City Council

JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH NOVEMBER 6, 2017 A regular meeting of the Council of the City of Norwich was held November 6, 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. Martin read the opening prayer and Ald. Nash led the members in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Hinchey called for a moment of silence and asked those who can to stand in solidarity for the victims killed and injured in our cities. Upon a motion of Ald. Braddock, seconded by Ald. Gould, it was unanimously voted to adopt the minutes of October 2 and 16, 2017. Greg Schlough gave an oral report on the Firefighters convention thanking many and stating it was a great success. A video presentation to market and promote Norwich was given. See the video by clicking here or typing http://www.norwichct.org/CivicMedia?CID=Economic- Development-10 in your address bar. Congratulations to Comptroller Joshua Pothier in recognition of receiving the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. Upon a motion of Ald. Philbrick, seconded by Ald. Braddock, it was unanimously voted to accept the resignation of George Chaput from the Commission for Persons with Disabilities, thanking him for his service. Upon a motion of Ald. Gould, seconded by Ald. Braddock, it was unanimously voted to accept the resignation of Peter S. Slocum from the Norwich Baseball Authority, thanking him for his service. City Manager’s Report: To: Mayor Hinchey and members of the City Council From: John Salomone, City Manager Subject: City Manager’s Report Date: November 6, 2017 The Mayor and I continue our weekly meetings. The Governor has signed the budget and staff and I are sorting out the financial impact to the city. I also met with Superintendent Abby Dolliver and staff regarding the budget. Pension negotiations are ongoing with the most recent meeting held on November 3rd. 1 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH NOVEMBER 6, 2017 Staff and I met with several of the Volunteer Fire Department Chiefs and Christopher Wardrop from USI Insurance on October 16th to discuss consolidating insurance coverage to save money. On October 18th staff and I met to discuss the opioid issues in Norwich. Plans are in the works to have a town hall meeting forum to let the community know what the city is doing in regards to this national crisis. I had my monthly meeting with Department Heads. I informed staff that City Planner, Deanna Rhodes has been assigned the supervision of the Planning and Neighborhood Services Department. Lee-Ann Gomes announced that her department was assisting with the transition of Puerto Rican evacuees into the area if needed. Her department is now officially located in City Hall. Bob Farwell, Otis Library Executive Director, announced that the library is offering citizenship classes in conjunction with Norwich Adult Education and Hartford Public Library. Twenty people have enrolled, with Tibetans representing the single largest group of participants. Ryan Thompson announced his staff is preparing for winter and that work will start on the Sherman Street Bridge. I would also like to congratulate Ryan for passing the State of CT Surveyor Licensing exam. He has been working on attaining this goal since he was in college. Two bids for the former Human Services Building were received and are being reviewed with staff. I attended the International City/County Management Association on October 23 rd and 24th. On November 2nd I attended a meeting at SCCOG to review consultants for a Regional Community Rating System Program/Model study for which I am on the selection panel. In conjunction with Light Up City Hall, my assistant, Jacquie Barbarossa has ordered a limited number of wooden City Hall replicas from Cat’s Meow Village which will be sold at the event on December 1st. Cat’s Meow Village has been crafting "little wooden buildings" of local, national, and international landmarks for 35 years which feature a little cat. They are a collectible item that the City had several years ago and any profit will be used to fund the event. Gabe Lipman, Art Teacher from Norwich Public Schools has delivered a new supply of artwork that is now on display throughout City Hall. Please take a look at these impressive works of art from our talented students. Website training for departments took place on November 2nd & 3rd at the NPU Training Room and the new website will be available to all by the end of November. Mayor Hinchey called for citizen comment on resolutions. There were no speakers 2 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH NOVEMBER 6, 2017 Mayor Hinchey declared citizen comment on resolutions was closed. Upon a motion of Ald. Martin, seconded by Ald. Braddock, it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by City Manager Salomone. WHEREAS, the City Manager John L. Salomone has appointed with Council approval as a regular member to the Redevelopment Agency for a term to expire on 2/28/18 or until a successor is appointed; Shane Roberts (U) NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Norwich hereby acknowledges the appointment of the above named to the Redevelopment Agency. Upon a motion of Ald. Gould, seconded by Ald. Nash, it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by President Pro Tem Nystrom, Ald. Gould and Braddock. BE IT RESOLVED that the below named be appointed as regular members to the Senior Affairs Commission with a term to expire on September 1, 2019 or until a successor is appointed: Genevieve S. Bergendahl (D) Frank Jacaruso Jr. (D) P. Michael Lahan (D) Jacquelyn W. Randall (D) Upon a motion of Ald. Gould, seconded by Ald. Braddock, it was unanimously voted to adopt the following resolution introduced by President Pro Tem Nystrom, Ald. Gould and Braddock. BE IT RESOLVED that the below named be appointed as alternate members to the Senior Affairs Commission with a term to expire on September 1, 2019 or until a successor is appointed: Janice Stewart (D) Laurieann M. Messore (U) Upon a motion of Ald. Nash, seconded by Ald. Martin, it was unanimously voted to set a public hearing on November 20, 2017 at 7:00 pm for the second reading and action for the following ordinance introduced by President Pro Tem Nystrom, this being the first reading. AN ORDINANCE TO BE LISTED AS SECTION 2-23 OF THE NORWICH CODE OF ORDINANCES CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITY COOPERATIVES AND ESTABLISHING THE POSITION OF A MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVE TO BE APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH 3 