Common Council

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT JUNE 14, 2011 Special Meeting A Public Hearing on a bond ordinance appropriating $750,000 for the refurbishment and infrastructure of Eckersley Hall was held by the Common Council of the City of Middletown in the Council Chamber of the municipal building on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. Present Mayor Sebastian N. Giuliano, Council Members Thomas J. Serra, Ronald P. Klattenberg, Philip J. Pessina, Gerald E. Daley, Joseph E. Bibisi, Robert P. Santangelo, Hope P. Kasper, Grady L. Faulkner, Jr., and Daniel Drew; Sergeant- at-Arms Acting Police Chief Patrick McMahon, and Council Clerk Marie O. Norwood. Absent Council Members James B. Streeto, Deborah A. Kleckowski, David Bauer, and Corporation Counsel William Howard Also Present Fifteen members of the public and press. Meeting Called to Order The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:34 p.m. and leads the public in the Pledge of Allegiance. Call of Meeting Read The Call of Meeting was read and accepted. Mayor Giuliano declares the Call a Legal Call and the Meeting a Legal Meeting. Public Comment Opens The Chair opens the public hearing at 7:35 asking members of the public who wish to speak in favor of or against the bond ordinance for $750,000 for the Eckersley Hall to come forward. Ms Newman, reads a statement into the record from Ed Dypa who was not able to attend and he asks the Council to approve this ordinance. It will provide needed municipal office space and fulfill the need of community meeting space and a senior center. The current facility has run out of room to meet the needs of current and future seniors. A senior center should be a focal point for services for older adults. There is a need for opportunity for relationships and a sense of achievement; it can be a help for personal and family problems and learning to cope through interaction with others. Middletown needs to step up to the plate and provide programs for seniors present and future. He urges the Council to approve the bond to refurbish Eckersley Hall. Claude Hendrickson, AARP 33 and they have approx 200 members and he is here to ask the Council to support the bond issue for the senior center and it is much needed and 20% of the citizens are seniors and we look forward to beING treated fairly and this issue is a great project the city is undertaking and we support it 100%. Pat Jackowski, Commissioner on Senior Service Commission and representing Civitan Club of Middletown. Middletown Civitan provides monthly bingo at the Senior Center and over the years they have been running it with 30 people a night and in the last year and half they have 45 -50 people the nights there is bingo and they are exceeding the seating capacity for seniors at the tables. She urges the Council to support the bond as well as the new programs being provided. At the Commission meetings, we hear about the offerings and programs being provided are increasing and they are well attended. She asks the Council to approve the bond. The Chair asks if there are other members of the public wishing to speak to come forward. Bob White, member of the Community for 50 years, retired from Wesleyan and is teaching at CCSU as an Adjunct professor. When retired, he decided to stay in Middletown and stay on Main Street and it was a shock. So he decided to work with kids in town and he is representing kids in Middletown as an advocate. He reads a poem. It is realization that for kids growing up today, they need someplace; they wonìt be kids for ever. He has seen establishments go away. We citizens of the country connected ourselves to small houses and lost community; we donìt communicate with our neighbors very much so one needs a place to reconnect with the community because you are not in school. In my case, parents are dead as well as other families members. A senior center should help reconnect to the community, so I am in favor of this. Verna Ellem lived in Middletown 65 years and she needs a place to play too. She wonìt go into details but urges the Council to support this. The Chair asks for other members of the public who wish to be heard. June 14, 2010 Common Council Meeting Page 2 Maryann Hall states she has lived in Middletown since 1951; I love Middletown and always came back from the New Haven area to my grandmothers in the north end of town. My mother was born in Middletown. I am a member of AARP and agree with our president in regard to this. I did work out at Eckersley Hall when Carol Parmalee was reading head. I worked for the schools for 25 years. She is a member of the VFw Auxiliary in Middletown and I know the seniors need a place to be and so do the children. I love children and worked at the Vo-Ag center for 18 years and always think of the kids. Everyone needs a place to go and Eckersley is a good place for us. We didnìt have the money for Vets Park and I think this place would be a good one. I urge you to vote for this. I do use the senior center and I do play bingo and I sing with Middletuners. Jim Loewenthal, resident, retired firefighter strongly urges the Council to approve the bond issue for the school and senior center. I started out there as a child and it would be nice to go back. I urge the Council to approve. Jean Newman, resident grew up in Middletown and strongly urges the approval of this bond and I am 41 and I would like a place to go when it is time to retire. I urge you to approve this. Public Comment Closes The Chair seeing no members of the public wishing to address the Council closes the public hearing at 7:49 p.m. The Chair thanks everyone for coming. Councilman Daley states The Chair should explain the process and that the Council is not voting this evening. The Chair states the Charter has provision that we need to hold a separate public hearing dedicated on the ordinance. The vote will occur on June 20 at 7:30 p.m. There will be another public hearing at that meeting Motion to Adjourn The Chair states he will entertain a motion to adjourn. Councilman Serra moves to adjourn and his motion is seconded by Councilman Pessina. The Chair declares the meeting adjourned by unanimous vote, at 7:50 p.m. ATTEST: MARIE O. NORWOOD Common Council Clerk