City Council
Regular MeetingNorwich, CT · April 20, 2020
Minutes
JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH APRIL 20, 2020
The regular meeting of the Council of the City of Norwich was held April 20, 2020 at 7:30 PM in
Council Chambers. Present: Ald. Bettencourt, Ald. Nash, Gould, Wilson, Myles (via phone) and
DeLucia. City Manager Salomone and Corporation Counsel Michael Driscoll were also in attendance.
Mayor Nystrom presided.
President Pro Tem Bettencourt read the opening prayer and Ald. Nash led the members in the Pledge
of Allegiance.
Please be advised that meetings of the Norwich City Council can be viewed in their
entirety on the City of Norwich website “norwichct.org”.
Mayor Nystrom called for citizen comment.
There were no speakers.
Mayor Nystrom declared citizen comment closed.
Upon a motion of Ald. Wilson, seconded by Ald. Gould, it was unanimously voted on a roll call vote to
accept the resignation of Joanne Philbrick from the Zoning Board of Appeals thanking her for her
service.
Upon a motion of Ald. Gould, seconded by President Pro Tem Bettencourt, it was unanimously voted
to accept the communication from Greg Schlough, Chairman notifying a change of the date of the
Relay for Life of Southeastern CT event.
City Managers Report:
To: Mayor Nystrom and members of the City Council
From: John Salomone, City Manager
Subject: City Manager’s Report
Date: April 20, 2020
I would like to thank our community for following “Stay Safe, Stay Home” guidelines during the Covid-19
pandemic. Special thanks to our essential employees, and first responders that must continue to serve the
public with this new way of conducting business and services which has been constantly changing and evolving
over the past 5 weeks.
There is a new way of life at City Hall and in our community and we continue to follow and comply with the
Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Governor’s Lamont’s orders. City Departments have become creative
with meetings, online applications and steering people to the City website so that staff can work remotely.
There is a banner notice on the home page of the City website for City operations during COVID-19. Youth and
Family Services has posted 11 videos related to coping strategies, stress management and substance use
prevention for kids. The Recreation Department has been extremely creative with keeping our youth
entertained by posting daily activities for families and even having a virtual “Easter Egg Hunt”.
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JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH APRIL 20, 2020
Meetings are now held via conference call or video conferencing including; weekly meetings with Governor
Lamont, Senator Osten, Region 4 Division of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, Statewide COVID-
19 Local Health Departments and Department Head updates. Monthly meetings included, SEAT & SCCOG and
Public Safety Committee. I also held a press conference with the local newspapers and radio station for the
upcoming budget and had a phone interview with Stu Bryer for WICH.
The City Budget hearings have been held via teleconference and live streamed on the City’s website and local
public access TV and will be continued with the Council Meetings until restrictions are lifted. Special thanks to
our IT department for the extra time and effort to keep up with the technology during this time and for my
assistant, Jacquie Barbarossa for learning the conference bridge phone provided by Norwich Public Utilities
and the City’s new internal “TurboBridge” systems provided by IT. Remember, we are all in this together.
I have attached the City Departments, Otis Library and Norwich Community Development reports for quarter
ending March 31, 2020. Also attached, is the Key Financial Indicators report for the eight months ended
February 29th from Comptroller Josh Pothier.
Quarterly Reports
Mayor Nystrom called for citizen comment.
There were no speakers.
Mayor Nystrom declared citizen comment closed.
Upon a motion of President Pro Tem Bettencourt, seconded by Ald. Gould, on a roll call vote it was
unanimously voted to put the following resolution introduced by Mayor Nystrom, Ald. Gould and
DeLucia on the floor.
Upon a motion of Ald. Gould, seconded by President Pro Tem Bettencourt, on a roll call vote it was
unanimously voted on a roll call vote to amend the following resolution to add in paragraph #6 to add
“ Low Interest Rate Program”.
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, Governor Ned Lamont issued a declaration of public health and civil
preparedness emergencies, proclaiming a state of emergency throughout the State of Connecticut as a result of
the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; and
WHEREAS, on April 1, 2020, Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order 7S entitled “Protection of Public
Health and Safety during COVID-19 Pandemic and Response – Safe Stores, Relief for Policyholders, Taxpayers
and Tenants”: and
WHEREAS, under Section 6 of Executive Order 7S, each municipality shall participate in at least one of two
established programs known as the “Deferment Program”, and the “Low Interest Rate Program” and shall notify
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JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH APRIL 20, 2020
the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management no later than April 25, 2020, as to in which program or
programs the municipality is electing to participate; and
WHEREAS, on April 9, 2020 Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order 7W which at Section 1(b) provides
clarification as to contain time periods established in Section 6 of Executive Order 7S stating:
“Because interest on past due taxes and water, sewer, or electric charges are calculated by the
month, not by the day, and principal is typically due on the first of the month, not the tenth, the
ninety (90) day periods referred to Executive Order No. 7S, Section 6 are amended to three (3)
months, and the references to due dates and delinquency dates on or prior to March 10, 2020
are amended to April 1.”
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH, that it hereby elects that the City
of Norwich is to participate in the Low Interest Rate Program [Program(s)] under Section 6(b) of Executive Order
7S, as clarified by Section 1(b) of Executive Order 7W, and that City Manager John Salomone be and hereby is
authorized and directed to provide timely notice of the same to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management and to direct, supervise, and carry out as necessary all requirements in the implementation of the
Program(s).
Upon motion of Ald. Gould seconded by Ald. Nash, on a roll call vote it was unanimously voted to
adjourn at 8:15 P.M.
