Common Council

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COMMON COUNCIL MIDDLETOWN CONNECTICUT DECEMBER 5, 2016 The Special meeting Questions to Directors of the Common Council of the City of Middletown was held in the Council Chamber of the Municipal Building on Monday, December 5, 2016 at 6 p.m. Present: Mayor Daniel T. Drew, Councilman Eugene Nocera, Councilman Thomas J. Serra, Councilwoman Mary A. Bartolotta, Councilman Gerald E. Daley, Councilman Carl R. Chisem, Councilman Robert Blanchard, Councilman Sebastian N. Giuliano, Councilwoman Deborah A. Kleckowski; Common Council Clerk Marie O. Norwood. Absent: Deputy Mayor Robert P. Santangelo, Council Members Grady L. Faulkner, Jr., Philip J. Pessina and Linda Salafia; Corporation Counsel Daniel B. Ryan Also Present: Public Works Director William Russo, Assistant Finance Director Diana Doyle, Acting Director of IT Eldon Bailey, Water and Sewer Assistant Director Robert Young, Parking Director Geen Thazhampallath, City Attorney Brig Smith, Deputy Chief of Police Michael Timbro, Acting Parks and Recreation Acting Director Deb Stanley, Tax Assessor Damon Braasch, Deputy Fire Chief Al Leary, Director of Communications Wayne Bartolotta, Director of Human Relations Faith Jackson, Arts Coordinator Stephan Allison, Emergency Management Director George Dunn, Youth Services Coordinator Justin Carbonella, and four members of the public. 1. Mayor calls meeting to order at 6 p.m. The Chair calls the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. The Chair asks the clerk to read the call of the meeting. He declares the call a legal call and the meeting a legal meeting. 2. Questions to Directors Opens The Chair opens Questions to Directors at 6:05 p.m. Councilman Giuliano asks for Brig Smith and asks on 10H the Conservation Commission Ordinance. He refers to an e-mail he received from Kori back in October. One would be a separate agriculture commission, a combined commission or a subcommittee of the Conservation Commission. He asks which it is. General Counsel Smith states it is the second one. Councilman Giuliano asks would the Conservation Commission keep their seats or would they all have to be reappointed. General Counsel Smith responds he would look at the statute at the agriculture members and thinks it would have to be decommissioned and reappointed. Noted for the Record Councilwoman Kleckowski takes her seat in the chamber at 6:07 p.m. Councilman Giuliano states if you used the third option and had a subcommittee, you wouldn't have to go through all of that; if it was a separate commission, it is easy you appoint agriculture commission members. This is the most difficult. He continues the first is the one the State really likes. General Counsel Smith replies yes. Councilman Daley states they discussed this several months on two occasions at General Counsel and his recollection to have a combined one instead of two separate ones, means it would create another commission to be staffed if it was a stand-alone agriculture commission and there are several members of the current Conservation Commission that have back ground in agriculture and fulfill those seats. The main concern from the Conservation Commission was the original ordinance presented to us reduced the membership from 11 to 9 and from 3 alternates to two and they wanted to keep the membership so the current members could be reappointed. Noted for the Record Councilwoman Bartolotta takes her seat in the chamber at 6:10 p.m. December 5, 2016 SPECIAL COMMON COUNCIL MEETING Page 2 Councilman Daley states the Conservation Commission sent out their support of the ordinance. Councilman Nocera states he was pleased to see so many of the commissioners at the General Counsel meeting to work out a consensus on that issue. These are hardworking committee members that support this resolution. The Chair asks if there are any questions for this director or another. 3. Questions to Directors Closes. The Chair, hearing no further questions to directors, closes the workshop at 6:11 p.m. 4. Meeting adjourned. Councilman Sebastian N. Giuliano moves for approval adjourning the meeting. Councilman Eugene Nocera seconds the motion. The chair calls for the vote. It is 7 aye votes by Councilman Eugene Nocera, Councilman Thomas J. Serra, Councilwoman Mary A. Bartolotta, Councilman Gerald E. Daley, Councilman Carl R. Chisem, Councilman Robert Blanchard, Councilman Sebastian N. Giuliano; 0 nay votes by no one and 5 absent by Councilman Robert P. Santangelo, Councilman Grady L. Faulkner, Jr., Councilman Philip Pessina, and Councilwoman Linda Salafia. The Chair states the matter carried with 8 affirmative votes, 0 in opposition and 4 absent. ATTEST: MARIE O. NORWOOD COMMON COUNCIL CLERK