City Council

JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Norwich was held December 19, 2011 at 7:30 PM in Council Chambers. Present: Aldermen Desaulniers, Noblick, Braddock, Hinchey, Bettencourt, Jaskiewicz arrived at 7:45 and Mayor Nystrom. City Manager Bergren and Corporation Counsel Michael Driscoll were also in attendance. Ald. Hinchey read the opening prayer and Ald. Braddock led the members in the Pledge of Allegiance. Received letter of resignation of Anthony Orsini from the Norwich Baseball Stadium Authority, accept with thanks and regrets. Received letter of resignation of Harry Jackson from the Baseball Stadium, Authority, accept with thanks and regrets. Report from the Emancipation Proclamation Commemoration Committee by Dale Plummer, Sheila Hayes was absent from the presentation (out of state), Dale Plummer gave a short explanation on 150th year of the anniversary. He also gave the Council a brief update on the contractor, cost and time frame of the installation of the bell. Presentation by the Historic District Commission, Annual Preservation Awards, six awards were distributed. City manager gave his report as follows: DATE: December 19, 2011 TO: Mayor Peter A. Nystrom & Council Members FROM: Alan H. Bergren, City Manager SUBJECT: City Manager’s Report 1. Upcoming Events/Meetings City Hall will be closed on Monday, December 26 for the Christmas Day holiday observance. 2. Public Works • The abatement and demolition of the Greeneville School is on schedule and within budget. Abatement of hazardous materials is complete and demolition is currently underway. The contractor, Wiese Construction, expects to achieve substantial completion by the end of December. • The contract for the abatement and demolition of the Buckingham School was recently awarded to Standard Demolition Services, Inc. Abatement is expected to begin within two weeks. Demolition should be competed by April 2012. • The 2011 paving program is now complete. The Public Works department reconstructed or milled and paved 6.4 miles of streets and chip sealed an additional 3.0 miles of streets. Coordination meetings are currently being held with NPU to develop next year's program. 3. Finance Please see the Winterfest Committee accounting procedures memo attachment. 4. Police Chief Fusaro has appointed Sergeant Peter Camp lead our Community Policing Teams as the Program Coordinator. Just as was asked of him, he has hit the ground running, giving us a head start in partnering with the various civic groups and neighborhood associations. He 1 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 has also started the planning necessary to provide a coordinated effort needed to ensure success of our Community Policing Program. I am confident that this program will result in safer and more secure neighborhoods and therefore, have a positive effect on the safety and security throughout the City. We are continuing the work needed to move toward an early 2012 formal start of the program and adding to the program going forward in 2012. 5. Fire The NFD is in the process of installing solar hot water panels on the roof of the headquarters building. This installation was grant funded and is expected to save as much as 70% of the energy needed to heat hot water in the station. The installation is expected to be completed sometime in February. 6. Department Quarterly Reports On November 21st, 2011, I submitted to the City Council quarterly reports from all departments along with a status report on my goals. New members of the Council have already received this in your council packs that were sent out on November 25th, 2011. The second quarterly report (October thru December) will be provided at your first meeting in February. I will be scheduling a City Manager’s goal setting session with the Council in early spring. 7. Norwich Gives Back Attached is a memo compiled by the Mayor’s assistant on various City group’s donation activities this holiday season. To: Alan Bergren From: Joseph Ruffo, Comptroller Date:: December 12, 2011 Subject: Winterfest Committee Resolution At a Winterfest meeting with Kathy Relyea and Dave Wigfield the procedures in place for fundraising and expenditures were discussed. Changes are taking place in involvement with many members. Because of that it was decided it would be best to formalize policies through a resolution. The resolution recommended requires the Winterfest Committee to approve expenditures to be made, and forward adopted minutes to the Finance office for check processing. It also directs all future revenues be accounted for in the Grants & Programs Fund account S9902. We believe this formal policy makes everything clear. Reports will be provided to this Committee as required. Mayor Nystrom called for citizen comment on resolutions. Joanne Philbrick, 10 Elm Ave, welcomed all the members of the new council looking forward to seeing positive things. She questioned resolution ten with regard to the have a dollar amount for matching cash funding? It was stated that it is 80/20 with the City paying zero as a result. Andy Depta, 105 Vergason Ave, echoed Joanne’ s welcome of the new council. He commented that this is your first full council meeting and hopes that this council will have a little more excitement and debate during their deliberations, and also welcomed the new City Clerk. He also commented on resolution #3 with the golf authority as exceeding the previous agreement and looking at the agenda and tabulation seems to be in order. He recommends the new agreements up the threshold to avoid future reoccurrences of this process. 