Common Council

COMMON COUNCIL MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT SPECIAL MEETING QUESTIONS TO DIRECTORS MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2025 6:00 PM MINUTES A Special Meeting of the Common Council of the City of Middletown, Questions to Directors Workshop, was held on Monday, August 4, 2025, 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 live streamed on Facebook and the City webpage and was broadcast on local cable access television. Present: Councilwoman Jeanette Blackwell Councilman Vincent Loffredo Councilman Grady Faulkner, Jr. Councilman Anthony Mangiafico Councilman Darnell Ford Councilwoman Linda Salafia Councilman Anthony Gennaro, Sr. Councilwoman Leslie Spatola Councilman Steven Kovach Councilwoman Kelly Sweeney Absent: Councilman Jonathan Pulino Also Present: Hon. Eugene Nocera, Interim Mayor Sergeant-at-Arms: Middletown Police Officer Kurt Scrivo Linda Reed, Clerk of the Common Council City Staff: Arts & Culture: Kisha Michael, Coordinator Central Communication – Robert Grauer, Acting Director Economic & Community Development – Christine Marques, Director Education, Board of – Natalie Forbes, Finance Director Equal Opportunity & Diversity Management – Faith Jackson, Director Finance & Revenue Services – Carl Erlacher, CPA, Director; Rohan Manning, Chief Management Analyst Fire – David Albert, Chief General Counsel, Office of – Brig Smith, Esq., Gen. Counsel Health – Kevin Elak, Director Human Resources Division – Justin Richardson, Division Director Library – Ramona Burkey, Director Police -- Erik Costa, Chief; David Godwin, Capt. Public Works – Barbara Knoll Peterson, Acting Director Recreation & Senior Services – Cathy Lechowicz, Director Risk Management Division – Kristin Holden, Manager Technology Services – Brianna Skowera, Director Water & Sewer – Joseph Fazzino, Director Absent: Assessor -- Damon Braasch, CCMA II City & Town Clerk – Ashley Flynn-Natale, CCMA II Emergency Management – Robert Kronenberger Land Use -- Marek Kozikowski, AICP, Director Youth Services – Justin Carbonella, Manager Public: Chamber: 5 WebEx: 1 Facebook: unknown 1. Call to Order Interim Mayor Eugene Nocera calls the meeting to order at 6:10 PM and welcomes everyone to the Common Council’s Special Meeting, the Questions to Directors Workshop A. Pledge of Allegiance The Chair asks everyone to join in the Pledge of Allegiance. August 4, 2025 COMMON COUNCIL – SPECIAL MEETING Page 2 QUESTIONS TO DIRECTORS 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. Questions to Directors Workshop Opens Interim Mayor Eugene Nocera, Chair, opens the public hearing at 6:12 PM. Councilman Loffredo, please. Councilman Vincent Loffredo: Police Chief Erik Costa, please. So how are your phone calls coming about the traffic lights? Are you on the phone a lot with those questions? Chief Costa: No, not really, but my staff is. Councilman Loffredo: So at this point, we've had the Washington Street situation now that people are contacting various elected officials regarding the issue and all the rest. So, from your point of view and the Police Department, in terms of how we're handling this, because you're the people on the line and dealing with the issue, and so forth, what's your assessment of where we are? Chief Costa: I think you're seeing a culture of change on Washington Street, which is rippling throughout the City. People now know that we have cameras, but don't remember exactly where they're at. So that culture has changed as coming through the City. I think it's we're hearing a lot of, and seeing a lot from our officers, that traffic is slow, and it going through the City that way going down Washington Street. Councilman Loffredo: So the other question I have is in dealing with, you know, we do receive a report each month regarding vacancies and all. So, at this point, looking at the report -- I assume you have a copy or you received what was that so forth -- police officers. Is there anything, it mentions there are five (5) positions, and in terms of the status of these, some of these are going to be filled very quickly as I look at it. Correct? Chief Costa: Yes, that is correct. Councilman Loffredo: And maybe these are all laterals. Chief Costa: The three (3) that are coming in are laterals. Councilman Loffredo: And then we have a vacancy in process -- the Program Budget Analyst – who is not an officer, but it's a staff. Chief Costa: Yes, that is also being filled. Councilman Loffredo: But within the department responsible, right? Chief Costa: Yes. Councilman Loffredo: That is ready to be filled shortly, as well? Chief Costa: Yes, she starts on the 11th, which I believe is Monday. Councilman Loffredo: Okay, very good. And the final one: so that's the Records Secretary. That was a budget freeze at this point. Chief Costa: That's correct. And we also have two (2) retirements. Councilman Loffredo: Is that new? Chief Costa: That's