Common Council

COMMON COUNCIL MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT SPECIAL MEETING PUBLIC HEARING FY 2023-2024 BUDGET TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2023 6:00 PM MINUTES A Special Meeting of the Common Council of the City of Middletown, the Public hearing on the proposed FY 2023- 2024 budget, was held on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, beginning at 6:00 PM. This meeting was a hybrid meeting with in-person participation in the Common Council Chamber and remote access via WebEx. The meeting was also simultaneously livestreamed on local cable access television, on the City’s webpage, and on the City’s Facebook page. Present: Councilwoman Jeanette Blackwell Councilman Anthony Mangiafico Councilman Grady Faulkner, Jr. Councilman Michael A. Marino Councilman Darnell Ford Councilman Edward McKeon Councilman Anthony Gennaro, Sr. Councilwoman Philip Pessina Councilman Vincent Loffredo Councilwoman Linda Salafia Hon. Benjamin Florsheim, Mayor Linda Reed, Clerk of the Common Council Officer Thomas, Middletown Police - Sergeant-at-Arms Absent: Councilwoman Meghan Carta Daniel Ryan, Esq. – Corporation Counsel Public: in-person: 8 WebEx: 0 Facebook: 3 Staff: Ramona Burkey, Director - Russel Library 1. Call to Order Deputy Mayor, Councilman Vincent Loffredo, is Chair of this Special Meeting. The Chair calls the meeting to order at 6:02 PM. He welcomes everyone to the Special Meeting of the Common Council, the public hearing on the proposed FY2023-2024 City budgets. A. Pledge of Allegiance The Chair asks Councilman Philip Pessina to lead the Pledge of Allegiance B. Council Clerk Reads the Call of the Meeting and Mayor declares call a legal call and meeting a legal meeting The Clerk of the Common Council reads the Call of the Meeting and the Chair declares the call a legal call and the meeting a legal meeting. 2. Public Hearing on FY 2023-2023 Proposed Budget – Opens The Chair opens the public hearing at 6:06 PM, noting that public comment is limited to the proposed bond ordinance. A separate public hearing will be held for all other agenda items. Any member of the public looking to speak may do so. Each speaker will have a maximum of five (5) minutes to speak. For those in the Chamber, members of the public may come to the podium. Those participating remotely may use the WebEx hand raise function to alert that Chair that they wish to speak. The Chair will alternate between speakers in the Chamber and remote speakers during the course of this public hearing. Each speaker will have a maximum of five (5) minutes to speak. Speakers are asked to state their name and address for the record. The public hearing is limited to 30 minutes. If, at that time, there are additional speakers, the Council may vote to extend the public hearing portion of the meeting. Wendy Berlind (2 Miles Avenue): She has been using Russell Library for 52 years. She has been a member of the Friends of Russell since its founding in 1983 as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for 12 years. She congratulates the Council for providing the library with competitively compensated staff. Everyone she knows praises the energy and creativity of Russel staff and the innovative programs that they have, spurred on APRIL 18 2023 COMMON COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Page 2 PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 2023-2024 CITYPROPOSED CITY BUDGET by the pandemic and continuing at a rapid pace as Covid cases diminish. Some examples are jobs program, Lawyers in Libraries, new equipment for digitizing film, VHS, and photos, an adult summer reading program, the successful outdoor library scavenger hunts held last summer, an echo story hour at Crystal Lake and the farmers’ market. However, the staff is asked every year to do more with less. Funding for books, supplies, durable equipment, and repairs has declined drastically over the past 15 years. Friends have spoken to her about going to the Wallingford Public Library, saying that they have a better selection of books available. If books and downloadables are not available on the shelves or electronically, patrons cannot check them out. Over the years, she has noticed more and more vacant spots in the stacks. For many, the holes cannot be filled with digital materials, which are costly and not available to those who lack the appropriate device. Yet, the library must accommodate those borrowers and purchase the same book in paper and digital form. The average amount spent by Connecticut libraries, per capita, per City population is just over $5. At Russell, that amount is just under $5 and has declined in today’s dollars from close to $9 per capita 15 years ago. She opines that they want Middletown’s public library to be above average in every