2 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 Joanne Philbrick, 10 Elm Ave, asked why the second citizens’ comment was not on the agenda. She wanted some clarification because it was the second meeting of the month stating that people now would have to wait until the second January meeting to speak. Laura Shelby-Posello 165 Talman St. questioned resolution # 7, Appointment of Assistant City Counsel is it in the Charter anywhere that has a position for Assistant Corporation Counsel. There being no further speakers, Mayor Nystrom declared citizen comment period closed. Upon a motion of Ald. Bettencourt, seconded by Ald. Braddock, it was unanimously voted to suspend the rules to add resolution twelve introduced by Mayor, Peter Nystrom, relative to: WHEREAS, the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation has offered to allow the City to exercise an option to renew a lease of State-owned land located at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and West Town Street (State Route No. 642); and WHEREAS, THE City of Norwich has leased this land from the Connecticut Department of Transportation for the industrial park sign; and WHEREAS, the renewed lease is to be for a five-year term to run from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2015; and WHEREAS, the rent will be $40 per month. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH that the City Manager, Alan H. Bergren, be and hereby is authorized to exercise said option on behalf of the City of Norwich and sign and deliver a letter acknowledging the same to renew the lease of a parcel of State-owned land in the industrial park at Connecticut Avenue for the purpose of displaying signage for the industrial park. Upon a motion of Ald. Jaskiewicz, seconded by Ald. Hinchey it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom and Ald. Desaulniers: RESOLVED, that Betsy M. Barrett, be, and hereby is, appointed Town and City Clerk of Norwich for a term of two years Upon a motion of Ald. Braddock, seconded by Ald. Bettencourt it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by City Manager Bergren: WHEREAS, sum of $172,000 is available in recaptured Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from previous years’ allocations and the balance of unallocated funds from PY 37; and WHEREAS, a request for proposals was published in the Norwich Bulletin and on the City website on October 15, 2011 with a response date of November 18, 2011 soliciting applicants for this available funding; and 3 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 WHEREAS, the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) has held 2 public meetings, one in November and one on December and on December 8, 2011 voted to recommend the allocations as listed below for CDBG; and WHEREAS, the CDAC recommendations are subject to a 30-day comment period beginning December 12, 2011, and WHEREAS, the City of Norwich held a public hearing on December 19, 2011 prior to this meeting of the Norwich City Council regarding the Block Grant expenditures for PY 37 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH that the proposed recaptured funds’ reallocation for schedule PY37 as presented to the Council by the CDAC, as adopted by the Council on a line-by-line basis, be and hereby is approved by Council; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council authorizes and directs City Manager Alan H. Bergren to submit a “Substantial Amendment” through the Community Development Supervisor to the Department of Housing and Urban Development by January 13, 2012 with the following allocations approved by Council PY 37 CDBG Recaptured Funds Reallocation $172,000 CDAC Council CONSTRUCTION/INFRASTUCTURE Recommended Approved Greeneville NRZ $111,886 $111,886 Norwich Police Department $40,000 $40,000 Norwich Housing Authority $20,000 $20,000 Fund Balance $114 $114 TOTAL REQUESTS $172,000 $172,000 Upon a motion of Ald. Desaulniers, seconded by Ald. Jaskiewicz it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by City Manager Bergren: WHEREAS, an agreement between the City of Norwich and the Norwich Golf Course Authority entered into at the time of the acquisition of the golf course by the City provided that the Norwich Golf Course Authority might not expend more than $100,000 in any one year without the approval of the Council of the City of Norwich; and WHEREAS, the Norwich Golf Course Authority has annually advised the Council of the City of Norwich of its expected revenues and expenses for the upcoming calendar year; and WHEREAS, the Norwich Golf Course Authority anticipates it needs to expend more than $100,000 during calendar year 2012 to meet operating and capital improvement expenses; and 4 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 WHEREAS, the Norwich Golf Course Authority expects to receive revenue of $1,157,771.00 from operations during 2012 and to expend the same. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY NORWICH that the Norwich Golf Course Authority be and hereby is authorized to expend $1,157,771.00 during calendar year 2012 to cover the cost of anticipated expenses. Upon a motion of Ald. Jaskiewicz, seconded by Ald. Braddock it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom: BE IT RESOLVED that the following be and hereby are appointed members of the Norwich Golf Course Authority to serve until January 23, 2013 or until their successors are appointed Bernard J. Caulfield Michael E. Driscoll David L. DiBattista John Paul Mereen Richard A. Podurgiel Richard Strouse Charles C. Whitty Upon a motion of Ald. Hinchey, seconded by Ald. Noblick it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom and Ald. Desaulniers: BE IT RESOLVED that Nancy O’Neil be appointed to the Historic District Commission for a term to expire on December 31, 2016 or until a successor is appointed. Upon a motion of Ald. Bettencourt, seconded by Ald. Braddock it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom: BE IT RESOLVED that Paul Schroder be appointed to the Personnel and Pension Board for a term to expire on March 01, 2013 or until a successor is appointed. Upon a motion of Ald. Noblick, seconded by Ald. Braddock