Board of Mayor and Burgesses

MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING BOARD OF MAYOR AND BURGESSES OCTOBER 24, 2023 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 special meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. with the following in attendance: BURGESSES: PRESS: R. Neth G. Mudry, absent A. Yilma M. Bronko, virtual D. Neth-Kunin F. Dambowsky M. Smith RESIDENTS: C. Marenghi R. Vitale Unable to determine due to the format J. Mizeski, virtual DEPARTMENT HEADS: OTHERS: J. Lawlor, Human Resources Director L. Wehry, IT Assistant C. Bernardin, V.P. Bluewater Property Group 2. Burgess Charles Marenghi led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. 3. Mayor’s Opening Comments Mayor Hess said the Fall Festival has been rescheduled to this Saturday, October 28th. They are looking for a band to play at the festival. He said the Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) Bonding is completed. The borough is ready to proceed. He will be scheduling a meeting with the committee in the next few weeks. Burgess Neth-Kunin and Burgess Marenghi are on the committee. The TIF funding is used when we run out of state and federal funding. He said ARPA money is in place. The six million dollars from the CT Community Challenge is ready to go. The Community Investment Fund money and the Brownfield money is in place. Mayor Hess said we are ready to proceed with all of our projects. 4. Mayor Hess said he gave the board homework at the last meeting to review the 2023 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and to be prepared to give feedback. He thinks the Façade Improvement Program should be beefed up in the POCD. He also agrees with the comments the Conservation Commission submitted. Motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Dambowsky that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses endorse the Naugatuck Plan of Conservation and Development 2023 as presented to the board with the approved comments from the Conservation Commission and to beef up the Facade Improvement Program section of the POCD. Motion amended. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Dambowsky that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses approve the motion as amended and endorse the 2023 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) as written with three comments; beef up the language on the Facade Improvement Program to be more consistent with the plan the  -2- Minutes – Board of Mayor and Burgesses Special Meeting – October 24, 2023 board is about to adopt, to remove the language considering the feasibility of amending accessory dwelling units on page 16, and to accept the comments from the Conservation Commission. 5. Motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Neth-Kunin that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses adopt the following Proposed Resolution for 0 and 30 Church Street, Naugatuck, as if read: WHEREAS, the Board of Mayor and Burgesses has made a referral to the Borough’s Planning Commission pursuant to CGS §8-24 to review the proposed condemnation of the properties at 0 and 30 Church Street for creation of public parking as well for rear access to the buildings on Church Street by fire apparatus for fire suppression, and therefore, in the interest of public safety; WHEREAS, on October 2, 2023, at a regular meeting of the Planning Commission it was decided by the Planning Commission to send a positive report to the Board of Mayor and Burgesses for acquisition of the above-referenced properties for the above-referenced public purposes; WHEREFORE, having found valid public purposes for the acquisition of the above- referenced properties, having reviewed the report of the Planning Commission, a Parking Analysis commissioned by the Borough; and having considered correspondence and reports from the property owner and her agents; NOW THEREFORE, the Board of Mayor and Burgesses authorize Mayor Hess through counsel to commence a condemnation action immediately pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Sections 48-6 and 48-12 for the following properties: a. 30 Church Street, MBLU AM13, Lot 22W26, Unique ID 061-8500 b. 0 Church Street, MBLU AM13, Lot 22W43, Unique ID 061-8600 These properties are to be acquired by condemnation for the following public and municipal purposes: public parking to support train station expansion, to meet increased public parking needs downtown as well as for rear access to the buildings on Church Street by fire apparatus for fire suppression. ROLL CALL VOTE: FOR OPPOSE ABSTAIN Mayor N.W. Hess J. Mizeski None None R. Neth D. Neth-Kunin M. Bronko M. Smith F. Dambowsky R. Vitale C. Marenghi Motion carried 9-0-0  -3- Minutes – Board of Mayor and Burgesses – Special Meeting – October 24, 2023 6. Mayor Hess received the final language for the first amendment to the purchase and sale agreement with BMG Waterbury LLC to authorize a one-year extension of the construction feasibility period and the project approval period. Christina Bernardin, Vice President with Bluewater Property Group, said they are asking for a one-year extension to the purchase and sale agreement. This will allow them an additional year to go through with construction feasibility and project approvals of the site. The site is very challenging, the topography ranges two hundred and fifty feet on the site, and it needs to be leveled to build a building on it. Project approvals take a lot of time. The one-year extension will get them to the finish line she said. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Marenghi that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses authorize Mayor Hess to sign the first amendment to the purchase and sale agreement with BMG Waterbury LLC as presented. 7. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Neth-Kunin to recess to Executive Session at 6:00 p.m. for discussion on the following: Real Estate (Parcels A, B, C, Y & Z, Naugatuck Industrial Park Section III – New Lot, Acquisition of Peter Paul/Hershey Property, Sale of Lot #3 in Industrial Park 1/2), Collective Bargaining (Dispatchers, Chapter 90, UPSEU) and Pending Litigation inviting in Human Resources Director John Lawlor. Mayor Hess reconvened the meeting at 6:32 p.m. 8. The following motions emanated from Executive Session. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Dambowsky that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses authorize Mayor Hess to enter into a purchase and sale contract to sell Lot #3 in the Naugatuck Industrial Park Section 1 or/ 2 as discussed in executive session. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Dambowsky that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses authorize Mayor Hess to enter into a non-binding letter of intent with the Ancien Group LLC to acquire the Hershey Property provided that the Ancien Group agrees to repurchase the same property from the borough on terms agreeable to the Borough of Naugatuck. Mayor Hess: “Our intention is to really dig into the issues there and find a way to make a transaction happen, to help an interested buyer that we all really like, and to acquire the property so we can resell it to that group and in essence help them acquire the property.” VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Neth-Kunin that the Board of Mayor and Burgesses authorize Mayor Hess to enter into a Collective Bargaining Agreement with Chapter 90 as discussed in executive session.  -4- Minutes – Board of Mayor and Burgesses Special Meeting – October 24, 2023 9. VOTED: Unanimously on a motion by Deputy Mayor Neth and seconded by Burgess Neth-Kunin to adjourn the special meeting at 6:35 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