[0:00] Council,
[0:03] please come to order. We'll be joined in
[0:06] prayer by Alderman Nestrom.
[0:12] Almighty God, we ask for your blessing
[0:14] upon the members of this council as we
[0:16] assemble here in this chamber to conduct
[0:18] the ongoing business of our city. With
[0:21] your guidance, we will strive to ensure
[0:23] that all our decisions are for the
[0:24] common good, and your inspiration will
[0:26] instill respect, compassion, and
[0:28] thoughtfulness in all our deliberations.
[0:31] Give us the strength and wisdom to lead
[0:32] by example as the people's
[0:34] representatives, and their peace and
[0:36] harmony will mark all our proceedings,
[0:38] and keep us faithful to the trust placed
[0:40] on us by the citizens of your community.
[0:43] Amen.
[0:43] >> Amen.
[0:44] >> Thank you very much,
[0:46] >> Orderman Hayes. Order woman news.
[0:48] >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[0:51] United States of America and to the
[0:53] republic for which it stands, one nation
[0:57] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[1:00] justice for all.
[1:04] » Thank you very much.
[1:09] Petition and communication number one,
[1:12] commission on the city plan referral
[1:14] response, an ordinance appropriating $55
[1:18] million for the city of Norwich police
[1:19] headquarters facility project located at
[1:22] 300 Main Street downtown and authorizing
[1:25] the issue of $55 million bonds for the
[1:28] city to meet said appropriation
[1:30] impending the issuance thereof the
[1:32] making of temporary borrowings for such
[1:34] purpose. Would you like me to read the
[1:36] letter in entirety?
[1:40] » Sure.
[1:43] >> August 13, 2026. the honorable mayor,
[1:46] alder persons of the council in the city
[1:48] of Norwich, an ordinance appropriating
[1:50] 55 million for the city of Norwich
[1:52] police headquarters facility project
[1:54] located at 300 Main Street downtown and
[1:57] authorizing the issue of $55 million
[2:00] bonds for the city to meet said
[2:01] appropriation and pending the issuance
[2:04] thereof the making of temporary
[2:05] borrowings for such purpose. At the
[2:08] August 13, 2026 hybrid special meeting
[2:11] of the city of Norwich Commission on the
[2:13] city plan and the commi the commission
[2:15] reviewed and dis discussed the above
[2:18] reference referral.
[2:20] Seated were Dean Nason, Dennis Jenkins,
[2:23] Jason Bugby, and Ella Miles. After
[2:26] careful consideration, Jason Bugby made
[2:28] a motion to forward a favorable
[2:30] recommendation to the city council to
[2:32] approve the ordinance and it is as it is
[2:34] consistent with the envision 06360
[2:38] plan of conservation and development.
[2:41] Live Norwich goal number three strategy
[2:44] L3.1
[2:46] provide and maintain highquality
[2:48] community facilities and public
[2:50] services. specifically continue to
[2:53] provide and maintain community
[2:55] facilities. Dennis Jenkins seconded the
[2:59] motion. In favor, Dean Nason, Dennis
[3:02] Jenkins, Jason Bugby, and Ella Miles.
[3:05] Against none, abstain none. Dean Nason,
[3:08] vice chairman.
[3:10] >> Thank you very much. Can I have a motion
[3:12] to accept this favorable recommendation?
[3:15] >> So moved.
[3:16] >> Okay.
[3:18] Motion by Alderman Nestrom, second by
[3:21] Alderwoman Hayes.
[3:24] Any discussion?
[3:26] If not, roll call, please.
[3:28] >> Alderman Nash,
[3:29] >> yes.
[3:30] >> Alderwoman Hayes,
[3:31] >> yes.
[3:31] >> Alderman Katabaya,
[3:33] >> yes.
[3:33] >> Alderwoman Zucardi,
[3:34] >> yes.
[3:35] >> Alderman Nestrom,
[3:36] >> yes.
[3:37] >> President Prom Deluchia,
[3:38] >> yes.
[3:39] >> Mayor Singh,
[3:40] >> yes. Motion passes 7 to zero. Thank you
[3:43] very much.
[3:45] Mission and communication. Number two,
[3:46] various recently pro recently
[3:48] proclamations. Recently issued
[3:51] proclamations.
[3:51] >> Thank you very much. Can I have a motion
[3:53] to accept these?
[3:56] >> So moved.
[3:57] >> Thank you. Alderman Nestrom. Can I have
[3:59] a second?
[4:01] >> Second.
[4:02] >> Alderwoman
[4:05] Zucardi.
[4:07] Any discussions?
[4:09] Hearing none. Roll call, please.
[4:10] >> Alderman Nash.
[4:12] >> Yes.
[4:12] >> Alderwoman Hayes. Yes.
[4:14] >> Alderman Canabaya.
[4:16] >> Yes.
[4:16] >> Alderwoman Zucardi.
[4:17] >> Yes.
[4:18] >> Alderman Nestrom.
[4:19] >> Yes.
[4:20] >> President Prom Deluchia.
[4:22] >> Yes.
[4:22] >> Mayor Singh.
[4:23] >> Yes. Motion passes 7 to zero. Thank you
[4:26] very much.
[4:28] Public hearing number one, an ordinance
[4:30] appropriating 55 million for the city of
[4:32] Norwich headquarters facility pro
[4:34] project located at 300 Main Street
[4:37] downtown and authorizing the issue of
[4:39] $55 million bonds of the city to set to meet said appropriation and pending
[4:45] the issuance thereof and making the
[4:46] temporary borrowings for such purpose.
[4:49] >> Thank you very much. So at this point I
[4:52] declare public hearing open.
[4:54] uh please come forward, state your name
[4:58] and uh first we'll have uh anybody who's
[5:01] in favor of this
[5:04] >> can come forward. Thank you.
[5:16] My name is Charles Tyrie. I'm a resident
[5:18] of Norwich for 20 years. I live at 107
[5:20] Newton Street. I'm the pastor of a local
[5:23] congregation here in Norwich and I have
[5:25] been a unpaid volunteer police chaplain
[5:28] for the last 12 years.
[5:31] Ladies and gentlemen of the council, Mr.
[5:33] Mayor, it's a pleasure to speak to you
[5:36] today. Uh the views that I'll express
[5:39] are my own. I I even as I tell you what
[5:41] I believe officers believe, one of the
[5:44] duties of chaplain is officer wellness
[5:48] and morale. Uh we also do some things
[5:50] for the department uh ministering to the
[5:52] community and and helping with uh some
[5:55] duties is there as well. Norris Police
[5:59] Department needs your immediate support.
[6:02] We're approaching a crisis. Officers are
[6:05] retiring, leaving police work, and
[6:07] transferring to other agencies.
[6:09] Simply put, I believe that our officers
[6:13] do not believe the city government
[6:14] actually supports them.
[6:17] They have several concrete reasons for
[6:19] this belief and no amount of verbal
[6:22] denial or comforting words will dissuade
[6:24] that. We have an opportunity now to take
[6:28] a first step to meaningfully address
[6:31] that need by actually supporting our
[6:34] officers. So, I recommend to you that
[6:36] you please put the new police station on
[6:39] the ballot in November.
[6:41] For more than 14 years, we've weakly
[6:44] supported this critical need as a city.
[6:47] I urge council members and the citizens
[6:49] to vigorous vigorously support this is a
[6:52] vital need for public safety in Norwich.
[6:55] I've spent about 500 hours uh doing ride
[6:59] alongs with Norwich police officers.
[7:01] Countless hours uh in meetings, private
[7:03] conversations. Uh this is the backdrop
[7:06] for my conversation.
[7:09] So, why should we approve this? Imagine
[7:12] moving all of city government in city
[7:14] hall here, all of our divisions,
[7:17] offices, officers, and um files, by the
[7:21] way, to the first floor and basement of
[7:23] this meeting. I would love to see us try
[7:25] this. And then trying to efficiently
[7:28] administer and govern our citizens
[7:30] crammed into half the space you need to
[7:32] do your work.
[7:34] That's the current situation in the
[7:36] Norwich Police Headquarters. The
[7:38] building's falling apart, as we've
[7:39] heard. Constant failures of heat, air
[7:42] conditioning, plumbing, a leaking roof.
[7:45] We share spaces, have files everywhere.
[7:47] We lack room for training, physical
[7:50] development, community engagement.
[7:53] We are trying to recruit and retain the
[7:56] highest quality police officers to work
[7:58] in this dilapidated structure. Imagine
[8:02] offering a new city hall employee a spot
[8:05] in the basement next to the boiler room
[8:07] that used to be a broom closet.
[8:12] The building is cold in the winter and
[8:14] hot in the summer and and the wonderful
[8:16] ladies locker room occasionally has a
[8:19] backup and sewage smells in their locker
[8:22] room. The dispatch center, as we
[8:25] mentioned, is still in a room with a
[8:26] water damaged ceiling being cooled by
[8:28] Walmart fans.
[8:31] female officers uh even after have some
[8:35] have transferred out share lockers due
[8:37] to inadequate space. The burden to
[8:40] change this poor working condition which
[8:43] has existed for decades
[8:46] lies here with this governing body and
[8:49] then with the citizens of Norwich. Other
[8:52] vital changes need to be made.
[8:55] But we have the opportunity now to show
[8:58] the officers who remain who actually we
[9:01] actually care about their working
[9:03] conditions, their mandatory overtimes,
[9:05] and their sacrifices to protect and
[9:08] serve us and our citizens.
[9:11] They are paying a high price in stress,
[9:16] in low morale for our budget priorities
[9:20] and our lack of strong support for a new
[9:22] police station. Every police department
[9:25] in Connecticut is hiring.
[9:27] [clears throat] Officers serve in
[9:29] Norwich by choice, not by necessity. Our
[9:32] response to this need will send a clear
[9:34] signal as our past responses have sent.
[9:38] So, I'll conclude by saying as leaders,
[9:40] citizens, we need to show that we care.
[9:44] An updated, adequate police headquarters
[9:46] on the ballot will show your support and
[9:50] not doing that will show no support.
[9:53] Thank you.
[9:54] >> Thank you very much.
[9:56] [applause]
[10:00] » On the sheet, we have two names, Susan
[10:02] Toppins and Joanne.
[10:06] Whoever wants to come first.
[10:08] >> Okay.
[10:22] » Good evening. My name is Joanne
[10:24] Philbrick. Um, I'm going to speak
[10:27] in a
[10:29] limited favorable
[10:33] response to this. Uh I it's interesting
[10:36] because I was very aware of when the
[10:38] light went on for the gentleman
[10:40] previously, but um that's a discussion
[10:42] for another day. Uh I was very impressed
[10:45] by Lieutenant Rankin's presentation.
[10:49] Uh he brought home a lot of good points.
[10:51] We had a nice conversation beforehand.
[10:55] My problem with this endeavor is like so
[11:00] many of the other endeavors in the city
[11:02] of Norwich. It was done under cover of
[11:05] darkness
[11:06] just under the $800,000 threshold.
[11:10] When this was made public, I immediately
[11:14] did a a foyer asking for any and all
[11:17] minutes correspondence
[11:20] applying to this endeavor and I was told
[11:23] there weren't any. Of course there were.
[11:26] You had to have conversations with the
[11:27] Chelsea Graten Bank.
[11:30] Where are those minutes?
[11:33] The best way to turn people off is by
[11:37] I'll go back to my three criteria.
[11:40] Truth, trust, and transparency.
[11:44] If we can't trust you, we will not
[11:47] support you. And as a result, our police
[11:50] officers who are leaving at a remarkable
[11:53] rate
[11:56] will continue to leave. Perhaps you
[11:58] should ask your HR department why there
[12:02] why they're leaving. There's a bigger
[12:05] problem here.
[12:08] I'm afraid that this will turn out like
[12:12] so many other Norwich projects.
[12:15] Lieutenant Ranken talked about that
[12:17] Raiden Hughes. We still don't have a
[12:19] commercial tenant. So you owe me lunch.
[12:23] I can't even get a smile out of you,
[12:25] Joe. Not even a not even a smile.
[12:29] Oh my god. And you wonder what the
[12:31] problem is here. So I will support the
[12:34] police department, but I will not
[12:37] support you.
[12:39] >> Thank you very much.
[12:43] [applause]
[12:45] [snorts]
[12:45] >> Yes, please.
[12:50] » Good evening. Susan Topping, 39 Holland
[12:52] Road. First of all, I'd like to thank
[12:55] you for having the information sessions
[12:57] and for initiating the what is it
[12:59] called? New Norwichpd.com. Do I have
[13:02] that correct? Correctly. Um I actually
[13:05] think it's a brilliant idea to put this
[13:07] downtown for all the reasons that were
[13:09] we're given. Um I also having looked at
[13:12] the plans think that putting up front
[13:14] the way the building is organized is
[13:16] just lovely with all the community
[13:19] services right as you walk in through
[13:21] the building. I think that really
[13:23] reframes how many of us feel about sorry
[13:27] how uh some people feel about the police
[13:30] in general. Um I do have a quick
[13:32] question. I do think the female locker
[13:34] rooms shouldn't be smaller than those of
[13:36] the men. Just would like to put that on
[13:38] the table. Um I would also really like
[13:42] to thank you for having the information
[13:44] sessions and for initiating the new the
[13:49] website.
[13:51] I'm totally in support of putting this
[13:53] ordinance for the new police department
[13:56] HQ down at 300 Main Street for
[13:59] referendum in November. And um because I
[14:04] truly believe that this will only
[14:06] continue to build our confidence and our
[14:08] trust in our city government and council
[14:12] who it seems to me have been doing such
[14:14] a brilliant job. So I would like to
[14:16] thank you for that. That's it. very
[14:20] much.
[14:22] Yes, please.
[14:27] Uh,
[14:27] >> good evening. My name is Reverend David
[14:28] Host. I live at 5 Joseph Perkins Road
[14:31] with my family, member of Norwich
[14:33] Interfaith and Indivisible Norwich. I
[14:36] support this ordinance and the uh
[14:38] upcoming uh referendum. Um, I think it's
[14:42] very positive initi initiative both for
[14:44] public safety and for the revitalization
[14:47] of downtown. I think that is a very
[14:49] convincing argument. Uh it's necessary
[14:52] but also a bold move uh for our
[14:55] community and I would urge the council
[14:57] and our leaders uh to continue to have
[15:00] conversations and dialogue uh as this
[15:04] process moves forward. Um I am curious
[15:08] and this is an area of I have no
[15:10] expertise. My understanding is the
[15:12] city's bond raising rating is uh uh
[15:15] currently double A. Um, and I'd like to
[15:18] know more information about that. I also
[15:20] understand the city is not at its
[15:22] bonding limit, and I think that would be
[15:23] in important information uh to share
[15:26] with us all. Um, and again, I want to
[15:30] thank the lieutenant for a really good
[15:31] presentation. I think he said the tax
[15:34] burden would be a dollar a day.
[15:37] Count on me. I'll happily put in a
[15:39] dollar a day to uh support this
[15:41] initiative. Thank you all.
[15:43] >> Thank you very much.
[15:47] Yes, please.
[15:55] » Good evening. Uh, Robert Denanishia,
[15:57] Whipple Avenue, Norwich. Um,
[16:00] yeah, thanks for that presentation. It
[16:02] was enlightening and answered a lot of
[16:04] questions.
[16:06] We're at this juncture because as I
[16:10] understand it, back in 1979,
[16:13] the current building was a compromise.
[16:17] Underfunded, under architect,
[16:21] just let's get it done. This is what we
[16:24] can get through. So, they passed it down
[16:27] to us.
[16:30] We can't afford to do that again.
[16:33] We need this facility. It's been proven
[16:36] we need this facility
[16:38] and I think it's a fantastic location
[16:42] and it will bring back help bring back
[16:45] downtown.
[16:46] And as far as the building itself, it's
[16:48] an architectural marvel. I doubt if
[16:51] there's five people in the whole world
[16:53] that could build that building today.
