to monthly checks that the council should be receiving every month.

We are in the month of April now, and I haven't seen anything up until this point.

I also have a question as to why it's not this month's isn't included in our packet.

I understand it may be cumbersome, but can we at least get an electronic copy?

Alderman Santiago.

Yes.

Due to the ordinance, it does say requires for us the council to get the report in which it is in the council's chambers.

The butt the book is there.

We know if you really look it doesn't have it in an agenda.

If you look at every single go back, since it's been it has been the report has been set every month, would be in the front in the chamber's office.

Well, uh, maybe I should be talking to somebody in finance.

Is somebody in finance here?

No, I don't think there's one.

No.

Okay.

Corporate council.

Could you I don't know if I can help, but I can try.

Yeah, I mean, if if it's in an electronic copy, I don't see why we can't get it emailed to each of us.

And I don't know what Alderman Santiago are you saying it's in the council chambers?

Correct.

The copy of the reports are in the chambers in the binder every every month.

The finance does bring it to the to the chambers.

I can ask so yeah, I guess I'm requesting.

I would like to see it every month in an electronic copy, include it with our agenda.

Uh I think that's open and transparent.

Yeah, at least the link, yes.

I can find out if that's possible.

Okay.

Thank you.

So you'll look into it.

Yes, I will.

Okay.

Are you okay with that?

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

Alderman McMurra.

Yes, the report is here.

Is it is available in the council office at your office too.

Alderwoman Delernia.

But I'm uh striving to have it included in the agenda in a more readable format.

Just as we received a general fund budget from the mayor that is now I think much clearer and easier for all the people and the public to understand.

I'd like us to see this report included in the agenda in a more readable format rather than an Excel spreadsheet with additional information.

And I think we're working, we need to work towards that.

Any further discussion on okay?

So we have to vote on this one.

Okay.

So all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Mr.

Mayor, point of order related to the agenda.

Um, we had requested to pull item 13.

Does that require that we amend the agenda to pull item 13 off, or are we just gonna skip it?

Um Alderman Santiago, yes, requirement.

It's gonna be we're actually want to follow forward 13.

Yes, interesting.

Okay, uh Alderman Scott for item number one.

Thank you, your honor.

Um I'd like to accept and adopt item number one.

Second, second by Alderman Santiago.

This is for a certificate of location approval for 724 Allen Street.

Um we had a zoning committee meeting um April 14th, 2026, um, and anonymously voted to accept um this recommendation for the for the motor sports LC, auto repair shop, and auto sales.

They seek um granting of certificate of location approval to allow the state DMV and short the motor vehicle dealers license and for property known as 724 Allen Street in New Britain.

And I just want to say this is a property has been historically used for automotive since I think 1948, and we appreciate you, and we appreciate you having your business here in New Britain, and we wish you the best of luck.

Thank you, and I accept I um urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Um, any discussion?

Okay, seeing none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Alderwoman Vargas for item number two.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second.

Second by Alderman Gibson.

Thank you.

Uh this is uh resolution for certificate of location of approval for 724 Allen Street to his honor and the common council, the city of New Britain.

Whereas the zoning subcommittee at a special meeting on April 14th, uh had a unanimous votes accepted and referred to the common council with a neutral recommendation.

Item number 37042.

Oh, wrong one.

Sorry.

Next page.

Everybody awake.

Certificate of location.

Okay, let's start this again.

I make a motion to exercise of location for approval for 46 Washington Street.

Um, whereas the zoning subcommittee at a special committee on uh April 14th by unanimous vote accept and refer to the common council with neutral recommendation item number 37118.

Uh New Brighton Muffler LLC auto repair shop seeking granting of a certificate of location approval to allow state DMV insurance issuance of a motor vehicle dealer's license for property known as 46 Washington Street.

Um and I urge adoption.

And that's the correct one.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Making sure everybody's awake.

Any discussion?

CNN.

All those in favor say aye.

Um those opposed say nay.

Motion carries.

Um Alderman Sipson for item number three.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second by Alderman Barrero.

This resolution is applicable to the water and sewer departments administration building over at 1000 Shuttle Meadow Avenue.

And essentially it's uh it's a retaining, it's a resolution which would retain our current service provider uh in the expense of 21,525 dollars.

And this is for the installation and testing of a uh of electrical work to one of our generators at the plant, and this helps keep our water clean, keeps it running, keeps New Britain up.

So I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any other any discussion on this item?

Alderwoman Dillarnia.

Yes, I have a couple of questions.

I guess this would be would this go to Mark or oh okay.

We have someone from Patrick's yeah.

Hi, good evening, Patrick.

So my understanding is this is an older generator being moved from the old public works building to the water department.

