Windsor Town Council Meeting – December 2, 2024
Windsor Town Council Meeting – December 2, 2024
The Windsor Town Council met on Monday, December 2, 2024, at 12:30 PM (the meeting actually began in the evening) to discuss regular business, including a proclamation for the retiring town clerk, public testimony on the Broad Street road diet, and several new business items. Key actions included approving two ARPA fund appropriations and setting a public hearing for a sidewalk project. The council held a lengthy discussion on the Broad Street road diet alternatives but took no vote.
Proclamation
- The council unanimously adopted a proclamation honoring Town Clerk Anna Posniak for her 11 years of service. Ms. Posniak, who served as town clerk since 2013, was recognized for swearing in 510 town officials, modernizing technology, leading the Connecticut Town Clerks Association during COVID-19, and her community involvement. She expressed gratitude and noted her immigrant parents’ influence.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mayela Guier (316 Palisado Avenue) spoke in strong support of the proposed Broad Street road diet and roundabouts, emphasizing pedestrian safety, on-street parking, and economic benefits. She preferred Option 3 (parking west side, bike lanes both sides).
- Keller Glass (72 Hayden Avenue), board member of First Town Downtown, read a letter of support from the board and co-signers (Vaca Properties, Windsor Advocates for Transit and Transportation Safety, Windsor Climate Action) urging support for Option 3 with roundabouts.
- Mark Harrington (1217 Windsor Avenue, also business at 34 Bloomfield Avenue) stated the downtown is unsafe for walking/cycling and supported Option 3 with roundabouts.
Council Member Communications
- Councillors reported on upcoming holiday events: Small Business Saturday (Dec 7), tree lighting, torchlight parade, bonfire, and wreath-laying ceremony. They reminded residents to support local businesses, check on neighbors, use 211 for services, and noted volunteer opportunities with the fire department and public works.
Reports of Appointed Boards
- Board of Education (Mr. Lockhart): Announced fifth consecutive Board of Distinction award; Bonnie B. Carney Award; next meeting Dec 17; ad hoc committee on cell phone policy Dec 3; six student leadership awards; holiday schedule.
- Zoning Board of Appeals (Joe Breen): Reported only two variance applications in 2024, both approved; board has one vacancy.
Town Manager’s Report (Peter Sousa)
- Announced office closure Dec 14 at 12:30 PM; Bridge Builders Award Dec 8; various holiday events; Winter Wonderland Dec 18; senior center party Dec 11; wreath-laying Dec 14; carol sing and tree lighting Dec 7; Broad Street closures for parade; suicide prevention training Dec 17; police delivered 30 meals, social services provided 300+ turkeys; thanked Anna Posniak.
Discussion Items
12D: Broad Street Road Diet Alternatives and Timeline
- The council discussed three design options and whether to include roundabouts. Key statistics: Broad Street carries over 9,500 vehicles per day; 3,500 vehicles exceed the 30 mph speed limit, with 30% of those going over 35 mph. Cost estimates: Option 1 (parking both sides, no bike lanes) $4.2M; Option 2 (parking both sides, bike lanes both sides, encroaches on town green) under $5M; Option 3 (parking west side, bike lanes both sides, no impact on green) $4.1M. Adding roundabouts (two) would add net $1.9M after signal removal. Projects over $3.5M require a referendum.
- Councillors expressed varied positions: Councillor Elveld opposed any change, citing traffic from I-91 accidents and lack of a “do-nothing” option; Councillor Naeem supported Option 3 with roundabouts, citing safety data and pedestrian needs; Deputy Mayor supported Option 3 with roundabouts, saying the green is “sacred”; Councillor Pelkey leaned toward doing nothing but suggested a more ambitious plan if moving forward; Mayor supported Option 3 without impacting the green. No vote was taken; the council will discuss further in coming weeks.
12C: Public Hearing for Violet Street Sidewalk – The council voted 9-0 to set a public hearing for December 16, 2024 at 7:20 PM regarding a 175-foot sidewalk segment. The private developer will bear costs; a state property transfer is also pending.
Key Outcomes
- Motion 12A (ARPA website transition): Approved 9-0. $86,000 from ARPA funds to move the town’s self-hosted website to a third-party hosted solution (Civic Plus) to meet ADA requirements and enhance cybersecurity.
- Motion 12B (ARPA Welch Park court design): Approved 9-0. $15,000 from ARPA funds for survey and design of tennis/pickleball courts. Public info meeting scheduled Dec 12.
- Motion 12C (Violet Street public hearing): Approved 9-0. Public hearing set for Dec 16, 2024.
- Minutes (Nov 18, 2024): Approved 9-0.
- Items 12E and 12F were moved to agenda item 16 (executive session) via unanimous vote. The council then entered closed executive session.