[16:56] So, uh, we'll be preserving that also.
[17:01] But
[17:02] as I mentioned,
[17:05] we have to do something now.
[17:08] Or if [clears throat] we don't, we're
[17:09] just going to keep passing this along at
[17:12] 60 million, 65 million, 70 million.
[17:19] It's not going to go down. If anybody
[17:22] looked into building a simple house,
[17:26] that's why houses are going for 400,500.
[17:29] My $70,000 house is worth $200,000. It's
[17:32] ridiculous.
[17:34] But I am in favor of this. I thank you
[17:37] and I look forward to more public
[17:38] meetings and I hope it does get on the
[17:41] ballot as a referendum and uh I will if
[17:45] it is there I will do what I can to have
[17:48] people come out and vote to support it.
[17:50] So thank you all.
[17:52] >> Thank you.
[17:55] [applause]
[18:06] Good evening. My name is Rocky.
[18:09] I was in before you on August 3rd
[18:13] before we were kindly escorted out under
[18:16] threat of arrest
[18:18] without breaking any laws. We do I
[18:21] personally support the police
[18:23] department. always have, always will.
[18:27] But the mistrust that we the citizens
[18:30] have is re regarding you guys.
[18:35] Mr. Joseph Deluchia on August 3rd lied
[18:40] knowingly that the reason why you have
[18:44] to spend $535,000
[18:47] was because J Yantic just excuse me
[18:51] public hearing his own ordinance.
[18:53] >> Yes, I'm getting there. spending money,
[18:55] right, to buy a police station to,
[18:57] right? Can you please give me the chance
[18:59] to speak?
[19:00] >> Sure.
[19:03] >> So he stated, "Yantik, since since 1847,
[19:08] ALL OF A SUDDEN, WELL, THEY DIDN'T WANT
[19:10] TO GO ON A TRUCKS. WHAT ARE we going to
[19:13] do? IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY. THEY JUST
[19:16] DECIDED
[19:18] NOT TO SHOW UP. IT'S A LIE.
[19:22] YOU LIED publicly knowing that the
[19:26] REASON WHY YANTIC DIDN'T SHOW UP.
[19:28] >> WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO with the
[19:29] ordinary?
[19:29] >> Let's move to the ordinary spot. Mr.
[19:32] Mayor, I have the right to speak my
[19:34] mind. You You can speak that when we
[19:36] have
[19:37] >> No, no, no, no. This is this is
[19:39] regarding the ordinary.
[19:40] >> Please don't make a scene. I have lot I
[19:43] have public hearing today. Then I have
[19:45] public comments on the resolution. Then
[19:47] I have public comment on the general. I
[19:51] >> I'll get to the point. I'll get to the
[19:52] point he's due. Thank you.
[19:53] >> I'll go to the point. $535,000 wasted.
[19:56] Now you come BACK TO US $55 MILLION. BY
[19:59] THE WAY, BY DECEMBER, IT'S GOING TO BE
[20:01] ANOTHER $535,000 CUZ THE VOLUNTEERS are
[20:04] still not open. THE REASON WHY they're
[20:06] not OPEN IS BECAUSE YOU AND YOU MADE
[20:09] DEMANDS THAT ARE NOT PROPER. OPEN. You
[20:13] want us to vote FOR THE POLICE STATION?
[20:15] WE'RE IN FAVOR. BUT WAIT a minute. Open
[20:17] Yantic. OPEN TAFFIL. THEN WE SPEAK.
[20:20] Thank you.
[20:21] Anyone else who would like to come
[20:23] forward in favor of the ordinance,
[20:25] please? Thank you.
[20:31] » I'm Mark Kalinowski, 5 Dupont Lane in
[20:34] Norwich. Uh been a resident 65 years
[20:36] plus a little hiatus. Spent 21 years, 6
[20:39] months, and 22 days working at 70 Fame
[20:42] Street along with a couple of you guys.
[20:44] Um unfortunately, it was stuck in a
[20:46] wedge of property that you can't do
[20:48] anything with. You can't expand it. You
[20:50] can't do anything. it was shortsighted.
[20:51] That's not your fault. The opportunity
[20:53] to expand it and to do what's uh
[20:56] proposed um in front of you here today,
[20:59] I believe is a good move forward for the
[21:01] city. I think that it's a good move not
[21:04] just for the police, but it's good move
[21:05] for the community. I think the funding
[21:07] for it. I think the the way that it was
[21:10] presented helps bring a lot more to it.
[21:12] And the biggest fear that I have is that
[21:14] people are not going to vote for this
[21:17] because they're stuck on the fire
[21:18] department. They are two completely
[21:20] separate things and it's good to have
[21:23] more than one ball in the air if you
[21:25] want to move Norwich forward and right
[21:27] now you're juggling a bunch. So, thank
[21:29] you for listening to me. I appreciate
[21:30] it.
[21:30] >> Thank you very much. [applause]
[21:33] Anyone else who would like to come in
[21:35] favor of the ordinance? Uh, yes, please.
[21:46] » Good evening, council members. Mr.
[21:48] Mayor, my name is Charles Nicholson. I
[21:51] own properties at 72747680
[21:54] Union Street. I came to Connecticut from
[21:57] Brooklyn, New York in 1980 to start a
[21:59] family here. I started building my home
[22:02] right around the corner here. I had a
[22:05] son.
[22:07] He was born here.
[22:09] He's no longer with us.
[22:12] But I don't for a moment
[22:15] diminish the love that I have for
[22:16] knowledge.
[22:18] What I have witnessed compared to bigger
[22:20] cities in the city of Norwich, we have
[22:22] the police department that is
[22:24] exceptional. The men and women of the
[22:27] Norwich Police Department, the job
[22:30] they're executing day in day out around
[22:33] us downtown. Do you know what this place
[22:35] would look like? It looked like it'd be
[22:37] 1992.
[22:38] Cracks, addicts all around, gunshots all
[22:42] around.
[22:44] These men and women are coming around
[22:46] downtown and cleaning it up. It's
[22:48] cleaned up. Problems still exist, but
[22:51] it's a place that I would want to have
[22:53] my son call us home
[22:57] because of the work that the men and
[22:59] women
[23:01] more recently
[23:03] more women have accomplished in the city
[23:05] of Norwich.
[23:07] We have many knowledge police chiefs
[23:12] that have
[23:14] exemplified the type of behavior that's
[23:16] expected of normal people
[23:20] >> under the heading of the Norwich Police
[23:21] Department.
[23:24] We have
[23:28] Corey Poor Nash, Dearly,
[23:33] Peter Camp,
[23:36] many, many more have put their hard work
[23:40] into the city of Norwich and their
[23:42] dedication and it shows. For the last 30
[23:45] years, I'm watching on the street every
[23:47] day, every night,
[23:50] our officers chasing cars around. And
[23:53] I'd like to commend you also on the
[23:55] adoption of speed cameras. That's
[23:57] critical, a critical tool that the
[24:01] Norwich Police Department can use.
[24:04] But getting back to the new
[24:05] headquarters,
[24:07] that's a beautiful building. I wouldn't
[24:08] sell it. Yoohoo. My property is on Union
[24:11] Street. I wouldn't sell that. I've been
[24:13] there more than 30 years. I'm going to
[24:15] keep digging and digging to try to make
[24:17] Norwich a better place. My son is not
[24:20] here, but his love for Norwich, he came
[24:23] to a lot of these meetings.
[24:26] He loved the city and I loved it even
[24:28] more.
[24:30] The cost,
[24:33] that's another issue because the cost
[24:34] for me to build three homes on Union
[24:36] Street has gotten astronomically out of
[24:38] hand. Doesn't mean I'm going to give up.
[24:42] I own the properties
[24:44] credit score over 800
[24:47] and I have the means by which to do what
[24:50] we can do in the city of Norwich just
[24:52] like the Norwich Police Department can
[24:54] do and making this city a more livable
[24:57] place. Give them the opportunity
[25:00] and I think some great things can
[25:01] happen. I know they will happen. So I
[25:04] support 100% the transition from the
[25:07] Norwich Police Department on theme
[25:09] street to the dime saving bike. 100%.
[25:12] >> Thank you.
[25:15] Anyone
[25:17] else in support of the ordinance,
[25:23] [snorts]
[25:29] » Roberta Payroll and listening to the
[25:32] presentation, it seems like we have an
[25:34] opportunity to uh put the new police
[25:37] station in a location that probably just
[25:40] about everyone is going to support. Um,
[25:44] we have deplorable working conditions
[25:46] right now and we have the opportunity to
[25:49] make that go 180 degrees to like
[25:51] probably some state-of-the-art police
[25:53] station that everybody can be proud of
[25:55] and that the people who are doing the
[25:57] work deserve to have. So given that and
[26:00] the fact that the costs are not going to
[26:03] come down, I think we should take
[26:05] advantage of this opportunity and I'd
[26:07] like to see the ordinance get passed and
[26:09] go forward.
[26:10] >> Thank you.
[26:14] Yes, please.
[26:21] » Hi, Maryanne Victoria Mcnalen. I live on
[26:24] Washington Place in Norwich. Um,
[26:28] just to add one more thing. I think the
[26:31] um having a police station downtown is
[26:33] an excellent idea. I was standing uh
[26:36] over by the library
[26:38] last week and there was a drunk woman
[26:42] with her dog urinating at at a
[26:46] storefront
[26:48] in the cubby right up there on Main
[26:50] Street. And she's she's not homeless.
[26:54] She I was talking to another gentleman
[26:56] who knew the street people. She's not
[26:58] homeless. She has a home. She's just a
[27:00] drunk. The the police had to be called.
[27:03] It took time. Imagine Chelsea Graten
[27:06] Bank. It's right there. Perfect.
[27:09] I don't I think this would really help
[27:11] the city. Thanks. Thank you.
[27:15] Anyone else who would like to speak in
[27:16] favor? Yes. both
[27:33] Barl Fishbone, Bliss Place.
[27:36] Um, I'm in favor of a new police
[27:40] department, uh, a new police station,
[27:43] one that moves Norwich towards a future.
[27:47] And I haven't heard a lot about that,
[27:48] although it was a great presentation,
[27:51] but I'm not hearing about Norwich moving
[27:54] into the future and what the plan is
[27:58] [snorts] for something that would make
[28:00] us
[28:03] feel safer 10 years down the road, 20
[28:06] years down the road. And this building
[28:09] would do that because there's room to
[28:11] expand,
[28:13] not just have our present housing for
[28:16] the police, but future housing because
[28:20] things are changing very rapidly and we
[28:23] know that. It's not a surprise. It's not
[28:26] a secret. We all know it's coming and
[28:31] more room is going to be needed.
[28:34] And this building has the room for
[28:36] expansion.
[28:38] And I haven't heard any other place that
[28:40] does.
[28:42] And Norwich needs to be looking at that,
[28:45] not just at our needs today, but our
[28:48] needs for tomorrow. Thank you.
[28:50] >> Thank you very much.
[28:53] Anyone else who would like to speak in
[28:55] favor of this ordinance?
[28:58] Yes, please.
[29:06] Hi, my name is Marcia Wilbur and
[29:09] obviously I support the police and I
[29:12] think they deserve to have a uh
[29:16] a a better police station. I've heard
[29:18] stories and you know um they do need
[29:24] something. But before you, this council
[29:27] asks the public, the taxpayers to decide
[29:33] or consider the $55 million debt. Uh I
[29:39] think more transparency regarding the
[29:42] lawsuit about the adjacent uh properties
[29:45] or parking debate that is currently
[29:48] under litigation should be disclosed.
[29:52] And uh I believe that's the uh
[29:56] the situation. So if it if I'm wrong
[29:59] then great. But I believe we are under
[30:02] some type of litigation regarding the
[30:05] parking lot and um I think people need
[30:09] to be more aware that this is happening
[30:11] and uh you know
[30:15] transparency trust right okay that's all
[30:19] I have to say except I did like that
[30:22] someone mentioned Corey uh where's Corey
[30:26] No I'm joking I know he retired so thank
[30:29] you
[30:29] >> thank Anyone else who would like to
[30:31] speak in favor of this ordinance?
[30:35] Anyone else who would like to speak in
[30:37] favor of this ordinance?
[30:41] Anyone else who would like to speak in
[30:43] favor of this ordinance?
[30:46] Anyone who would like to speak in
[30:48] opposition of this ordinance?
[30:52] Yes, please.
[30:54] [snorts]
[31:06] So first of all, the very first speaker
[31:09] spoke for 4 minutes and 25 seconds and
[31:13] you made no comment to ask him to stop.
[31:15] I would like 4 minutes and 25 seconds
[31:17] right now and 4 minutes 25 seconds for
[31:20] my second speech. Thank you. I'm not
[31:22] going to use it all, but you did allow
[31:24] him 4 minutes and 25 seconds. Check the
[31:26] record, please.
[31:29] So, I'm going to repeat myself. This is
[31:32] the same speech at the public safety
[31:33] meeting. I apologize for the ones have
[31:35] heard it, but it wasn't televised. This
[31:38] is for everyone else who hasn't heard
[31:39] it.
[31:40] >> Please state your name for the record.
[31:42] >> Good evening, council members. My name
[31:43] is Joe McMahon, a lifelong resident of
[31:45] Taff and a longtime member of the
[31:47] Taffill Volunteer Fire Department. So,
[31:50] it appears I become a regular speaker
[31:52] for good or bad,
[31:55] by choice, but by necessity. I want to
[31:58] speak tonight regarding the new police
[32:00] HQ proposition because in its current
[32:03] form, this behemoth will never get
[32:05] built. As I have stated in the past, I
[32:07] have a long and strong background in
[32:10] residential and commercial construction.
[32:12] So tonight, instead of complaining,
[32:15] whining, pleading, calling you names, I
[32:18] come here with vision, forthought, a
[32:21] little common sense, throw in a dash of
[32:24] construction management and the voice of
[32:26] the people. So it is often said, if
[32:29] you're not part of the solution, you're
[32:31] part of the problem. Thus, the problem,
[32:34] the proposed new police HQ, is far too
[32:37] expensive. And I believe I can offer a
[32:40] solution.
[32:41] So here's my plan. I would write a new
[32:44] RFP request for proposal
[32:48] and start with a clean slate and have
[32:50] the new RFP state seeking design build
[32:54] proposals to build a new police HQ
[32:57] accounting for the needs of the
[32:59] department, not the wants. This new HQ
[33:03] does not need to be a glitzy country
[33:05] club. It needs to be efficient and built
[33:07] for a great value. I would set the
[33:10] criteria to meet the square foot needs.
[33:13] No gym, no cafeteria, no lounge, no
[33:15] shooting range will write the RFP to be
[33:18] exact and to the point. These design
[33:22] build proposals should have a budget not
[33:24] to exceed $25 million
[33:27] and a very limited FFNA budget.
[33:31] Stop all these blank check projects. So,
[33:34] here's the brilliance, the vision. The
[33:37] firm with the award-winning design
[33:39] concept for their work in achieving
[33:41] these massive savings would be awarded a
[33:45] bonus of $1 million to save $29 million.
[33:49] So, please slow down. Let's start over.
[33:52] It's never too late to save $30 million.
[33:57] Don't even get me going on how I could
[33:58] have saved you 200 million on the new
[34:00] schools being built.
[34:02] This new current $60 million post HQ
[34:06] will never get past the voters. With my
[34:07] plan, we spend 1 million and save 29
[34:10] million. Sounds like a pretty good
[34:12] investment. In light of our current
[34:14] disposition, I eagerly offer that if
[34:18] there is any seat on any building
[34:21] oversight committee or board that
[34:23] oversees construction or construction
[34:26] accounts. I would like to be an unpaid
[34:28] appointed member. As a TAFLIL volunteer
[34:32] firefighter, I have some extra time on
[34:34] my hands.
