Yeah, we get three books. There's the Revenue Book, Special Revenues, Journal Fund, and Capital Include. Let's wait for Sharon. We'll get going. If not, she brought us some food very quickly. When we went to iPads, I loved it, but then they stopped that. Welcome to the special meeting of the Common Council. This is to accept a report from the bonding subcommittee and to act on an appropriation and bond authorization of $2 million. So I'm gonna open the floor to the audience for public participation. You state your name and address for the record. You have three minutes. And then the floor is yours. Anybody wishing to speak only on the Standing Bond Committee recommendation? Once. Twice. Ms. Messerschmitt. My name is Margaret Messerschmitt. I live at 6 Hampton Street here in town. And I would like to speak in favor of the $2 million bond authorization. And I also have a question. I know we need about $12 million or so to get this sewer project done. And if we don't meet the amount of money we need this year Does that money stay sequestered while we work on getting the proper amount of money or does it just go out into the general fund and get used. If somebody would answer that question for me I'd appreciate it. By other words in otherwise I just like to speak in favor. Thank you. And that's 6 Hampton Street. Thank you Margaret. Anybody else? Anybody else? That's three times. Hearing none, public participation is closed. Would anybody smarter than me like to answer Margaret's question or have any comment? Thank you for coming. Correct me if you think that I'm wrong but there's four million that's already put aside in the water department fund and then the two million bonds tonight cannot be used for anything else other than Allen Street but it will not be expended until the state comes through with the remainder of the money but it doesn't go poof into some other land it is when we pass it it's there for you but it cannot be spent unless the state meets its obligation to fund the remainder of the project. Thank you. Hearing no other comments from the members, the public participation is closed at 6.49. And we'll resume this meeting in a moment. President Santiago will take the podium. Good evening. The time is now 6.50. Mr. Cook, will you please call the roll? Alderpersons McNamara. Here. Smedley. Present. Sanchez. Here. Belain-Savedra. Here. Simpson. Here. Russell. Here. Barbosa. Here. Hargraves. Here. McAdam. Here. Gibson. Here. Scott. Here. Connors. Here. Malinowski. Here. Pabon. Here. Santiago. Present. 15 present. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Mr. Clerk, would you please read into the record the warrant? Mayor's warrant to the Clerk of the City of New Britain. Alderman Savitra. Motion made by Alderman Savitra, seconded by Alderman Russell. All in favor? Opposed? So moved. I need a motion. I need a motion to accept the item number one. Mr. Chair. Alderman Smedley. I make a motion to accept item number one. Second. Thank you. Motion made by Alderman Smedley seconded by Alderman Gibson. Any discussions. Alderwoman Scott. What is the report. I'm sorry this is just the report. Oh it's just for. Yes. You can discuss the report if you want, but the next one is the one that's... Yes. Anyone? All right. Motion to accept the report to the council. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? So moved. I need a motion to accept item number two. Chairman? Mr. Alderman McNamara. I make a motion to accept and adopt number two. Thank you. Motion made by Alderman McNamara, seconded by, we'll go with Matt. Any discussion? Yes, now you can. Alderman Scott. So I just. Hold on, I'm sorry, excuse me, let me just read into record what is the, I don't know where two is first, I'm sorry, because at least this way everyone understands what it is. This is to act on the $2 million appropriations and bond authorization for Allen Street. All right, now Scott. All right, I just want to share a little bit of my personal story with the flooding, that I do have flooding in my home, and ever since I moved in there was flooding. There was a huge sewer issue as well. And then the first time when it flooded with the three feet my neighbors across the street had the same exact thing happen to them. So you know me being a young homeowner I wasn't aware that this was really like a city issue but clearly it is and this has been going on so long. I I'm really happy that we're going to pass something but it could have costed the city a lot less if we had done something sooner about this. And the four million dollars at the beginning of this term that was promised it was we were misled and misinformed and we had our past alderwoman come and explain the whole thing during one of our subcommittees. We were supposed to have four million dollars at the beginning of this term to work on this project. And it wasn't given to us the way that it was so now here we are fast forward with it getting worse and worse and probably more and more expensive. to be fixed. We, I have heard, I believe this was supposedly from our mayor right now, that it's only impacting 50 homes. It's really impacting businesses, it's impacting houses, it's impacting apartments, it's impacting anybody who drives down Allen Street in the rain. And even if it