Yes, correct.

And and how functional is that generator?

How old is it?

I'm not exactly sure the age of the generator, but it is fully functional.

We made sure of that before we did it, instead of purchasing a brand new generator for okay.

So the cost this cost of 21,525.

Is that a breakdown?

Is there a breakdown of materials and labor?

Is that just labor or it there is a breakdown?

I'm not sure if you got it with the package, but I I did not.

But there is a breakdown of its wiring, it's running conduit, and then the installation of okay.

And is there any warranty on the labor on the workbook?

It's just the normal year uh warranty that you would get from it.

What's the expectant life?

What's the life expect expectancy?

Of the generator?

Yeah, that I'm not very sure of it.

So you know is there a not a that is not there, they're just doing the wiring.

This is just for the wiring portion.

The generators already are.

So I'm assuming there's not a lot of hours on it.

Uh I'm not exactly sure how many hours are on it.

Uh okay.

And have we lost power often?

We we lose power regularly.

It's we're on we're on the end of a system, so um our crews have to come in in snowstorms, they have to come in hurricanes.

Um, so we lose power, we need to have uh power there that we don't have.

And we haven't had it to this point.

Are all our other uh city buildings um do they all have generators or I I can't answer if they all do.

I our main plant does, but that's the drinking water plant.

Uh this one does not.

Okay.

Uh Mayor, um, is that is there some way I can find out which buildings have generator associated and which do not order at this point of time is is only we're talking about this resolution.

At this point of time is is only we're talking about this resolution.

If you want to speak about our one, you would have to do that.

It's about generation.

We should be able to be able to ask that question.

This is a resolution.

If you would like to speak on that one, you would have to do that.

Okay, I disagree with that, but we should.

I should have I should be able to find out.

That should be a question I can vote.

I'm just saying at this point of time we're speaking about this resolution.

Okay.

Thank you.

That's it, I guess.

Okay, Patrick.

I think you're out unless anybody else has any questions for Patrick.

Oh, Patrick, you're gonna have to come back.

Sorry.

I just Alderwoman Barbosa.

I'm sorry.

I just have one question.

What would be the cost for a brand new one?

Uh we did not price that out, but I'm sure double what we're talking about right now.

So thank you, Alderwoman.

Alderman Simpson.

Did you have a question for Patrick?

Yes, if I can.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry to have you get your steps in.

You are getting your steps in.

So just to just uh clarify the work that's being done, right?

We have a generator in position A.

We need it in position B.

The labor that's being done is taking that generator, moving it to another spot, laying down the power lines, the conduit, to then just have it operate in another spot, right?

The the generator's already been moved.

We moved the generator.

What this is for is to run the conduit, right?

Run the wiring hook up, um, and the uh transfer switch, run it to our uh facility.

We're gonna put the generator and in place and put the pad down for it, and then they're gonna do all of the wiring.

So it's good, it's a combination of in-house work and the electrical work.

We can't do the electrical work.

This is for the electrical work.

I do have to commend the labor distribution there, and just to touch on a point from my colleagues.

If this generator goes down, right, we can still move it.

That wiring, that conduit is still there, correct?

Correct.

There we go.

Thank you.

Questions for Patrick.

Okay, CNN, you may sit down, sir.

So all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Alderman Molinowski for item number four.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I make a motion to accept and adopt item four.

Second by Alderman Santiago.

And uh the state of Connecticut's uh Department of Public Health water drinking uh drinking water regulations require that the public works department utilities division prepare a water quality report every year.

And um this resolution uh authorizes the public works utilities division to retain Gemini Group Consulting LLC to configure print and mail and the purchasing agent to issue a purchase order and the amount of fifteen thousand seven hundred twenty-two doll seven hundred and seventy-two dollars for the 2025 annual water quality report for the water department, and I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any discussion on this item?

Okay, CNN.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries Alderman Gibson for item number five.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Make a motion to accept and adopt item number five.

Second by Alderwoman Vargas.

This is uh to repair and maintenance for repairs and maintenance service to the elevator at Shuttle Meadow water treatment plant.

This resolution authorizes the public works utility division to retain Schindler Elevator Corporation and the purchase purchasing agent to issue a purchase order for the working amount of eight thousand three hundred and ninety-two dollars and thirty-eight cents, and I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any discussion on this item?

Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Alderman McNamara for item number six.

Thank you, Honor.

A motion to accept and adopt number six.

Second, second by Alderman Simpson.

Uh this is uh expenditure of 17,449 and 37 cents uh to uh repair of circulation pump and filter piping piping updates.

Well, I at one time wanted to be a plumber.

I keep uh it goes into great detail uh on the work to be done in the resolution.