[34:37] And if you were to do something like
[34:39] this and reopen Yanick and Taff
[34:43] firehouses, you definitely would not
[34:45] suck at your jobs. We might actually
[34:48] applaud you. We honestly wish we thought
[34:52] you were great. Other towns have great
[34:55] leaders. Maybe there's still time.
[34:57] >> Please conclude yourself around.
[34:59] >> Thank you.
[35:00] [applause]
[35:05] » In opposition of this ordinance.
[35:09] Anyone else in opposition of this
[35:12] ordinance? Yes, please.
[35:25] Rodney Rodney Bowie, 62 Roosevelt
[35:28] Avenue, Norwich, Connecticut.
[35:31] I've been a resident of Norwich for the
[35:33] past 60ome years.
[35:36] I've seen this police station move from
[35:40] Union Street to the street and now to
[35:44] the bank.
[35:46] I think it's too expensive
[35:50] and I don't think the citizens of
[35:52] Norwich understand they're going to have
[35:54] to pay for it.
[35:57] Now 55 million.
[36:00] Wow. Now I know something about
[36:03] buildings and I don't know why you
[36:06] bought this thing.
[36:08] It's hard to heat.
[36:10] I own a building like that
[36:14] now.
[36:17] 55 million is a lot of money and the
[36:21] citizens of Norwich don't seem to
[36:23] understand. They're going to pay for it.
[36:27] They passed the school bond
[36:30] and they think the state is going to pay
[36:33] 80% of that.
[36:35] Well, I got news. 20% of that is about
[36:39] uh 37 million.
[36:42] Now, if you want to add that together,
[36:46] well, let's see. We're we're up to uh
[36:49] what's that? $62 million
[36:52] the citizens of knowledge are going to
[36:54] have to pay. Now, there's 38,000 people
[36:58] in this city. Divide that out and put it
[37:02] in the millions against the 33,000.
[37:06] And what do you come up with?
[37:08] I'm an old man. I'm 85 years old
[37:13] and I don't particularly like paying
[37:16] taxes like this.
[37:18] Now, sooner or later,
[37:21] maybe next year, you're going to start
[37:24] paying for this.
[37:26] And the citizens of Norwich don't seem
[37:28] to understand that they actually have to
[37:30] pay for these things. They think it
[37:33] comes like a a check or credit card.
[37:38] I use both.
[37:41] And this is too expensive.
[37:45] Now, I don't know where anyone got the
[37:47] idea of putting a police station in a
[37:50] bank,
[37:52] but
[37:53] at least buy a building that is harder
[37:57] to uh
[37:59] it's a little easier to heat.
[38:02] I don't think most people think about
[38:04] that now. Thank you.
[38:06] >> Thank you very much. Anyone else in
[38:09] opposition?
[38:11] Third and
[38:13] last. Anyone else in opposition?
[38:20] Rob Demsky, 68 White Plains Road.
[38:24] We've heard a lot of things uh in the
[38:26] public safety meeting and tonight. Some
[38:29] of them thoughtful, a lot of them not.
[38:32] Um, I don't think it's a proper
[38:35] equivalency to compare a spot in the
[38:39] basement next to the broom closet
[38:43] to the current conditions that Norwich
[38:45] PD operates under.
[38:48] But leave all of that aside. One of the
[38:50] things that we discussed in the public
[38:52] safety meeting on Wednesday was the fact
[38:56] that in New England projects of this
[38:58] type have a pretty wide range of
[39:02] expense. It went from somewhere around 6
[39:05] million to 38.6. That was the top end.
[39:09] That was the most that was spent for
[39:12] police station construction. I believe
[39:14] it was a public safety building
[39:15] construction. Wasn't just police.
[39:18] We already own the building.
[39:22] Did the municipality who built a $ 38.6
[39:25] million
[39:27] police station owned the I kind of doubt
[39:29] it. But even if they did, the 30% more
[39:34] than the most that was spent in New
[39:36] England,
[39:38] that's not acceptable really for any
[39:41] type of city, but particularly
[39:43] one that I am constantly reminded is a
[39:46] poor city. So whether it's a dollar a
[39:50] day, 50 cents a day, you're adding on to
[39:53] the tax burden of everyone in the city
[39:56] who has seen that burden rise year over
[39:59] year. It's it's not acceptable and it's
[40:04] jumping the gun. You should not be
[40:06] sending this to a referendum before
[40:08] there's quite a bit more robust
[40:10] discussion about varying options other
[40:14] than this. It's not. We're being given a
[40:17] false choice. It's not 55 million for a
[40:21] building we already own
[40:24] or keep it the way it is. People have
[40:26] had discussions in the past
[40:29] about the possibility of a substation.
[40:31] There's there's very little that is not
[40:33] accomplished with a substation downtown.
[40:37] Again, [clears throat]
[40:38] with a structure I own, and I'm not a
[40:39] contractor, but I've done my share of
[40:43] remodeling. I can only imagine what you
[40:45] could do with a million or two the
[40:47] interior of that building. You have a
[40:49] very nice, very large substation. Take
[40:52] some of the pressure off of the existing
[40:54] building. And you could even have plenty
[40:57] of money to build another substation
[41:00] maybe down in Greenville or elsewhere.
[41:02] Spread the police force out. Give them
[41:05] room inside the building. Give them
[41:06] better accommodations as you do so. And
[41:09] do it for a hell of a lot less money.
[41:11] These are things that should be
[41:12] discussed now rather than rushing to a
[41:16] referendum that's probably going to get
[41:17] beaten. You think the public when they
[41:20] hear it's 30 it's 30% over the top end
[41:23] in New England in recent history,
[41:25] they're not going to go for it. Just be
[41:27] smart. Take some time. Talk it out. Get there's plenty of smart people out
[41:32] here. Get ideas from them. discuss those
[41:35] ideas and at least have some options to
[41:38] compare rather than A or B.
[41:42] >> Thank you very much. [applause]
[41:45] Any anyone else at this point?
[41:48] Yes, please.
[41:53] » Thank you, uh, Matt Simpson. Um, I'm not
[41:56] necessarily opposed, but like I said at
[41:59] the the council meeting, um, I very much
[42:01] support the police
[42:03] um, in their comfort level. Um, but you
[42:07] mentioned 300 or a dollar a day. That's
[42:10] $356 a year. On average, that's between
[42:15] 3.7 and 4.2%
[42:17] assuming we foot the whole bill, which
[42:19] is what we're being asked to do up
[42:21] front. Um, we can't count on additional
[42:24] funding to come before it's here. So,
[42:26] let's be honest. We're being asked to
[42:29] increase Norwich's tax bill by close to
[42:31] 4% on average.
[42:35] Who got a 4% raise last year?
[42:38] The cost of goods and everything else. I
[42:40] mean, it's tough. Um, I want to
[42:43] piggyback on what Rob said as well.
[42:45] We're not being given any options. It's
[42:47] 55 million or start back at square one.
[42:50] Why is that where we're at? Why aren't
[42:52] we given
[42:54] three solid options to choose from all
[42:57] at once? Um, so I don't really agree
[43:00] with that. There could be other options.
[43:02] There could be something that comes in
[43:03] at 45 million. There could be something
[43:05] that comes in at 35, 20, 25. I don't
[43:08] know. But why are we only being asked 55
[43:12] million or else? That's that doesn't
[43:15] seem that's that's not a fair process to
[43:18] ask the the taxpayers.
[43:21] Um I think there should be a set of two
[43:23] or three options that should be
[43:24] presented before us. Um and that's all I
[43:27] have. Thank you. Thank you very much.
[43:30] [applause]
[43:32] Point. Anyone else who would like to
[43:34] speak in favor or opposition?
[43:39] Anyone else?
[43:41] Yes, please.
[43:52] hometown
[43:54] gave at us original hometown Bronx, New
[43:56] York. You don't like it? Too bad.
[44:00] This isn't making any sense at all. It
[44:02] does not add up. That's like using
[44:03] Chinese math on your income tax. That
[44:06] doesn't work either. And you will get
[44:08] busted for it.
[44:12] Where are you people getting this
[44:14] ridiculous amount from? Where is it
[44:16] coming from? I know it won't be coming
[44:19] out of my pocket. You have to ask
[44:21] everybody here if they want this or not.
[44:24] And the most likely answer you're going
[44:25] to get is a resounding no.
[44:29] You are stretching our budgets to the
[44:31] limit and beyond the
[44:34] beyond basic common sense, which none of
[44:36] you have anyway.
[44:38] So, there's that.
[44:42] You're going to need to come up with a
[44:43] better con scheme to think that you're
[44:45] going to sucker people like me.
[44:47] People are leaving this town.
[44:50] It's because of all of you.
[44:53] Now, that sign back there says, "This
[44:55] council sucks." Well, you know what?
[44:57] That's your problem. You created it.
[45:01] I don't take up anybody's butt hurt. If
[45:03] your feelings are hurt, I could care
[45:05] less. Just like you could care less
[45:07] before you tell a lie.
[45:11] Nobody's asking you sheep.
[45:16] This place is going to fail one way or
[45:19] the other. You can't stop failure.
[45:22] It's going to look like a freaking town
[45:25] in a Mad Max movie.
[45:28] >> To fight for survival.
[45:30] You won't be part of it. I assure you.
[45:34] Thank you very much. Anyone else?
[45:38] Yes, please.
[45:46] » Caleb, [gasps]
[45:48] I have thought about this a lot
[45:49] throughout um the moment it was brought
[45:51] up. I am not opposed to a new building,
[45:55] but I'm also not in favor of it. I work
[45:58] seven days a week between two different
[46:00] jobs. It is hard to keep up with
[46:03] everyday bills. And I would just advise
[46:05] you guys to please think of the people,
[46:09] new generation and older generation that
[46:12] we are struggling enough with everyday
[46:15] bills. I guarantee a good portion of
[46:17] city is living paycheck to paycheck. And
[46:20] think about it, if we could really
[46:21] afford what you guys are putting forward
[46:23] in front of us, that is my concern. I uh
[46:28] have had the police department at my
[46:30] house at multiple occasions for multiple
[46:31] different things. They do an awesome
[46:33] job. I support them. Uh
[46:36] I [clears throat] have not had one
[46:37] negative interaction with them. They're
[46:39] professional. They're they do their job
[46:41] and day in day out. But please just
[46:44] think for people like me who work 7 days
[46:46] a week.
[46:50] Somebody got a call. um if we can really
[46:53] afford this because I live paycheck to
[46:55] paycheck and sometimes I can't afford
[46:59] basic things. So please just think about
[47:02] how it can affect the everyday person
[47:04] when it comes to these subjects. That's
[47:06] all I have to say. Thank you.
[47:08] >> Thank you so much
[47:12] at this point.
[47:14] Anyone else?
[47:16] Third and last. Anyone else? Yes.
[47:26] Put that goddamn sign down. Speak your
[47:30] name in the podium.
[47:33] I identify as Elvis Presley, King of
[47:35] Rock and Roll. Thank you. Thank you very
[47:36] much.
[47:38] [clears throat]
[47:39] The one thing that you imbecile have not
[47:41] taken into account with regard to this
[47:43] project is how it's affecting the
[47:45] seniors.
[47:47] who can least afford this
[47:49] farce, let alone their bills, let alone
[47:52] their mortgages,
[47:53] and let alone their medications and
[47:56] whatever expenses they've got.
[47:59] This is going to make at least 10 to 20%
[48:01] of the seniors say to hell with Norwich
[48:04] and go over to places like Florida,
[48:06] Texas, even Nashville, Tennessee.
[48:09] These three states do not have income
[48:11] taxes. And unlike you, they have
[48:14] reasonable means. If they want to put up
[48:17] another station, they have reasonable
[48:18] means, something that you clearly have
[48:20] no knowledge of.
[48:23] Just this past week, I've seen five
[48:24] houses that bear uh for sale signs, and
[48:28] I talked to the owners and they're
[48:30] saying the living here is unacceptable,
[48:33] especially the city council that we're
[48:35] getting the hell out of here. Three of
[48:37] them I talked to, they're planning to go
[48:38] to Florida, one to Tennessee, and one to
[48:42] Texas.
[48:44] These three these three states they're
[48:46] moving to have no income tax. They have
[48:49] better living for the seniors,
[48:51] and they sure as hell don't plan on
[48:53] robbing them with fossil projects such
[48:55] as this one.
[48:58] You're getting the seniors in their
[49:00] wallets.
[49:02] They can barely afford their mortgages,
[49:05] their bills, and in some cases their
[49:08] medications.
[49:12] Unlike you, I talked to these seniors
[49:14] and I took that factor into account. I'm
[49:16] quite sure you didn't because you're
[49:18] only seeing dollar signs and you're
[49:19] seeing how much money is left over to
[49:21] put in your pockets. That's what this is
[49:23] about.
[49:27] [clears throat]
[49:29] And then you're going to complain. And
[49:30] then when the seniors get the hell out
[49:31] of here, you're going to start
[49:33] complaining like a bunch of $2 hookers
[49:34] on nickel night. Why don't you ask
[49:37] yourselves,
[49:38] if you actually have any balls, once you
[49:40] ask yourselves, what are we doing wrong?
[49:42] And why are they leaving? No, you won't
[49:44] do that. Because I said the dollar signs
[49:46] are more in your eyes. That's more
[49:48] important to you than the needs of the
[49:50] people in this town.
[49:55] As for the seniors leaving, hey, I
[49:56] applaud them. I applaud them because
[49:58] they're showing how smart they are that
[50:00] they are compared to you.
[50:04] only have to concern you only got
[50:05] the smartness of a chick.
[50:08] Thank you. Anyone else who would like to
[50:12] speak for this ordinance?
[50:15] Anyone else?
[50:17] >> Third and last. Yes, please.
[50:26] Hello, my name is Jason Guidedong. I'm
[50:28] actually a resident of Hebrin. Um there
[50:30] were some decent ideas tossed around
[50:33] here and and the one or the other does
[50:35] seem to be a um not a great choice for
[50:39] the citizens and the options set forth.
[50:43] Perhaps we'd be better to consider a
[50:45] substation downtown and perhaps three or
[50:48] four more perhaps five. We have five had
[50:51] five volunteer fire stations and there
[50:54] is a potential for a circle around this
[50:57] city of substations that would serve
[51:02] in my opinion a very good service for
[51:04] public safety. And this is in the name
[51:06] of public safety. Um is a bit in
[51:09] contrast to shutting down volunteer fire
[51:12] departments. It doesn't seem like a
[51:13] public safety move, but to insert police
[51:16] officers into the downtown makes perfect
[51:19] sense. Fully agree with that. Our police
[51:22] officers in Norwich do need relief from
[51:24] the constraints and the conditions that
[51:26] they're currently living in and working
[51:28] in. Uh so I think multiple substations
[51:31] around the city in strategic locations
[51:34] uh if it hasn't already been considered
[51:36] uh should be.
[51:39] I think that would offer the presence
[51:42] in concentrated locations where it's
[51:45] necessary, where there are issues, um,
[51:48] and relief in the staffing pressures in
[51:51] the current police station. And perhaps
[51:53] that would offer an opportunity to make
[51:55] renovations that are necessary in the
[51:57] police station currently. Those are the
[51:59] thoughts that I had as I observe the
[52:01] operations here in the comments. Thank
[52:03] you very much.
[52:03] >> Thank you.
[52:06] Anyone else? [applause]
[52:09] Anyone else at this point?
[52:13] Third and last. Anyone else who would
[52:15] like to speak in favor or in opposition?
[52:18] [snorts]
[52:19] Hearing none, I declare this public
[52:21] hearing close.
[52:25] Seeing an action on the above ordinance
[52:27] previously presented. Number one, an
[52:30] ordinance appropriating 55 million for
[52:32] the city of Norwich Police Headquarters
[52:34] facility project located at 300 Main
[52:37] Street downtown and authorizing the
[52:39] issue of $55 million bonds of the city
[52:42] to set appropriation and pending the
[52:44] issuance thereof the making of temporary
[52:47] borrowings for such purpose.