way. She urges the Common Council to approve the 5% increase in the Russell Library operating budget. Thank you. Gregory Harris (161 Ridgewood Road): He is a member of the Russell Library Board of Trustees. He came to town in 1977, at the invitation of John Pickett Jr., to work at Dizallo, Pickett, & Allen. His co-worker, Eleanor Paris, spouse of Paul Parisi, encouraged him to become involved with Russell Library where she was a trustee. After some time, he became Chair when Stan Porter was the library director. The place needed renovations, so there was a referendum for the funds. Unfortunately, that was 40 years ago but it feels like yesterday that they had a splendidly renovated brownstone setup to give service. It is 40 years older, noting that the question of facilities is separate. Apart from the brick and mortar of the facility, the library has always been committed, not only to having books on shelves, but to service to the community, especially to the underserved members of the community. From literacy volunteers to helping people do their resumes, figure out how to interview for job, to the things going on today, the lawyers in Libraries for legal advice for a free consultation with a lawyer where they think they need legal advice. The devotion to young adults at the library and the selection and spaces and events is commendable and important to the City. His point is, when the Common Council considers increasing the budget just a little bit – 5% -- adding that he knows that is a lot of money, but given that the budget has been frozen for a number of years, he does not think is unreasonable. When the Couicl makes this decision, along with all of the other difficult decisions that they have to make, he asks that they keep in mind that Russel Library serves some of the neediest people in Middletown and make that decisions accordingly. Jennifer Hadley (418 Pine Street): She is speaking in support of Russell Library. She is a long-time user, since she arrived in Middletown many years ago. She has served on the Board for many years. Her fellow trustees have given the Council lots of details about the library. She will be brief, asking that the Council please support the library increase – the small increase – in resources that they are asking for in support of the community. It is so important to have up-to-date resources for the people, who need it and for people throughout the community all levels, all backgrounds, all ages. It is important to have these resources available as well as the programs. It is important for a thriving community to have these resources available to everyone and to have a central place where people can go to have questions answered, to have help in economic and legal and resources. Thank you. Steven Nelson (Newfield Street): he has been on the Russel Library Board for many years. It is important to recognize that a public library is the last bastion of democracy in society in any town. That is because it is free and it holds and gives to anyone free information, free aces to help like searching or a job, looking for different thigs even a book report. It is the place to go to get things that you need to know. It is important that a 5% increase, compared to what inflation has done over the years, is in order to keep this piece of democracy going in our town. Tracy Halstead (27 Berlin Street): She has been a City resident for about 29 years. She asks to read the following letter into the record. She thanks also thanks the Mayor for considering a budget change to reduce the mill rate from the current 35.7 mills to 28.3 mills in the new fiscal year. Dear Eugene Nocera and Members of the Common Council, City of Middletown: I am writing on behalf of residential property owners in Middletown who will be adversely affected by the recent dramatic rise in their 2022 home revaluations, as evidenced by the notices we received in November, 2022. I do not take issue with my home’s revaluation from $208,120 to $310,550. I realize there was an appeal process for the assessment itself. The home’s new value does not seem unreasonable to me. However, I would like to call your attention to the strain on household budgets that will inevitably occur if Middletown retains its high mill rate of 35.7 mills in light of the remarkable and sudden increase in the value of our homes (in my case, nearly 50 percent!). With a mill rate remaining at 35.7, my new taxes would be $11,087 per year, an increase of $3,657 per year from their current rate, or an extra $305 per month. According to Cassandra Day’s 12/08/2022 Middletown Press article, “Middletown Property Values Rise After the Latest Reval: How Taxes Will Be Affected,” Tax Assessor Damon Braasch noted that property owners should “not attempt to estimate their 2023-24 tax bill using the new