I have no questions on it.

Um and I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any discussion on this item?

Alderwomen Delarnia.

Yes, I have a couple of questions.

Uh okay.

Okay, you may proceed.

I was reading it.

Of course, I don't understand everything.

I find it interesting though that it um it's mentioned here that we are reusing older parts.

Uh are we confident that those older parts are gonna hold up?

Yes.

So um the pump that's gonna be reused, it's gonna be rebuilt.

Um there's been a long ongoing problem here with it, the pump failing, the pool going down.

Um it had to do with just the original reuse of the filter plant from the old pool to the new pool.

It's oversized for it.

Um I did have an expert, two experts with me looking at this, and um they're quite confident that we need to throttle back the water pressure on it to maintain the pressure in the pump so that it stops failing.

It's basically cavitating the water and it's chopping up the impeller and it falls apart.

Okay, so is is this work guaranteed somehow for us?

Yes.

Okay.

Um and if I can ask this, um deviating a little bit from uh from Stanley Quarter to Willow Brook.

We're we're having a problem with the Willow Brook um pump too, aren't we?

Uh I I know there was uh question in the CBDG.

Um asking for money to help pump over there.

That one's pretty old and it's looking for a uh a major upgrade over there for the filtration plan as well.

So would our money be better spent fixing that?

The money to spend on AW pool right now would be required just so that we could make it through the season without it going down.

Uh there's a longer term plan being worked on for a Willowbrook pool.

Okay, so this is just gonna get us through one season.

Well, hopefully it's gonna get us through many seasons.

This repair at AW pool right now.

Well, because you did say there was a guarantee in the works, correct?

Okay, thank you.

Alderman Santiago.

So I this goes into my profession.

This is what I do, and I did take the walkthrough and and what the requirements were and the and the um the need for the parts to kind of what happened was the flow of water from the filtration system they have is causing more pressure into the pump.

And so what happens is it's breaking down the pump.

So what they're doing is they're just releasing some of the flow of the water too, so that doesn't cause more strain to the pump.

So which would allow the pump to last a lot longer than basically every two years or so to replace an impellers or things like that?

So this is basically we're saving money by doing what we're doing now because it if I think I'm not correct every year we're putting thousands and thousands of dollars.

Yeah, it's my understanding that the pool it usually doesn't make a full season on an impeller.

Um the gentleman I talked to deals with a lot of commercial pools that runs this same pump, and they get four or five full seasons running 365 days a year out of their pumps because it's it's put together properly.

Correct.

Any other questions?

Alderman Smedney.

Uh sorry, thank you.

Um, was the uh work for this uh pump repair publicly bid it was gone through uh the contractor that we've been using for the last three years.

Okay, so was the work for this project publicly bid?

No.

Okay, this exceeds our spending threshold without a public bid.

How much money?

This is 75,449.

I'm not sure if it's public works under work.

They're bid this is in the public work, so what's their address order?

Because again, I know that we have five fifty thousand.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I I'm again I'm just asking, but I know that we have um public works does have a threshold, like as I said the call fifty thousand does go without being bid.

Correct.

That's for the um oh, I'm sorry.

I'm not sure what this was.

I'm just asked this.

Was just asked that's for the uh on-call list of contractors who are approved, so I guess my follow-up question would be then is on CT custom aquatics on the on-call list.

They're on our approved vendor list, and we're looking to make them our sole source provider.

So are they on the on-call bid list?

The city has two separate purchasing uh situations.

One, there's a bid threshold of up to 7500.

Uh, if anything's over that needs to be publicly bid.

The second would be if the contractor is on the on-call engineering list, which is an approved list of vendors that was voted on by this council uh for up to $35,000 worth of funds.

375.

So does anyone know are they on the on-call list?

That would be good.

Who would that be?

Point of information.

Oh, alderman back to Mario.

Were these funds in the DPW account?

Uh pre previously authorized.

Do you know?

I know Mr.

Mariani's here, but yes, it was a previously funded fund.

All right, thank you.

Under procurement standards, it doesn't matter if the funds are there and approved, it's the process of hiring the contractors.

So there's no quid pro crow.

So I would motion to table this until we can determine uh whether or not the uh contractors on the on-call list.

Okay, there's a motion to table.

I second second.

Umless Ms.

Don't have a idea.

Okay.

No, you don't have no idea.

Okay, and it will second it by Alderwoman Delernia.

Okay.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion came not motion carries the table, item number six.

Okay, Alderwoman Luna for item number seven.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second, second by Alderman Barrero.

