Regular Meeting of the New Britain Common Council: October 14, 2026

The Common Council met for public participation at 7:05 PM and the regular business meeting at 7:21 PM on October 14, 2026. Official minutes were not provided for this meeting. The agenda included recognition of a fire official, numerous proclamations for heritage and awareness months, and action on several resolutions and petitions. A Ward 2 vacancy and a contentious budget transfer resolution sparked the most extensive debate.

Consent Calendar

• The Consent Agenda (Items A through E) was unanimously adopted, including the creation of a Tobacco Sales Permitting Program and routine reports on claims, settlements, and city expenditures.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Resident Ms. Edwards strongly criticized the council for a five-and-a-half-month failure to fill a vacancy in Ward 2. She stated that a petition filed May 13th should be acted upon and accused the council of using a procedural trick to appoint Colin Osborne in April. She called the former corporation counsel's opinion that the appointment was legal 110% incorrect and urged the appointment of Jamie Vaughan, a qualified Republican candidate.
• In response, Alderwoman Scott acknowledged charter problems regarding appointments. Alderman Smedley read aloud past statements from council members calling for the seat to be filled. Alderwoman Ortiz-Luna challenged the candidate's commitment, noting their concurrent run for state office, and noted her boundaries for filling the vacancy had not been met. The Chairman expressed regret over the vacancy and noted he had been prepared to vote on a minority nominee before the resolution was withdrawn.

Recognitions

• Assistant Fire Marshal Eddie Irizarry was recognized by the council for completing the Executive Fire Officer program at FEMA's National Fire Academy.

Resolutions & Discussion Items

• Proclamations: Resolutions recognizing Italian American Heritage Month, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Polish American Heritage Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month were all adopted unanimously after supportive comments from various council members.
• Arts Grant Budget Amendment: A resolution to accept a $39,380 arts grant from the state for distribution based on recommendations of the New Britain Commission on the Arts was adopted.
• FY 2025-2026 Budget Transfer and Amendment (Item 8): A resolution to transfer $96,536.26 from the city surplus to cover outstanding prior-year expenses generated significant debate. Alderwoman Ortiz-Luna and Alderman McNamara supported the resolution, framing it as necessary to cover ineligible school construction costs and prior administration overspending to ensure an accurate audit. Alderwoman Scott emphasized the need for transparency and fiscal responsibility. Alderman Smedley criticized the resolution's characterization of expenses as a personal attack and an obsession with the prior administration. Acting as Holmes School project manager, he defended ineligible expenses (a Kubota UTV for snow removal, a piano, and facility equipment) as legitimate costs approved by the School Building Committee. He stated the Holmes project was coming in $7.5 million under budget. Alderman Simpson questioned the expense breakdown. The motion passed on a party-line vote with three opposed.
• Police Budget Appropriation: A $64,848 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for prevention, education, and technology improvements was adopted.
• Motorola Maintenance Contract: A three-year, $527,081.55 subscription for maintaining the city's public safety radio network was adopted. Alderman Smedley supported it, recalling past communication failures that led to officer injuries.
• Tax Abatements, Corrections, and Refunds: A resolution for $11,188 in corrections and refunds for motor vehicle and real property taxes was adopted.

Petitions & Referrals

• Eight petitions were presented. The clerk referred petitions 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 to various committees, omitting Petition No. 2 (a certificate of location approval for a dealership) from the read-aloud. Referrals included zoning amendments for parking and urban farming, a request for free parking near the Islamic Center, calls for accounting of boards and commissions, and requests for records related to school building purchases and council communication policies.

Key Outcomes

• Passed: Tobacco Sales Permitting Program.
• Passed: Five proclamations (Italian Heritage, Indigenous Peoples, Polish Heritage, Domestic Violence Awareness, Breast Cancer Awareness).
• Passed: Arts Grant Budget Amendment ($39,380).
• Passed (Party-line vote, 3 opposed): FY 2025-2026 Budget Transfer and Amendment ($96,536.26).
• Passed: Police Department Budget Appropriation ($64,848).
• Passed: Motorola Radio Maintenance Subscription ($527,081.55 over 3 years).
• Passed: Tax Abatements, Corrections, and Refunds ($11,188).

Statements & Announcements

• Alderwoman Vargas highlighted the impact of federal SNAP and Medicaid cuts, stating that 19,000 residents (one in four) rely on SNAP and 108,000 to 110,000 residents statewide could lose Medicaid coverage. She announced resource fairs and a pro-democracy voting event on October 17.