new. Correct, we just became aware in July. Councilman Loffredo: So you just became aware now you have two (2) vacancies, or will have. Chief Costa: We will have two (2) vacancies. Councilman Loffredo: But they run out their time. Chief Costa: Correct. Councilman Loffredo: So we're not going to be . . . so, when we've had these vacancies recently, when you post the fact that Middletown's offering a vacancy for a police officer, what's been your response lately regarding recruitment? Chief Costa: We do the lateral process recently. Councilman Loffredo: But you do advertise, correct? August 4, 2025 COMMON COUNCIL – SPECIAL MEETING Page 3 QUESTIONS TO DIRECTORS Chief Costa: We do, including with the Connecticut Chief of Police Association and post with the Academy. Councilman Loffredo: What has been the response from interest candidates to apply to the City of Middletown to be an Officer? Chief Costa: Very interested. We mostly get lateral processes, averaging around anywhere from 10 to 12 officers, which is pretty consistent, which is a lot. They are here because they like the Police Department. They hear about the City as it offers a good incentive package for the officers. Councilman Loffredo: So the so you're not having any problem, Middletown does not have a problem recruiting and filling our vacancies for police officers. Chief Costa: No, we do not. Councilman Loffredo: We do not. Okay, the reason I asked . . . I don't know if you saw the front page with Harford Courant this morning: Police agencies face hiring struggles in a lot of various communities. Of course, we weren't on this list. I don't want to make sure it wasn't potentially an oversight listing of variety of communities. Chief Costa: We are on their list? Councilman Loffredo: No, no. I was just saying that I looked closely and confirmed that you are not. Chief Costa: Okay. Councilman Loffredo: So I wanted to confirm that fact: you're not having any difficulty because, in fact, it looks like a lot of them maybe folks that were used to be working in some of these communities that are having difficulties because they're laterally transferring from their municipalities in Connecticut, and are interested in transferring over to us. Chief Costa: So, historically, the Middletown Police Department offers a lot of opportunities to police in the City. We have specialties such the Crimes Division, (inaudible) Services Division. We have specialties such as the ERT Team, which goes in crisis situations. There are opportunities that police see as offering development, which make us very attractive. Also, our benefit package. Councilman Loffredo: The last question has to deal with the budget question. May I ask that question, your Honor, or, if somebody else wants to ask a question, I'll stop and wait. I do have another question for the Chief. Interim Mayor Nocera: No, please go ahead. Councilman Loffredo: On the agenda this evening is an appropriation request for overtime. Would you just explain to me why we're waiting? It is a substantial amount of money that's being asked. Chief Costa: It is. Councilman Loffredo: So when the budget finalized. You haven't come before us to address this issue during the course of the fiscal year. I gather it has been the practice. Chief Costa: It's a fiscal practice that I’ve been, that we’ve been, that I've understood, working our budget that we do our appropriations at the end of the fiscal year. Councilman Loffredo: Okay, so when there are vacancies, such as we're filling a bunch of vacancies and, therefore, people either had retired substantially number. We now have a need to come up with replacement money, correct? Chief Costa: The money is already allocated for those positions in the new fiscal year budget. Councilman Loffredo: Right, ok. We're doing that, so that's we're paying for . . . our people need to work overtime to fill in for those. Chief Costa: Correct. Councilman Loffredo: Okay, so there is a need, there is a relationship, in terms of that going on. And the practice has been . . . so this year it's a hundred . . . from prior years it was $200,000, right? So it may vary from year to year. Another year was that type of thing in terms of what the City is allocating plus then, at the end of the year, based on circumstances, like the you have just mentioned. You just got notice as of July of two (2) retirements. Were you expecting those when we were putting the budget together? Chief Costa: In the Police field, I think it is a little bit different than maybe Fire and others. People are allowed to give two (2) weeks that they're going to be retiring and then they burn out their time. Sometimes it's a surprise, but you have a feeling who's ready to get going because they'll give them . . . Councilman Loffredo: Give formal notice August 4, 2025 COMMON COUNCIL – SPECIAL MEETING Page 4 QUESTIONS TO DIRECTORS Chief Costa: We can't do anything until we receive formal notice because