Uh, this is regarding public bid number 4223 for the recreation and community services department, and it's to enter into a contract and issue a purchase order for first student in New Burton, Connecticut for the 2020 2026 summer bus transportation for the recreation and community service department at a daily rate of 252 dollars and fifty cents per bus and 72 dollars per hour for any additional buses needed per the terms and specifications of this bid, and I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Alderwomen Delarnia.

Okay.

Is someone from Park and Rec here, Mallory?

Yes.

Good evening, Mallory.

Through you, Mayor.

Hi, Mayallory.

Hi, good evening.

Um, there's no info here on how many buses or how many days in use.

Yeah, so it's um five days a week for seven weeks for the summer camp.

Okay, um, minus a four-day week for the week of fourth of July.

So quick math is 34 days.

Okay.

Okay.

Um, and it is six route uh six routes per camp.

So 12 routes all together, four buses for AW, four buses for Willowbrook.

Um, and they each bus does two trips.

So there's uh six stops at each.

So eight eight buses, eight buses total.

Okay, yeah.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions for Mallory?

Seeing none.

Thank you, Mallory.

All those in favor say aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries Alderman, Alderwoman Luna for item number eight.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second, second by Alderman Santiago.

Okay, uh, this is a another public bid for the recreation and community service department.

And it is to grant Queen Ice, Queen Ice Cream of New Britain, Connecticut, the concession rights for Chesley Park, Martha Hart Park, Osgood Park, Washington Park, Willow Street Park, Walnut Hill Park, and Willowbrook Park, and to grant two brothers ice cream LC out of Waterbury, Connecticut, the concession rights for AW Stanley Park, the Stanley Quarter part in accordance with the payment terms and specification of this bid, and I urge adoption.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Any discussion on this item?

Okay, seeing none.

All those in favor say aye.

Oh, Alderman Smedley.

Thank you.

Does anybody have a copy of the bid responses because they weren't attached to the agenda?

No.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Mallory, you can email it.

Okay.

Any other questions?

Okay.

So all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Alderman Barrero for item number nine.

Thank you, Your Honor.

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

Second.

Second by Alderman Ortiz Luna.

This resolute resolution is an accordance to the City Code ordinance, Chapter 2.

Article 8, Division 4, Section 2-531.

The purchase order requests support services information technology division conjunction with the city of the City Health Department of Annual Subscription of $10,860.

Just to give you guys some information.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any discussion on this item?

Alderman Smedley.

Thank you.

Is there a term for our contract with uh this software company?

Does anybody um know Mr.

Doug?

Maybe I think John can answer.

Hi, John.

Hello, Mayor.

Council, through you, Mayor.

Um, so this is a yearly subscription.

Like everything's typically now a subscription as a service fee.

Um, so this would be for one year starting, I believe, in May.

Caleb Cowells is it here, he's on vacation, so I'm speaking on behalf.

I do have a whole page and a half if you would like me to read about it.

But I'm I'm familiar with the fact that we've had it for quite many years since 2017, as noted in the resolution.

But um, I just wondered if there was a contract that allows us to just renew it.

Usually um when you have a subscription service, there's a contract for three years, and we might go to bid for another uh service because it is uh quite a pretty penny.

No existing contract, it's just a subscription as a service around a yearly basis for this.

Interesting.

Okay, thank you.

All the Alderwoman Delarnia.

Yes, thank you.

Through you, mayor.

I don't know if you can actually answer this for me.

Um I guess we're required to have this through the health department with the health department.

Yes, I know it's required through the yes.

I was just wondering if we're duplicating services with something that the state offers as well.

Um I I realize that might be a question for Caleb.

Yes, exactly.

Um would you have information on how many staff actually access this and use it?

That would be the entire department of the building health department.

Um you want me to read I could read his original submission for resolution.

I told him he had to download it a little bit.

That's not necessary.

Thank you.

No problem.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Anybody's discussion?

Alderwoman Scott.

Um, I just want to say it it may be quite a pretty penny, but um, it's much needed for wellness, it's a health you know, so I just wanted to make that statement.

Thank you.

Thank you for coming up.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Alderman Smith Leave a second time.

Thank you.

Uh I I do agree it's well needed, however, it uh may be an illegal contract renewal without publicly bidding it.

Any other questions?

See none?

How we're presenting this to the council is a sole source uh resolution, source product.

Just the that's what makes us compliant with the Alderman Macmer.

Yeah, that was my question.

Uh uh certain items are sole source items, and this is a specialized uh subscription.

I think the direct directing it to Caleb at budget time appropriate time would be good.

Uh but there are sole source items.

Um that uh preclude the normal bidding process, 7500 and up.

No Alderman Smedley.

Thank you.

Uh I'll just remind the council that sole source uh purchasing requires very distinct or has very distinct guidelines in its procedure.