Note: No consent calendar was present; all new business items were voted individually.
Meeting Transcript
All right, here you go. Good evening, and thank you for joining us for our December 2nd, 2024 Town Council meeting. All counselors are here, and that will account as our roll call. And I'll move to items number two and three on our agenda, which is the prayer and/or reflection and the pledge of allegiance, and Councillor Glock Hoffman will lead us. Thank you, Madam Mayor. As we gather today during this festive season, we give thanks for the blessings of our community for the families and individual individuals who make up our town. We ask for your guidance and wisdom as we consider matters before us, that our decisions may reflect the needs of all of our citizens and promote harmony within our community. May our deliberations be marked by compassion, understanding, and a spirit of cooperation. Bless our holiday celebrations with joy, peace, and togetherness, and may the spirit of generosity and goodwill abound. We pray this in the spirit of unity and shared values. We ask you to bless the hearts of the Windsor community and ask that you continue to protect our law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS in your name. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Council Glock Hoffman, for the prayer and the pledge. And item number four on our agenda this evening is a proclamation honoring Anna Posniak, our town clerk. And so definitely I know all of us up here, mixed emotions. Thank you so much for your service to our town. Um you've had the opportunity to swear in all of us. There you go, guys. Um, that serve here at the Dais, but we wanted to take a moment just to honor you and your work and your service. So, Deputy Mayor, all right. Whereas Anna Posniak, formerly assistant town clerk of Amherst, Massachusetts, was hired as deputy town clerk for the town of Windsor on April 10th, 2006, and after seven years of dedicated service, was promoted to Windsor Town Clerk on May 5th, 2013, a position she has held with honor and commitment for 11 years. And during her tenure as town clerk, Anna has sworn in 510 town officials, including members of the town council, board of education, constables, and justices of the peace. She has elevated the technology capabilities of the town clerk's office to support online transactions and enhance public access to services. Her leadership also fostered the continuous improvement of beloved community events such as Free Marriage License Day and the Win Wag Dog Photo Contest. Everybody's favorite. And whereas Anna has served as an active leader, active member of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association CTCA, leading as president from 2019 to 2021, and guiding Connecticut town clerks through unprecedent unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as advocating for with state officials on various topics. Additionally, her regional influence extended through her service on the New England Association of City and Town Clerks as a member for nine years and in her role as the conference committee chair, helping to make 2017 and 2023 conferences a major success. And whereas Anna's perseverance, dedication, and hard work won her two awards from her fellow peers at CTCA, and the 2020 Town Clerk of the Year Award and the 2021 Above and Beyond award. And whereas Anna's commitment to Windsor extends beyond the town clerk's office, demonstrated by her active role in the Windsor JCs for many years, where she supported initiatives such as the Chili Challenge as a judge, scholarship fundraising for Windsor High School seniors, and the sale of Christmas trees, she was also instrumental in the commemoration of the town of Windsor's 3675th anniversary. And whereas the keeper of the records, Anna has meticulously safeguarded, preserved, and maintained the historical and civic records of the town of Windsor with unparalleled professionalism, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to integrity and transparency. Her contributions have enriched the community and set a standard of excellence in public service that will inspire generations to come. So now therefore, be it proclaimed by the mayor in the town council of the town of Windsor that Anna Posniak is hereby thanked, honored, and recognized for her exceptional contributions to the Office of Town Clerk. Her enduring dedication to the Windsor community and her legacy of service. Signed Nishette Blackburke, Mayor of Windsor, December 2nd, 2024. Thank you for this honor. It's been a pleasure, and thank you to Peter for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be the town clerk of the first town in Connecticut, as we know, right? I don't care what Weathersfield says. What some of you may not know about me is I'm a first-generation American. My parents are Polish immigrants who um were both in camps. And when my parents came over to this country, they always taught their children to give back to this country because it's the most it's it's the best country in the world, and they offered us so much opportunities. So I began my career in um public service to, and I always wanted to be certain that I could help people. And being a town clerk is not a job, it's a profession for me, and um I've always wanted to be there for our residents, whether it's a dog license, um, it's the parent calling me on a Saturday because her son's home from military service and wants to get married and needs a marriage license to this, you know, the wife who just lost her husband of 60 years and is not certain how to move forward. Um it's the job of the town clerk to be there for her residence. And the residents of Windsor are my family. I do not live in Windsor, but this is my hometown, and I've been very proud to serve the residents of Windsor, and I will truly miss the residents, my colleagues, and um Peter, Scott, thank you for being such great managers. Thank you so much, and thank you to the council as well for doing what you do for our residents. Thank you. When Patrick's walking up, that's easy. Thank you.
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