[52:49] >> Thank you very much. Can I have a motion
[52:51] to bring this forward?
[52:55] All right, Alman Zucardi, can I have a
[52:58] second, please? President Prom,
[53:02] any discussion at this time?
[53:07] Any discussion? Any comments?
[53:11] Okay, hearing none, I'll just uh make uh
[53:15] one small comment that uh this need is
[53:19] not new. It existed for decades
[53:24] and prices keep going up from 33 million
[53:27] to 44 million to 55 million
[53:31] and they're not coming down. You know, I do construction for a living so I do
[53:36] know and I feel like it fits the overall
[53:39] vision of creating
[53:41] better public safety for our people. And
[53:45] as we are growing downtown, this is
[53:47] becoming need as well.
[53:50] Uh we all know there are 58 units going
[53:52] at 101 Water Street, 21 at Fair Haven,
[53:55] eight are going at to 345 crossings
[53:58] which was old YMCA.
[54:01] Potential of 172 units of workforce
[54:04] housing at Chester Street Mill and uh 42
[54:08] has already been up and running on Main
[54:10] Street, 17 at Reed and Hughes. So more
[54:13] people are coming and we can see the
[54:15] clientele has been created. Bookstores
[54:18] are opening, coffee shops are opening,
[54:20] grocery stores are opening in downtown.
[54:25] So I definitely think there is need but
[54:29] uh we as a council can only make
[54:31] decision to either put it forward to
[54:33] referendum or not. I do think uh I want
[54:37] to support uh in that way we can again
[54:41] see where people stand but uh I think
[54:44] this is time to bring downtown back to
[54:47] the life make it safer make it more
[54:49] inviting and move our city forward. So I
[54:53] will be supporting this ordinance. Thank
[54:55] you.
[54:56] >> Roll call please.
[54:58] >> Alderman Nash.
[54:59] >> Yes.
[55:00] >> Alderwoman Hayes.
[55:01] >> Yes.
[55:02] >> Alderman Katabaya.
[55:03] >> Yes. Alderwoman Zucardi.
[55:05] >> Yes.
[55:06] >> Alderman Nestrom.
[55:08] >> Yes.
[55:08] >> President Prom Deluchia.
[55:10] >> Yes.
[55:10] >> Mayor Singh,
[55:12] >> yes. Motion passes 7 to zero. Thank you
[55:14] very much.
[55:17] >> City manager report.
[55:28] Uh this is the city manager report for
[55:31] August 17, 2026.
[55:34] uh meetings and professional
[55:35] engagements. During the reporting
[55:38] period, I represented the city of
[55:40] Norwich at the following meetings and
[55:41] events. uh city coordination meeting,
[55:45] district 5 quarterly status meeting,
[55:47] Norwich waterfront engineering design,
[55:50] community investment fund, tour of NPU
[55:53] wastewater treatment plant upgrades,
[55:55] housing allocation policy committee,
[55:58] Norwich Community Development
[56:00] Corporation executive committee meeting
[56:03] assessor. The board of assessments
[56:06] appeals [snorts]
[56:07] for the city of Norwich has been
[56:10] scheduled has scheduled a meeting for
[56:12] the sole purpose of hearing appeals
[56:15] related to the assessment of motor
[56:17] vehicles on October 1st, 2025
[56:21] grand list. The meeting will be held on
[56:24] Thursday, September 10th, 2026 from 4:30
[56:29] to 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Broadway,
[56:33] room 321.
[56:36] Appointments are required and completed.
[56:39] Applications must be submitted to the
[56:42] assessor's office by 4:30 on September
[56:44] 9th, 2026.
[56:48] Application forms are available online
[56:51] by email or through the assessor's
[56:53] office.
[56:56] Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes
[56:58] 12-4,
[57:00] all individuals and businesses with
[57:02] tangible personal property located
[57:05] within the city of Norwich as of October
[57:08] 1st, 2026
[57:10] are required to submit a complete and
[57:13] accurate declaration to the assessor no
[57:16] later than November 2nd, 2026.
[57:20] Taxable property includes but is not
[57:23] limited to non-registered vehicles,
[57:26] machinery, equipment, computers,
[57:30] furniture, tools, signs, supplies, and
[57:35] other business uh business related
[57:37] personal property. Declaration forms
[57:40] will be mailed to existing filers and
[57:43] are available through the assessor's
[57:45] office and the city website. late uh
[57:50] incomplete or non-filed declarations
[57:53] are subject to a 25% penalty in
[57:56] accordance with state law.
[57:59] Youth, family, and recreation.
[58:02] The youth, family, and recreation
[58:03] department concluded its summer camp
[58:06] season serving approximately
[58:09] 150 children per week over a 7-week
[58:12] period.
[58:14] Specialty camps including soccer and
[58:16] basketball programs continue through the
[58:20] current week. Through the support of
[58:23] IDIS equipment locker, a youth
[58:27] participant received the necessary
[58:29] soccer cleat to enable participation in
[58:33] camp activities.
[58:35] The department is also exploring
[58:38] the expansion of the morning care
[58:40] program to include Huntingtonus
[58:43] Stanton schools. In addition, Spalding
[58:46] Pond is scheduled to close for the
[58:48] summer season on August 25th. And uh
[58:54] that concludes my report for this
[58:56] evening.
[58:56] >> Thank you very much. Uh any questions
[58:58] for city manager at this time?
[59:03] Okay. No questions.
[59:05] >> Citizen comment on new new business
[59:07] resolutions.
[59:09] >> All right. So at this point I declare
[59:11] citizen comment on resolution items only
[59:14] open. We have five resolutions in front
[59:17] of us. Anyone who would like to speak on
[59:21] those five resolutions can come forward.
[59:24] 3 minutes will be given. Please state
[59:25] your name. We do have list here on the
[59:29] resolution sheet. Uh not sure if
[59:33] somebody was trying to fill it up
[59:34] somewhere else, but it says char Charles
[59:38] tree uh Joe McMahon
[59:41] Lewis
[59:43] Presley James Carring Caringham.
[59:49] » Okay, thank you. So anyone who would
[59:52] like to speak on the resolution items
[59:55] only can come forward at this time.
[59:58] Yes, please.
[1:00:10] Uh, my name is Joanne and I will tell
[1:00:12] you quite frankly that I am almost
[1:00:15] afraid to stand up and speak to you. The
[1:00:19] way you treat me, some of you is by my
[1:00:23] age alone,
[1:00:25] you are so incredibly disrespectful.
[1:00:29] I would like an explanation. I looked at
[1:00:32] the agenda and it's resolution number
[1:00:35] one,
[1:00:37] the acquisition or of or the
[1:00:39] relinquishing of the property at 256
[1:00:42] Dunham.
[1:00:44] So, I went to the assessor's MA
[1:00:47] website and it says that
[1:00:50] the fair market value of this property
[1:00:53] is 118,300
[1:00:56] and the appraised value is 169,000.
[1:01:01] So, I'm curious and confused why
[1:01:06] you are letting it go for
[1:01:10] $7,835.
[1:01:15] Um, in addition, according to the
[1:01:17] assessor's map, which I assume is up to
[1:01:20] date and correct because that would be
[1:01:22] the way you would conduct your business,
[1:01:25] it is also a commercial pumping station.
[1:01:29] So, you're going to give it to they're
[1:01:31] you're going to let them have it for
[1:01:33] $7,000. You're so generous with our
[1:01:35] money. You're also going to take out of
[1:01:39] commission, I would assume, a commercial
[1:01:42] pumping station.
[1:01:44] And I have a hard time wrapping my head
[1:01:46] around the whole plan.
[1:01:49] Now, I do have my own very distinct
[1:01:53] opinions and perceptions of how things
[1:01:56] are done here. Um, but I think it's
[1:01:59] important again to go back to that
[1:02:01] truth, trust, and transparency.
[1:02:04] And the last thing I will say, and
[1:02:07] unfortunately I find myself in this
[1:02:10] position, Mr. Deluchia, now that you
[1:02:13] work for the Connecticut Department of
[1:02:14] Transportation, would it be appropriate
[1:02:16] for you to recuse yourself from any and
[1:02:19] all Department of Transportation issues?
[1:02:23] Thank you.
[1:02:24] >> Thank you very much. [applause]
[1:02:27] Anyone else who would like to speak on
[1:02:29] resolution items only?
[1:02:33] » Yes, please.
[1:02:43] » Good evening. My name is Rocky. I would
[1:02:45] like to address uh resolution number
[1:02:47] four.
[1:02:48] As stated before on August 3rd,
[1:02:56] it was said here
[1:02:59] that the reason why we had to spend
[1:03:01] 535,000,
[1:03:03] which we're not done yet cuz we're going
[1:03:04] to spend more.
[1:03:07] And that goes to the to the mindset.
[1:03:11] Unfortunately, actually correctly, I
[1:03:15] addressed you as con artists and
[1:03:17] grifters. It's my opinion and I have
[1:03:20] freedom of speech not granted by you all
[1:03:22] big shots, but by the United STATES
[1:03:25] CONSTITUTION. THAT'S WHY I came here.
[1:03:30] You did not. You still don't believe
[1:03:34] that you must report to we the owners.
[1:03:38] YOU STILL DON'T GET IT.
[1:03:40] YOU ALREADY DECIDED IT'S 55 MILLION. YOU
[1:03:43] ALREADY DECIDED Y down we spend more
[1:03:46] money because
[1:03:48] honestly you are a disgrace. I'M SAYING
[1:03:52] IT IN GENERAL.
[1:03:55] If you don't believe that we ARE THE
[1:03:57] OWNERS, WE THE CITIZENS. DO YOU GO TO A
[1:04:01] RESTAURANT AND JUST BOSS PEOPLE AROUND?
[1:04:03] NO, there's an owner. We are the owners.
[1:04:06] Do you believe it? DO YOU WANT TO SERVE
[1:04:09] OR YOU DON'T WANT TO BE BOSS ME AROUND,
[1:04:11] MR. DELUCHIA? YOU WANT TO BE A BOSS? YOU
[1:04:14] AIN'T. AND YOU DON'T INTIMIDATE ME WITH
[1:04:16] THAT LOOK AT ALL. [clears throat] I'VE
[1:04:19] HAD MORE STRONGER disputes in my life.
[1:04:23] 71 years old. You ain't nothing.
[1:04:26] >> Let's talk about resolution, Rocky.
[1:04:28] >> The resolution.
[1:04:29] is not worthy of our
[1:04:33] consideration because you all
[1:04:36] ARE NOT WORTHY. HONORABLE AND TRUTHFUL.
[1:04:39] That's my
[1:04:40] >> Thank you very much. Anyone else who
[1:04:43] would like to
[1:04:45] talk about We have five resolutions in
[1:04:48] front of us.
[1:04:51] Anyone else who would like to talk about
[1:04:53] the resolutions in front of us. Third
[1:04:55] and last. Anyone else who would like to
[1:04:57] speak about resolutions in front of us?
[1:05:05] » [clears throat]
[1:05:07] >> Rob Demsky, White Plains Road. [snorts]
[1:05:09] Uh, just going in order. Uh, actually,
[1:05:11] I'm going to go reverse order so that I
[1:05:13] get this out and don't run out of time
[1:05:16] to do so. Uh, I strongly support
[1:05:21] number five, uh, the city manager
[1:05:23] authorizing
[1:05:25] uh, the Italian Ladies Social Club uh,
[1:05:27] to sell beer and wine at the Italian
[1:05:29] festival. I think that that festival
[1:05:31] coming back after a brief hiatus is a
[1:05:34] great thing and the sh city should do
[1:05:36] everything that it can uh to support
[1:05:38] that effort. Going back up to one, it's
[1:05:42] a great point about the council prom's
[1:05:46] current occupation and the state of
[1:05:49] Connecticut.
[1:05:50] >> [snorts]
[1:05:50] >> Quite possibly. I don't know for sure,
[1:05:52] but it seems quite likely that Norch is
[1:05:55] being used as a testing ground to have
[1:05:58] roundabouts put in here and then over
[1:06:01] there and then everywhere because boy,
[1:06:04] isn't that job security for a very large
[1:06:09] um state-run operation.
[1:06:15] Seems like it works.
[1:06:17] So maybe a recusal is in order. I don't
[1:06:19] know maybe corporation council can look
[1:06:21] into that
[1:06:29] » relative
[1:06:30] >> to
[1:06:32] four
[1:06:39] » optionality
[1:06:42] is a great thing and to rush into a vote
[1:06:47] without full discussion
[1:06:49] of
[1:06:51] all the possibilities that could be
[1:06:55] discussed and eventually agreed upon as
[1:06:57] a council, as a community.
[1:07:01] That's what makes sense to me. It seems
[1:07:03] to make sense to everyone who I've had
[1:07:04] discussions with about this. Even if
[1:07:07] they're in favor of broadly speaking the
[1:07:11] $55 million project, they do tend to
[1:07:14] seem to understand that you really
[1:07:18] should ready aim uh figuratively ready
[1:07:22] aim fire, not
[1:07:25] inciting violence,
[1:07:27] but go in the logical steps. You know,
[1:07:32] it it just makes sense to do it that
[1:07:34] way. And you quite probably
[1:07:38] will end up
[1:07:40] with a better solution at the end of
[1:07:42] that process. One that is more
[1:07:44] longlasting, one that does have broad
[1:07:46] public support. And that ultimately
[1:07:49] seems like it should be what you want.
[1:07:53] The way that you have handled other
[1:07:56] issues maybe gives me pause that not all
[1:07:59] of you do want that. But those of you
[1:08:01] who do, again, let's take a pause. Let's
[1:08:05] discuss it as a community and then
[1:08:08] decide. Thank you.
[1:08:09] >> Thank you very much. Anyone else who
[1:08:11] would like to speak on five resolution
[1:08:13] items in front of us? Uh, yes, please.
[1:08:24] » Rodney Boy, 62 Roosevelt Avenue.
[1:08:29] What genius came up with a $55 million?
[1:08:33] Name it. I want to know who did that.
[1:08:38] >> Really? I used to write I used to write
[1:08:40] work for the government
[1:08:43] and I signed my name at the bottom. So,
[1:08:46] what genius
[1:08:48] figured out $55 million?
[1:08:52] I'm not hearing any answers.
[1:08:55] Nobody knows.
[1:08:57] So, what do we got $55 million for?
[1:09:02] I don't see anything contractually.
[1:09:05] There's nothing here.
[1:09:08] So, what are we spending $55 million
[1:09:10] for? Why don't we turn it into a bank
[1:09:13] again?
[1:09:15] I like doing banking business there.
[1:09:18] Now, I just don't understand.
[1:09:22] If you don't have any money,
[1:09:26] why buy something like this?
[1:09:30] I don't I just don't understand this
[1:09:32] business.
[1:09:34] I understand bonds quite well. I've
[1:09:37] invested in some.
[1:09:39] But the idea of spending $55 million for
[1:09:44] a police station,
[1:09:46] uh, 60 years ago,
[1:09:49] the police station started here on Union
[1:09:52] Street,
[1:09:54] and I remember that. Toughest section in
[1:09:57] town.
[1:09:59] Now,
[1:10:01] someone spoke about spreading a police
[1:10:03] station out. Fine,
[1:10:06] that would be good.
[1:10:08] I've been in this police station.
[1:10:11] In fact, I've been in the cell.
[1:10:14] They arrested me once for stealing
[1:10:16] electricity.
[1:10:19] I didn't think that was too damn funny.
[1:10:22] >> I laughed about it a lot.
[1:10:25] But I'm 85 years old. I don't have to
[1:10:28] steal from anybody.
[1:10:30] Thank you guys for nothing.
[1:10:34] >> Thank you. Anyone else?
[1:10:36] >> Yes, please.