And I'm just questioning the validity of uh a contract that's just being renewed here without it saying it's sole source or that it was publicly bid.

I I don't have the exact wording, but it is listed in our city ordinances.

Um, and our purchasing agent uh is familiar with that as well.

Um I do recognize that uh this is a uh a needed necessity in the city, but I'm just worried about the administrative side of how we're renewing and why we're renewing with the same company all the time.

Do you have uh like charter number ordinance reference?

Uh search a Muni code for uh purchasing procedures or procurement, it's uh it's easily findable.

Okay.

Just a couple of minutes.

Okay.

Okay, all the women second by Alderman woman barbosa.

So we'll go to recess.

Oh, all those in favor for a recess.

Say aye.

All those opposed, nay.

We'll go into recess.

Okay, call the council back to order.

It is now nine forty-nine PM.

And we are still on item number nine.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Uh just based on our findings, I would like to uh rise to make a motion to actually table this item, but um there's just a section here that says something needs to be in writing, and I just haven't seen that writing.

Is there a second to table?

Um second by uh Alderman Smith.

All those opposed, nay?

So one no item nine gets tabled.

Alderman Um Barbosa for item number ten.

Um I make a motion to table item number ten.

Uh copy of contract as well.

Oh copy of contract as well.

Motion to table item number ten.

Second by the point of order, your honor.

Does the motion have to be made before it can be tabled?

Yes.

Yes.

Didn't I make the motion?

No, you have to make a motion to um accept the resolution.

And then you've got to resolution.

Oh yeah, and I make a motion to accept and gosh.

No.

Resolution number 10.

To accept resolution number 10.

Second by Alderman.

Luna Ortiz.

Not do I make the motion?

Oh, no, part of let me find out first.

Let me check.

Your honor.

Before you make the table, let's get the information forward first before we do that.

Um could we ask about this is uh resolution that authorizes the use of beach party balloons painted you as the sole source vendor for the kids zone and related intermedi entertainment services.

So that means you don't have to take a look at the solutions.

Okay.

At the celebrate New Britain Festival in the amount of 14,570 dollars.

Funds are available in the celebrate New Britain expenditure account number 00141701-5901.

I urge adoption.

Any discussion on item number 10 table?

No.

Okay.

All those in favor on item number 10 say aye.

Aye.

All is opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Sir Mayor.

Point of order.

The motion was to accept.

Uh do we need to change the motion to accept and adopt?

It was.

It was just to accept and adopt.

She did the initial was accept adopt number 10.

Resolution number 10.

Okay, I heard motion to accept, and then you said let's discuss the information.

So no, she said resolution number 10, because I correct that.

Except resolution 10.

We didn't use the word adopt, therefore it is not adopted.

There can be no action if it's not adopted.

Yeah, and I make a motion to accept and adopt resolution number 10.

Second.

Second by Alderman Santiago.

Any discussion?

Seeing none.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Alderman Melanowski for I item number eleven.

Um, just before uh without making this more confusing, uh to me it sounded like we just accepted and adopted the resolution with no motion to table.

No table.

Right, she wasn't table.

I was the sole vote against it.

To accept and adopt.

Is there a way we can rewind or something?

There was no motion.

She initially was going to table, but then she made the motion, and then they decide not to table it.

Okay.

So they made a motion to accept, and it was voted on, and um Alderman Smedley raised an issue.

So it was remade as a motion to accept and adopt, and that has been approved.

Okay.

So that last resolution just went through with no table.

Okay.

I make a motion to accept and adopt item uh number 11.

Second.

Second by Alderman Smedley.

And this is a motion that honors the life and service of Alden Russell.

Um the city of New Britain remembers Alderman Alden Russell, who served from 2021 to 2025, a devoted public servant, advocate, and friend, whose energy, passion, and care touch every corner of our community.

Alden worked tirelessly for those who needed a voice by supporting the recovery community, people experiencing homelessness, and individuals with special needs, as well as the families who support them.

He always showed up for the community attending events, engaging in discussions, asking questions, making sure no concern was overlooked.

Alden was a proud and active parent to his daughter Courtney and his son Xander, sharing that role alongside his wife Julie.

Supporting students and families in the consolidated school district in New Britain, including programs like New Britain High School Golden Hurricanes Marching Band and the NBHS Parents Music Association.

Always modeling the kind of engagement and commitment we hope to see in every parent.

Alden's warmth, humor, and steadfast dedication made him a trusted friend, a fierce advocate, and a guiding presence for all who knew him.

His legacy will live on through those who loved and those whose lives were touched by his work and his heart.

And recognizing that Alden loved what he was doing and remained dedicated to his community to the very end.

