Common Council

REGULAR COMMON COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2023 7:00 PM Hybrid Meeting ---------------------- MUNICIPAL BUILDING COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBER -and- Remotely via WebEx WebEx.com Join a Meeting Event # 2341 499 8120 Password: Middletown or Dial 408-418-9388 Access Code: 2341 499 8120 NOTE: if calling from a phone, please press *3 to activate hand raise function REVISED AGENDA 1. Call to Order A. Pledge of Allegiance B. Council Clerk Reads the Call of the Meeting and Mayor declares call a legal call and meeting a legal meeting 2. Accept/Amend the Agenda 3. Presentations: Honoring Retiring Councilmembers A. Councilwoman Meghan Carta B. Councilman Michael A. Marino C. Councilman Edward McKeon D. Councilman Philip Pessina 4. Public Hearings on Agenda Items A. Public Hearing -- Opens B. Public Hearing – Closes November 6, 2023 COMMON COUNCIL -- REGULAR MEETING Page 2 5. Approval of Minutes A. Common Council Special Meeting - Questions to Directors, at 6:00 PM, dated October 2, 2023 B. Common Council Regular Meeting, at 7:00 PM, dated October 2, 2023 C. Common Council Special Meeting – Community Meeting at 6:00 PM, dated October 18, 2023 6. Mayor requests Council Clerk to read appropriation requests and the Certificate of Director of Finance (NONE) 7. Old Business A. Approving the American Rescue Plan Act Task Force’s recommendation that the Connecticut Home Collective, PLLC’s request to repurpose the $75,000 previously, allocated for the housing education program pursuant to Resolution No. 98-22, to the Economic & Community Development; and that the Mayor is authorized to prepare and execute any documents necessary to effectuate this American Rescue Plan Act grant funding, subject to approval as to content and form by the Office of the General Counsel. (RESOLUTION No: 100-23; Tabled for review by Economic & Community Development Commission on October 2, 2023) SUBSTITUTION: Approving the American Rescue Plan Act Task Force’s recommendation that the Connecticut Home Collective, PLLC’s request to repurpose the $75,000 previously, allocated for the housing education program pursuant to Resolution No. 98-22, to the Department of Economic & Community Development, which will be responsible for administration and reporting for the American Rescue Plan funding and will contract with Connecticut Home Collective, PLLC, which will undertake the housing education program; and that the Mayor is authorized to prepare and execute any documents necessary to effectuate this American Rescue Plan Act grant funding, subject to approval as to content and form by the Office of the General Counsel. B. Approving the Lease Agreement between the City of Middletown and Middletown Main Street Properties LLC, on real property known as 594 Main Street; and that the Mayor is authorized to sign any and all documents and/or agreements necessary to effectuate the aforementioned transfers, following review and approval as to content and form by the Office of the General Counsel. (RESOLUTION No: 102-23; Tabled for review by Finance & Government Operations Commission on October 2, 2023) 8. Department, Committee, Commission Reports and Grant Confirmation Approval A. City Clerk’s Certificate B. Monthly Reports -- Finance Department: Transfer Report to October 25, 2023 C. Appropriation Report -- FY 2023-2024 D. Police -- Acct. No. 3411-18000-59200-0180x0000-2024-000; Federal grant from Bureau of Justice Assistance to purchase/replace bulletproof vests, paying 50% pf the total cost: $40,313,50 E. Board of Education -- Acct. No. 2450-33000-59405-x-03025; miscellaneous grants: $3,007,050.52 F. Board of Education Cafeteria/ Food Services – Acct. No. 2450-33000-52183-x-x; food services grant: $13,527.42 G. Health – Acct. No. 3072-31000-59200-0000-03384-0000-000; Federal National Opioid Settlement funding: $147,781.34 November 6, 2023 COMMON COUNCIL -- REGULAR MEETING Page 3 H. Health – Acct. No. 3072-31000-59200-0000-03384-2024-000; Federal National Opioid Settlement funding: $25,581.11 I. Economic & Community Development – Acct No: 3775-185000-59200-000-35222-2024; State Community Investment Fund 2023 grant for remediation and demolition (Phase 1) of “Return to the Riverbend” project, remediating brownfield sites along River Road and the Connecticut River: $12,000,000 9. Reports to the Common Council A. American Rescue Plan B. Riverfront C. Route 9 D. Russell Library/City Hall Feasibility Study Committee  Feasibility Study: Phase 1, Russell Library/City Hall, Middletown, CT: Report Summary, dated September 12, 2023, revised October 19, 2023 10. Payment of all City bills when properly approved 