[1:10:48] Tracy Berto. I live on Watercross Avenue
[1:10:51] here in Norwich. I'm here to support
[1:10:54] resolution number five relative to the
[1:10:56] city manager being authorized to grant
[1:10:59] uh the Italian Lady Social Club
[1:11:00] permission to sell beer and wine at our
[1:11:03] Italian festival.
[1:11:05] We encourage everybody to attend. It's
[1:11:08] September 5th from noon to 9:00. We
[1:11:11] encourage everybody to come celebrate
[1:11:13] our culture and be Italian for the day.
[1:11:18] We'll be having our first annual cook,
[1:11:20] first annual cookoff. We'll have lots of
[1:11:23] live music and just have a great time.
[1:11:26] So again, I'm in support of resolution
[1:11:28] number five. Please vote yes. And then I
[1:11:32] have one other thing. Okay. So, I keep
[1:11:35] hearing that you guys are a bunch of
[1:11:36] bullies. From sitting back there, it
[1:11:39] looks like this little corner over here
[1:11:41] are the bullies. Okay. When you sit
[1:11:44] there, scream and pick on people here in
[1:11:46] city council. Okay. They have nothing to
[1:11:49] do with the resolution. That's the pure
[1:11:51] definition of bullying. So, maybe y'all
[1:11:54] should take a look in the mirror first
[1:11:57] before you start accusing people of
[1:11:59] bullying.
[1:12:00] like this sign says, have a letter of
[1:12:02] respect because last I checked,
[1:12:04] >> please, please talk to the council.
[1:12:06] Thank you.
[1:12:06] >> Because really, last I checked, I've
[1:12:08] seen none of these people's yard signs
[1:12:10] out there, but please support them for
[1:12:12] city council cuz it takes a lot of guts
[1:12:15] to run for office and I don't see any of
[1:12:18] theirs. So, keep up the good work.
[1:12:20] >> Thank you.
[1:12:21] >> That's it. [applause]
[1:12:23] >> Anyone else who would like to speak on
[1:12:24] five resolution items we have on agenda?
[1:12:28] >> Yes, please.
[1:12:33] » [snorts]
[1:12:40] » Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I
[1:12:43] want to tell you how much I respect each
[1:12:45] and every one of you. So many people in
[1:12:48] our audience seem to think that you're
[1:12:50] not citizens of our city and that you
[1:12:52] also pay taxes. and you sit up there and
[1:12:55] you collect a media immediate little
[1:12:58] tiny bit to give us the privilege of
[1:13:01] your knowledge and your expertise on
[1:13:04] what's going on in this city. And maybe
[1:13:06] I'm a little late for my comment and I
[1:13:09] should have stood up maybe a little bit
[1:13:11] earlier, but it number four,
[1:13:14] >> please state your name for the record.
[1:13:15] >> Oh, I am so sorry. Oh, how could I
[1:13:18] forget that? Janice Wiki, 39, Andrea
[1:13:20] Lane, Norwich, Connecticut. Uh,
[1:13:23] referendum number four. I think that was
[1:13:25] the number. Um, I don't think enough has
[1:13:29] been said about the safety of the
[1:13:31] placement of a new police station. And I
[1:13:34] am all for the Chelsea Savings Bank
[1:13:38] building. It is located in a prime area
[1:13:41] of the city where it's just sort of the
[1:13:45] hub of of a lot of crazy activity. There
[1:13:49] are times that I don't even want to go
[1:13:50] to the library in the evening once, you
[1:13:52] know, it's dark after dinner. It's kind
[1:13:54] of it's kind of creepy around there. And
[1:13:57] I personally would feel a lot safer
[1:14:00] knowing that the police station was
[1:14:02] located right there in, as they say,
[1:14:06] location, location, location. It is so
[1:14:09] important to have a building, a police
[1:14:12] station right in the middle
[1:14:15] of possible crazy activity. and I would
[1:14:18] feel a lot safer as well as I think a
[1:14:20] lot of other people and sadly to say
[1:14:23] especially women but it's not just women
[1:14:25] anymore.
[1:14:27] Okay, that's all I have to say. Thank
[1:14:29] you and I thank you for your service all
[1:14:30] of you.
[1:14:31] >> Thank you. Anyone else who would like to
[1:14:33] speak on five resolution items?
[1:14:37] [snorts]
[1:14:40] » Good evening. My name is Joe McMahon, a
[1:14:43] lifelong resident of Taffill and a
[1:14:46] longtime member of the Taffill Volunteer
[1:14:49] Fire Department. So,
[1:14:52] um, just to clarify a few things, the
[1:14:54] national average to build a a police
[1:14:56] station is $537 a square foot. You guys
[1:15:01] want to spend $1,000 a square foot? I'm
[1:15:04] good at math. 55,000 ft. 55 million is
[1:15:08] $1,000 a square foot. Um, I think we can
[1:15:11] come in a lot lower than that. Let's
[1:15:13] shoot for 25 million. Let's shoot for
[1:15:15] below the national average for a change.
[1:15:18] That'd be important. But, uh, so that's
[1:15:22] all I have to say.
[1:15:23] >> Thank you. Anyone else who would like to
[1:15:25] speak on five resolution items in front
[1:15:27] of us?
[1:15:30] Anyone else who would like to speak on
[1:15:32] five resolution items we have in front
[1:15:34] of us? Third and last. Anyone else who
[1:15:37] would like to speak on five resolution
[1:15:40] items we have in front of us? Hearing
[1:15:42] none, I declare citizen comment close.
[1:15:48] » This is resolution number one relative.
[1:15:50] >> Yes.
[1:15:52] >> At this time, I'd like to ask for a
[1:15:53] 15minute recess so that I'm we may
[1:15:56] caucus as a um team.
[1:16:01] >> Okay. So, you're making a motion for
[1:16:04] recess. Okay. Can I have a second?
[1:16:06] Aldwoman Hayes. Roll call, please.
[1:16:09] >> Alderman Nash,
[1:16:11] >> yes.
[1:16:11] >> Aldwoman Hayes,
[1:16:12] >> yes.
[1:16:13] >> Alderman Katabaya,
[1:16:14] >> yes.
[1:16:15] >> Alderwoman Zucardi,
[1:16:17] >> yes.
[1:16:18] >> Alderman Nestrom,
[1:16:19] >> yes.
[1:16:20] >> President Delusha,
[1:16:22] >> yes.
[1:16:22] >> Mayor Sing,
[1:16:23] >> yes. Motion passes 720. We'll be
[1:16:26] convening back at
[1:16:27] >> meet. Can can we meet in your office,
[1:16:30] please?
[1:16:30] >> Yes. And thank you.
[1:16:32] >> We'll be convening at 8:31. Thank you.
[1:16:35] We'll
[1:16:38] be reconvening the meeting. It's 8:33
[1:16:41] p.m.
[1:16:47] » Resolution number one relative to
[1:16:49] Connecticut Department of Transportation
[1:16:51] acquiring property for safety
[1:16:53] improvements on Route 82 and 256 Dunham
[1:16:57] Street from the city of Norwich.
[1:16:58] >> Thank you very much. Can I have a
[1:17:00] motion?
[1:17:01] >> Yes, President Proam. Can I
[1:17:03] >> just I I
[1:17:04] >> I need a moment of personal privilege.
[1:17:07] >> Sure.
[1:17:08] >> Prior to the motion being put on the
[1:17:09] floor.
[1:17:10] >> Um so I would just like to say that this
[1:17:14] the project that this resolution
[1:17:17] is attached to predates my hire at
[1:17:21] Connecticut DOT by more than 3 years.
[1:17:25] Although I am currently a designer for
[1:17:28] the Connecticut Department of
[1:17:31] Transportation in their facilities
[1:17:33] department,
[1:17:34] my current assignment is not connected
[1:17:38] to road and bridge bridge projects in
[1:17:41] any way and I have been advised by
[1:17:43] corporation council [clears throat] that
[1:17:46] there is no conflict for me on this
[1:17:49] issue.
[1:17:52] [applause]
[1:17:56] But the appearance of influence through
[1:18:00] my employment, albeit far-fetched,
[1:18:04] is not worth the political theater that
[1:18:07] will occur.
[1:18:08] Therefore, I would like to recuse myself
[1:18:11] on this resolution. Mr. Mayor,
[1:18:13] >> thank you very much.
[1:18:15] >> Can I have a motion to bring this uh
[1:18:18] forward?
[1:18:19] Motion by Alderman Hayes. Can I have a
[1:18:23] second?
[1:18:23] >> Have to come to the floor.
[1:18:26] >> Can I have a second?
[1:18:30] » I'd like to make make a motion to
[1:18:32] postpone.
[1:18:33] >> It comes after it comes to the floor.
[1:18:34] >> Yeah.
[1:18:36] >> So, you are seconding.
[1:18:39] >> Yes.
[1:18:39] >> Cody. Okay.
[1:18:42] Now we can have discussion and now you
[1:18:44] can
[1:18:44] >> I'd like to make a motion to um postpone
[1:18:47] um voting on this resolution until our
[1:18:51] next meeting. Um I have questions about
[1:18:54] the way in which the state calculates
[1:18:56] the fair value of the property. It's a
[1:18:58] sliver of land, but I I do have some
[1:19:01] questions and um like to be able to have
[1:19:04] those answered. And um also what will
[1:19:06] happen to the MPU pumpkin station.
[1:19:09] >> Thank you very much. Can I have a
[1:19:10] second? Yes. Alderman Zaru Kanumbaya.
[1:19:16] Okay. Any further discussions at this
[1:19:19] time? If not, roll call, please.
[1:19:22] >> Alderman Nash,
[1:19:23] >> yes.
[1:19:24] >> Aldwoman Hayes,
[1:19:25] >> yes.
[1:19:26] >> Alderman Katabaya,
[1:19:27] >> yes.
[1:19:28] >> Alderwoman Zucardi,
[1:19:29] >> yes.
[1:19:30] >> Alderman Nestrom,
[1:19:32] >> yes.
[1:19:32] >> Mayor Singh,
[1:19:34] >> yes. Motion passes 620.
[1:19:38] It's been postponed for the next
[1:19:40] meeting. Thank you.
[1:19:48] Number two, relative to the acceptance
[1:19:50] of a federal 2025 Edward Bryan Memorial
[1:19:54] Justice Assistance Grant for the Norwich
[1:19:58] Police Department.
[1:19:59] >> Thank you very much. Can I have a motion
[1:20:01] to bring this forward?
[1:20:04] Motion by Alderman Nash. Can I have a
[1:20:07] second? Older woman Zucati,
[1:20:10] any discussion on this resolution number
[1:20:13] two.
[1:20:16] Okay.
[1:20:17] >> Oh, yes.
[1:20:18] >> We could have the police chief come to
[1:20:20] the podium.
[1:20:21] >> Sure.
[1:20:30] » Good evening. Thank you for being here.
[1:20:32] Could you just give us the
[1:20:35] top three things that this grant will
[1:20:37] facilitate for the department and for
[1:20:38] the city?
[1:20:39] >> The main thing we're uh using this grant
[1:20:41] for is uh talk to text uh laws law law
[1:20:45] enforcement specific software so the
[1:20:47] officers can talk into the uh mobile
[1:20:50] data terminals so they don't have to
[1:20:52] hunch over and they keep their heads up
[1:20:54] so they don't get shot uh you know
[1:20:56] ambushed as they're sitting in a the
[1:20:58] cruisers.
[1:20:59] >> Speak up.
[1:21:00] >> Mhm.
[1:21:00] >> Oh, I'm sorry. Um they're looking to um
[1:21:04] it's a talk to text dragon software for
[1:21:06] law enforcement so they can dictate
[1:21:09] their police reports to their computers
[1:21:11] without having to type so they keep
[1:21:12] their heads up. Uh because now they have
[1:21:14] the computers in the car. They're typing
[1:21:15] in the car not in back in the station.
[1:21:17] So when they're out uh they're staying
[1:21:19] on the road longer. But obviously it's a
[1:21:21] safety concern to have them down both
[1:21:23] ergonomically and then hostility. So
[1:21:26] that's what we're using it for.
[1:21:27] >> That's a that's the primary
[1:21:30] >> Yes. item to be funded.
[1:21:32] >> Yes.
[1:21:32] >> Yeah. Thank you.
[1:21:34] >> Thank you very much. Uh any other
[1:21:36] question at this time?
[1:21:39] Glad this is basically a dictation
[1:21:42] software and uh we have 24 vehicle it
[1:21:46] will be deployed you know it will be
[1:21:48] employed in all those 24 vehicles and
[1:21:51] that way we can officers can do
[1:21:53] reporting uh by talking instead of
[1:21:56] writing and that will you know increase
[1:21:59] more efficiency as well. Thank you. Roll
[1:22:02] call please.
[1:22:03] >> Alderman Nash.
[1:22:04] >> Yes. [clears throat]
[1:22:04] >> Alderwoman Hayes.
[1:22:05] >> Yes.
[1:22:06] >> Alderman Katabaya.
[1:22:07] >> Yes. Alderwoman Zucardi.
[1:22:09] >> Yes.
[1:22:09] >> Alderman Nestrom.
[1:22:11] >> Yes.
[1:22:12] >> President Prom Deluchia.
[1:22:13] >> Yes.
[1:22:14] >> Mayor Singh,
[1:22:15] >> yes. Motion passes 7 to zero. Thank you.
[1:22:18] >> Number three, relative to the reappoint
[1:22:21] of a regular member to the Inland
[1:22:22] Wetlands Water Course and Conservation
[1:22:24] Commission.
[1:22:26] >> Thank you very much. Can I have a
[1:22:27] motion, please?
[1:22:30] Alderwoman Hayes. Can I have a second?
[1:22:32] Alderman Nash.
[1:22:35] Any discussion?
[1:22:37] Just for the uh purpose of record, the
[1:22:41] person being uh appointed is Richard
[1:22:44] Morell.
[1:22:46] >> Roll call, please.
[1:22:47] >> Alderman Nash,
[1:22:48] >> yes.
[1:22:48] >> Alderwoman Hayes,
[1:22:50] >> yes.
[1:22:50] >> Alderman Katabaya,
[1:22:51] >> yes.
[1:22:52] >> Alderwoman Zucardi,
[1:22:53] >> yes.
[1:22:54] >> Alderman Nestrom,
[1:22:55] >> yes.
[1:22:56] >> President Prom Deluchia,
[1:22:57] >> yes.
[1:22:58] >> Mayor Singh,
[1:22:59] >> yes. Motion passes 7 to zero. Thank you.
[1:23:02] Number four, relative to providing for
[1:23:04] referendum vote to h to be held in
[1:23:07] connection with the municipal election
[1:23:09] on November 3rd, 2026 regarding the
[1:23:12] ordinance entitled an ordinance
[1:23:14] appropriating 55 million for the city of
[1:23:16] Norwich police headquarters facility
[1:23:18] project located at 300 Main Street
[1:23:21] downtown and authorizing the issue of
[1:23:23] $55 million bonds of the city to meet
[1:23:25] set appropriations and pending the
[1:23:27] issuance thereof and making of temporary
[1:23:30] borrowings for such purpose. Thank you.
[1:23:32] Can I have a motion, please?
[1:23:36] President Prom, can I have a second?
[1:23:40] Alderwoman Hayes. Any discussion? Uh,
[1:23:43] yes. Alderman.
[1:23:46] >> Thank you, Mayor. Um,
[1:23:49] [snorts] my own involvement goes back um
[1:23:53] a number of years. As a mayor, I led the
[1:23:56] city's effort to place this police
[1:23:58] department in the Sears building that
[1:24:01] was rejected by the voters. I was the
[1:24:03] mayor of record of the last referendum
[1:24:06] as well, although I questioned whether
[1:24:08] we should have taken that vote since we
[1:24:10] didn't even have an address listed in
[1:24:12] the bond. That failed. Um my concern
[1:24:16] tonight with placing it on the ballot
[1:24:18] this time
[1:24:20] almost suddenly to some degree um I
[1:24:24] don't think the city has done enough
[1:24:26] public relations to promote this bond. I
[1:24:30] still question the city's intent to do
[1:24:32] public relations formally.