We extend our deepest condolences to Julie Xander and Courtney and his family and celebrate a life well lived with courage, compassion, and purpose.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any discussion?

Alderman Smithley.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um, I rise uh to obviously respect uh Alderman uh Alden Russell uh as uh a uh giant in our city.

Uh Alden could approach anybody, any group of people.

Um Alden would often visit the uh homeless encampments, he would visit with people in Central Park, he would visit our city businesses, he would visit our schools.

Alden uh was uh a true true uh great person and uh will forever be remembered by this council and by this city and uh our caucus and I'm sure all the rest of you also offer our condolences to Julie and his family uh as they continue on with their grieving process.

So thank you for allowing us to recognize Alden this evening.

Thank you, Alderman.

Any other okay, seeing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye, all those opposed name.

Motion carries.

Alderwoman Scott for item number 12.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I rise to accept and adopt item number 12.

Second by Alderwoman Ortiz Luna.

Um this is for sexual assault awareness month for April, and I just want to say peace and love.

Um sexual assault awareness month calls attention to the fact of sexual violence impacts every person in the city of New Britain.

Rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment harm our community.

Statistics show one in five women and one in six, seven men will be raped at some point in their lives.

And I just want to say that the men's statistic is usually not um as high because we don't get they don't get reported as much.

Um child sexual abuse prevention must be a priority confronted the reality of six boys and one out of four girls will experience sexual assault.

Young people experience heightened rates of sexual violence, and youth ages 12 to 17, um, where two and a half times more likely to be victims of rape, sexual assault.

Our online communities have been increasingly increasing this important problem um of abuse and online harassment, cyberbullying, exploitation, um, and we need to be making sure that we have consent intervening when harmful things are happening, promoting healthy communities, respect, inclusive, and safety of sexual assault occurring, and it's it's also um child abuse prevention month.

Um, and as we're working towards trying to help um with our mental health here in the city, with it being the mental health year, um, the city of New Britain encourages all residents, community leaders, organizations to practice in efforts to protect every resident who lives in the city of New Britain, education, advocacy, and community engagement.

And I wanted to point out we forgot to mention there is a walk at CCSU next week on the 29th.

Um, and I would just like to urge adoption to this important topic.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Any discussion on this time?

Item CNN.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

Alderwoman Delernia for item number 13.

Uh Mayor, I had asked them item number 13 be pulled from the agenda.

Cisco approved that.

Alderman Santiago.

I didn't approve it because it was actually already on the agenda.

So we would have had it to amend it, which again wasn't approved amendment.

No.

You never said that to me.

You said it did there was no need to put an amendment amendment you had approved to pull it.

You did.

I did not say I did not say the need to be amended because you I never answered the question.

You answer you you you agreed to pull this.

There's no reason to have this on the agenda.

Yes.

Your Honor, do you have to Your Honor?

Point of order.

Don't we have to um accept the motion?

Uh accept and adopt it, and then we can answer discussion.

Let's make a motion to accept.

Okay.

I'll make a motion to accept and adopt number 13.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second.

Second by Alderman Smedling.

Now again, I had asked that this be pulled.

Uh Cisco did agree.

I think uh others may have heard that as well.

Alderman Luna.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Through you.

Um I want to I want to make a motion for a strike all amendment and to replace to replace with the language provided.

Second.

Second by all the women Barkholson.

Your Honor.

Alderman Smedley.

Uh what language provided?

We don't have anything on our desk.

There was no amendment to the agenda.

Um I motion the table.

The clerk has the amendment.

Motion to table.

Second.

There was a motion to table, and there was a second.

I'm sorry, just point of order, Your Honor.

This is on a motion to strike all and replace the substitution, not the I'll withdraw my motion to the table until we vote on the until we vote on this.

Okay.

We have a second.

So we're in discussion.

We had a second to it.

Give everyone a little moment to read it.

Through you, Your Honor.

Um, so the amendment was done just because um, I mean it's been more than 60 days uh that the vacancy in ward two um has elderman position has been vacant.

Um and we need representation in that ward.

Um, so that's the reason why uh we decided to amend it to put um an elder person in that ward that can represent um ward two.

Thank you, alder woman.

Alderman Milanowski.

Right.

Thank you, Honor.

Through you, uh, if I could ask corporation counsel, how does um I'm assuming that this person does not intend to caucus with the Republican caucus?

Does that affect minority representation on the council?

Microphone microphone.

Eventually, you know, I figure it out.

So in regards to the and Alderman Smedley got our response.

Um actually he emailed our office and got the response in regards to that, but I'll repeat it just for everyone's purpose.

That question was asked to corporation counsel earlier, and the charter is very clear that it has to be number one and same party unaffiliated in this particular case as as Jurell.

