Windsor Town Council Meeting, Special Town Meeting, and Public Hearing – March 16, 2026

The Town of Windsor held a Special Town Meeting at 7:00 PM, a Public Hearing at 7:20 PM, and a Regular Town Council Meeting at 7:30 PM on March 16, 2026 in Council Chambers at Windsor Town Hall. With all nine councilors present, the Council unanimously approved a pedestrian bridge improvement bond ordinance, Day Hill Road design funding, and a Teamsters Local 671 collective bargaining agreement, and heard public comment on the proposed Windsor Center road diet.

Special Town Meeting (7:00 PM)

• The meeting was convened to consider an appropriation of $209,000 from the General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance for the acquisition of 33 Meadow Road. The transcript records the election of a meeting moderator and adoption of procedural rules, but does not include an explicit final vote on the appropriation itself.

Public Hearing (7:20 PM)

• Mayor Black-Burke opened the public hearing on 'AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $820,000 FOR COSTS IN CONNECTION WITH PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS; AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUE OF $660,000 BONDS AND NOTES AND $160,000 FROM THE GENERAL UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE TO FINANCE THE APPROPRIATION.' No virtual or in-person speakers offered comment.

Proclamation: Women’s History Month

• Mayor Black-Burke recognized Women’s History Month and, with the Deputy Mayor and councilwomen, presented certificates to the League of Women Voters of Windsor/North Central Connecticut, the Windsor Junior Women’s Club, and the Windsor Women’s Club. State Representative Jane Garibay presented General Assembly citations to the organizations. The Mayor also celebrated the Windsor High School girls’ flag football team’s first CCC Girls’ Flag Football Championship.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dr. Ninda Alexander of 155 Fieldstone Drive opposed the proposed narrowing of Windsor Center, predicting it would discourage downtown shopping and arguing for less drastic traffic measures such as lower speed limits, restricting right turns on red, and adjusting traffic signal timing.
• Teresa Beatrice of 14 Parkwood Drive said she voted no in 2005 against rotaries and opposed the narrowing and redesign of Broad Street from two lanes to one lane. She argued the plan does not address speeding or failure to yield to pedestrians and said the proposed bike lane between moving traffic and parallel parking creates new risks; she suggested an alternative bike lane route.
• Jeanette Coffin of 35 Hobson Avenue supported Beatrice’s concerns, citing bike-lane design guidance that favors a 'traffic, parking, bike lane, sidewalk' layout, preferably with a barrier, over the proposed 'traffic, bike lane, parking, sidewalk' configuration.
• No public comment was offered during the later public communications period.

Board and Commission Reports

• Board of Ethics: Commissioner Sonia Worrell-Asare presented the annual report. The Board met on January 14, April 8, July 8, and October 14, 2025; the April and July meetings lacked quorum. It issued no advisory opinions in 2025.
• Commission on Aging & Persons with Disabilities: Commissioner Roby reported on membership, outreach, resource manuals in English and Spanish, and programs at the Senior Center. She conveyed the commission’s unanimous request that crossing signal times in Windsor Center be increased from about 25–30 seconds to a minimum of 60 seconds and that crosswalks be highlighted with bright/fluorescent paint to protect seniors and people with disabilities.
• Metropolitan District Commission: The MDC commissioner reported that the Special Olympics winter event used about 500,000 gallons of water donated by MDC; MDC mailed 692 shut-off notices totaling about $1.1 million in delinquent balances, with roughly 36% collected; Windsor received 44 Operation Fuel grants totaling $16,000 in 2025; MDC is suing the state over about $30 million in landfill discharge costs; primary drinking-water reservoirs were at 95.1% of usable capacity, about 37 million gallons or 631 days of supply; and the Pequonic sewerage treatment plant was operating at about 37% capacity after treating about 52 million gallons.

Town Manager’s Report and Standing Committees

• Town Manager Peter Souza announced the annual Neighborhood Assistance Act nonprofit application cycle, an informal FY 2027 budget information meeting on March 30 at 6:30 PM, and a planned DEEP prescribed burn in the Maniantic Wildlife Management Area later in the spring, weather permitting. He also promoted the 39th annual Northwest Park Pancake Breakfast on March 21.
• Finance Committee: Councilor Naeem said the next Finance Committee meeting is March 24 at 6:30 PM.
• Town Improvements Committee: Deputy Mayor Klase reported on a well-attended committee meeting about the Windsor Center road diet. Opponents cited the prior referendum, traffic diversion, vacant downtown space, and bike-lane safety; proponents cited pedestrian and cyclist safety, vibrancy, and sound engineering. Next steps are a public forum, possible Council consideration, and, if approved, a ballot vote at a Special Town Meeting in a larger venue.

Discussion Items

• Pedestrian Bridge Improvements: The Council waived the reading and unanimously adopted the $820,000 bond ordinance. The project covers $670,000 in construction, $67,000 testing/inspection, $67,000 contingency, and $16,000 bonding costs, funded by $660,000 in bonds/notes and $160,000 from the General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance. It includes repairs to the Sharshon Park and River Trail bridges and replacement of the Custer Park, Stroh Park, and Wilson Gateway bridges.
• Day Hill Road Design: Town Engineer Suzanne Choate presented the $80,000 request from the Capital Projects Fund Assigned Fund Balance for survey, geotechnical investigation, and design of Day Hill Road from Marshall Phelps Road to Baker Hollow Road. The Road Surface Rating is as low as 41 out of 100; construction funding is planned for FY 27. The Council approved the appropriation 9-0-0.
• Local Option Homestead Exemption: Councilor Naeem presented the item for discussion. State law permits a 5–35% exemption for owner-occupied single-family homes and duplexes. A 5% exemption would reduce Windsor’s Grand List by about $113 million, while a 35% exemption would reduce it by about $795 million, requiring a higher mill rate and shifting taxes to non-eligible residential, commercial, motor vehicle, and personal property taxpayers. Councilor Eleveld cautioned that the shift could be seen as anti-business, and Councilor Pelkey suggested a low-level exemption could be a future tool. No motion was made, and Councilor Naeem said the item would not be brought back before the upcoming FY 2027 budget process.
• Teamsters Local 671 Agreement: Human Resources Director Amelia Bliss presented the ratified contract for July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028. General wage increases are 3% retroactive to July 1, 2025, 3% on July 1, 2026, and 2.85% on July 1, 2027, for an average of 2.92%; market adjustments of 1.89–5% for certain positions take effect May 1, 2026. Bargaining-unit employees will move to the Teamsters Silver PPO health plan on May 1, 2026, with the Town paying 77.5% and employees paying 22.5%, and fixed premiums through calendar year 2028. The agreement also decertifies eight clerical positions, extends the 7:00 AM–3:00 PM summer schedule year-round, and changes vacation, sick leave, disability accrual, and bi-weekly payroll provisions. Councilor Pelkey asked about ratification; Director Bliss said turnout was 100% and the vote was unanimous. The Council approved the agreement 9-0-0.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted the $820,000 pedestrian bridge improvement bond ordinance (9-0-0).
• Approved $80,000 from the Capital Projects Fund for Day Hill Road design services (9-0-0).
• Approved the Teamsters Local 671 collective bargaining agreement for July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 (9-0-0).
• Approved the minutes of the March 2, 2026 Public Hearing and Regular Town Council meeting (9-0-0).
• There were no resignations or appointments and no executive session; the meeting adjourned after the public comment period.
• The Special Town Meeting transcript does not show an explicit vote on the $209,000 Meadow Road appropriation, although that appropriation was the stated purpose of the meeting.