New Britain Common Council Regular Meeting - June 24, 2026
New Britain Common Council Regular Meeting - June 24, 2026
On June 24, 2026, the New Britain Common Council held its regular meeting at 7:25 PM, preceded by a public participation session. The council heard from four public speakers on a range of topics including city debt, property conditions, unresolved reimbursements, and scooter safety. During the regular meeting, the council adopted the consent agenda and approved five resolutions, including recognition of Juneteenth, software subscription renewal, engineering contracts for street improvements, and chemical purchases for the golf course.
Public Comments & Testimony
- John Kristapic (resident) expressed concerns about the city's debt refinancing from 2014–2017, warned that debt payments would increase significantly after 2026, and questioned the prioritization of housing over retail development. He also criticized the pace of the High Rail project and cited a radio DJ's negative comments about downtown New Britain, asking "Where is the rage?"
- Orlando Baldwin (375 Farmington Avenue) reported ongoing issues with a neighbor involving mental health and drug abuse, stating he had called police twice in the prior week and that the landlord had warned him of possible retaliation.
- Charles Smith (236 Jubilee Street) stated he would attend every meeting until his outstanding reimbursements from the city were resolved. He alleged selective amnesia by officials and that private promises were not honored, referencing an earlier meeting with Justin Conn from Mayor Stewart's office who left a message offering to take care of some changes and reimbursements. Council member Alderwoman suggested Smith email a recording for the full council to hear.
- Alberto Duarte (119 Willow Street) raised safety concerns about scooters driving at high speed through the park and advocated for barriers to prevent access. He also proposed building a community center to get kids off the streets and mentioned he would submit a formal proposal.
- Council members responded to speakers: Alderwoman expressed sympathy, support for improvements, and a desire to work together; she acknowledged the prior administration's role in some unresolved issues.
Consent Calendar
- Motion by Alderman Santiago, seconded by Alderman Borrero, to accept the consent agenda (Item A). Roll call vote: 12 ayes, 0 nays. Motion carried.
Discussion Items
- Item 1 – Recognition of Juneteenth: Alderwoman Scott made a motion, seconded by Alderman Santiago, to adopt a resolution recognizing Juneteenth. She noted the significance of the date, the ongoing struggles for equality, and referenced recent police violence. No discussion. Motion carried unanimously.
- Item 2 – Software Subscription for Central Square ERP: Alderwoman Vargas made a motion, seconded by Alderwoman Luna Ortiz, to authorize a one-year purchase order for $73,288 to Superior LLC (Central Square) for annual software subscription and maintenance. Stated that Central Square is the sole source provider and changing vendors would incur significant costs. No discussion. Motion carried.
- Item 3 – Allen Street Phase II Engineering: Alderman made a motion, seconded by Alderwoman Luna Ortiz, to assign Cardinal Engineering for work on final construction bid documents for the Allen Street phase two project, at a cost of $90,000 from the capital project bond account. No discussion. Motion carried.
- Item 4 – Myrtle Street Complete Streets Improvement: Alderman Simpson made a motion, seconded by Alderman Santiago, to adopt a resolution for milling, repaving, sidewalks, and granite curbing on Myrtle Street between Armistice and Washington. Total cost $4,954,497, with the city covering only 20% and the state covering the rest. No discussion. Motion carried.
- Item 5 – Purchase of Chemicals for Stanley Golf Course: Alderman Barrero made a motion, seconded by Alderwoman Luna Ortiz, to authorize the purchase of chemicals, fertilizers, grass, and pesticides for the recreation department. No discussion. Motion carried.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda (Item A) approved unanimously (12-0).
- Resolution recognizing Juneteenth (Item 1) adopted unanimously.
- Software subscription renewal (Item 2) approved unanimously.
- Engineering contract for Allen Street Phase II (Item 3) approved unanimously.
- Myrtle Street Complete Streets improvement project (Item 4) approved unanimously.
- Chemical purchase for golf course (Item 5) approved unanimously.
- Meeting adjourned at 7:42 PM.
Notes
- Minutes from the May 27, 2026 and June 10, 2026 regular meetings were approved after a brief discussion about the level of detail in the minutes; the council clerk confirmed that minutes are not verbatim and the public can review video for specifics.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome back to the June 24th regular meeting of the New Britain Common Council. And we begin. I think we're completing our sign up list now. And then if somebody has not signed up or somebody's calling in, they will be recognized to speak. Thank you. Our first speaker is John Kristapic. Thank you for this opportunity. Happy Fourth of July. Thousands coming to celebrate the fourth at Walnut Hill Park. I hope people in the neighborhood will be notified about the parking tsunami that will be coming their way. Where is the rage? I hope someone looks at the debts we took on and the refinancing during the past administration. I found a note from our finance department that lists debts from 2014 to 2017. 2014, refinance 9,600, 2015, refinance pension 56 million. 2015, new, 29 million. 2016, refinance 44, 545 million. 2017, refinance A, 8 million five hundred seventy thousand. 2017, refinance B, 13 million five. 2017, new 53 million one hundred and forty-five thousand. That's up to 2017. I haven't gotten updated since then. There was a new plan addressing our debt in 2018. Smaller payments for eight years. After 2026, debt payments would increase, becoming dramatically higher over the course of the next 21 years. Warning, warning. So the high railer just sold. Began construction January 5th, 2022. It's coming on four years. Still doesn't have a certificate of occupancy. The strand broke round. 92023. The developer got a four million grant from Connecticut Communities Challenging Grant from the State Department of Economic Community Development. I hope they didn't write them a check at the time. Aaron Stewart's words. Whether do you put your resources? Where do you put your resources? Do you put your resources into retail or are we putting it into housing? I am so glad we put it into housing, because feed on the street is going to drive the economy. After the Memorial Day weekend, I was listening to the radio in one of the uh local uh dish jockeys or whatever you call them now. She had some uh pretty good comments. She said she had spent the weekend moving her son out of the Brit. She said some things I can't actually repeat, but basically she said, what is up with downtown New Britain? Where is the rage? Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kristapic. I think you took it three minutes, even though it says two two minutes and eleven seconds. Okay, keep going. Our next speaker is Mr. Orlando Baldwin.
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