11. Resolutions, Ordinances, etc. A. Approving the Middletown Fire Department proposed CNR Plan for fiscal years 2023-2024 as follows: Bicycles and Equipment $2,150 3 Bicycles for EMS events Major Appliances $5,000 Refrigerators at HQ Treadmill for the Gym $4,650 Replace broken treadmill Combustible Gas Meters $1,550 6 New meters to replace antiquated models Extended Warranties $39,300 6 Extended Warranties for new pick-up’s Mobile Printers $1,280 4 Mobile Printers for FMO vehicles Small Drone and Batteries $5,400 Small Drone to support our current program New Copier HQ $9,750 Replace outdated copier at Fire HQ Telescopic Battery Operated Lights $1,400 4 Lights for Fire Investigations Fire Hose and Appliances $3,175 Replacement of damage hose Total $73,655 and that any funds remaining in the Middletown Fire Department CNR plan be allowed to be transferred into the following fiscal year. B. Approving that, in light of the written notice from the ARPA awardee Middlesex Redemption Center, dated October 2, 2023, announcing that it is declining the two (2) American Rescue Plan allocations awarded to it, the Common Council hereby revokes Resolution No. 122-22 and the associated $80,000 ARPA allocation as declined by the awardee, and revokes Resolution No, 47-23 and the associated $8,000 ARPA allocation, a total of $88,000; and b it further resolved that the aforesaid declined funds shall be transferred as follows: (a) $80,000 from grant line 3046-01000-59200-0000-03287-2021-000 (Middlesex Bottle & Can Redemption Center) to grant line 3046-01000-59200-0000-00000-2021-000 (American Rescue Plan Act – County Portion); and (b) $8,000 from grant line 3045-01000-59200-03287-2021-000 (Middlesex Bottle & Can Redemption Center) to grant line 3045-01000-59200-0000-00000-2021-000 (American Rescue Plan Act). C. Approving that: (1) the Common Council is cognizant of the conditions and prerequisites for the state financial assistance imposed by C.G.S., Sec. 32-285a, and Public Act 21-111, Sec. 112(e)(1); and (2) that the filing of an application for State financial assistance by the City of Middletown in an amount not to November 6, 2023 COMMON COUNCIL -- REGULAR MEETING Page 4 exceed $12,000,000 is hereby approved and that Mayor Benjamin Florsheim is directed to execute any and all documents as may be required to effectuate the Financial Assistance Agreement, following review and approval of such documents as to content and form by the City of Middletown, Office of the General Counsel to provide such additional information, to execute such other documents as may be required, to execute any amendments, decisions, and revisions thereto, and to act as the authorized representative of the City of Middletown; and (3) that the Common Council adopts, or has adopted, as its policy to support the following nondiscrimination agreements and warranties provided in subsection (a)(1) of Connecticut General Statutes sections 4a-60 and 4a-60a, respectively, as amended by Public Acts 07-142 and 07-245, and for which purposes the “contractor” is The City of Middletown and “contract” is said Assistance Agreement; and; that the contractor agrees and warrants that in the performance of the contract such contractor will not discriminate or permit discrimination against any person or group of persons on the grounds of race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, mental retardation or physical disability, including, but not limited to, blindness, unless it is shown by such contractor that such disability prevents performance of the work involved, in any manner prohibited by the laws of the United States or of the State of Connecticut. The contractor further agrees to take affirmative action to insure that applicants with job-related qualifications are employed and that employees are treated when employed without regard to their race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, mental retardation, or physical disability, including, but not limited to, blindness, unless it is shown by such contractor that such disability prevents performance of the work involved; and that the contractor agrees and warrants that in the performance of the contract such contractor will not discriminate or permit discrimination against any person or group of persons on the grounds of sexual orientation, in any manner prohibited by the laws of the United States or of the state of Connecticut, and that employees are treated when employed without regard to their sexual orientation. 12. Mayor’s Appointments 13. Adjournment HEARING DEVICES AVAILABLE FOR USE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER K: review/ agenda – REVISED 2023 November 06 -- regular agenda – 6 November 2023