assessment and current rate, as they will overestimate the taxes they owe.” Yet when this article was written, the new tax rate was entirely unknown: “You can come up with a number,” Mr. Braasch said, “but the number is just as fictional as anything. Whatever mill rate you wish to apply is just grabbing a number out of the air.” I am appealing to our town council members and to Mayor Florsheim to consider thoughtfully the implications of keeping the mill rate high. Even at its 2017 level of 32.7, homeowners like me with a dramatic rise in property value would still pay $10,155 per year in taxes, a $2,725 increase from what we pay now, or an extra $227 APRIL 18 2023 COMMON COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Page 3 PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 2023-2024 CITYPROPOSED CITY BUDGET more each month. When expenses like this are combined with the rising costs of food, fuel and utilities due to inflation, the strain on household budgets is stark. Please remember that our homes were revalued at the peak of the market in 2022. I realize that important capital projects, such as the revitalization of our riverfront, are substantial considerations in determining Middletown’s new budget. As an educator myself, I am a lifelong friend of the public school system and I realize that is an area of need. However, please do consider the implications of Middletown residents needing to vacate the city or compromise quality of life because of these potentially exorbitant property tax increases. Residents on fixed incomes and young families will be especially vulnerable. Potential homebuyers may shy away from Middletown if property taxes are unsustainable for household budgets. I have lived in my home since 1998. My late husband was able to make many improvements until his death in 2014. Since then, I have maintained the home on an educator’s salary, making improvements slowly through time and on a budget (a new roof installation in 2021 was actually the result of a warranty claim due to faulty initial installation, yet it potentially balloons my tax liability). If the mill rate remains at a high level, many Middletown residents will strain under the new tax burden. Please take these issues under consideration as you determine the new budget for the city of Middletown for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. I am happy to answer any questions you may have regarding my perspective on these issues. Sincerely, Tracy Hallstead Assistant Director, Peer Education The Learning Commons, ABL N-125 Quinnipiac University Work: 203-582-5242 Cell: 860-759-9982 Gail Thomson Allen (retired - Russell Library staff): Per the Chair’s instructions, the Clerk of the Common Coucil reads a letter into the record, as requested by the author. The reading is abridged to adhere to the 5- minute allowance. The full text of the letter and supplementary data state: APRIL 18 2023 COMMON COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Page 4 PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 2023-2024 CITYPROPOSED CITY BUDGET APRIL 18 2023 COMMON COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Page 5 PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 2023-2024 CITYPROPOSED CITY BUDGET APRIL 18 2023 COMMON COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Page 6 PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 2023-2024 CITYPROPOSED CITY BUDGET Library/Town Population Total Exp. Salaries % of Budget % of Budget Salaries Materials East Hartford 50,731 $919,215 75.3% 7.8% Enfield 42,031 $1,156,247 66% 8.6% Groton 38,456 $1,243,713 76.8% 8.5% Hamden 60,923 $1,781,477 79.9% 9.4% Manchester 59,426 $1,956,233 59.7% 10.6% Meriden 60,517 $1,312,066 63.5% 7.9% Milford 52,390 $948,379 52.5% 9.2% Norwich 40,014 $827,046 64.8% 3.8% Shelton 41,474 $850,754 77.1% 13.3% Southington 43,500 $1,157,369 55.8% 6.2% Stratford 52,268 $2,037,268 57.1% 8.5% Wallingford 44,194 $1,721,402 54.4% 8.2% West Haven 55,294 $842,878 55.6% 9.4% Middletown 47,108 $2,707,789 80.2% 6.7% Town Population Director’s Asst. Total Admin Total Staff Total Phys Salary Director’s Staff Items Circ Salary Manchester 59,426 $107,347 $69,595 3 65 534,090 Middletown 47,108 $154,560 $129,253 6 50 187,076 Library/Town Population Director Salary Assistant Director East Hartford 50,731 $115,003 $107,494 Groton 38,456 $98,924 $91,436 Hamden 60,923 $99,996 $81,646 Manchester 59,426 $107,347 $69,595 Meriden 60,517 $115,169 NA APRIL 18 2023 COMMON COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Page 7 PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 2023-2024 CITYPROPOSED CITY BUDGET Library/Town Population Director Salary Assistant Director Milford 52,390 $112,242 $78,877 Norwich 40,014 $92,963 $61,869 Shelton 41,474 $82,173 $75,530 Southington 43,500 $100,627 $80,735 Stratford 52,268 $104,704 $94,603 Wallingford 44,194 $127,783 $93,483 West Haven 55,294 $84,961 $72,423 Middletown 47,108 $154,564 $129,251 SOURCE: Connecticut State Library, Hartford CT, Connecticut’s Public Libraries: A Statistical Profile (2023). The Chair asks the Clerk of the Common Couicl if there is any more correspondence. The Clerk replies, “No,” adding that there are no other remote speakers online and no other correspondence. Brandie Doyle (Assistant Director for Administrative Services, Russell Library) She thanks the Council for the opportunity to reply, in part to this letter, that was just read and to supple more context. The Chair asks the speaker if she is a resident. She is not a City resident, adding that the letter just read into the record is not from a City resident either. She states that she has worked at the library for 12 years and continues to work there. She commends the City. Many libraries in Connect and across the country do not compensate staff in a way that is commensurate with qualifications required and responsibilities involved in the positions, Not only do they uphold a democratic institution that is fundamental to societal order, they also manage the building ad staff,. She reiterates that she has worked at the library for 12 years. For a brief period in spring 2018, she was interim direct during the 2nd period on transition in a few year. She stood at the podium to defend the full-time salaries lines. She was told by then-Councilman Gerald Daley that the library needed to get their budget in order, the suggestion was that there were too many staff at the library. Well, having heard this directive from their funders at that time, they took it seriously. When Ramona Burkey came as the new library director, knowing that directive had been given, they took steps to get that under control. Namely, they instituted centralized, standardized scheduling, which most of you, who have ever worked, is a fundamental of employment, They set the expectation that staff would come to work when scheduled to work and that they would keep a set schedule. Some staff did not appreciate this change when they were allowed to come to work when they wanted to come to work and leave when they wanted to leave. They recognized that it was not good stewardship of taxpayer dollars the implemented the change despite the impact on staff chi created discontent. It also allowed them to shrink staff from a high of 88 individuals to less than 50. This brings them into closer alignment with tier peers across the State. It is the hard work that an administrator does. Some organizations require more administration than others do because, for instance, you have a quasi-structure, which is running 2 to 3 organizations under the guise of one. These changes made some staff unhappy. It allowed the library to absorb the loss of two full-time clerk positions in the upcoming FY24 budget. They also embarked on cross training of all staff. Rather than each individual working only one public service point, most now work several. These are the hard decisions and hard changes that administrators have to make. We made these changes over 5 years to try to minimize the impact as much as possible, but it did cause discontent among staff, who were used to the library being run in a very different way. She feels that she is pushing her 5 minutes, adding that she is not comfortable in front of a microphone. She points out that her voice is aquiver. She leaves it at that. She encourages the Common Council to look at their budget over the past 5 years, and they will see a dramatic decrease in the part-time salary line, the fulltime salaries are negotiated by contract, and they follow 466 so they don’t get a choice in that matter. The same is true for administrative positions: they have no say in the raises that they receive as executive non-bargaining. 5. Public Hearing Closes There being no further public comment, the Chair closes the public hearing at 6:32 PM and calls for a motion to adjourn. 6. Meeting adjourned APRIL 18 2023 COMMON COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Page 8 PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 2023-2024 CITYPROPOSED CITY BUDGET Councilman Edward McKeon moves to adjourn. Councilman Philip Pessina seconds the motion. There being no discussion, the Chair calls for a voice vote. The proposed resolution is approved unanimously by a vote of 11 to 0. (AYE: Councilmembers Blackwell, Faulkner, Ford, Gennaro, Loffredo, Mangiafico, Marino, McKeon, Nocera, Pessina, and Salafia; ABSENT: Councilwoman Carta). The matter is approved. The meeting is adjourned a 6:33 PM. ATTEST: LINDA S.K. REED, COMMON COUNCIL CLERK K: review/ minutes/ 2023 April 18 – special meeting – public hearing FY23-24 budget – 18 April 2023