City Clerk
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Agenda
AGENDA – MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH
April 20, 2020
7:30 PM
The meeting of the Council will seek to comply with the directives of Executive Order 7B-1
issued by Governor Ned Lamont on March 14, 2020, together with any Executive Orders
subsequently issued which pertain to such meetings.
The Mayor, members of the City Council, the City Manager, City Clerk, Comptroller and
Corporation Counsel shall be present in person but separated by appropriate social distancing
at Council chambers or participate remotely by conference call, video conference or other
technology.
The meeting shall be televised on the Public Access Channel in real time and posted on the
city website, www.norwichct.org, consistent with Executive Order 7B-1 and the usual
practices of the City of Norwich. All remarks or comments made by the Mayor, the members
of the Norwich City Council, city officials, and by the public during Citizen Comment General
(30 minutes) and the Citizen Comment on resolutions portion of the meeting, shall be
included.
The citizen comment general (30 minutes) and comments of citizen on resolutions may be
made telephonically pursuant to the following instructions:
Call phone number first dial 860-215-8140 and then when prompted, enter the conference
ID# 4038191 followed by the pound (#) key.
This number will be available only during the citizen comment general (30 minutes) and
public comment period listed on the agenda as Citizen Comment General (30 minutes) and
Citizen Comment on resolutions. Its use commences when Citizen Comment General (30
minutes) and Citizen Comment on resolutions is reached and opened by the Mayor. Any calls
must be made prior to the Mayor’s announcement that the Citizen Comment General (30
minutes) and Citizen Comment on resolutions period has ended.
Citizen Comment General (30 minutes) and Citizen Comments on resolutions limited to the
resolutions on the agenda may also be sent by email or means of other written
communication stating the name, address and title if applicable, of the sender. Emails should
be sent to the office of the Mayor at mayorsoffice@cityofnorwich.org and other written
communication sent or delivered to the office of the Mayor, 100 Broadway, Norwich, CT
06360. Emails must be received by 7:00 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2020, and other written
communications received by 4:30 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2020, to be made available to the
City Council for its April 20, 2020 meeting.
Citizen Comment General (30 minutes) any topic concerning the City can be brought forward
and Citizen Comments on resolutions will be limited to the resolutions on the agenda only.
All speakers taking part in both Citizen Comment General (30 minutes) and Citizen Comment
on resolutions portion of the meeting shall clearly state their name and address or title, if
applicable, before speaking and will be limited to three minutes.
PRAYER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
CITIZEN COMMENT GENERAL (30 Minutes)
PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
1. Letter of resignation of Joanne Philbrick from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
2. Letter from the Chairman of Relay for Life-Southeastern Connecticut that the date event
has been postponed to a later date.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
CITIZENS COMMENT ON RESOLUTIONS
NEW BUSINESS-RESOLUTIONS
1. Relative to Governor Lamont’s, Executive Order pertaining to temporary tax abatement or
interest rate reduction and referral to the Office of Policy and Management (OPM).
City Clerk
PETITION & COMMUNICATION #2
From: GREGORY SCHLOUGH <gaschlough@snet.net>
Date: April 14, 2020 at 8:33:41 PM EDT
To: Peter Nystrom <pnystrom@cityofnorwich.org>
Subject: Relay for Life
Good Evening Mr. Mayor,
I know I sent you an email this morning concerning the date change for Relay for Life of Southeastern CT.
What I thought was a new date that had been approved, has now turned into another cancelled date.
This afternoon I heard from our Cancer Society Staff Partner and per the American Cancer Society, they have
sent an edict stating that No ACS Events, including Relay for Life, can be held until after June. Therefore, as
of now, our Relay for Life has NO date for the Event. I have been in contact with the Stadium and am waiting
for a response. I have asked for some time between Mid July and Mid August. Once I know the date, I will
forward it to you.
Thank you,
Greg Schlough
2020 Event Chairman
American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Southeastern CT
Phone; (860) 608-2396
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
RESOLUTION #1
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, Governor Ned Lamont issued a declaration of public health
and civil preparedness emergencies, proclaiming a state of emergency throughout the State
of Connecticut as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; and
WHEREAS, on April 1, 2020, Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order 7S entitled
“Protection of Public Health and Safety during COVID-19 Pandemic and Response – Safe
Stores, Relief for Policyholders, Taxpayers and Tenants”: and
WHEREAS, under Section 6 of Executive Order 7S, each municipality shall participate in at
least one of two established programs known as the “Deferment Program”, and the “Low
Interest Rate Program” and shall notify the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management no later than April 25, 2020, as to in which program or programs the
municipality is electing to participate; and
WHEREAS, on April 9, 2020 Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order 7W which at
Section 1(b) provides clarification as to contain time periods established in Section 6 of
Executive Order 7S stating:
“Because interest on past due taxes and water, sewer, or electric charges are
calculated by the month, not by the day, and principal is typically due on the
first of the month, not the tenth, the ninety (90) day periods referred to
Executive Order No. 7S, Section 6 are amended to three (3) months, and the
references to due dates and delinquency dates on or prior to March 10, 2020
are amended to April 1.”
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWICH, that
it hereby elects that the City of Norwich is to participate in the
[Program(s)] under Section 6(b) of Executive Order 7S, as clarified by Section 1(b) of
Executive Order 7W, and that City Manager John Salomone be and hereby is authorized and
directed to provide timely notice of the same to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management and to direct, supervise, and carry out as necessary all requirements in the
implementation of the Program(s).
Mayor Peter Albert Nystrom
Alderwoman Stacy Gould
Alderman Joseph A. DeLucia
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