And it has to be from Ward, the same award, which this complies with, but the charter is silent as to who that person caucuses with.

So there's no mandate that the person caucus with either the Rudd Caucus or the Democratic Caucus.

Thank you, Honor.

Um thank you, Mr.

Corporation Counsel.

Um more question, too.

Uh for the purposes of the election, Jarell was nominated by the Republican Party.

So for the purposes of the election, he was elected as a Republican.

Does that have any effect on this decision?

I would ask corporate counsel though.

I mean, I'm technically still a Democrat, but nobody thinks that.

So the Rudd Caucus itself is not Republican.

It's it's a mix of Democrats, independents, unaffiliated, and Republican.

Um so that statement isn't correct.

He ran with the Republicans, but he's still unaffiliated.

And to fulfill the obligation of the charter, you have to find someone who's unaffiliated in the same district.

Um, and that's what's being done here today.

Okay.

Uh, and just uh closing remark.

Uh you guys already have a supermajority.

You need to take one more seat from us.

Thank you very much.

Alderwoman Scott.

Oh, all the women don't want anyone.

You know, I object to this you're circumventing uh the vote, the voters who elected uh to the minority party.

Uh you know, this is you're you're pulling a fast one here that's I think gonna be obvious to many people that are watching this.

Um vacancies shouldn't be filled by shouldn't fill the vacancy to balance the the power, which is what you're doing right now, and how is this person gonna caucus with us?

Can somebody answer that?

Corporate counsel, alder woman.

As I stated earlier, there's no requirement for any elected official to caucus with any party.

There's no requirement whatsoever in the charter.

That person can choose to caucus with the rudd caucus if that's what you're calling it, or they can choose to caucus with the Democrats, or they can choose not to do either.

There is no requirement in the charter to make someone caucus with anyone.

You may want to stay there, corporate counseling.

I'm getting my steps.

But let's see this as it is, it's a political move.

The majority party is circumventing what the voters uh chose during the past election.

They're putting in the person who they want.

All I can tell you, Alder Woman, is this complies with the charter 100% Alderman McCamer?

Uh I can recall well, long before I was on the council.

Uh the president for this was the uh the election of um representative Sanchez uh to the uh to the state legislature, and there was a vacancy, and the uh majority party at the time uh conducted interviews, uh solicited applications, and the part of the charter, the uh person had to be a democrat, and there was uh a view in the minority caucus, the democrats at that time uh had chosen another individual, and that was uh uh that was circumvented at the time, just to make the point that the charter is silent on uh what who fills the vacancy, what what caucus they choose to, or is the corporation council it could be uh Angus King from Maine, neither party.

That's correct.

Thank you, Mr.

Michael, all the women Barbosa.

Oh well, can't Scott was first.

You know, with our respect, there may be differing views on disappointment, and that's what this is all about, but at the end of the day, it's been 60 days.

Um you haven't come up with a candidate.

Um Ward II is down a person, and we have someone who meets other qualifications that are required.

Um we need to move forward.

Um Britain needs us, and um this is just another obstacle that's keeping us from moving forward.

So um I'm in favor of this resolution.

Thank you, Alderwoman.

Oh, Scott.

Oh man Scott I just want to say peace and love because it seems like there's a lot of tension right now.

Um I just we're still grieving the loss of our colleague um and we just shouldn't wait um our constituents don't deserve to wait um we just we can't wait we need to fill this seat we've taken long enough and we have a candidate and it doesn't matter uh like who he caucuses with he's an independent and he's replacing an independent and that's all that matters it's not a political gain it's serving our community the seat needs to be filled um and we need to move a little bit faster and I I can recall a time um when there was a replacement and there was a political gain um back when um Manny Shanchez went to the state level um that was a political gain but I don't see this as one because we have a candidate and you're not presenting us with one so you're trying to take back this resolution but we need to move forward with this resolution tonight.

So thank you and peace and love.

Everybody stay calm your honor um alderman Santiago I moved the question question has been moved second second second by alderwoman Barbosa all those in favor say aye aye all those opposed nay no party line motion carries mayor you just have to vote on the in underlying motion now the motion to amends correct okay now we will vote on the amendment the um item number thirteen is amended is there your honor motion for a short recess before the final vote okay okay we'll get we'll give you a couple of minutes thank you recess at ten twelve p.mm council members back to your seats calling the meeting back to order at ten fifteen p.m.

Mr.

Mayor.

Alderman Smedley.

Thank you.

Just uh two two quick things.

Um first I find it incredibly disingenuous uh that your party would uh make this uh non-transparent move.

The public still doesn't even know the name of the person, first of all.