it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom: RESOLVED, that the re‐appointment of Aimee L. Wickless by the Corporation Counsel as the Assistant Corporation Counsel of the City of Norwich be and the same is hereby approved. Upon a motion of Ald. Desaulniers, seconded by Ald. Braddock it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom and City Manager Bergren: WHEREAS, the City Manager Alan H. Bergren has recommended the following re-appointments to the Public Parking Commission; 5 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 Re-appointed as regular members of the Public Parking Commission for a term to expire on 12/31/13 or until a successor is appointed: Sean Ryan (D) Olive Buddington (D) Jeffery Lord (U) NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Norwich hereby approves the re-appointments of the above named to the Public Parking Commission. Upon a motion of Ald. Braddock, seconded by Ald. Noblick it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Ald. Desaulniers, Braddock, Noblick and Jaskiewicz: WHEREAS, the Winterfest Committee organizes winter festival activities each year; and WHEREAS, these activities are supported by private donations and sale of holiday ornaments; and WHEREAS, the City of Norwich has received and expects to receive donations and other revenues to support future winter festival activities; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH, that the City Manager be directed to cause all future revenues received by the City of Norwich in support of winter festival activities to be accounted for in the City of Norwich Other Grants & Programs Fund account S9902. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the revenue collection and expenditure of those revenues be required to follow all of the laws, policies and procedures of the City of Norwich including, but not limited to accounting, purchasing, risk management, and cash handling. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no expenditure of such revenues shall be made unless first approved by the Winterfest Committee and evidenced in the minutes of the Winterfest Committee. Upon a motion of Ald. Jaskiewicz, seconded by Ald. Bettencourt it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom and City Manager Bergren: RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO PROVIDE A LOCAL MATCH WHEREAS, the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation is soliciting proposals for the use of funds under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ) for 2012; and WHEREAS, the projects underwritten by CMAQ funds are intended to demonstrate an improvement in air quality through a reduction in vehicle emissions; and 6 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 WHEREAS, The City of Norwich, through its municipally-owned Public Utilities with its long history of implementing successful projects that benefit air quality and emissions reductions will submit an application for consideration of CMAQ funding, and NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Council of the City of Norwich does hereby support the above said application and through the Department of Public Utilities commits to provide matching cash funding required under the terms of the CMAQ funding legislation. FURTHERMORE, The City of Norwich does hereby authorize John Bilda, General Manager of the Department of Public Utilties, to execute and file all CMAQ funding documentation, applications, instruments and documents, accept payments, and do all other things that may be necessary in the name of, and on behalf of, the City of Norwich with the Connecticut Department of Transportation.. Dated this ___ day of ____________,2011 in Norwich, Connecticut. Upon a motion of Ald. Desaulniers, seconded by Ald. Braddock it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by City Manager Bergren: WHEREAS, the city owns properties located at 77 and 105 Chestnut Street which are unsafe and/or blighted structures that likely contain hazardous materials such as lead, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) and/or mercury; and WHEREAS, the cost to sample and test all hazardous materials in compliance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations, prepare a report suitable for inclusion into an abatement and demolition bid for both structures, and perform survey work to establish property lines for demolition purposes is estimated at $7,000. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH, that a sum not to exceed $7,000 be and hereby is appropriated from demolition account # 15232-88110 to pay for the aforementioned pre-demolition expenses in preparation for the possible abatement and demolition of the existing structures at 77 and 105 Chestnut Street. Upon a motion of Ald. Desaulniers, seconded by Ald. Jaskiewicz it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom: WHEREAS, the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation has offered to allow the City to exercise an option to renew a lease of State-owned land located at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and West Town Street (State Route No. 642); and WHEREAS, THE City of Norwich has leased this land from the Connecticut Department of Transportation for the industrial park sign; and WHEREAS, the renewed lease is to be for a five-year term to run from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2015; and WHEREAS, the rent will be $40 per month. 