City Council

JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Norwich was held September 5, 2017 at 7:30 PM in Council Chambers. Present: Mayor Hinchey, Aldermen Nystrom, Philbrick, Braddock, Gould, Martin and Nash. City Manager Salomone and Corporation Counsel Michael Driscoll were also in attendance. Mayor Hinchey presided. Ald. Gould read the opening prayer and Ald. Martin led the members in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Hinchey stated she sent a card to The Mayor of Houston, with thoughts and best wishes and will send additional cards to The Mayors of the surrounding cities in their time of misfortune. Upon a motion of Ald. Martin, seconded by Ald. Gould, it was unanimously voted to adopt the minutes of August 7 and 21, 2017. City Manager’s Report: To: Mayor Hinchey and members of the City Council From: John Salomone, City Manager Subject: City Manager’s Report Date: September 5, 2017 The Mayor and I continue to have regular meetings. I attended the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments Special Meeting on August 23rd. I had my monthly staff meeting with department heads. Tony Madeira gave an update on the conversion dates for the City’s new website. Training sessions will be held November 2nd and 3rd with a reveal date scheduled for the end of November. City departments must appoint a representative from their department to review and update their current web pages by October 6th. Brigid Marks announced that the department is in the process of establishing eligibility lists for potential job openings due to retirement or promotions. She also stated she was working with Connecticut Inter- local Risk Management Agency (CIRMA) to provide training classes to the volunteer fire departments. Pat McCormack from Uncas Health announced that flu season is upon us and that Sue Dubb, Public Health Nurse, will be holding flu clinics. Flu Clinics for employees will be held at Fire Department Headquarters on September 7th, 12th, 18th, and 21st and at City Hall on September 12th. I signed the agreement with the Women’s Institute for the redevelopment of the Reid & Hughes building on Thursday, August 24th. Community Development Supervisor interviews were held on Tuesday, August 29th and an announcement will be forthcoming. Staff members and I met with Evan Blum, owner of the former Atlantic Packing Company to discuss his plans for the property. 1 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 My assistant, Jacquie Barbarossa posted an announcement for the upcoming sale of 80 Broadway on the City’s website and Facebook in advance of the RFP release which will be ready in the next few weeks. Once it is available on line, both sites will be updated with a link directly to the RFP. The traveling mural created by young adults from Our Piece of the Pie has arrived at City Hall and is on display on the second floor for the months of September and October. I invite you all to take a look at their artistic talents. I have the Treasurers Report from Michael Gualtieri, for quarter ended June 30, 2017 for your review. Mayor Hinchey called for citizen comment on resolutions. Wendy Bury, Norwich Creates, spoke in favor of resolution # 2 stating it is important to create a Poet Laureate and felt that Norwich could be the leader to establish this position for other cities. Shiela Hayes, 288 Central Ave, spoke in favor of resolution #2 and is a member of Norwich Creates. She felt that arts are the forefront for growth in the City. She also talked about resolution #4 and stated she walks and some sidewalks are in disrepair and will reach out to people to encourage them to fix their sidewalks through this program. Julie Menders, 7 Nelson Pl, employed at Otis Library and spoke in behalf of the Library on resolution #2 and gave a full endorsement. David Crabb, 47 Prospect St, spoke against resolution #1 stating it is a straw deal much less than the appraisal price and we should explore other avenues. Mayor Hinchey declared citizen comment on resolutions was closed. Upon a motion of Ald. Martin, seconded by Ald. Gould, it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Ald. Gould. WHEREAS, the City of Norwich instituted a foreclosure action as to the property located at 19 Ward Street, Norwich, Connecticut to collect property taxes due on the assessment list of October 1, 2016 and thereafter; and WHEREAS, on March 14, 2016 the court entered a judgment of foreclosure by sale at which sale the city was the high bidder with a bid of $32,100 being the unpaid taxes and cost of the sale; and WHEREAS, on September 13, 2016 the city became the owner of the property by a Foreclosure of Sale Committee Deed recorded at volume 2979, page 33 of the Norwich Land Records; and WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Norwich finds it to be in the best interest of the City of Norwich to dispose of this property by a negotiated sale using the services of Allyn and Associates Realtors at a price recommended by Allyn and Associates Realtors; and 2 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Norwich by resolution adopted August 7, 2017 approved the sale of the property to two prospective purchasers who have withdrawn their offer to purchase; and WHEREAS, a prospective purchaser has signed and submitted a Purchase and Sales Agreement dated August 18, 2017 offering to purchase the property for $24,500.00 by a cash sale, which price and agreement Allyn and Associates Realtors recommends. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH that its resolution of August 7, 2017 approving the sale of the property to Eric Dingman and Kevin Dingman is rescinded; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH that, City Manager, John Salomone, be and hereby is authorized and directed on behalf of the City of Norwich to enter into a Real Estate Listing Agreement satisfactory to him and the corporation counsel with Allyn and Associates Realtors for the property at 19 Ward Street; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH that, City Manager John Salomone be and hereby is authorized and directed to accept, execute, and deliver a Purchase and Sales Agreement between the City of Norwich and Laura B. Rodriguez of New London, Connecticut providing for a cash sale of the property for $24,500.00 and, upon payment of said sum subject to standard adjustments to the City of Norwich, to execute and deliver a deed of conveyance together with such other statements, documents, affidavits, and reports as are necessary to complete the transfer of title to Laura B. Rodriguez pursuant to the terms of the Purchase and Sales Agreement. Upon a motion of Ald. Nash, seconded by Ald. Martin, it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Mayor Hinchey. WHEREAS, the Norwich Creates Collaborative was established in 2015 by the Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition in partnership with the Norwich Community Development Corporation and the office of the Mayor of the City of Norwich to assist and facilitate in the development of a strategic plan for the City of Norwich; and WHEREAS, the mission of the Norwich Creates Collaborative is to utilize arts and cultural assets to provide a positive economic impact for the City of Norwich; and WHEREAS, the City of Norwich is supportive of the creative arts for their own sake as well as for the positive economic impact they make in Norwich; and WHEREAS, the Norwich Creates Collaborative has recommended the Council of the City of Norwich establish the honorary position of “Poet Laureate of the City of Norwich” in recognition of the role poetry serves in facilitating creative expression; recognizing in the words of Alexander Pope: “True Wit is Nature to advantage dress’d What oft was thought, but ne’re so well express’d.”; and 3 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 WHEREAS, the Norwich Creates Collaborative has offered to organize a committee to recommend a candidate or candidates to serve as Honorary Poet Laureate for the City of Norwich, said committee to consist of five members, one each appointed by the Norwich Creates Collaborative, the Otis Library, Three Rivers Community College, Norwich Public Schools, and the Norwich Free Academy, which committee to make recommendations to the Council of the City of Norwich regarding appointment to the honorary position; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Council of the City of Norwich that it accepts this offer and requests the Norwich Creates Collaborative to organize a Poet Laureate Selection Committee to consist of five members, one each appointed by the Norwich Creates Collaborative, the Otis Library, Three Rivers Community College, Norwich Public Schools, and the Norwich Free Academy, and, using such criteria as the Committee may believe appropriate, to recommend a candidate or candidates to the Council of the City of Norwich to be the Honorary Poet Laureate of the City of Norwich. Upon a motion of Ald. Braddock, seconded by President Pro Tem Nystrom, it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Ald. Philbrick. WHEREAS, Connecticut General Statute §7-277a authorizes municipalities to enter into agreements for mutual police assistance; and WHEREAS, since 1979 Norwich has participated in the Law Enforcement Council of Eastern Connecticut Mutual Police Assistance Compact; and WHEREAS, said Compact has been periodically reviewed and a revision to the Mutual Police Assistance Compact is proposed; and WHEREAS, the existing compact and the proposed revision both permit the chief executive officer of the City of Norwich, or his designee, whenever he determines it to be necessary in order to protect the safety and well-being of Norwich, to request police assistance as necessary to meet the situation from the chief executive officer of any other town, city or borough pursuant to the terms of Connecticut General Statute §7-277a and the compact, and to provide assistance to other towns, cities or boroughs upon similar request. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH, that City Manager John Salomone be and hereby is authorized and directed to enter into and execute on behalf of the City of Norwich the revised Mutual Police Assistance Compact, if satisfactory to him and Police Chief Patrick Daley, and to deliver the same to an authorized representative of the Law Enforcement Council of Eastern Connecticut. Upon a motion of Ald. Martin, seconded by Ald. Gould, it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by Ald. Gould. WHEREAS, the property owners listed below want to participate in a cost sharing program with the City of Norwich to construct concrete sidewalks along their property; and WHEREAS, the City of Norwich wants to improve sidewalks throughout the City. 4 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH that: granite curbing and concrete sidewalks will be constructed at the following locations where the property owners will pay for an assessment for the cost of the sidewalks and the City of Norwich will pay for the cost of the curbing and miscellaneous items. Name Address Owner Cost UCFS/Jennifer Granger 77 East Town Street $ 7,310.00 Darrell VanWagner 29 East Cliff St. $ 2,380.00 Dr. and Mrs Taylor 34 Rockwell St. $ 5,465.00 Kelly E. Field 9 Julian Terrace $ 3,200.00 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the cost of this project be funded from the existing capital budget line item for sidewalks, Construction Account #81000 and the Special Assessment Fund, Fund #40000, and that a public hearing be held at the first meeting of the City Council in October 2017. The estimated city’s cost for curbing and miscellaneous construction items are estimated to be $8,732.33. Upon motion of Ald. Gould, seconded by Ald. Martin, it was unanimously voted to adjourn at 7:58 pm. CITY CLERK 5