Second of all, um we lost Alderman Hargraves, and then our team, thanks for the compassion, lost a second member of our team.

So yes, it has taken us a little bit longer than the 60 days provided by the charter.

But the charter also says that the process can start over in another 60 days, which we're in.

Secondly, I'd like to ask Mayor point of order.

I believe that the question was moved and thus.

Right.

Correct.

We're now in the right.

But you have to vote on the excuse me, Alderman, with all due respect.

Sure.

Um you have to vote on the amendment in order to have any further discussion in regards to the motion.

We didn't vote on the amendment.

I believe we did.

We did.

No, we didn't.

No, we did not.

You you move to end, you move to move the motion to move the question, and that was voted on.

Yeah.

And then I don't recall a vote on the amendment.

I apologize.

I said you had to vote on the amendment, and then there was a request for a recess.

That's correct.

Right.

So you didn't vote.

So you move to the question.

No.

No, you would move the question ended discussion with respect to the amendment.

So you have to vote on the amendment, and then you're gonna have your back to the motion as amended, and that's what um attorney Rivera was saying.

Then you can have discussion.

I agree.

You're correct.

Okay, so we will vote on number on item number 13 amendment.

On the amendment, all those in favor say aye.

Aye, aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries party nine.

Now it's on the amendment.

Now on the no item number 13 as amended.

Your honor.

Um councilman Smethy.

Thank you.

Uh my previous comments stand, uh I'm not gonna repeat them.

Um through you, sir, to corporation council, um, with the question related to the state statutes and how they uh I guess behave with our city charter.

So uh uh in your knowledge, uh, could there be a state statute that supersedes the city charter or uh our ordinances?

Well, not that I'm aware of number one, and number two, the charter wouldn't be in existence as it is presently if it violated any state statute.

Okay, so I'm specifically questioning state statute nine-167 on specifically the last sentence, uh, which states any person whose candidacy for election to an office is solely as the candidate of a party shall be deemed to be a member of the party of which such person is a candidate.

I'm gonna repeat to you that's the same question you asked in your email, and I'm gonna repeat to you the same thing, and that is this particular resolution as amended complies with our charter, thus complies with state statute.

Uh that was not the question in my email.

The question in my email was specifically related to the actual party affiliation of the person we wanted to appoint.

However, I believe our interpretation of this state statute is that this would govern how the minority party representation would be followed through with and that the alder person would have to then caucus with us and couldn't caucus with with the other.

I understand your question, but that's not correct.

I don't agree with that assessment.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alderman MacMarrow.

I'd like to speak to the resolution I believe is on the table now.

That nominates uh Colin Osborne, the Green Street resident.

Um affiliated voter who has uh experience on the council previously from Ward 2.

And I think he can uh well serve the residents of Ward 2, no matter which caucus he chooses to join, or whether he chooses to be an independent voice on the council.

And I would uh I would support this uh because of the reasons cited, given the season we're in in terms of uh we need a full team on board uh to do the city's business.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alderman.

Your Honor.

Alderman Santiago called the question.

Question has been called.

Oh is it a second?

Second by Alderwoman or Tiz Luna.

Okay.

So now we will vote on the resolution as amended.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries by party line.

Your honor, I'm I I just have to vote no on this.

I I don't I'm unsure about the state laws here.

That's fine.

I'm sorry.

Yes, not nothing against the man.

I he's fine.

Okay, so may I have a oh we're gonna swear a minute.

We swear the clerk's here.

The clerk's here.

Do we we can swear amend?

Okay.

Mr.

Osborne.

Your Honor, just a point of order again.

Things are moving quickly.

I believe there was a motion to call the question again.

And you voted on that.

Did you vote on the motion as amended?

Yeah, we did vote on that.

Okay.

I'm sorry.

I heard a motion to move the question in a second and a vote on that.

I did not hear a mo uh a vote on the so we have to vote on the number thirteen as amended.

Correct.

Well, the original motion.

As amended.

Okay.

Well we'll go back to it.

So back to item number thirteen.

Um all those in favor.

As amended, item number thirteen, say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed say nay.

No.

Motion carries.

Oh, plus anything.

No, I said no.

Before.

No, I said no.

Okay.

Okay.

So now we can bring Mr.

Osborne up.

Okay.

Please raise your right hand.

Out of order.

Out of order over here.

Do you Colin Osborne, having been appointed to the Office of Ward of Alder Persons for the City of New Britain, solemnly swear that you will faithfully and honestly perform the duties of the Office of Ward Alder Persons for the City of New Britain to the best of your judgment and skill, so help you God.

I do.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Motion to adjourn.

Second by Alderwoman Ortiz.

Luna.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries.

The meeting is adjourned at 1023 PM.