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH NOVEMBER 6, 2017 WHEREAS, Connecticut Public Act No. 17-73 “An Act Concerning Municipal Electric Utility Cooperatives” was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly and made effective October 1, 2017; and WHEREAS, said Public Act provides that the managing body of a municipal electric utility cooperative shall be a cooperative utility board charged with carrying out the corporate purposes and powers of the municipal energy electric cooperative with representatives to be appointed by each member of a municipal electric utility and by one representative to be appointed by the legislative body of each municipality in which a member of municipal electric utility operates; and WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the Norwich Department of Public Utilities appoints representatives to the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (“CMEEC”) and the Council of the City of Norwich, pursuant to Public Act No. 17-73 is authorized to appoint a municipal representative to the CMEEC Board. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH Section 2-23 - Norwich Ratepayer Representative to CMEEC (a) Purpose The position of a municipal representative for the City of Norwich to be made pursuant to Public Act No. 17-73, amending Connecticut General Statute (“C.G.S.”) §7-233c of Chapter 101a of the C.G.S., effective October 1, 2017, is hereby established by the Council of the City of Norwich to provide for additional representation for the City of Norwich on the governing body of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative. This representative shall be appointed to the cooperative utility board of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative by the Council of the City of Norwich by a resolution duly adopted and the position shall be titled the “Norwich Ratepayer Representative to CMEEC.” (b) Qualifications Any person to be appointed to the cooperative utility board of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative by the Council of the City of Norwich (the Norwich Ratepayer Representative to CMEEC) shall be: 1) An elector of the City of Norwich; 2) A residential or commercial ratepayer of Norwich Public Utilities, who, at the time of appointment, owes only current residential or commercial utility charges to Norwich Public Utilities and is not delinquent in the payment of any such charges; 4 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH NOVEMBER 6, 2017 3) An individual who does not hold other official positions in and is not employed by (a) the governing body of Norwich Public Utilities; (b) the City of Norwich; (c) the governing body of any other municipal electric utility which is a member of the CMEEC; (d) any municipality in which any other member municipal electric utility operates, or (e) The Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative or any other municipal electric energy cooperative; 4) The qualifications primarily to be considered for the Norwich Ratepayer Representative to CMEEC shall include: a) Professional or other expertise likely to be of assistance to the cooperative utility board in formulating opinions and directions relative to electric procurement and electrical generation strategy, contracting and management; and b) The ability to represent residential and commercial ratepayers of Norwich Public Utilities; and c) The possession of adequate availability, time, and resources to permit preparation and participation in proceedings on the cooperative utility board of CMEEC; and 5) Any Norwich Ratepayer Representative to CMEEC who shall cease to possess any of the qualifications enumerated in subsections 1), 2), and 3) herein shall forthwith forfeit the office, which shall be deemed vacant and the vacancy shall be filled by the Council of the City of Norwich for the unexpired term. (c) Term of Office and Method of Appointment The Norwich Ratepayer Representative to CMEEC shall be appointed by the Council of the City of Norwich to a two year term commencing as of December 1, 2017 and biennially thereafter. The same person may be reappointed to additional terms. (d) Duties and Responsibilities The Norwich Ratepayer Representative to CMEEC shall exercise all powers and carry out all duties and responsibilities established and provided for in Chapter 101a of the Connecticut General Statutes as amended by P.A. No. 17-73 and as they may be amended from time to time. 5 JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH NOVEMBER 6, 2017 (e) Compensation and Reimbursement The Norwich Ratepayer Representative to CMEEC may receive such salary or compensation and expense reimbursement as may be determined by the CMEEC by-laws for each meeting of the cooperative utility board or committee thereof actually attended, or as otherwise may be provided for in said by-laws or this ordinance, and said sum shall be payment in full for such services. Such representatives shall receive no salary, compensation or expense reimbursement from the City of Norwich. Any conflicting ordinances of the City of Norwich notwithstanding, CMEEC may reimburse such representatives for expenses for travel, both within and without the state, incurred in connection with services as a designated representative on such board. (f) Effective Date This ordinance shall take effect ten (10) days following its publication in a newspaper having general circulation in the City of Norwich following passage. Upon a motion of Ald. Gould, seconded by Ald. Martin, it was unanimously voted to go into Executive Session pursuant to Connecticut General Statute Section 1-200(6), for the purpose of discussing the property acquisition or disposition of real estate or interest in real estate when publicity regarding the proposed acquisition or disposition would cause a likelihood of an increased price to acquire and a diminished price to dispose of the property, and to review feasibility evaluations and reports made for the City of Norwich regarding such property . City Manager John Salomone, City Planner Deanna Rhodes and Corporation Counsel, Michael Driscoll, shall be asked to participate during all or portions of this Executive Session at the request of the City Council. The council was in Executive Session from 8:06 pm to 9:05 pm, at which time Mayor Hinchey stated no votes were taken. Upon a motion of Ald. Braddock, seconded by President Pro Tem Nystrom, it was unanimously voted to return to regular session. Upon a motion of Ald. Nash, seconded by Ald. Braddock, it was unanimously voted to adjourn at 9:06 pm. CITY CLERK 6