Common Council

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT APRIL 12, 2012 COMMUNITY MEETING Special Meeting A special meeting of the Common Council of the City of Middletown was held in the Council Chamber on Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 7 p.m. Present Mayor Daniel T. Drew, Council members Thomas J. Serra, Ronald P. Klattenberg, Mary A. Bartolotta, Gerald E. Daley, Robert Santangelo, Grady L. Faulkner, Jr., Joseph E. Bibisi, Linda Salafia, Todd G. Berch, Deborah Kleckowski; Corporation Counsel Daniel B. Ryan; Sergeant-at-arms Officer Ingles; Common Council Clerk Marie O. Norwood. Absent Council Members Hope P. Kasper and Philip J. Pessina. Also Present Twenty-four members of the public Meeting Called to Order The Mayor calls the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. and leads the public in the Pledge of Allegiance. Call of Meeting Read The Call of Meeting was read and accepted. Mayor Drew declares the Call a Legal Call and the Meeting a Legal meeting. Public Comment Opens The Chair opens public comment and asks they speak up; the microphones are not on. You may address the Council on any topic for five minutes and they would be glad to hear from you. Craig Clark, states he was finding information regarding using the baseball field in town for a team he is putting together. He has 16 youths to play from Middletown High School. He talked with the Mayor and contacted Ray Santostefano and Mr. Milardo and they said there are no fields available at all from June 7, to July 21. He tried to use the high school and the Board said they have fees to be paid and there is nothing in the Charter and ordinances and in the description of the Board of Education to have control of the fields and charge for the fields. He talked about using Palmer Field and it is all locked up and fees involved in that. The City ordinances which were amended in 2010, there are all these fees involved and in Section 2, Subsection (a), there are no fees assessed for local youth teams and this would be a local team. There are 16 players and he needs a field and it will keep them off the street and it would be doing something very constructive. It would be from June 7 to July 21, if he could get a practice field at Xavier and use Palmer for games that is fantastic or Middletown High School, that would be fantastic. He is up against a stonewall wherever he inquires and asks the Council to help him out and the kids to have an activity. Earle Roberts states on two issues reading today’s news for fringe benefits for registrars and he looked at the cost saving and benefits are costly and what they receive. The fairness alone, they should be. He thinks that the idea of the Mayor asking for an ordinance it should indulge language of all City employees and should be looked at sensibly and fairly so we are all eating at the same table. $30,000 for two people whatever the employment between the City and school, you would be looking at $16 million out of the budget. The employees have unions and the taxpayer has the Mayor looking out for them. Last month, the middle managers piggy backing and giving all those away and you are asking one entity to tighten their belt and it is wrong. The second issue is the ultimate plan for the senior center and veterans community and consolidated City offices and that is great and should be looked at sensibly. Some people suggest because it is mentioned casually putting the senior center here, it should be looked at for variables and it would have the public have opportunity for input which they did not have last time. Going this route, you have the public looking at prints and it would be over minimum bonding level and the public could vote and pick and choose and you would know if the public is for or against. If someone shies from that, it was a high price bailout for a particular entity and it was approached totally wrong not having a vote on it. I can make my choice through the voting process. That is it and looks forward to that progressing in an open fashion and community input and bringing it to a public vote. The public deserves it. He can go back to that property for a number of years and former mayors April 12, 2012 SPECIAL COMMON COUNCIL MEETING Page 2 wanted to use that area for the vision of the river and looking the other way. There were previous mayors to proceed in that direction. The Chair asks if there are any other members of the public who wish to speak. Peter Hildebrand and John Paganetti thank the Council for the opportunity to talk. They were at the meeting last month and they represent a group of Middletown voters are asking for a resolution to be passed that condemns the Citizen’s United passed by the Supreme Court which opened the door for limited private funding into political advertising. They have gotten support for this and last time we were here, there was some concern on the harsh language and they were happy to amend it and they have the language that would be more agreeable and will pass it out. It is showing that a mass of people are in support of it and why we want Middletown to pass this resolution. Mr. Caracoglia states he is disappointed in the Mayor because all the promises you made in your campaign, you raised the taxes almost $500 for this year and you told senior citizens they would have a discount of $500 or $1,000 for their property taxes and that is not coming true. Then you go to China and visit China and you bring some investment for jobs. I commend you for that intention but you could have found investors here in the United States. Then you will sponsor a forum at Wesleyan with dinners for what and why spending money when we don’t have no money. He doesn’t understand your philosophy on that one. For the record and as long as Mr. McMahon has been acting Chief and Deputy Chief he has done an excellent job. The reason why Mr. McMahon was framed by Mr. McKenna. The Chair states he will stop you because you are getting into slander, an area I told you before, will not be allowed. As long as you are operating within the rules, you can criticize matters within the body’s jurisdiction but you won’t be allowed to slander anyone. Mr. Caracoglia responds. The Chair states you will be called out of order and removed if you continue. Mr. Caracoglia states he has the right to come here and criticize any public official. The Chair states within the law. You are not allowed to slander anyone at that microphone. You can waste your time and argue or make points. Mr. Caracoglia states it is your jurisdiction. Mr. McMahon was good. Noted for the Record Councilwoman Salafia takes her seat in the Chamber at 7:17 p.m. Mr. Caracoglia states you let me speak and if I am telling the truth, it is the truth. The Chair states there are rules and you will follow them. Mr. Caracoglia states you can steal money from the City treasury and I can’t criticize you. The Chair states you can criticize, but do not slander. Mr. Caracoglia states give back the money from the trip to China and for the St. Seb school and scraping the design for renovation and you want to expand on the side, you are crazy. Go back to where you came from. Public Comment Closes The Chair closes public comment at 7:18 p.m. Motion to Adjourn Councilman Klattenberg moves to adjourn and is seconded by Councilman Santangelo. The vote is called and it is unanimous to adjourn with ten aye votes. The Chair declares the meeting adjourned at 7:19 p.m. ATTEST: MARIE O. NORWOOD Common Council Clerk