was only 50 homes, if it's one home, We should honestly be concerned we should not like be neglecting anybody who lives here. This is a huge issue. We had deaths in Oxford Connecticut this year where people just literally floated away and I hope that's not what we're waiting to happen here. We have sanitary problems we've got sewage issues mold etc. Our house insurances are going up or people are actually being denied home insurance and. There's a huge safety concern with all of this. We already have housing issues here in New Britain as it is, so I hope that we're not looking to have that get worse. We are supposed to be getting 3.75 million for this project, and we're getting 2 million today. And I just want to be very honest and transparent to my constituents today that this was supposed to be 3.75. And that that was what was left over from the bonding last year. I mean from the bonding last last time we did the bonding but we're only getting 2 million. And I was told that if we don't just get the 2 million that it will be vetoed it won't be passed. So I just want to be transparent and honest that we have to just accept the 2 million right now but it really literally should be more. And I stand with you guys. for it needing to be more. So, I just wanted to be honest about what's happening here today. Thank you. Thank you, Alderman Scott. Alderman McNamara. Thank you, Mr. President. Just two points. We have the Bond Council here with us. I don't want to put anybody on the spot, but do you have any comment or not about the bond? I assume it went smoothly and will be available to the members of the public's question as it's authorized tonight. Yeah. Since you came you know. And then one more. I think it's on. So was what would you like me to talk about. Well I I think Alderman Saavedra answered it but once the city commits to the bonding it remains in place until the project which is ready now is in place for the city to use for that one purpose. Right, right. And then, you know, pursuant to that same question, the city would have to issue bonds in order to get the money to proceed with the project. And there is language in here that also says that it is contingent upon the mayor's receipt of the grant funding from the state of Connecticut. So we would need to have all of that funding in place in order to proceed. Any other questions? Mr. Just a second point, Mr. President. I'm going to support this bond authorization for $2 million. This represents 45 percent toward the overall cost of this project that residents have been waiting for for time immemorial. Not before I was born, but a long time. And I would say this does represent progress and the goal of this council and the city is to get this project done in 2025 through the commitment from the state we're looking for or otherwise. So I'll be supporting the resolution. Thanks. Well, I'm going to take exception to what Alderwoman Scott said, because she was not in the back room during the leadership discussion when we were negotiating how we were going to change the bond and what we agreed to for Allen Street. So you only know what you were told. You were not in the conversation. The conversation never specified an amount of money, what actually was agreed upon. WAS THAT THE MAYOR WOULD GO BACK AND DO A RESOLUTION THAT HAD TWO MILLION DOLLARS ON IT. ALDERMAN SANTIAGO SAID, WHAT ABOUT THE REMAINDER? AND SHE SAID, THAT'S FOR YOU TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE REST OF YOU. THE RESOLUTION SHE WAS PUTTING TOGETHER WAS GOING TO SAY THE TWO MILLION. WE WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM SAYING, ALL RIGHT, WE KNOW IT'S AT LEAST TWO MILLION, AND THAT A CONVERSATION WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN THE TWO CAUCUSES IF YOU WANTED MORE THAN THAT. THAT CONVERSATION NEVER HAPPENED. I'M SORRY I MISSED THE BOND MEETING LAST WEEK. I DID WATCH IT. I WATCHED THE TAPE TO SEE ALL OF YOU put false narratives forward. So that's a narrative of someone who was in the room, Alderwoman Scott, you were not. Secondly, July of last year is when we did the walk around on Allen Street with the state bonding chairs and part of our state delegation, not Representative Terziak, who actually represents the award, but other people were there. And the state bonding chair said to us, 30% shows good faith AND WE THINK WE COULD HELP YOU. WELL, WE IMMEDIATELY PUT THE 30% ASIDE. THE MAYOR SENT A NOTE TO THEM SAYING THAT THE 30% WAS SET ASIDE, ASKED WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WERE. CRICKETS, CRICKETS, AND THAT'S THE CORRECT NARRATIVE. THE STATE NEVER RESPONDED TO THE MAYOR WHEN SHE SAID, I HAVE THIS MONEY SET ASIDE. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? NOBODY FROM THE BOND COMMISSION GOT BACK TO THE MAYOR TO ADDRESS THAT. I HAVE THE LETTER, JULY 2024. AND IT WAS SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL. NOW WE JUMP HERE. Dave DeFranzo comes and tells us, you have to stop city business. You can't continue on with city business. You can't bond anything else for the health and well-being of the city because you have the Allen Street project. And we can't ask the state to bond for anything if you're bonding something other than the Allen Street. So after negotiations and good faith, here's another $2 million. Now, the 30%, as Alderman McNamara stated, has just jumped to 45%. The city of New Britain is now putting 45% aside for Allen Street. And guess what? Allen Street has not made it on a state bond commission. So what is our delegation doing? What are the chairs of the bonding commission doing at the state level? Because not only did we come up with our 30%, after tonight we've come up with 45% and still crickets. Last year the state bond commission canceled six meetings, six opportunities for Allen Street to be on a state bonding commission agenda that were missed because the state canceled it. Now, we all read in the paper there was just a big state bonding commission. Friendship Center is getting some money from that bonding commission. I did not see Allen Street on it. So our delegation either wasn't able to get it on the agenda or the bonding chairs are not interested in this project. But we are holding up our end of the bargain. The state is not holding up their end of the bargain. After tonight's vote, New Britain will have secured 45% of the project. I call that good faith. Thank you. Thank you Alderwoman. Alderman Smedley. Thank you. Mr. Perugini, do you mind coming up to the podium? Thank you sir. I just want to clarify some information that may be misinformation for the record. Alderwoman Scott stated earlier that the $4 million that was originally allocated to this project by the city is no longer available. Um, sir, does that, where does that money lie right now? It's actually in water fund fund balance is where it was based off the, so the $4 million is still available towards this project once the state meets their end of the bargain. Yes. Thank you. You're welcome. Um, in addition, I'm also, Oh, okay. Thank you. Um, in addition, the, this problem that we have at the, the Southern end of East end of Allen street, if you look at it in one way, um, doesn't necessarily affect the area where you live, Alderwoman. So I struggle to find that every time you talk about the flooding in your property, that you think that that's going to be fixed by this problem as well. So I just want to get that as well. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Alderman Neal. O'Connor. Alderman Neal's fine. I'd just rise to give my full-throat support for this compromise. Any additional funds, in my opinion, that we can allocate for Allen Street is worthy. Getting up to 45% will hopefully entice the state to see it as a more desirable project to put limited funds behind, especially in times when the state's being stressed from the federal government as well. So I just want to thank everyone for reaching a compromise and Usually when everyone's unhappy, that means we have done our job and reached a good compromise. So thank you again. Well, first of all, I know where I live, right off of Allen Street. So that's kind of not true. And second of all, well, I know where I live. Thanks. I keep hearing this statement about the walk around and I would challenge the people who walked around Allen Street which is right where I live to go down Allen Street when it is raining because I think that would be a challenge for people because I just keep hearing that and I'm just like flabbergasted from hearing it over and over again. Dave Defonso did not, our state rep, he did not come here and tell us to stop doing city business. That is not what he said. Um, he did ask us to prioritize our spending. That was, that was what was said. We were asked to prioritize our spending. Um, so that way he could get the rest of the money for the Allen Street project. I'm not against the $2 million. I just want to be truthful and honest, which is what I was, about the rest of the money that was left over. And I do trust my team that told me and reported back to me the information. I don't think that they were telling me misinformation. Something else that was said, yeah, that we need to prioritize and, oh, the $4 million, that's the first that I'm being heard that we're allowed to use that money. I don't know if anybody else, I mean, maybe that was a misunderstanding that I had, but I didn't know we had that money. I knew the money wasn't spent or anything but I wasn't told that that money was going to be used towards flooding. But so when we had that meeting it was told that we weren't going to have that money towards the project anymore. So thank you. DIRECTOR HERSEY- Thank you. DIRECTOR DEWOLF- Anyone else. DIRECTOR DEWOLF- Mr. President. DIRECTOR DEWOLF- Alderman McNamara. DIRECTOR DEWOLF- Can I call the question. DIRECTOR DEWOLF- All in favor of. I'll call the question. Say aye. Aye. All opposed? Who seconded it? Mr. Chair. I think everyone did. Malinowski. I'm sorry, Matt Malinowski, sorry. Alderman Malinowski. Thank you. Seeing that, so we have, okay, so all in favor? We've got to vote. Now we have to order, yeah, we have to order on the bond part now. It's a roll call. Roll call, yes. Okay. Mr. Clerk, could you? Thank you. All the persons, McNamara? Yes. Smedley? Yes. Sanchez? Yes. Beloyed-Savedra? Yes. Simpson? Yes. Russell? Yes. Barbosa? Yes. Hargraves? Yes. McAdam? Yes. Gibson? Yes. Scott? Yes. Connors? Yes. Malinowski? Yes. Pabon? Yes. Santiago? Yes. 15-0, Mr. Chair. Got to finish this one first? Motion carried.