Board of Mayor and Burgesses

MINUTES REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF MAYOR AND BURGESSES AUGUST 2, 2022 Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Borough of Naugatuck held the Board of Mayor and Burgesses meeting on a hybrid basis. Everyone was welcomed to attend in person, by Zoom Webinar or by phone. 1. Mayor “Pete” Hess called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with the following in attendance: BURGESSES: PRESS: R. Neth G. Mudry A. Yilma M. Bronko D. Neth-Kunin F. Dambowsky M. Smith RESIDENTS: C. Marenghi R. Vitale Unable to determine due to the format J. Mizeski DEPARTMENT HEADS: J. Stewart, Public Works Director, virtual S. Jackson, Assessor, virtual J. Kallipolites, Information Technology Director K. Hanks, Deputy Fire Chief OTHERS: E. Fitzpatrick, Borough Attorney, virtual R. Pugliese, NEDC CEO D. Sheridan, Board of Finance Chairman, virtual E. Dalton, Fire Marshal F. Santana, Zoning Commission, virtual 2. Burgess Charles Marenghi led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. 3. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Mizeski that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses approve the revised minutes of the regular meeting of July 5, 2022. Each member received a copy for review. 4. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Bronko that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses approve the monthly reports of July. Each member received copies for review. 5. Mayor’s Opening Comments Mayor Hess said the meeting this evening should be relatively short compared to other meetings. He was watching a webinar before the start of the meeting held by CT DEEP on fish passage in the Naugatuck River. There is progress on the potential decommissioning of the Kinneytown Dam through Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG). Nineteen towns work together in NVCOG on various issues and the dam is one of them. Decommissioning the dam would allow fish to pass up and down the river. The mayor said it would take it out of the hands of a utility company that has not done anything with it for years.  -2- Minutes – Board of Mayor and Burgesses Regular Meeting – August 2, 2022 6. Public Comment – None 7. Deputy Fire Chief Kenneth Hanks gave the monthly update on the Naugatuck Ambulance Corps (NAC) in the absence of Chief Kyle Kelley. They responded to four hundred fourteen calls last month. There were over sixty-six responses for mutual aid, mostly in Waterbury. Waterbury is having difficulties responding to calls the same way NAC was a year ago. By the end of this year, there will be four ambulances in operation. They will be celebrating the one-year anniversary on the restructure of the Naugatuck Ambulance Corps. 8. Mayor Hess appointed Jeffrey Erdmann, 44 Osborn Road, Apt. E6, Naugatuck, CT 06770 as an alternate member to the Arts Commission, filling the expired term of F. Santana, term to expire April 1, 2024. Mayor Hess swore in Jeffrey Erdmann as an alternate member of the Arts Commission. 9. For the Record: Mayor Hess: “Nancy, the record should note that a large rainbow has been showing a pot of gold on the LANXESS Property.” Mayor Hess wanted to share with the public what is happening with the Acquisition and Development of the LANXESS Property. The board has been discussing the property for many months in executive session. The mayor discussed a map showing proposed buildings, soil areas for remediation, a new road network and a temporary construction road. There is interest in a proposed data center coming to the site that would be developed first. The close proximity to the electric substation is appealing for a data center. Another company is also interested in putting a data center in the area of D and E on the map. Mayor Hess said what will occur first on the LANXESS site is the construction of the road network, the utilities, building pad sites and the building of the temporary construction road so that the soil can be relocated. Nineteen acres across the river is reserved for the Port of Naugatuck, which will be the last to be developed. The borough filed an application with the state for funding to build the road network. They have been working for a long time with the land use commissions/engineering and now have a shovel ready project to move forward. For the Record: Mayor Hess: “I just felt no one knows what’s going on except us and we should make it clear for the record what is going on. So that’s what’s going on.” 10. Parcel A is the Naugatuck Event Center Building, which is the former General Data Comm Building. The borough put out a request for proposals (RFP). They are in the process of setting up interviews for the project the week of August 16th. Mayor Hess would like to get Parcel A on the same track as Parcel B and have all the engineers working together. He said we have a real commuter line now with twenty-two trains a day going back and forth.  -3- Minutes – Board of Mayor and Burgesses Regular Meeting – August 2, 2022 11. Mayor Hess began a discussion on the upcoming Reevaluation. He said we received the preliminary numbers on the residential side. We are still waiting for the numbers on the commercial and industrial side. An average single family home went up 39.2%, multifamily homes went up 45.7%, condominiums and mobile homes went up 41.2%. The mayor said if those numbers stay to be true, businesses would see a significant decrease in their taxes. Lower value homes would see an increase in their taxes. Many of those homes have doubled in their value. The borough will determine if it will be implemented all at once or if it would be phased in. The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) previously allowed the borough to move up the reval date to October 1, 2022, we were scheduled for October 1, 2023. OPM recently sent Assessor Shelby Jackson an email where they made a determination that the borough can do the reval this year but would still have to do a reval in 2023. Mayor Hess said we do not want to pay to have a reval done two years in a row. Assessor Jackson said his office is actively involved in the process with the revaluation company every step of the way. He is hoping OPM will stay with their previous determination of allowing the borough to implement the reval this year and not perform an additional one next year. He said the Board of Mayor and Burgesses would be the one to determine how we should proceed. Assessor Jackson would then approach OPM to see if they would agree to allow us to implement it this year. He does not have a sense yet when market values will stabilize. He will continue to monitor values until October 1st to see if there is a change in the trend of values before signing the Grand List. 12. Mayor Hess appointed Erik Krueger, 332 May Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770 as an alternate member to the Arts Commission, filling the expired term of J. Dambowsky, term to expire April 1, 2024. 13. Mayor Hess approved the appointment of Dr. Karla Pinho-Varney, 244 Cherry Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770 to the Naugatuck Day Care Board of Directors, filling the expired term of V. Dunn, term to expire April 1, 2025. 14. Mayor Hess approved the reappointment of Meghan Short, 134 Evelyn Drive, Naugatuck, CT 06770 to the Naugatuck Day Care Board of Directors, term to expire April 1, 2025. 15. Mayor Hess approved the reappointment of the following members to the Naugatuck Day Care Board of Directors, terms to expire April 1, 2023: Debbie Sabia Klaudia Gotshall Sharon Heady-Labansky 131 Scott Street 174 White Avenue 63 Hackett Street Naugatuck, CT 06770 Middlebury, CT 06762 Naugatuck, CT 06770 16. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Bronko that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses approve the reappointment of Joseph E. Kusiak (R), 59 Adella Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770 as a regular member of the Board of Assessment Appeals, term to expire June 1, 2024.  -4- Minutes – Board of Mayor and Burgesses Regular Meeting – August 2, 2022 17. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Bronko that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses approve the reappointment of Adam M. Bronko (R), 34 Fairfield Court, Naugatuck, CT 06770 as an alternate member of the Board of Assessment Appeals, term to expire June 1, 2025. 18. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Bronko that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses authorize Mayor Hess to waive the Borough of Naugatuck portion of the plumbing permit fees for the watermain installations for the Crestwood Drive Watermain Project. 19. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Bronko that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses authorize Controller Allyson W. Bruce to refund the following tax refunds approved by Tax Collector James Goggin; as if read: Bill Name Address City/State/Zip Over Paid 2018-01-0000227 RUSSO, WILLIAM 272 HILLSIDE AVENUE NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -425.26 2019-01-0000242 RUSSO, WILLIAM 272 HILLSIDE AVENUE NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -501.38 2019-01-0001021 BIRD, GERTRUDE S, EST 147 LAKES ROAD BETHLEHEM, CT 06751 -1,267.38 2019-03-0074361 VW CREDIT LEASING LTD 1401 FRANKLIN BOULEVARD LIBERTYVILLE, IL 60048 -220.50 2019-03-0074364 VW CREDIT LEASING LTD 1401 FRANKLIN BOULEVARD LIBERTYVILLE, IL 60048 -1,000.08 2019-03-0074388 VW CREDIT LEASING LTD 1401 FRANKLIN BOULEVARD LIBERTYVILLE, IL 60048 -609.52 2020-01-0000260 RUSSO, WILLIAM 272 HILLSIDE AVENUE NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -501.38 2020-01-0000868 BEIROS, CESAR A. + 35 TODD HOLLOW ROAD PLYMOUTH, CT 06782 -2,469.63 2020-01-0010667 WARANOWICZ KAREN 225 PARK AVENUE NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -109.07 2020-03-0050182 ACAR LEASING LTD 4001 EMBARCADERO DRIVE ARLINGTON, TX 76014 -648.82 2020-03-0060727 ISLAM, SAIFUL 9800 TULE LAKE ROAD FORT WORTH, TX 76177 -134.02 2020-03-0061269 JP MORGAN CHASE BANK NA P.O. BOX 901098 FORT WORTH, TX 76101 -348.92 2020-03-0072984 UBER, KERRY S. 76 CELANTANO DRIVE NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -87.30 2020-04-0085721 SWAN, CARMELLA A. 302 PINERIDGE ROAD TORRINGTON, CT 06790 -422.91 2021-01-0001030 BIRD, GERTRUDE EST. 149 LAKES ROAD BETHLEHEM, CT 06751 -110.86 2021-01-0010430 VAGT, HOWARD C. 55 KING STREET NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -4,138.12 2021-03-0052270 BLAIR, LAURA A. 175 JOHNSON STREET NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -141.03 2021-03-0052601 BOULANGER, ROBERT 108 CLARK RD., TRLR. 111 NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -291.49 2021-03-0053285 BURROUGHS, TODD A. 216 ALLERTON ROAD NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -26.49 2021-03-0053286 BURROUGHS, TODD A. 216 ALLERTON ROAD NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -60.23 2021-03-0054761 COLLINS, BARBARA J. 42 TAWNY THRUSH ROAD NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -11.36 2021-03-0055129 CORSINO, JOAN M. 60 MISTYWOOD LANE NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -26.69 2021-03-0059584 GROCKI, VIVIAN C. 50 OLIVIA LANE NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -19.31 1081 NEW HAVEN RD., APT. 3F 2021-03-0060472 HODGES, BOBBY L. NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -114.26  -5- Minutes – Board of Mayor and Burgesses Regular Meeting – August 2, 2022 2021-03-0061177 ISLAM, ZAHIDUL 9800 TULE LAKE ROAD FORT WORTH, TX 76177 -514.06 2021-03-0064179 MANTILLA, MARIA V. 11 MARSH HILL ROAD NAUGATUCK, CT 06770 -18.56 TOTAL -14,218.63 20. Burgess Comments/Sub-Committee Reports Mayor Hess said Blossoms Flower Shop has to leave their current location on New Haven Road. They asked the mayor if it was possible for them to relocate to the old recycling center on Rubber Avenue in the fall. A discussion followed and there was no objection by anyone on the board. Burgess Vitale said there will be a fundraiser for Chip Schofield on August 6th at the Loaded Goat. The Chamber of Commerce will honor the Mayor Hess on August 16th at the Aria in Prospect. Gunntown Kids will host a Butterfly Event on August 20th at Gunntown Park. He wanted the board to discuss the fee charged for additional recycling bins. Public Works Director Jim Stewart said he is not opposed to reducing the fee but he is opposed to giving additional bins free. There has been extra recycling but with contaminated items which rejects all of our recycling. Some residents have asked for additional recycling bins because their bin was dirty. The first bin for new houses is free and repairs are free as well. Mayor Hess asked Director Stewart and Burgess Vitale to come back to the board with a report from USA Recycling, the data on bin requests and a recommendation on the situation. Burgess Mudry said they are doing a great job cleaning the Megin Building on New Haven Road and the surrounding property. Burgess Bronko said an adult rode a bird scooter inside Stop and Shop grocery store. Burgess Mizeski contacted the bird scooters salesperson and the local business in charge of the scooters. He was told the bird scooter app could be used to report underage drivers and/or other violations. The user will be suspended from using the bird scooter. The board discussed issues with the bird scooters and that the police department should be approaching violators, not the public. There is a desire by the developer of Parcel B to have bird scooters. Burgess Dambowsky said Mission 22 is the last weekend in September. Information sessions will be scheduled to assist veterans in Naugatuck. Burgess Neth-Kunin reported that at a special Board of Education meeting, a new principal was appointed at Maple Hill School and an assistant director of special services was appointed. The Board of Education renewed the superintendent and assistant superintendent’s contracts. They are reviewing letters of interest to find a replacement for the vacant position on the board. Burgess Marenghi said there has been no maintenance to the sidewalks on the hill on North Main Street. There are tree roots and vines compromising the sidewalk making it difficult to walk. The board discussed overhauling the sidewalk ordinance, encouraging people to maintain their sidewalks and holding a possible workshop on the subject. Deputy Mayor Neth said Phyllis Burns, the wife of former Burgess Robert Burns, passed away.  -6- Minutes – Board of Mayor and Burgesses Regular Meeting – August 2, 2022 21. Public Comment – Agenda Items Zoning Commissioner Francis Santana agrees it is a good idea to hold an information session for homeowners regarding the responsibility to maintain sidewalks on their property. 22. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Bronko to recess to Executive Session at 8:50 p.m. for discussion on the following: Real Estate (LANXESS Property, Parcels A, B, Y & Z, Bank of America, Acquisition of Land for Downtown Parking, Tax Incremental Financing District, Sale of Former Recycling Center – Rubber Avenue), Personnel (Emergency Management Director) and Pending Litigation. No one was invited into executive session. Mayor Hess reconvened the meeting at 9:12 p.m. 23. The following motion emanated from Executive Session. Motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Bronko that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses authorize Mayor Hess to enter into an employment agreement with Walter Francis Dambowsky for the position of Director/Chief of Emergency Management and Homeland Security for the term of September 6, 2022 to June 30, 2026 as discussed in executive session with a reduction in the uniform allowance from $850 to $425. Burgess Dambowsky abstained. 24. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Bronko to adjourn the regular meeting at 9:14 p.m. A digital recording of this meeting is available in the office of the Borough Clerk for further review. Attest: Nancy K. DiMeo Borough Clerk