City Council

MINUTES Vol 27, Page 589 CITY COUNCIL & WPCA REGULAR MEETING City Hall Auditorium / Zoom September 2, 2025 A REGULAR MEETING of the City Council and Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) of the City of Torrington was held at the City Hall Auditorium on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. Present at City Hall were Mayor Elinor Carbone, Corporation Counsel Michael Magistrali, and City Councilors Drake Waldron, Stephan Ivain, Anne Ruwet, and Paul Cavagnero. Also present at City Hall were Human Resources Director Denise Kurpiewski, Republican Registrar of Voters Frederick Jury, and Registrar’s Clerk Melissa Russell. Councilor David Oliver and WPCA Administrator Ed Tousey participated via Zoom. Councilor Molly Spino was absent. Mayor Carbone called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance. Public Comment: On a motion by Councilor Cavagnero, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public. No one from the public wished to speak. Approve Minutes On a motion by Councilor Ivain, seconded by Councilor Cavagnero, the Council voted to accept the Regular Meeting Minutes from August 18, 2025. Councilor Oliver abstained. Councilor Ruwet arrived at 6:33 p.m. Conservation Commission Reappointment On a motion by Councilor Ivain, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to reappoint Erin Stelma (I), Christine Altman (D), and Dan McGuinness (D) as regular members of the Conservation Commission for a term set to expire September 4, 2028. Contract Amendment – AFSCME Local 2212 (Public Works) On a motion by Councilor Cavagnero, seconded by Councilor Ivain, the Council voted unanimously to authorize the Mayor to execute and amend the Torrington Public Works Employees union contract, “Agreement between the City of Torrington and Local 2212, of Council 4 AFSCME AFL-CIO, dated July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029”, as further explained in the Director of Human Resources memo dated August 21, 2025. Ms. Kurpiewski thanked both negotiating teams, stating that members ratified the agreement on August 14th and were pleased with the result. She noted that efforts were made to reach an agreement with both parties without placing a burden on taxpayers. WPCA Payments Authorization On a motion by Councilor Ivain, seconded by Councilor Cavagnero, the City Council, herein acting as the Water Pollution Control Authority, voted unanimously to approve the following payments from Fund #490 Sanitary Sewer Capital Improvement: DATE INVOICE CONTRACTOR AMOUNT DESCRIPTION 9/2/2025 # 2001 Yield Industries LLC $10,700.00 619 Migeon Ave Emergency sewer repair Tax Collector Refunds On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Ivain, the Council voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of the Tax Collector and authorize the tax refunds indicated on the list dated September 2, 2025. Sewer Usage Refunds On a motion by Councilor Ivain, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of the Tax Collector and authorize the sewer usage refunds indicated on the list dated September 2, 2025. Failed – Proposed Addition of Agenda Item: Polling Place Relocation On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Oliver, the Council voted 3–2 to add Schedule B to the agenda to receive a report from the Elections Department and Registrars of Voters and to authorize the relocation of one of the City’s polling places. The motion failed, with opposition from Councilors Ivain and Cavagnero. Business by Dept. Heads On a motion by Councilor Ruwet, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to consider business by Department Heads. Republican Registrar of Voters Fred Jury reported significant issues with the Armory polling place, noting he spent 14 hours at the last election due to a tabulator failure. He also cited safety and accessibility concerns, including a trip-and-fall hazard where numerous people stumbled, as well as non-compliance MINUTES Vol 27, Page 590 CITY COUNCIL & WPCA REGULAR MEETING City Hall Auditorium / Zoom September 2, 2025 with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—such as the absence of curb cuts, two of three ramps being too steep, and the lack of designated handicap parking. He recommended relocating to Vogel Wetmore School, citing its ample parking, stoplight with a walk indicator, and overall safer conditions. Registrars of Voters’ Clerk Melissa Russell read a memo into the record detailing the reasoning behind the change of the polling location. *See addendum* Mayor Carbone clarified that the primary issues with using the Armory as a polling location are the ramp incline, parking spaces, and Federal ADA non- compliance. She inquired about the consequences of non-compliance, and Ms. Russell advised that the Department of Justice could intervene, resulting in substantial expenses. Mayor Carbone noted that at a post-election meeting last year, Vogel-Wetmore School had been proposed as an alternative polling location. They had asked Ms. Russell to contact the Board of Education about its availability. Councilor Ivain expressed concern about the nine-month delay in addressing the problems and warned that making such a major change so close to the election without a documented plan could create chaos. He emphasized that the Armory’s issues should have been resolved earlier. Ms. Russell attributed the delay to her medical leave. Councilor Ruwet requested clarification regarding the ADA concerns, and Mayor Carbone confirmed that the ramp and parking deficiencies cannot be remedied before November. When asked if the matter was before the Council because the Registrars could not agree, Ms. Russell confirmed. Councilor Cavagnero noted that the Armory has traditionally been a strong polling location for Democrats, which explains party pushback against the move. He proposed holding a Special Meeting on the relocation to ensure all Council members could participate, citing the potential impact on the November election. Mayor Carbone agreed, emphasizing that the decision should be guided by voter accessibility and data rather than politics. She said she would work with the Registrars and their Clerk to gather the necessary information. Councilor Ivain requested an ADA inspection report for the Armory and inquired about the length of time the issues had been identified. Councilor Cavagnero raised broader safety concerns about the Armory’s use for other activities. Councilor Ivain also pointed out that construction near Vogel-Wetmore could create voter confusion and suggested postponing any changes until after the November election. Atty. Magistrali