[1:24:35] If this is placed on the ballot, I am
[1:24:37] fully aware that the city may not expend
[1:24:40] resources, may not use city facilities
[1:24:43] whatsoever for the promotion and passage
[1:24:46] of any question at referendum.
[1:24:49] So, I'm not quite sure how we're going
[1:24:50] to proceed further if this goes to
[1:24:52] referendum. Um, and with that, I'd like
[1:24:55] to ask to make a motion to change the
[1:24:58] date from November 3rd, 2026 to November
[1:25:02] 2nd, 2027. I so move.
[1:25:06] >> Thank you. So there's a motion on the
[1:25:08] table. Is there any second? Second is
[1:25:12] [sighs]
[1:25:13] Alderman Nash. Okay.
[1:25:15] >> If I may continue, mayor.
[1:25:17] >> Yes.
[1:25:18] >> Thank you. Um before coming to this
[1:25:21] decision to make this request, I did
[1:25:24] take the time to speak to Brian Humes,
[1:25:26] who's the architect who's been working
[1:25:28] with the city in all truthfulness
[1:25:31] probably 16 years. Um, they even
[1:25:34] investigated the old Chestnut Mill on
[1:25:36] Chestnut Street at one point in time.
[1:25:39] Um, I asked him specifically, is the $55
[1:25:43] million estimate valid and how long is
[1:25:47] that? And he told me it was valid
[1:25:49] through 2028. I'm sorry that he left. It
[1:25:52] would have been better to come from his
[1:25:54] lips and not mine. But I assure you when
[1:25:57] I spoke with him just outside the
[1:25:59] building, that is what he told me. So,
[1:26:01] if you consider this, and I do ask you
[1:26:04] to consider this as a friendly
[1:26:06] amendment, I'm very concerned with the
[1:26:09] climate in this city right now and the
[1:26:12] anger that I encounter as the former
[1:26:14] mayor and as an alderman, and I don't
[1:26:16] mean from some individuals in this room.
[1:26:19] I mean out on the city streets, asking
[1:26:22] them to trust this city with a $55
[1:26:24] million bond offer in the current
[1:26:27] climate. I I really think we're putting
[1:26:30] a new police station at greater risk
[1:26:32] than it's ever been in the past.
[1:26:35] And I hate to expect, but I do expect a
[1:26:40] third loss referendum from the voters at
[1:26:43] this cost. I really do. And I don't want
[1:26:47] my police department going through that.
[1:26:50] If you consider this as it is offered,
[1:26:53] it gives the city that much more time to
[1:26:57] do the leg work that's necessary that I
[1:26:59] don't think we've even begin to touch as
[1:27:02] far as informing the public. And it's
[1:27:05] going to take a very very detailed hard
[1:27:08] cell to get the public to authorize $55
[1:27:13] million in bonds when they consider what
[1:27:16] we're already caring for the schools.
[1:27:19] what we're carrying not through taxes
[1:27:21] but through rates for the sewer
[1:27:23] treatment expansion. That's another $200
[1:27:26] million by the way. You take that in
[1:27:28] schools. That's almost $600 million.
[1:27:30] Someone asked what the bond limit is for
[1:27:33] the city of Norwich.
[1:27:35] The last time I had that question
[1:27:37] answered was in my first term as mayor
[1:27:39] and we were then told it was a quarter
[1:27:42] of a million quarter of a billion
[1:27:43] dollars. Now that is a number that's
[1:27:46] probably 14 years old now. So certainly
[1:27:49] it's gone up, but when you consider what
[1:27:52] we are already on the hook for being
[1:27:55] responsible for,
[1:27:57] this is not going to be an easy offer to
[1:27:59] get people to get behind.
[1:28:02] I really am concerned that the voters
[1:28:04] are going to vote it down simply on
[1:28:06] cost. Uh the position that officer
[1:28:10] Ranken gave tonight was a beautiful
[1:28:12] presentation.
[1:28:14] his grandfather who was Deputy Chief
[1:28:16] Broadickan of the Norwich Police
[1:28:18] Department. If he had been here have
[1:28:19] been very proud of his grandson's
[1:28:21] presentation and for all the reasons why
[1:28:24] it's the right thing to do, and I still
[1:28:27] believe that, I worked with the city
[1:28:29] manager and others and negotiated a
[1:28:31] halfp price purchase for that building.
[1:28:34] It was 1.6 million listed. We got it for
[1:28:37] half price. Uh it was the right thing to
[1:28:40] do. was the right location but I think
[1:28:42] the timing of this is extremely
[1:28:44] dangerous for success. Thank you.
[1:28:46] >> Thank you very much. Any other
[1:28:48] discussion? Uh yes.
[1:28:50] >> I just have a quick
[1:28:51] >> motion on the floor.
[1:28:53] >> Yes.
[1:28:54] We have motion and we have second
[1:28:56] and then there's discussion happening.
[1:28:58] >> I I just have a quick question because
[1:29:00] we failed twice before. If we fail
[1:29:02] again, is there any kind of specific
[1:29:04] time frame that we can't bring it back
[1:29:06] or can bring it back? Like if it fails
[1:29:08] this year, can we bring it back next
[1:29:10] year? Arguably at more money. But so I'm
[1:29:14] just asking, so if we if we send it to
[1:29:16] referendum and it fails, is there some
[1:29:18] restriction for next year?
[1:29:21] >> I I don't think so, Bill. But uh we can
[1:29:24] have corporate council or
[1:29:25] >> I can I can answer that now.
[1:29:26] >> Okay. Sure.
[1:29:27] >> No, there is there is none other than um
[1:29:31] logistics. You know, if you're going
[1:29:32] new, you've got to do a new uh concept,
[1:29:36] design, etc.
[1:29:38] which could limit how fair should you
[1:29:40] turn it around.
[1:29:41] >> So, we're we're discussing the
[1:29:43] amendment.
[1:29:43] >> Amendment.
[1:29:45] >> Yes.
[1:29:46] >> Please go ahead.
[1:29:47] >> So, timing is important and time costs
[1:29:50] money and right now escalation in the
[1:29:53] construction industry, especially in
[1:29:54] specialized construction like a police
[1:29:56] department is running about 3%, makes
[1:29:59] actually a little bit more, but let's
[1:30:00] call it 3%. That's so so that this stall
[1:30:05] would cost the city a minimum $1.65
[1:30:10] million. $1,650,000
[1:30:14] because
[1:30:16] people are angry.
[1:30:18] Well,
[1:30:21] >> people are angry, but people need to get
[1:30:24] past the motion and take the issues as
[1:30:26] they come. This one is $1.65 65 million
[1:30:31] to get over your your anger. Justified
[1:30:34] whe whether it doesn't matter whether I
[1:30:36] believe it's justified or not. Actually,
[1:30:38] I understand why a lot of people are are
[1:30:40] angry. That's got nothing to do with
[1:30:42] anything. This is about money. One year
[1:30:45] costs us minimum $1.65 million. Period.
[1:30:50] So, you want to be back here a year from
[1:30:52] now saying, "Oh, it's going to be $57
[1:30:56] million." No, I don't want to be here
[1:30:58] having that conversation with you.
[1:31:01] >> That's that there's my point. I don't
[1:31:03] believe that we should
[1:31:05] >> we should postpone.
[1:31:07] >> Thank you. Uh if no further discussion,
[1:31:10] roll call on Yes.
[1:31:13] >> Just a brief response. In talking with
[1:31:15] Brian again, the architect who came up
[1:31:17] with this estimate, he stated that the
[1:31:20] 55 million was in fact the high end and
[1:31:24] that it already included cost
[1:31:26] adjustments and cost escalation within.
[1:31:31] In some respects, that's good news
[1:31:33] because what he's trying to say without
[1:31:35] guaranteeing is that's the worst case
[1:31:37] scenario.
[1:31:40] So, I believe Joe's concern is valid,
[1:31:44] but I believe the $55 million figure
[1:31:47] already accommodates those concerns. Um,
[1:31:51] even if this fails and it goes to
[1:31:54] referendum and it's passed, we more than
[1:31:57] likely won't be breaking ground until
[1:32:00] 2028. There are so many different stages
[1:32:04] of approvals that have to take place
[1:32:06] prior to
[1:32:08] um but the 55 includes those kinds of
[1:32:12] concerns that the present prom did talk
[1:32:14] about and they're valid. They are valid.
[1:32:17] I just don't want to be sitting here and
[1:32:21] watching a third referendum fail on
[1:32:24] something that is so badly needed in
[1:32:26] this community. And I think the way it's
[1:32:28] being presented
[1:32:30] somewhat last minute, we could have been
[1:32:33] talking about this back in January.
[1:32:35] People could have been told then, but we
[1:32:38] didn't
[1:32:39] talk about notice provisions. We haven't
[1:32:41] had any to really hang our hat on. And I
[1:32:46] still question the city's ability to
[1:32:48] handle that responsibility if it goes to
[1:32:51] referendum because I know damn well
[1:32:53] state law prohibits you using city
[1:32:55] facilities, city resources to do that.
[1:32:59] You cannot do that.
[1:33:01] Thank you.
[1:33:04] Any other further discussions? If not,
[1:33:07] we'll vote on the amendment piece now.
[1:33:10] Roll call on the amendment, please.
[1:33:12] >> Alderman Nash,
[1:33:13] >> yes. Aldwoman Hayes,
[1:33:16] >> no.
[1:33:17] >> Alderman Katabaya,
[1:33:18] >> no.
[1:33:19] >> Alderwoman Zucardi,
[1:33:21] >> no.
[1:33:21] >> Alderman Nestrom,
[1:33:23] >> yes.
[1:33:24] >> President Prom Deluchia,
[1:33:26] >> no.
[1:33:27] >> Mayor Singh, [clears throat]
[1:33:28] >> uh, no. Motion
[1:33:32] fails.
[1:33:34] Um, sorry. Five is to two. Thank you.
[1:33:37] And now we're going to go back on the
[1:33:40] original
[1:33:41] uh motion that was in front of us at
[1:33:44] this point.
[1:33:47] Any discussion on the original motion?
[1:33:49] Yes, please.
[1:33:50] >> I just want to make it clear. My my
[1:33:52] position is simple here. I bleed the
[1:33:55] Norwich Police Department. I served
[1:33:57] there, served our community. The need is
[1:33:59] very real. I got hired in ' 85 and the
[1:34:02] building was built in 679 and it was
[1:34:05] already too small not even 10 years down
[1:34:07] the road. So I support building the new
[1:34:09] police station. The challenge is making
[1:34:12] sure that we pursue it in the right
[1:34:14] time. Don't know if this is necessarily
[1:34:16] the right time in that way. Uh the plan
[1:34:19] is for the taxpayers to make the
[1:34:21] decision. You want transparency, you
[1:34:23] want honesty, you want trust. Here it
[1:34:25] is. It's in your hands. If this passes
[1:34:28] tonight, it goes to referendum. You make
[1:34:31] the decision, not us. So, you can't sit
[1:34:33] there and say, "You chose $55 million.
[1:34:36] You stuck us with the tax bill." No.
[1:34:39] Here's what we offered. We did. This is
[1:34:42] what was done. The the proposal was
[1:34:44] made. Now, it's your turn. Now, it's
[1:34:46] your turn. If you don't want it, vote it
[1:34:48] down. Understand the need is real. These
[1:34:51] people are going to get uh uh hurt at
[1:34:53] some point. Someone's going to get some
[1:34:55] kind of respiratory issue from the mold
[1:34:57] in the in the locker rooms or the
[1:34:59] asbestous or whatever else is running
[1:35:00] around that building. Someone's going to
[1:35:02] get hurt. Someone's going to get sick
[1:35:04] and someone's going to sue the city of
[1:35:05] Norwich for millions of dollars. Okay?
[1:35:08] So, it's in your ballpark now. It's in
[1:35:10] your ball. The ball's in your court. You
[1:35:12] make the decision now. Thank you.
[1:35:15] >> Thank you. Any other comments at this
[1:35:18] time?
[1:35:19] Uh, yes. Alder Roman Cardi,
[1:35:23] >> this is a very difficult issue and I
[1:35:26] both um Alderman Nestrom and Alder
[1:35:29] Alderman Deluchia make excellent points
[1:35:31] on both sides of whether to do it now or delay it. But every time I think
[1:35:35] about delaying it, I think about my tour
[1:35:38] of the current police station where at
[1:35:40] every stop, I I just went, "What?" I
[1:35:44] mean, to see the water coming down in
[1:35:47] the servers with with sheets to to hold
[1:35:51] it up and and to see the the locker room
[1:35:54] being doubled as where a crime victim of rape or burglary or assault is is
[1:36:00] sitting in there with all the boots all
[1:36:02] around it. It's that's what I keep
[1:36:04] coming back to and I hope that people
[1:36:07] will use the website. I I just I haven't perused it yet, but I hope
[1:36:11] people will educate themselves. Um
[1:36:14] reasonable people can disagree, but I
[1:36:16] hope that it's based on information. Um
[1:36:19] and I hope that people thoughtfully
[1:36:21] struggle with the decision however they
[1:36:23] come down, but that they do it
[1:36:24] thoughtfully. Thank you.
[1:36:26] >> Thank you. Any other comments?
[1:36:30] hearing none. Now we're going to have a
[1:36:33] vote on the original resolution which is
[1:36:35] in front of us.
[1:36:37] >> Alderman Nash,
[1:36:39] >> yes.
[1:36:40] >> Aldwoman Hayes,
[1:36:41] >> yes.
[1:36:42] >> Alderman Katabaya,
[1:36:43] >> yes.
[1:36:44] >> Alderwoman Zucardi,
[1:36:45] >> yes.
[1:36:46] >> Alderman Nestrom,
[1:36:47] >> no.
[1:36:48] >> President Prom Deluchia,
[1:36:50] >> yes.
[1:36:50] >> Mayor Singh,
[1:36:51] >> yes. Motion passes 621. Thank you very
[1:36:55] much.
[1:36:57] >> [snorts]
[1:36:57] >> Number five, relative to the city
[1:36:59] manager being authorized to grant the
[1:37:01] Italian Ladies Social Club permission to
[1:37:03] sell beer and wine in its Italian
[1:37:05] festival.
[1:37:06] >> Thank you. Can I have a motion, please?
[1:37:09] >> Motion.
[1:37:09] >> Alderman Nash, can I have a second?
[1:37:13] Alderman Zakari. Any discussion?
[1:37:17] Hearing none. Roll call, please.
[1:37:19] >> Alderman Nash,
[1:37:20] >> yes.
[1:37:20] >> Alderwoman Hayes,
[1:37:21] >> yes.
[1:37:22] >> Alderman Katabaya,
[1:37:23] >> yes.
[1:37:24] >> Alderwoman Zukardi,
[1:37:25] >> yes. Alderman Nestrom.
[1:37:27] >> Yes.
[1:37:27] >> President Prom Deluchia.
[1:37:29] >> Yes.
[1:37:29] >> Mayor Singh.
[1:37:30] >> Yes. Motion passes 7 to zero. Thank you.
[1:37:34] >> Citizen comment general 30 minutes on
[1:37:37] non-aggenda items.
[1:37:38] >> Thank you very much. So at this point uh
[1:37:41] I open the citizen comment general for
[1:37:44] 30 minutes.
[1:37:46] Please come forward. State your name. I
[1:37:49] have two names on non-aggenda items. Joe
[1:37:52] McMman and David Horse. at this point.
[1:38:01] So again, I believe I'm allowed 4
[1:38:04] minutes and 25 seconds.
[1:38:08] My name is Joe McMahon, a lifelong
[1:38:10] resident of Taffel and a longtime member
[1:38:12] of the Taffel Volunteer Fire Department.
