Code Enforcement Committee

City of Middletown OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL 245 deKoven Drive Middletown, CT 06457-1300 TEL: (860) 638-4820 FAX: (860) 638-1920 TDD: (860) 344-3521 Minutes Regular Meeting of May 11, 2023 Code Enforcement Committee Committee Members Present: Thomas Hazel, Zoning Enforcement Officer; Lieutenant Nick Puorro; James Mastroianni, Fire Marshal; Bobbye Knoll Peterson, Chief of Staff; Gary Gessaro, Fire Marshal; Kevin Elak, Director of Health; Tanielle Davis, Chief Public Health Sanitarian; Art Higgins, Fire Marshal; and Christopher Forte, Assistant General Counsel. Members of the Public: Ed McKeon. 1. Call to Order By Staff. AGC Forte called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. 2. Approval of Minutes. Review and approval of the minutes for the April 27, 2023 regular meeting. Motion to Approve made by Gary Gessaro, seconded by James Mastroianni. Motion to Amend April 27, 2023 minutes made by Nick Puorro in Section 5(B) in the last paragraph to replace the words “Mr. Sweet” with “business owner”. Motion to Amend was seconded by Jams Mastroianni. Motion passed unanimously at 9:05 am. Underlying Motion to Approve, as amended, was then approved unanimously at 9:06 am. 3. Public Session. None. 4. New Business. A. Mayor’s Office. 1. Update from the Mayor’s Office. No updates. B. Public Works. 1. Update from the Public Works Department. Absent, no updates.  C. Health Department. 1. Update from the Health Department. No updates. D. Department of Land Use. 1. Update from the Department of Land Use. No updates. E. Building Department. 1. Update from the Building Department. Absent. F. Police Department. 1. Update from the Police Department. No updates. G. City Fire. 1. Update from City Fire. No updates. H. South Fire District. 1. Update from the South Fire District. No updates. I. Westfield Fire District. 1. Update from the Westfield Fire District. No updates. J. Office of the General Counsel. 1. Update from the Office of the General Counsel. No updates 5. Old Business. A. Mayor’s Office. 1. Forbidden Llama: Mayor’s Office reports that Forbidden Llama is violating the Health Department’s and Land Use Department’s Cease and Desist orders by smoking hookah inside and operating as a nightclub. Police Department coordinating a response. ZEO and Health will also continue to monitor 2. Pat Kidney Field: No further action needed. B. Health Department 1. 455 & 465 Middlefield Street: Since last meeting the Health Department has no reason to believe VOC’s exist in the waterways after well results. Health is working with DEEP to obtain their final report from the inspection in April. Business owner  working with Building Department to ensure proper installation of spray booth. Health has not received any more odor complaints. The ZEO has not received any new complaints, and will inspect the property this week. AGC Forte stated that he drove by the property last week and there were substantially less cars visible in the rear lots. Lieutenant Puorro stated that the Police Department has not received any complaints or calls for service and is working with DMV to re-inspect the property in May. Mayor’s Office indicates no new complaints since last meeting. C. Department of Land Use 1. Bob’s Building. Owner is working on new layout of the building and is expected to order windows and start construction soon. Will continue to monitor 2. 23 Silver Street: Owner has demolished the structure. No further action needed. 3. 542-544 Main Street: Failure to pay fines has been issued. Will coordinate with Office of the General Counsel if needed to send this through the blight citation process. D. Building Department 1. 699 Country Club Road: No updates. 6. Adjournment. Motion to adjourn by Gary Gessaro, seconded by Nick Puorro, and passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:27 a.m.