that puts the wheels into motion. Sir, do you mind if I address the reason why we're asking for the $160K in this? Councilman Loffredo: Go right ahead. I believe I understand the Police. Go ahead. Chief Costa: We were in budget. We were for the whole fiscal year until a DOD (Department of Defense) contractor, which is Pratt & Whitney, went on strike. I wasn't budgeted to cover that, and that money that you see in front of you, is for that strike. If we did not have that strike, we would have been about $13K and change under our budget ceiling. We would have been in budget for the first time probably in 10 years. So, that's the reason why we're asking for this. I was really excited as we were going through the fiscal year, and that happened. The other thing, too, honestly, that I can conduct business inside the Police Department fiscally that can kind of minimize the that type of damage to the department, but this strike happened and, towards the end of the last quarter of the fiscal year, so we're in a situation where I couldn't manage the agency and protect the fiscal liability where we're in appropriations right now. Councilman Loffredo: So in order to cover, for public safety purposes, you needed to allocate staff. Chief Costa: Correct. Councilman Loffredo: Protection and so forth bring that, and that was caused by the strike between Pratt & Whitney and its union. Chief Costa: Correct. Yes. Councilman Loffredo: And it’s not because we hadn't budgeted for it or anything of that nature. Chief Costa: Correct. Councilman Loffredo: Thank you. That’s what I thought. Thank you, your Honor. Interim Mayor Nocera: All right, thank you, and who has other questions at this point? Anyone online? Alright? We do have a light. Councilman Gennaro, please. Councilman Anthony Gennaro, Sr.: Can we have Kristen Holden from the Risk Manager's Office, please. Good evening. Thank you. I just wanted to bring you back up, again and follow up with the prescription health issues as to where we're going with that, fill me in on that. It has come down dramatically from some things, but there's been still some, some concerns. Please, go ahead. Risk Manager Holden: So, as of the last time we spoke, there was only a handful of people that had reached out to us that had penalty issues. All of those people have been refunded the money that they had told us about. At this point, everything is a status quo. People are able to now save money on their prescriptions by filling them 90-days through the brick and mortar stores as well as through their pharmacies. So everyone that we've spoken with is happy. I know that one person -- one of the individuals that had been requesting or had been reaching out to the Council -- that person has been refunded as well. So they were refunded. The check was issued on July 18th. Councilman Gennaro: Okay. Was there anything that went out yet through email or snail mail just letting people know like the issues and how to resolve it, or to contact us with it? Anything like that yet, or planning on it in the future, if needed? Risk Manager Holden: Most likely, what we will do is we will do it with the October mailing, but as Express Scripts has. So that'll be something that will come directly from the City. But Express Scripts has been communicating with the members, letting them know that this is new benefit with the Smart90 Program is available to them. So what happens is Express looks through people's prescriptions and sees that there's a potential to save money and so they will go on a schedule to have Express Scripts reach out to them to tell them that this -- the prescriptions they're on -- could potentially save them additional money, if they switch it to a 90-day prescription. Councilman Gennaro: Okay, I just wanted to follow up with you to see where we are on that. I'll follow back up, if we need to. Thank you. Interim Mayor Nocera: Do you have another question for her? Unidentified Speaker (inaudible). Councilman Vincent Loffredo: Thank you. I have a question. I was going to defer back to him (Councilman Gennaro) before I asked my question. I don't know if you were here earlier when it was discussions regarding buildings that need attention and so forth and so on and so forth. So, I serve on the Economic Development Committee meeting with several of my colleagues. We recently – in the past year plus, several years -- dealing with a vacancy issue and properties that the City had foreclosed on and taken action against. I raised the question and, according to the Ordinance I was reading, you are Risk Management in charge of maturing various properties throughout the City. August 4, 2025 COMMON COUNCIL – SPECIAL MEETING Page 5 QUESTIONS TO DIRECTORS Risk Manager Holden: Correct. Councilman Loffredo: Are you aware of any of City properties that you aren't accounting for that should be properly insured for liability purposes? So I assume you have all of the City