reported that Judge Lynch denied defendant Jason Hospitality’s motion to terminate the receivership for the Yankee Peddler Inn. Jason Hospitality has appealed against the decision to the Connecticut Appellate Court. The City will likely retain outside counsel with appellate expertise to handle the case, which could further delay the motion to sell the Yankee Peddler Inn, currently scheduled for September 23, 2025. Councilor Cavagnero asked who would cover the legal fees. Atty. Magistrali explained that if the Court approves a sale, the City’s expenses would be reimbursed from the proceeds. Mayor Carbone clarified that the City has a $60,000 budget from Blight funds—not taxpayer funds—for building stabilization and legal fees, with the expectation of recovering these costs upon the sale or restoration of the property. She informed the Council that the project manager and the President of the Torrington Development Corporation will be invited to the next Council meeting to present on building stabilization, grant applications, and to provide guidance on whether to continue pursuing the appeal. Mayor Carbone also noted that the appeal may be a tactic by the defendant to delay the process. Business by Mayor & Members On a motion by Councilor Cavagnero, seconded by Councilor Ivain, the Council voted unanimously to consider business by the Mayor and City Council members. Councilor Ivain raised concern regarding the status of annual canvassing and updates to voter records by the Registrar’s Clerk’s Office, requesting a report to ensure smooth elections. Mayor Carbone agreed, emphasizing that the goal is to prevent any negative headlines during Torrington’s election cycle. Public Comment (in-person only) On a motion by Councilor Waldron, seconded by Councilor Ruwet, the Council voted unanimously to open the meeting to the public to comment on agenda items only. Adjournment On a motion by Councilor Ruwet, seconded by Councilor Waldron, the Council voted unanimously to adjourn at 7:19 p.m. Respectfully submitted by ATTEST: Heather Abraham, Asst. City Clerk CAROL L. ANDERSON, CITY CLERK CAROL L. ANDERSON, CITY CLERK MINUTES Vol 27, Page 591 CITY COUNCIL & WPCA REGULAR MEETING City Hall Auditorium / Zoom September 2, 2025 Addendum: August 28, 2025 To: Torrington City Council Members From: Elections Department RE: Moving the District 6 polling place from The Armory to Vogel-Wetmore School Greetings, Council Members, This is an informational memo regarding the relocation of the District 6 polling place from The Armory to the Vogel-Wetmore School. I was asked to prepare this memo for your information. History of making the change: • We had two known incidents at the building; the first was one of our setup crew tripping on the tarp taped onto the floor and injuring his arm. He did have to seek medical care for this. The second incident involved a woman who fell from her wheelchair on Election Day while using the ramp outside the entrance. I have received anecdotal reports that individuals have tripped on the tarp over the years and that several falls have occurred; however, I have no official records of these incidents. • ADA compliance. There are issues with compliance with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Using the Federal ADA polling place checklist, Jamie Sykora and I assessed the building and found two key issues: the outer ramp is considerably out of compliance, and there are no ADA- compliant parking spaces. • Long lines and waiting times. Despite being the largest voting district in Torrington, the Armory recorded fewer than three thousand Election Day voters. This should have been an easy and fast-moving process, even with the tabulators that broke down. The largest complaint I heard regarding this is that we didn’t use the front steps and doors for the entrance. The decision to use the side doors was based on ADA compliance considerations and the potential difficulty some mobility-impaired voters could face when using the front granite steps. They are steep, and the granite can get slippery. • In December, after the election, the mayor called a meeting of all interested parties to discuss the problems and issues of the election. In attendance at that meeting were the Mayor, Corporation Counsel, the chairs of both the Democratic and Republican parties, the Town Clerk and her assistant, both Registrars of Voters, and me. We discussed all the areas where we felt improvement was needed, and the issues at the Armory were a large part of that discussion. During the conversation, relocating the polling place to Vogel-Wetmore School was suggested, and consensus seemed to be reached. At least there was, to my recollection, no voiced opposition. Why Vogel-Wetmore School was selected as a replacement: • The first issue was the number of people who walk to The Armory to vote, so it was important that if we made a change, we find a place that would MINUTES Vol 27, Page 592 CITY COUNCIL & WPCA REGULAR MEETING City Hall Auditorium / Zoom September 2, 2025 allow people to continue to do so. The school is less than a mile from The Armory and is centrally located in downtown Torrington. Additionally, the school has marked crosswalks with pedestrian signals to make it safer for individuals who walk to the polls. • The gym at the school is ADA compliant, so there are no issues with levels or doorways. • There is ample parking at the school, and proper handicapped spaces that allow for wheelchair access. • There is a generator at the school, which would eliminate the need for expensive battery backup systems to power the tabulators. Voting can continue even if a power outage occurs. Getting the word out: • It’s important that any changes that are made be well-publicized and advertised. Some of the things we can do are: 1. Press releases for both WZBG and WAPJ 2. Press Releases for both the Rep-Am and the Register Citizen 3. Posts on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and perhaps TikTok. This includes not only the “official” Torrington pages, but also the various Torrington-centric pages. 4. Postcards sent to every household in the district, in both English and Spanish. 5. Signage around downtown and other places where gatherings are held (social clubs/lodges, popular restaurants, churches, if they allow it, etc.) 6. Signage at the Armory itself • On Election Day, we can hire someone to redirect voters who come to the Armory by mistake. We can even have little maps printed that show where the school is in relation to The Armory. It may even be possible, if necessary, to hire a shuttle during peak hours to bring voters from the Armory to the school.