Stamford Board of Representatives Regular Meeting – September 9, 2026
Stamford Board of Representatives Regular Meeting – September 9, 2026
Note: The meeting agenda, minutes, and transcript indicate the meeting took place on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. However, the provided instruction specifies the date as September 9, 2026. This summary follows the instruction date; readers should be aware of the discrepancy.
The 32nd Board of Representatives of the City of Stamford held a regular meeting on September 9, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers of the Government Center, 888 Washington Boulevard, 4th Floor, and remotely via Zoom. President Shaw called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. Roll call showed 40 members present, a quorum. The meeting included an invocation, pledge, moments of silence, communications, a report from the BOE liaison, honorary resolutions, public participation, and reports from standing committees.
Consent Calendar
- Fiscal Committee (F32.093–F32.106): Approved 11 items on the consent agenda, including contracts for an Information Security Analyst (Forum Consulting), appropriations for the West Broad Street bridge rehabilitation ($7,462,500), Roxbury School replacement ($44,000,000), Yerwood Center backflow preventer ($60,641.25), police overtime for speed enforcement ($39,477), early voting costs ($59,484.88), dispatcher salaries ($87,944), and associated bond authorizations. (Rep. Pavia abstained on F32.103; Rep. Graham abstained on F32.104 and F32.105.)
- Legislative & Rules Committee (LR32.016, LR32.017, LR32.020): Approved three ordinances on consent: repeal of the Appointments Commission, establishment of information reporting for mayoral appointees, and delegation of Shellfish Commission authority to the Harbor Management Commission.
- Personnel Committee (P32.012, P32.013, P32.014): Approved three Clerk of the Works contracts (Orazio Cirelli, Larry Ho, Paul Montanaro renewal) on consent.
- CHESS Committee (CHESS32.022, CHESS32.023): Approved de-obligation of $1,163,690.05 in unspent CDBG funds and re-allocation of $1,000,000 in CDBG balances to new public improvement projects, both on consent.
- August 3, 2026 Meeting Minutes: Approved via voice vote (37-0-1; Rep. Weinberg abstained).
Public Comments & Testimony
Nine members of the public spoke during the session (8:02 p.m. – 8:32 p.m.).
- Laurie Chase (in person): Shared a personal story supporting the Back-to-School Shop, highlighting its importance for underprivileged children.
- Russ Hollander (Harbor Management Commission, in person): Expressed full support for the Harbor Boat Launch Feasibility Study (F32.107), emphasizing safety, emergency access, and the harbor’s lack of a public ramp. He noted six years of site research and the need to prevent future boater fatalities.
- Diana Kolaj (remote): Opposed the feasibility study, citing environmental harm from dredging at Kosciusko Park (a former landfill), loss of green space, and conflict with city sustainability goals.
- Laura Martin (Hubbard Heights, in person): Raised concerns about unresolved traffic safety issues at Hubbard Avenue and Bridge Street, stating that approved improvements (including a roundabout) and $250,000 budgeted in 2023 were never implemented. She called for transparency and consistent prioritization.
Discussion Items
- Harbor Boat Launch Feasibility Study (F32.107): The Fiscal Committee report included this item, which had previously failed (10-26-3) in June 2026 but was resubmitted and recommended by committee. Board members debated the $125,000 appropriation for a feasibility study at Kosciusko Park.
- Supporters (Reps. Finkel, Shore, Hill, Delacruz, Gilbride, Pollack, and others) argued that the study would provide essential information, including environmental, traffic, and emergency access data; that the park is underutilized; and that the primary benefit is emergency boat retrieval, not recreation. Several noted that the Harbor Commission had committed to conducting a traffic study and that the project could include park improvements.
- Opponents (Reps. McKeown, Adams, Walston, Graham, Dorsey, Hughes, Hyatt, Beckham, Weathers) argued that the cost is unjustified when other city needs (including parks, roads, and schools) are underfunded; that it primarily benefits a small number of boaters (~165 permits); that community engagement has been lacking; and that environmental impacts (landfill, dredging) and potential gentrification of the South End are concerns. Rep. Walston emphasized that the South End has experienced disproportionate development and loss of green space.