7 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH that the City Manager, Alan H. Bergren, be and hereby is authorized to exercise said option on behalf of the City of Norwich and sign and deliver a letter acknowledging the same to renew the lease of a parcel of State-owned land in the industrial park at Connecticut Avenue for the purpose of displaying signage for the industrial park. Upon motion of Ald. Braddock, seconded by Ald. Bettencourt, it was unanimously voted, to set a public hearing on January 3, 2012 , for the second reading and action for the following ordinance introduced by Mayor Peter Nystrom: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 14­57 OF THE NORWICH CODE OF ORDINANCES TO ELIMINATE REFERENCE TO THE PRECINCT ALDERMAN WHEREAS, Sec. 14‐57 of the Norwich Code of Ordinances presently makes the precinct alderman from the portion of the city where the stadium is located an ex officio member of the Norwich Baseball Stadium Authority and excludes the precinct alderman from being a full member of the Authority; and WHEREAS, by Charter change Norwich has discontinued the position of precinct alderman NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF CITY OF NORWICH, that Sec. 14‐57 of the Norwich Code of Ordinances be amended as hereinafter set forth to remove references to the position of the precinct alderman from Sec. 14‐57of the Norwich Code of Ordinances. Sec. 14­57. Creation of authority and membership. Pursuant to the provisions of G.S. §§7‐130a‐7‐130w, as the same have been amended from time to time, the Norwich Baseball Stadium Authority is hereby created by the City of Norwich. Said Norwich Baseball Stadium Authority shall have its principal office at the baseball stadium on Stott Avenue in Norwich, Connecticut or at such other place as may be designated. The Norwich Baseball Authority shall consist of nine members to be appointed by the Norwich City Council who shall be residents of the City of Norwich. One member of the authority shall be a resident of Plain Hill Road or adjoining street, exclusive of the precinct alderman. The Norwich City Council shall also make reasonable effort to appoint members with a background or experience in the fields of law, accounting, marketing or public relations, sports or recreation, and construction. The precinct alderman from the portion of the city where the stadium is located shall be an ex officio member of the authority. Purpose: to eliminate reference to the precinct alderman in Sec. 14‐57 of the Norwich Code of Ordinances. Upon motion of Ald. Braddock, seconded by Ald. Hinchey, it was unanimously voted, to set a public hearing on January 3, 2012 , for the second reading and action for the following ordinance introduced by Mayor Peter Nystrom: 8 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE I OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE NORWICH CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADDING A SECTION AUTHORIZING NORWICH MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RESIDENT ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF NORWICH TO SERVE ON THE NORWICH COMMISSION ON THE CITY PLAN, THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AND THE INLAND WETLANDS, WATERCOURSES AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION WHEREAS, Connecticut General Statute §7‐421 permits any municipality, by ordinance adopted by its legislative body, to authorize municipal employees residing within the municipality to serve on any body exercising zoning powers pursuant to chapter 124 of the Connecticut General Statutes or any special act or municipal charter; on any body exercising planning powers pursuant to chapter 126 of the Connecticut General Statutes or any special act or municipal charter; or on any body regulating inland, wetlands and watercourses pursuant to chapter 440 of the Connecticut General Statutes or any special act or municipal charter; and WHEREAS, Section 1 of Chapter XV of the Norwich Charter provides that there shall be a Commission on the City Plan consisting of five regular members who shall be resident electors of the City of Norwich and three alternates who shall be electors of the City of Norwich; and WHEREAS, Section 9 of Chapter XV of the Norwich Charter provides that there shall be a Zoning Board of Appeals consisting of five regular members and three alternate members who shall be resident electors of the City of Norwich; and WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Norwich by Section 11.01 of the Norwich Code of Ordinances established the Norwich Inland Wetlands, Watercourses and Conservation Commission and by Appendix B. authorized it to enforce all provision of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act pursuant to Chapter 440 of the Connecticut General Statutes, this commission to consist of seven members and three alternates, all electors of the City of Norwich; and WHEREAS, the Council finds it to be in the best interest of the City of Norwich to permit municipal employees who are resident electors of the City of Norwich to serve on these bodies NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH, that Article I of Chapter 2 of the Norwich Code of Ordinances be amended by adding a section to be identified as Section 2‐21 to provide as follows: Section 2­21. Norwich Municipal Employees who are resident electors of Norwich may serve on the Commission on the City Plan, the Zoning Board of Appeals or the Inland Wetlands, Watercourse and Conservation Commission. Any Norwich municipal employee who is also a resident elector of the City of Norwich may be appointed as a regular member or alternate member of the Commission on the City Plan, the Zoning Board of Appeals or the Inland Wetlands, Watercourse and Conservation Commission, and may serve thereon in such capacity to consider and act upon all matters to be brought before such bodies. 9 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH DECEMBER 19, 2011 Purpose: To permit Norwich municipal employees who are resident electors of the City of Norwich to be appointed to the Commission on the City Plan, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Inland, Wetlands, Watercourse Commission. Upon motion to Ald. Hinchey, seconded by Ald. Bettencourt, it was unanimously voted to adjourn at 8:30pm. City Clerk 10