Common Council

COMMON COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2024 7:00 PM Hybrid Meeting ---------------------- MUNICIPAL BUILDING COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBER -and- Remotely via WebEx WebEx.com Join a Meeting Event # 2332 459 9144 Password: Middletown or Dial 408-418-9388 Access Code: 2332 459 9144 NOTE: if calling from a phone, please press *3 to activate hand raise function 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. Approval of Minutes A. Common Council Special Meeting – Questions to Directors, dated February 5, 2024, at 6:00 PM B. Common Council Regular Meeting, dated February 5, 2024, at 7:00 PM 4. Mayor requests Council Clerk to read bond ordinance requests and the Certificate of Director of Finance Public Hearing on Bond Ordinances – Opens A. An Ordinance appropriating $750,000 for the Johnson Street Sewer Pump Station upgrades, and authorizing the issue of $750,000 bond of the City to meet said appropriations, and, pending the March 4, 2024 COMMON COUNCIL -- REGULAR MEETING Page 2 issuance thereof, the making of temporary borrowings for such purpose. (1st of two public hearings as required by City Charter; 2nd public hearing and vote to take place at next Common Council regular meeting to be held on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 7:00 PM) B. An Ordinance appropriating $750,000 for filter upgrades at the John S. Roth Water Treatment Plant, and authorizing the issue of $750,000 bond of the City to meet said appropriations, and, pending the issuance thereof, the making of temporary borrowings for such purpose. (1st of two public hearings as required by City Charter; 2nd public hearing and vote to take place at next Common Council regular meeting to be held on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 7:00 PM) C. An Ordinance appropriating $390,500 for a lead water service line inventory, and authorizing the issue of $390,500 bond of the City to meet said appropriations, and, pending the issuance thereof, the making of temporary borrowings for such purpose. (1st of two public hearings as required by City Charter; 2nd public hearing and vote to take place at next Common Council regular meeting to be held on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 7:00 PM) D. An Ordinance appropriating $500,000 for the planning, design, and construction of the replacement Newfield Street Sewer Pump Station, and authorizing the issue of $500,000 bond of the City to meet said appropriations, and, pending the issuance thereof, the making of temporary borrowings for such purpose. (1st of two public hearings as required by City Charter ; 2nd public hearing and vote to take place at next Common Council regular meeting to be held on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 7:00 PM) E. An Ordinance appropriating $750,000 for the planning, design, and construction of the replacement Coe Avenue Water Booster Pump Station, and authorizing the issue of $750,000 bond of the City to meet said appropriations, and, pending the issuance thereof, the making of temporary borrowings for such purpose. (1st of two public hearings as required by City Charter; 2nd public hearing and vote to take place at next Common Council regular meeting to be held on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 7:00 PM) F. An Ordinance appropriating $450,000 for equipment upgrades at the John S. Roth Water Treatment Plant, and authorizing the issue of $450,000 bond of the City to meet said appropriations, and, pending the issuance thereof, the making of temporary borrowings for such purpose. (1st of two public hearings as required by City Charter; 2nd public hearing and vote to take place at next Common Council regular meeting to be held on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 7:00 PM) 5. Public Hearing on Bond Ordinances – Closes 6. Public Hearing on All Other Agenda Items – Opens 7. Public Hearing on All Other Agenda Items – Closes 8. Mayor requests Council Clerk to read appropriation requests and the Certificate of Director of Finance A. Public Works: $155,000 -- Acct No. 000-22000-55185-0226: Street Light Repairs -- Once the City purchased the street lights, the governing document is the NB208. In this document it requires that the City install conduits prior to Eversource repairing the conductor. The conductor, originally installed by Eversource was a direct bury wire. As these corrode and fail, the City needs to install conduit from pole to pole. Based on the current outages, we have a proposal for $155,000 to make this repair. As we go forward we will include this in our budget. B. Public Works: $150,000 -- Acct. 1000-22000-55185-0226: River Road -- A failure of the north side slope supporting River Road, east of 1134 River Road, was discovered on Friday 2/2/24. The slope failure is approximately a slope of 1:1, 60 feet high and 50 feet wide. Location is approximately 3000 feet to the east of 1134 River Rd., which is also the entrance to the clean energy power plant. This location carries an Eversource high pressure gas main, Enbridge high pressure gas main, and a Middletown Sewer force main, all underground. Overhead, there is a fiber optic cable to Pratt and Whitney, along the north side of the road March 4, 2024 COMMON COUNCIL -- REGULAR MEETING Page 3 on the utility poles that also carry other utilities, Eversource’s transmission main crosses this location overhead. We are in the process of contracting with an engineering company to provide a design for the stabilization. We believe that this repair could be in the range of $500,000. At this time, we are asking for $150,000 to cover the initial costs and will be back once the design is complete and we have a Probable Cost. C. Public Works: $75,000 --- Acct. No. 1000-22000-53380-0229: Oddfellows -- Request of funds to cover various needed repairs to Oddfellows building that includes addressing Elevator issues, water seepage, chimney repairs, selective demolition, mold clean-up. D. Public Works: $25,000 – Acct. No. 1000-22000-55185-0225: Fleet Management -- RTA Fleet Management Software for the usage of managing the City of Middletown Fleet. It will consist of tracking all vehicles and corresponding repairs for the day-to-day operations. E. Public Works: $75,000 --- Acct. No. 1000-22000-53380-0320: Above Ground Oil Tank Installation -- Costs to provide 1,000/2000 gallon concrete vaulted above-ground fuel tank at Parks Department. Tank will be installed in the vicinity of the underground fuel tank scheduled to be removed and will be installed within five feet of the building to allow installation of overhead piping. Costs includes permitting and project management, tank pad area prep, and other services. 