[1:38:14] So where did I leave off? Oh yeah, what
[1:38:18] now? What's next? What's the plan? So, I
[1:38:23] wonder if you were all thinking like
[1:38:25] Donald Trump that this little excursion
[1:38:29] would be over in a few weeks, that the
[1:38:31] volunteer departments being provoked and
[1:38:33] displaced would just lay down their arms
[1:38:36] and succumb. Did you ever really have a
[1:38:39] complete tactical plan? Or again, did
[1:38:41] you think that these volunteered
[1:38:43] departments after serving hundreds of
[1:38:45] combined years would just go away
[1:38:47] quietly, back down, and kneel to King
[1:38:50] Wilson? Wow. Did you misjudge?
[1:38:54] So, did you plan on having your
[1:38:56] authority checked? Lawsuit filed. Did
[1:39:00] you plan on the volunteer departments
[1:39:02] being stoic and steadfast?
[1:39:05] Did you plan for how to cover these
[1:39:08] additional costs to cover what these
[1:39:10] volunteers did for you for free?
[1:39:14] Did you really plan on the resistance?
[1:39:17] By the way, I just had another hundred
[1:39:19] signs made and half of these now say you
[1:39:22] should all be fired in my opinion.
[1:39:27] Do you plan on the fortitude of these
[1:39:29] volunteer departments?
[1:39:31] So, what's the bleeping plan?
[1:39:34] As we heard last week, you continue to
[1:39:37] treat the note city charter as a
[1:39:39] suggestion card. Last month you were
[1:39:42] warned that the paid department could
[1:39:44] only receive funds from the CCD and you
[1:39:47] completely disregarded. Lawsuit to
[1:39:49] follow. Last month you were warned that
[1:39:52] the city charter is clear that pay
[1:39:54] department stays in a CCD unless for
[1:39:57] extreme emergencies. Lawsuit ongoing.
[1:40:01] The Taffel volunteer firehouse is being
[1:40:03] staffed 24/7 with three people. If
[1:40:06] there's a fire, they leave on one rig,
[1:40:09] and all the other millions of dollars of
[1:40:11] equipment remain at the firehouse unused
[1:40:14] due to lack of personnel.
[1:40:17] Whoever came up with that plan should be
[1:40:19] fired.
[1:40:23] [sighs]
[1:40:25] So again, I have a short little story
[1:40:28] ending very funny.
[1:40:31] Last week, I emailed the city manager to
[1:40:34] ask permission to go to my firehouse.
[1:40:37] You see, I'm in charge of the sign out
[1:40:39] front. The sign that says Taffel loves
[1:40:43] their volunteer firefighters. Does Does
[1:40:45] everyone here know that some scumbag
[1:40:48] removed the word volunteer from that
[1:40:51] sign so it would then say Taffo loves
[1:40:54] their firefighters? I guess just while
[1:40:56] the paid guys are there. Trust me when I
[1:40:59] tell you I let Mike does does Avette
[1:41:02] know my true feelings.
[1:41:04] >> Please conclude.
[1:41:05] >> I will on someone removing the word
[1:41:08] volunteer from that sign board.
[1:41:11] And I reminded him that they are
[1:41:13] temporary tenants at the Taffl volunteer
[1:41:15] firehouse. I'm done. Anyways,
[1:41:19] I had to change the sign because the
[1:41:21] Tathl and Yanick volunteer fire
[1:41:23] departments are hosting an American Red
[1:41:26] Cross blood drive.
[1:41:28] Tuesday, September 8th from 8:00 a.m. to
[1:41:32] 6 pm at the Yanick Volunteer Firehouse.
[1:41:35] I'll be serving free breakfast
[1:41:37] sandwiches, free hot dogs, and
[1:41:38] hamburgers all day long. Please come if
[1:41:41] you can. And I am personally inviting
[1:41:44] the council to participate if they are
[1:41:47] physically able to do so. So, here's the
[1:41:50] funny part. As I was changing the sign,
[1:41:54] the three guys at the firehouse watching
[1:41:57] over me, I may have expressed my concern
[1:42:00] about the cost of this whole firefighter
[1:42:02] takeover debacle. And I told the three
[1:42:05] guys, "Look, it ain't just you. The
[1:42:07] police department is next on my radar.
[1:42:11] $60 million ain't going to fly." And
[1:42:13] that's when one of the guys said, "Hey,
[1:42:15] Joe, you ought to run for mayor." That's
[1:42:18] the funny part. Thank you very much.
[1:42:20] >> Thank you. [applause]
[1:42:27] » [snorts]
[1:42:30] » Good evening, [clears throat] Rocky. Let
[1:42:32] me remind you
[1:42:35] of some words that are written very
[1:42:38] clearly in the Holy Scriptures. Since
[1:42:41] I'm a born again Christian, I'll share
[1:42:43] with you in case you don't know or
[1:42:45] somebody in the public. My Lord and
[1:42:48] Savior Jesus Christ with righteous
[1:42:51] indignation
[1:42:53] overthrew the money changers.
[1:42:56] He addresses the Pharisee WITH THE BIG
[1:42:58] SHOTS at that time and he called them
[1:43:01] you hypocrites.
[1:43:04] YOU SEEK TO KILL ME BECAUSE YOU are of
[1:43:07] your father the devil. So please don't
[1:43:10] teach me or don't express THAT I CAN'T
[1:43:15] HAVE righteous indignation. This guy
[1:43:18] Joseph Deluchia lies WITHOUT
[1:43:23] A HINT OF REMORSE AND WE'RE GOING TO
[1:43:26] WASTE HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT WASTING
[1:43:28] ANOTHER MILLION. He's not concerned
[1:43:30] about stop spending the money on the on
[1:43:32] a on a paid firefighter. IT'S NOT
[1:43:34] CONCERNED BECAUSE YOU SEE WITHIN 6
[1:43:38] MONTHS WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK
[1:43:39] authorizing another $500,000.
[1:43:42] So my righteous indignation as A UNITED
[1:43:45] STATES CITIZEN MUST BE RESPECTED.
[1:43:50] And to all of you that BELIEVE IN JESUS
[1:43:53] CHRIST, PLEASE UNDERSTAND
[1:43:56] WE ARE FREE PEOPLE.
[1:44:00] WE THE PEOPLE OWN THE COUNTRY, THE STATE
[1:44:04] and the city. You're merely
[1:44:07] given a a chance to administer. And if I
[1:44:11] may say so something very clearly,
[1:44:14] you're doing a very poor job. Even you,
[1:44:17] Mr. Solomon, and I SAID ON THE AIR, 190
[1:44:20] GRAND A YEAR WASTED.
[1:44:23] >> Thank you very much. Anyone else who
[1:44:25] would like to address the council?
[1:44:29] Mayor, members of the council, my name
[1:44:31] is David Horse. I live on Joseph Perkins
[1:44:33] Road. I with many here want to thank you
[1:44:36] for your service. You are, as we well
[1:44:38] know, popularly democratically elected
[1:44:41] to lead this city and we appreciate uh
[1:44:44] your service
[1:44:48] particularly now um when there's
[1:44:53] such significant issues here that you
[1:44:55] are uh meeting this moment. Um my family
[1:44:59] and I arrived in Norwich 7 years ago.
[1:45:02] the city where we chose to live because
[1:45:05] of its diversity, its arts, its human
[1:45:08] services, but most of all its people.
[1:45:12] And we remain committed to this city. I
[1:45:14] love the history of Norwich, but I love
[1:45:16] the potential of this city more. And one
[1:45:20] final word to my neighbors here, please,
[1:45:23] I beg you, I pray, stop the shouting,
[1:45:27] stop the name calling, stop the
[1:45:30] bullying. Let's move the city forward.
[1:45:33] >> Thank you.
[1:45:36] Anyone else who would like to address
[1:45:38] the council?
[1:45:41] >> Anyone else who would like to address
[1:45:42] the council? Yes, please.
[1:45:45] >> Yes.
[1:45:53] [snorts and sighs]
[1:45:55] So, here we are again and I hope that I
[1:45:57] get four minutes. Um,
[1:46:00] it causes me great sadness
[1:46:04] to come before you.
[1:46:06] I've been coming to these meetings
[1:46:08] religiously for 22 years without fail.
[1:46:12] I know a lot about a lot. I have my
[1:46:18] supporters and my detractors.
[1:46:22] So my question to you is
[1:46:27] why? How are we supposed to approach
[1:46:30] you?
[1:46:34] you you look right through us.
[1:46:38] You don't want to hear what we have to
[1:46:40] say.
[1:46:42] You don't want You can't look me in the
[1:46:44] face.
[1:46:47] I make
[1:46:50] I don't get it. I've been on this planet
[1:46:52] 83 years. And what I wanted to talk
[1:46:55] about tonight was the replacement
[1:46:56] theory. I don't know if you're familiar
[1:46:59] with that, but I've decided not to talk
[1:47:01] about that.
[1:47:03] I took down my volunteer save lives
[1:47:07] sign. I took down my Norwich City
[1:47:10] Council sign. Sucks
[1:47:13] because I live in a historic
[1:47:15] neighborhood.
[1:47:18] But you don't give a crap about that.
[1:47:20] Mr. Singh, I want to know your story. I
[1:47:24] want to know when you came to this
[1:47:25] country, how you came to this country,
[1:47:28] and how you made your fortune. Perhaps
[1:47:31] that would have me give me a better
[1:47:33] understanding of why you have this
[1:47:36] elitist
[1:47:37] attitude.
[1:47:40] You want to raise the flag for the
[1:47:41] Peruvians. You want to raise the flag
[1:47:44] for the Jamaicans. You want to raise the
[1:47:47] seek awareness.
[1:47:50] I have yet to hear you say anything
[1:47:51] about the Jews.
[1:47:54] I have yet to hear you say anything
[1:47:56] about Norwich Town, the birthplace of
[1:47:58] Norwich, which by the way has become a
[1:48:03] slum.
[1:48:05] One only has to look at nor at Town
[1:48:08] Street to see it.
[1:48:12] I don't need to be admonished by Mr.
[1:48:15] Deluchia or anyone else.
[1:48:19] I have paid my dues. I have lived
[1:48:21] through many ideations, abortions, civil
[1:48:24] rights, the Bay of Pigs, the Vietnam
[1:48:27] War,
[1:48:30] personal and private and very public
[1:48:34] scandals,
[1:48:37] and I'm still standing here with my head
[1:48:40] held high.
[1:48:42] And I will go back to the same thing I
[1:48:44] said earlier.
[1:48:47] by virtue of my age alone,
[1:48:50] first and foremost. Secondly, by my
[1:48:53] gender, because it's obvious that you
[1:48:56] treat men different than women at the
[1:48:59] podium. It's blatantly obvious.
[1:49:03] I don't have the energy anymore to file
[1:49:05] complaints with the ethics commission.
[1:49:09] But I'm just going to leave you with
[1:49:10] this. You give what you get and you get
[1:49:14] what you give. And you, some of you are
[1:49:19] not meeting the level. You are public
[1:49:22] servants.
[1:49:23] You are our voice.
[1:49:28] It's sad. This city is going to
[1:49:31] self-employ. Look at your watch. That's
[1:49:33] rude.
[1:49:34] >> Thank you. Please conclude. We have
[1:49:35] other people as well. We want to give
[1:49:37] them a
[1:49:37] >> Mr. Singh. How what is the best way to
[1:49:39] approach you?
[1:49:41] What is the what is the most fertuitous
[1:49:44] way to to speak with you?
[1:49:50] » I did.
[1:49:51] >> You're not going to answer, which speaks
[1:49:53] volumes.
[1:49:54] >> Thank you very much.
[1:49:55] >> Yes.
[1:49:56] >> Anyone else who would like to come
[1:49:57] forward and address the council?
[1:50:03] My name is Linda Theodoru and I am here
[1:50:06] just to apologize to all of you for the
[1:50:09] hatred and the racism that I'm hearing
[1:50:12] coming from these people. It's so
[1:50:15] shameful. They do not represent the
[1:50:18] majority of Norwich. Norwich is better
[1:50:21] than this. Thank you.
[1:50:26] » Anyone else who like to address the
[1:50:28] council? Yes, please.
[1:50:35] » Excuse me. I signed up for this.
[1:50:38] >> Please state your name.
[1:50:40] >> Yes. Excuse me, mayor. I signed up
[1:50:41] somewhere around there. My name is James
[1:50:43] Carrian.
[1:50:43] >> Okay. Clean water.
[1:50:45] >> The gentleman in the black coat needs to
[1:50:47] take a seat.
[1:50:49] >> Let's everybody else take a seat. One
[1:50:51] person at a time at the podium, please.
[1:50:54] Thank you.
[1:50:58] As I stated, my name is James Carrian. I
[1:51:00] signed up I wasn't sure what I signed up
[1:51:02] for. This was the
[1:51:03] >> probably did in a different one.
[1:51:04] >> The non-aggenda is where I wanted to
[1:51:06] speak. Okay.
[1:51:07] >> And I want to speak to you this evening
[1:51:10] um ladies and gentlemen and bullies on
[1:51:13] both sides
[1:51:15] that I want to talk about a little
[1:51:16] different subject, change the tone a
[1:51:18] little bit. I understand from the news
[1:51:20] that the city has received $250,000
[1:51:24] to uh request input from different
[1:51:27] organizations about how to use the land
[1:51:29] that is the former uh state hospital
[1:51:32] here in Norwich.
[1:51:35] >> Somebody mentioned earlier that there's
[1:51:37] been decades of neglect.
[1:51:42] I think they were referring to the
[1:51:43] police department. I'd like to refer to
[1:51:45] that land over on the other side of the
[1:51:47] river.
[1:51:48] and the people that were there. Excuse
[1:51:51] me, I get emotional, but those people
[1:51:54] haven't been served for many, many
[1:51:56] years. The intention was to save money
[1:51:59] by shutting down that met that hospital,
[1:52:01] which served a great purpose as we see
[1:52:04] now because all of the shootings and
[1:52:06] stuff that's going on in our world,
[1:52:08] those people should be some of them
[1:52:10] institutionalized to protect themselves
[1:52:13] in our society. So, what I'd like to
[1:52:15] recommend to you for free, you don't
[1:52:18] have to give me any of that 250,000
[1:52:21] that you negotiate with the state of
[1:52:24] Connecticut to replace that mental
[1:52:27] hospital on the other side of the river
[1:52:29] that the land is still there, still
[1:52:31] available. And I think our soon to be
[1:52:34] elected uh state senator is going maybe
[1:52:38] can help you from the state side as how
[1:52:40] to negotiate bringing a mental hospital
[1:52:42] back to our properties.
[1:52:45] That's it. Thank you. Oh, one last
[1:52:48] thing. I want to compliment Rocky cuz uh
[1:52:51] like him, I believe our Lord and Savior
[1:52:53] is not going to be deceived. So you're
[1:52:55] only fooling yourselves if you're trying
[1:52:57] to deceive anybody. Me neither. Okay.
[1:53:00] Thank you.
[1:53:01] >> Thank you.
[1:53:03] I think
[1:53:05] >> make sit down.
[1:53:08] >> Everybody else, please sit down. Please
[1:53:10] have a seat.
[1:53:14] » Thank you.
[1:53:16] >> Yes, please. Go ahead.
[1:53:19] >> Joanne Marola Martin to West Ledge
[1:53:21] Drive. So, I don't come up here very
[1:53:23] often. I don't like to make my political
[1:53:25] views no um public because I'm the
[1:53:28] registar of voters and I don't think
[1:53:30] it's appropriate.
[1:53:31] Um so I'm not going to talk about that.
[1:53:34] I want to say that I have known every
[1:53:36] single one of you for a very long time.
[1:53:39] Uh two of the people that I have known
[1:53:41] the longest are the people that are on
[1:53:43] the opposite uh side from my party. And
[1:53:50] from what I hear, the invective and the
[1:53:52] eyeire that is thrown at you at every
[1:53:56] meeting,
[1:53:57] um I I know you all and I know that you
[1:54:03] do what you think is right for this city
[1:54:06] and I just want to say thank you as
[1:54:08] well.