properties under review. Somebody wanted to know what City properties the City has, your office should have them all. Risk Manager Holden: Correct. Councilman Loffredo: And that information should be readily available. Risk Manager Holden: Yes. Okay. It’s part of our schedule for our liability policy, and it was actually something this year, when I came on, when we were doing our renewal with CIRMA and actually going out to market with it, all of that information was reviewed. We actually were able to remove a couple of properties that we no longer owned. So we did the same with our vehicles and we did the same with our small property as well -, like our mowers and stuff like that. Councilman Loffredo: So this has been a standard procedure with the City that we do and is available. So I seem to get information, or maybe my misunderstanding, that we didn't know what we do what we own, what we're responsible for. My understanding, through working on the Economic Development Committee, is that we should have known -- or I assume we did know --- and I asked the question, reached out to your office at the time, your former Director that was there. But I just wanted to clarify in my own mind where we are with that. So, to your knowledge, is this something that we just recently doing and has been an ongoing practice that the City has had for years? Risk Manager Holden: We have to insure the building, so it has to be on our schedule of insurance with our insurance. So everything should be on there. Obviously, as I said, there was a couple that had to come off this year that, but otherwise and, you know, I work very closely with the, with the attorney's office, so if something is changing, obviously those three (3) properties that you're talking about that are in foreclosure, we're in constant communication in terms of what needs to come on and come off our policy. Councilman Loffredo: Okay, very good. Do you work closely with the Tax Assessor's Office, as well, in terms of properties that are under the control of the City, or not controlled and so forth? Risk manager Holden: Well, Attorney Forte is typically the one, who I'm talking with, and he's letting me know. I don't really work very much with the Assessor's Office, but Attorney Forte is the one, who handles the property on the process. Councilman Loffredo: In terms of liability and insurance responsibility that we have, and should have, I mean we need to maintain to protect our properties as well as, by chance, if something should happen fire liability. Risk manager Holden: Yes. I mean everything, what happened at the Keating Building, I mean that Matt Bacon (Risk Management - Claims Administrator), who was on it immediately in terms of getting the renovations and getting it taken care of. So, yes, our office is very involved as soon as an issue that we become aware of. Councilman Loffredo: The small fire that was down there. Risk Manager Holden: Yeah, the small fire that was down there. Councilman Loffredo: We are covered. We have insurance for that. Correct? Risk Manager Holden: Correct, yes, even though it will come eventually under the tenants, but, yes, we are covered. Councilman Loffredo: I appreciate that. Thank you. Interim Mayor Nocera: Councilwoman Blackwell Councilwoman Jeanette Blackwell: How many buildings do we own? Risk Manager Holden: I could tell you tomorrow. Councilwoman Blackwell: You can send us . . . Risk Manager Holden: I can send you an email tomorrow and let you know the properties. Sorry, off the top of my head, I do not know that. Councilwoman Blackwell: You mean you don't have that at the top of your head? Really? Risk Manager Holden: There's a lot of numbers. August 4, 2025 COMMON COUNCIL – SPECIAL MEETING Page 6 QUESTIONS TO DIRECTORS Councilwoman Blackwell: You were you were talking about it, so I just sensed that you might have an idea, but if you could send us that report tomorrow. Will that report also include all of the properties that we have foreclosed on? You'll have everything on the list, the buildings? Risk Manager Holden: All the properties that we currently own, that we are responsible for. That includes both the City properties as well as the Board of Education properties. 3. Questions to Directors Workshop Closes There being no further questions, the Chair closes the workshop at 6:28 PM and asks for a motion to adjourn. 4. Meeting adjourned Councilwoman Jeanette Blackwell moves to adjourn. Councilman Anthony Gennaro, Sr. seconds the motion. There being no discussion, the Chair calls for a voice vote. The motion to adjourn is unanimously approved with 10 aye votes. (AYES: Councilmembers Blackwell, Faulkner, Ford, Gennaro, Kovach, Loffredo, Mangiafico, Salafia, Spatola, and Sweeney; ANSENT: Councilman Pulino.) The matter is approved. The meeting is adjourned at 6:29 PM. ATTEST: LINDA S.K. REED, COMMON COUNCIL CLERK K: review/ minutes/ 2025 – Aug 04 – Ques to Dir – 4 Aug 2025