- Conservation Commission Ordinance (LU32.009): Initially on the consent agenda, the voice vote was not unanimous (Rep. Graham opposed). A roll call was taken, and the ordinance was approved 34-1-2. No substantive debate was recorded.
Key Outcomes
- Steering Committee Items (S32.002, S32.003): Approved under suspension of rules. S32.002 (appointment of Rep. Andrew Zachary to attend Planning Board hearings) passed unanimously by voice vote. S32.003 (confirmation of Miguel Robles to the Aquarion Water Authority Representative Policy Board) passed 38-0-2 (Reps. Graham and Pollack abstained).
- Fiscal Committee F32.107 (Harbor Boat Launch Study): Approved by roll call vote 31-9-0 (Reps. Adams, Beckham, Dorsey, Graham, Hughes, Hyatt, McKeown, Walston, Weathers voted no; all others yes).
- Legislative & Rules Committee LR32.021 (Window Safety Resolution): No action taken; recommitted to Steering by committee 9-0-0.
- CHESS Committee CHESS32.021 (CDBG Non-Compliance Review/Discussion): Recommitted by committee 8-0-0.
- Land Use/Urban Redevelopment Committee LU32.009 (Conservation Commission Ordinance): Approved by roll call vote 34-1-2 (Rep. Graham opposed; Reps. Gardner and Hughes abstained; Reps. Gilbride and Walston absent).
- All other consent items (Fiscal items 2-11, Legislative items 1-3, Personnel items 1-3, CHESS items 2-3, minutes) passed by unanimous voice votes with noted abstentions.
Adjournment
President Shaw adjourned the meeting at 9:22 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Uh point of privilege. Does the chair hear me? Uh you're muted if you're speaking to me. Can you hear us now? Yes. Um we, those of us that are online have been hearing recording stopped, recording started, recording stopped, recording started. So I think you have some technical issues going on. Yeah, we we do have something going on here. Um it just automatically reset something, but we're good now. You can hear us now, right? We can. Okay. Thank you. Just if you don't hear, just uh raise your hand or just call up and just we'll make sure that it gets addressed and you can hear us. Okay, thank you. Thank you so much. Our next speaker here is Miss Lori Chase. Good evening. Just a short story uh about the back to school shop. My husband, Lou and I, um, Luke Finkel, who already told you about our extended volunteer years with back to school moving boxes, uh lifting uh uh trucks, and uh working as personal shoppers. My story touched my heart a few years ago and still gives me tears and goosebumps when I think about it. When the back to school shop was still at Davenport Elementary School, I was volunteering as a personal shopper for a young boy named Luke, who was eight or nine years old at the time. First, as we explored the new clothing for him to select pants, shirts, and a s and a coat. He was so surprised that the clothing still had tags on them. These are all new. No one's worn them before. I said, nope, everything's brand new. He smiled. As we completed our adventure, after he found a new pair of sneakers, which he wanted to wear home, and we had filled the oversized shopping bag with clothing books and more. He stopped in the hallway on our way back to reunite with his his mom. He looked at me and said, We have to put all these things back because his mother didn't have enough money to pay for everything. She has to pay the rent this month next week. I think she has enough money to pay for the sneakers. I said I said to him very quietly and leaning over to him saying, No, everything in that bag is yours. No charge. Fighting back tears and having goosebumps all over. I said his mom did not have to pay for anything. While volunteers are always instructed not to hug the young companions, he looked at me and asked if he could hug me. Of course, tears and goosebumps again. When we reached them, his mom, I told her what a special son she had raised. We all hugged. That is what makes back to school shop so very important. You have 30 seconds. So very great and loving for each and every volunteer. Thank you for your attention. Thank you so much, Miss Laurie. Our next speaker is Mr. Russ Hollander. Mrs. Chairwoman, I think that you may mitigate the feedback that you're getting if you mute your mic, your microphones on the dance.
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