9. Approval of Minutes A. Common Council Special Meeting (Questions to Directors) of February 5, 2024 at 6:00 PM B. Common Council Regular Meeting of February 5, 2024 at 7:00 PM 10. Department, Committee, Commission Reports and Grant Confirmation Approval A. City Clerk’s Certificate B. Monthly Reports -- Finance Department: Transfer Report to February 22, 2024 C. Appropriation Report -- FY 2023-2024, to date D. Public Works -- Acct No. 3527-22000-59200-0222-35149-0000-000; State grant for receipt of payments related to waste reduction of small beverage containers and to be expended to reduce solid waste or impact of litter caused by solid waste: $32,708.80 E. Board of Education -- Acct. No. 2450-33000-59405-x-03025; miscellaneous grants: $752,935.15 F. Board of Education Cafeteria/ Food Services – Acct. No. 2450-33000-52183-x-x; food services grant: $292,208.48 G. Public Works – Acct. No. 3450-22000-59200-x-x-2024; State Urban Forestry & Community Forestry Planning grant to fund tree inventory of approximately 2,000 trees and planning locations, including geolocation, scientific and common names, diameter at breast height (DBH), and condition, in areas of the City that scored less than 95% in Tree Equity Scoring; included 50% City funds match: $40,000 H. Public Works – Acct. No. 3455-22000-55451-x-x-2024’ State grant from Connecticut DEEP Bureau of Natural Resources – Fisheries division to conduct a diagnostic feasibility study of Crystal Lake, including strategies to manage harmful algal blooms, and sediment phosphorous fractionation testing, dissolved oxygen/temperature profile, lake bathymetric survey, and food nutrient management/ Canada Geese control: $14,250 March 4, 2024 COMMON COUNCIL -- REGULAR MEETING Page 4 I. Registrar of Voters – Acct. No. 3028-09000-57030-x-03136-2024; State funds from Secretary of State for early voting: $10,500 J. Office of Equal Opportunity & Diversity Management – 2nd Quarter Employment Activity Report FY 2023- 2024 K. Middletown Fire Department -- Emergency Purchase Order for limited structural investigation, dated January 5, 2024: $2,490 L. Correspondence – letter to Common Council from Friends of Pameacha Pond-Long Hill Brook, Inc., announcing formation of new non-profit agency, dated February 19, 2024 11. Reports to the Common Council A. Riverfront Master Plan and Arcade B. Route 9 C. Russell Library/City Hall Feasibility Study Committee D. Baker Tilly Compensation Study 12. Payment of all City bills when properly approved 13. Resolutions, Ordinances, etc. A. Approving that the City of Middletown proudly accepts the position of co-sponsor for this 2024 special event, the 27th Annual Cruise Night on Main Street along with the Central Business Bureau, a Division of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, and that this event be recognized as a special event and may be subject to applicable provisions of Chapter 218 (“Licensing and Peddling”) of the Middletown Code of Ordinances; and that fees, including personnel for the Showmobile, shall be waived; that the City’s Public Works Department and its Parks Division, Recreation & Community Services Department, Economic & Community Development Department, Police Department, Fire Department, and Health Department each render all such assistance and support as may be required to ensure the public health and safety for this event; that the City of Middletown shall expend not more than $10,000 for said event without further Council approval; and that the organization receiving funding from the City be requested to file a report to the City indicating the expenses and accomplishments for the City of Middletown. B. Approving the Arts & Culture Office request that $59,001.00 of the Art Support Services Grant (FY24) be allocated as follows for project and/or general operating support: Organization Amount Ekklesia Ballet $12,601.00 Free Center Inc. $12,000.00 Police Activity League of Middletown/PAL $2,000.00 Oddfellows Playhouse $10,000.00 ARTFARM $6,500.00 Middletown Arts Fest $5,500.00 Resonant Motion, Inc. $1,500.00 Susan Nathiel $1,000.00 Artists for World Peace $5,400.00 GMChorale $2,000.00 Kaleidoscope $500.00 TOTAL $59,001.00 March 4, 2024 COMMON COUNCIL -- REGULAR MEETING Page 5 and that any agency receiving an Arts & Culture Office grant award of $2,00 or more must comply with the matching fund Code of Ordinances, Chapter 44, Section 44-11, section B, Municipal grant awards. C. Approving that, effective upon passage by the Common Council, the following changes to the Building Superintendent IV – Public Works job description is approved to reflect the revised duties with a recommended salary increase from AFSCME Local # 466 Salary Grade 10, 40 hours ($27.97-$41.40) to Salary Grade 12 ($31.84 - $47.12). These changes shall take effect retroactive from July 1, 2023 upon adoption; and that the salary grade for the employee who holds this position is hereby approved to AFSMCE Local #466 Salary Grade 12, Step 6 ($47.12) 40 hours per week. These changes shall take effect July 1, 2023 upon adoption. D. Approving the conveyance of an Electric Distribution Easement, to The Connecticut Light and Power Company dba Eversource Energy, a corporation chartered by the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut and having its principal office in the Town of Berlin, in the State of Connecticut, its successors and assigns, consisting of permanent rights for the installation, maintenance and repair of electric (and gas) lines over, under and across land of the City of Middletown, situated at 53 Washington Street, located in the City of Middletown and State of Connecticut, as set forth in the proposed easement presented to this meeting, which is hereby ordered filed with the records of this meeting; and that the Mayor is approved and authorized to sign any and all documents necessary to effectuate and deliver the aforementioned Electric Distribution Easement, following review and approval as to content and form by the Office of the General Counsel. 14. Mayor’s Appointments 15. Adjournment HEARING DEVICES AVAILABLE FOR USE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER K: review/ agenda – 2024 March 04 -- regular agenda – 4 March 2024