[1:54:10] >> Thank you very much.
[1:54:13] [applause]
[1:54:17] Good evening, Matt Simpson.
[1:54:21] At the last meeting, Mr. Deluchia,
[1:54:25] you said nobody here, nobody who spoke
[1:54:28] is a lawyer or a charter scholar.
[1:54:32] That objection goes to the speaker, Mr.
[1:54:34] Deluchia, not the substance. In legal
[1:54:37] terms, it's nonresponsive.
[1:54:40] Even assuming arguendo that you were
[1:54:43] right, the charter's meeting does not
[1:54:46] turn on the reader's resume. Citizens
[1:54:49] did not need a law degree to read the
[1:54:51] law governing their own city. Government
[1:54:54] does not answer chapter and section by
[1:54:58] questioning a reader's credentials.
[1:55:02] I began where Connecticut law says
[1:55:04] interpretation begins with the text
[1:55:06] itself and its relationship to other
[1:55:09] law. I read the charter as a whole,
[1:55:12] harmonized its related provisions, gave
[1:55:15] effect to its words, traced its
[1:55:17] amendments, tested my construction
[1:55:19] against ordinances, state statutes,
[1:55:22] judiciary authority, and public record.
[1:55:25] I don't claim infallibility. I claim
[1:55:27] I've done the work.
[1:55:30] Mr. Deluchia, a scholar is somebody who
[1:55:33] does the work. A scholar is somebody who
[1:55:37] applies a method to study a subject
[1:55:42] with incredible accuracy and
[1:55:45] determination.
[1:55:47] I served on the work. You are no scholar
[1:55:50] of the word scholar. Thank you.
[1:55:54] Anybody else who would like
[1:55:56] to address the council?
[1:55:59] Anyone else who would like to ask? Yes,
[1:56:01] please.
[1:56:12] » Rod Rodney Boy, Roosevelt Avenue,
[1:56:15] Norwich.
[1:56:17] Um, Mark Twain had something to say a
[1:56:19] long time ago.
[1:56:22] When you're old, when you're in a hole,
[1:56:24] stop digging.
[1:56:27] Now,
[1:56:28] you're thinking of uh passing on $55
[1:56:33] million to your kids,
[1:56:37] and I'm not particular about that.
[1:56:40] Now,
[1:56:42] in the past, I haven't spoken about the
[1:56:45] uh um bill to um redo some of the sewer
[1:56:50] lines in this city.
[1:56:53] But
[1:56:56] I don't like the idea of just spending, and spending. When you spend
[1:57:01] more than you make,
[1:57:05] that is the
[1:57:08] way to dig yourself a big hole.
[1:57:11] And I I don't do that.
[1:57:14] I don't owe anybody anything anywhere,
[1:57:18] anytime.
[1:57:19] If I want to buy something, I go out and
[1:57:21] do that.
[1:57:23] I'm 85 years old
[1:57:26] and financially competent.
[1:57:30] Now, you folks can fool around with figs
[1:57:34] and everything else, and I'm glad to
[1:57:37] find out someone somewhere decided $55
[1:57:43] million for a police station. Why? The
[1:57:46] building over there
[1:57:49] is 300 ft long, at least,
[1:57:53] four decks high, and could have been
[1:57:56] bought for less than that.
[1:57:58] It's been vacant for as long as I can
[1:58:01] remember in this city. And I've been
[1:58:04] here for 60
[1:58:07] 62 years.
[1:58:10] Now, if you can't handle the finances in
[1:58:13] a city,
[1:58:16] how do you handle them at home?
[1:58:19] Now, I just don't understand that
[1:58:21] really.
[1:58:23] Now, I've been handling finances
[1:58:26] since I was 10 years old.
[1:58:29] I learned when my father went broke,
[1:58:32] they came away and took our took our 39
[1:58:36] Ford out of the driveway. He was dead
[1:58:39] broke. I tell my I tell my kids, I
[1:58:43] bought my first house when I was 10
[1:58:45] years old. My father borrowed money from
[1:58:48] me.
[1:58:49] When I went in the Navy, he borrowed
[1:58:52] money from me to pay off his car. So,
[1:58:56] folks, [clears throat]
[1:58:59] I was a lone shark in the Navy and they
[1:59:02] liked it.
[1:59:04] I really they liked it because I was
[1:59:08] kind about it. If someone needed needed
[1:59:11] $200 for an airplane ticket because
[1:59:14] their dad was sick, I gave it to him
[1:59:17] free. [snorts] You guys have a good
[1:59:20] evening.
[1:59:21] >> Thank you very much.
[1:59:24] Anyone else would like to address the
[1:59:26] council? Yes, please.
[1:59:33] Name's Caleb. I've done uh a lot of
[1:59:36] looking into cameras. I know it's not on
[1:59:38] the agenda today, but I want to voice my
[1:59:41] opinion on the subject. So, good good
[1:59:43] evening everyone. I'm here tonight
[1:59:45] because I don't believe that flock
[1:59:46] cameras are appropriate for the city of
[1:59:48] Norwich. I understand the argument for
[1:59:51] them. Uh law enforcement needs tools to
[1:59:55] investigate crimes and uh locate stolen
[1:59:58] vehicles and to keep our community safe,
[2:00:01] but I believe that we also have
[2:00:03] considered the uh privacy of innocent
[2:00:07] people who are simply driving throughout
[2:00:09] our city. Flock cameras.
[2:00:12] Flock [snorts] cameras can create a
[2:00:15] searchable record of where vehicles have
[2:00:17] been even when those people aren't
[2:00:20] subject uh suspected of committing a
[2:00:24] crime that power can be honestly
[2:00:27] misused.
[2:00:29] For example, just this month, a South
[2:00:31] Carolina police officer was fired after
[2:00:34] allegedly using flock cameras to search
[2:00:38] her former partner's license plate 166
[2:00:42] times. Another example occurred in San
[2:00:46] uh San Francisco
[2:00:48] [gasps]
[2:00:49] when an adult uh when a audit found a
[2:00:53] flock uh camera database have been
[2:00:55] improperly associated nearly
[2:00:58] 300 times by outside agencies. These
[2:01:01] examples don't mean every officer will
[2:01:04] misuse the technology, but they prove
[2:01:07] that safeguards can fa fail. My concern
[2:01:11] isn't about being against law
[2:01:13] enforcement.
[2:01:15] It's about making sure that power
[2:01:17] powerful surveillance technologies have
[2:01:19] strict limits, transparency, and
[2:01:21] independent oversight before we put them
[2:01:24] throughout our city. Once a system like
[2:01:27] this is installed, expanding it is used
[2:01:30] much it is much easier
[2:01:34] to be used uh taken away. So before
[2:01:38] Norwich moves forward with more flock
[2:01:40] cameras than what we already have, I
[2:01:42] believe we need to ask ourselves, are we
[2:01:44] making Norwich a safer or are we
[2:01:48] creating a surveillance system that
[2:01:50] could eventually be used in ways that
[2:01:52] were never intended? [snorts] Thank you.
[2:01:56] [applause]
[2:01:58] Anyone else who would like to address
[2:02:00] the council?
[2:02:03] Anyone else like to address the council?
[2:02:06] PS.
[2:02:12] » Okay, I've got something here on this on
[2:02:15] my phone. That is if any of you actually
[2:02:16] know how to read.
[2:02:18] It says here, according to Brandon
[2:02:20] Richard Sab, who's uh running for the uh
[2:02:23] third district, seven out of 10 states
[2:02:26] do not have car taxes. Those states are
[2:02:29] as follows. Vermont, New Hampshire,
[2:02:34] Rhode Island,
[2:02:36] New York State,
[2:02:38] New Jersey, and Delaware.
[2:02:42] These states do not have a car tax. And
[2:02:43] yet, financially, they're doing better
[2:02:46] than this dump has ever done. But I
[2:02:48] can't remember when was the last time
[2:02:49] this dump ever did anything right in
[2:02:50] their lives. Anyway, but I know what
[2:02:52] this tells me
[2:02:54] that these seven states are the reasons
[2:02:56] why people are leaving this dump and are
[2:02:57] going to other states, including
[2:02:59] Florida, um Tennessee, and Texas. They
[2:03:03] don't have income tax. They do not have
[2:03:04] car tax.
[2:03:07] So, why aren't you asking yourselves
[2:03:08] what it is that you're doing wrong? You
[2:03:09] know why? Because you don't have the
[2:03:10] guts.
[2:03:12] You're too busy with your wallets open
[2:03:14] and with dollar signs in your eyes.
[2:03:19] And then when people leave, you sit
[2:03:21] there and look stupid and you ask
[2:03:22] yourself, why are they leaving? Do you
[2:03:25] have an answer for that? No, of course
[2:03:26] you don't. You don't care. You just want the the old Walton and D
[2:03:31] dollar signs routine.
[2:03:34] That 55 million albatross is sitting on
[2:03:37] this town is going to turn into a bane.
[2:03:40] It's going to turn into a bane full of
[2:03:42] people who can least afford to uh afford
[2:03:45] to pay for that sort of thing.
[2:03:47] The only thing that they're going to be
[2:03:48] paying for is U-Haul to come rent their
[2:03:51] trucks, pack their stuff, and say bye.
[2:03:54] And they're not going to look back.
[2:03:56] And when they go outside to these
[2:03:58] affforementioned states, they're going
[2:04:00] to tell the people don't move to North.
[2:04:01] Nor is a joke. They're pathetic.
[2:04:04] Tax wise, they suck. And they suck at
[2:04:06] everything else.
[2:04:09] I mean, just recently I heard that coal
[2:04:11] manufacturing left here for Texas
[2:04:14] because of a because of a little Hitler
[2:04:17] Ned Lamont. He was one who drove them
[2:04:19] out of here and a couple of other
[2:04:21] businesses if I'm right. Stanley Black &
[2:04:23] Decker, they packed them and they left
[2:04:25] on New Britain and I think they went to
[2:04:28] Texas.
[2:04:29] You should be asking yourself, what is
[2:04:30] it that Texas is doing better that we're
[2:04:32] not?
[2:04:34] I can even ask Governor Greg Abbott
[2:04:36] because I'm considering moving down
[2:04:37] there myself.
[2:04:44] But like I said, you won't have a gut to
[2:04:46] ask yourself that question.
[2:04:50] Well, listen what you're going to say.
[2:04:52] When this dump turns into a ghost town
[2:04:54] and nobody comes here and nobody comes
[2:04:56] to this downtown area, period, you're
[2:04:58] going to have nothing but bacon stores
[2:05:02] in them. We'll be the cockroaches and
[2:05:04] the rats.
[2:05:06] >> Thank you very much. Anyone else who
[2:05:08] would like to come forward? Yes, Bill.
[2:05:10] please.
[2:05:22] » Barrel Fishbone, Bliss [clears throat]
[2:05:24] Place.
[2:05:26] And on occasion, some of you have had
[2:05:28] phone calls from me, you've had emails
[2:05:30] from me,
[2:05:32] you've had um uh texts from me, and
[2:05:36] you've always been very kind enough to
[2:05:38] respond. And I just wanted people to
[2:05:40] know that if that's how they you need to
[2:05:43] be contacted, you can also go to the
[2:05:46] city website and you can write
[2:05:49] individually to each of the the uh city
[2:05:54] members of the city council and the
[2:05:56] mayor. Or you can uh write to them all
[2:05:59] at one time. Although you'll still only
[2:06:02] get one response,
[2:06:04] but I've always gotten a response and I
[2:06:06] thank you for that.
[2:06:08] Have a nice evening.
[2:06:09] >> Thank you very much.
[2:06:12] Yes, please.
[2:06:18] Rob Demsky, White Plains Road. Uh first
[2:06:21] and foremost for anybody in the room
[2:06:23] tonight or people watching at home now
[2:06:25] or later who was who were uh incorrectly
[2:06:31] tossed out of this chamber,
[2:06:34] there is an opportunity to seek
[2:06:36] accountability for that misaction.
[2:06:39] You can get in touch with me after the
[2:06:41] meeting or you can text me 86084483.
[2:06:46] It's a very simple process and I'll take
[2:06:49] you through it and if you need it, give
[2:06:50] you a hand with it. So, on to some
[2:06:53] things we're talked about tonight. A
[2:06:55] leaking roof and mold on the police
[2:06:56] station. Why is this not addressed? You
[2:06:59] did it for 892. As soon as they took
[2:07:01] over Taffil, Taffil's complaining about
[2:07:03] mold in there, nothing got done about
[2:07:05] it, but 892 shuffles in there. Bam.
[2:07:09] Serve pros there remediating.
[2:07:12] Why is basic maintenance on the police
[2:07:14] station? If we care about our police
[2:07:17] officers, and we do,
[2:07:19] why is this an issue? Why is this not
[2:07:21] done already?
[2:07:23] And frankly, why since everybody seems
[2:07:27] to believe that this is a plan that
[2:07:30] should have been enacted years ago, why
[2:07:31] has there not been some sort of savings
[2:07:33] plan set up? Then if it's that
[2:07:35] important, start putting a down payment
[2:07:38] away just like you would for a home or
[2:07:40] anything else.
[2:07:42] Just an off-the cuff idea
[2:07:46] as far as far as the timing
[2:07:50] of your hiring at the DOT
[2:07:54] president prom who cares. You work there
[2:07:57] now.
[2:07:59] is when it matters.
[2:08:02] And political theater recusing yourself
[2:08:05] for [clears throat] a vote that you
[2:08:06] already knew was going to go in your
[2:08:09] favor. That's that's the definition of
[2:08:12] political theater.
[2:08:14] Now, one of our previous speakers did a
[2:08:16] very good job detailing,
[2:08:19] pardon me,
[2:08:21] detailing the fallacy of a charter
[2:08:25] scholar.
[2:08:27] Who Who's heard of a charter scholar?
[2:08:30] And even if it were such a thing,
[2:08:34] is that something that is compatible
[2:08:36] with a government of the people, by the
[2:08:38] people, for the people? I need to be a
[2:08:40] charter scholar
[2:08:42] in order to understand the rules by
[2:08:45] which I am governed. Do you realize what
[2:08:48] a ridiculous notion that is? As is
[2:08:50] saying to this room, I was going to be
[2:08:53] gentle.
[2:08:55] Who speaks that way? I was going to be
[2:08:57] gentle, but now let me just take my belt
[2:09:00] off. What? It's It's ridiculous. It's a
[2:09:03] ridiculous way to speak to the people
[2:09:07] who elected you and whether or not they
[2:09:09] elected you whom you serve.
[2:09:12] And I don't have time to get into it,
[2:09:14] but city manager Salomon sitting up
[2:09:17] there saying, "Oh, we have a bunch of
[2:09:19] lawyers out here tonight." You don't
[2:09:21] need to be a lawyer to read words and
[2:09:24] understand what they mean.
[2:09:27] Just like Mr. Simpson understands the
[2:09:31] meaning
[2:09:32] of the process by which you clear a
[2:09:35] room.
[2:09:38] You have to vote on it. You don't get a
[2:09:40] vote. You seven vote on it if you want
[2:09:44] to clear the room. But there's steps
[2:09:46] that need to be taken before clearing
[2:09:48] the room. And so again folks 86084483
[2:09:52] if you want to figure out how to get
[2:09:54] some accountability for that.
[2:09:56] >> Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank
[2:09:58] you. So we have used our 30 minute I
[2:10:00] declare citizen comment close at this
[2:10:02] time. Thank you. Thank you for all being
[2:10:04] here.
[2:10:06] >> Motion to adjurnn.
[2:10:07] >> Motion to adjourn.
[2:10:08] >> Second.
[2:10:10] >> A motion. We got a second.
[2:10:12] >> Roll call, please.
[2:10:13] >> Alderman Nash.
[2:10:15] >> Yes.
[2:10:17] >> Alderman Katabaya.
[2:10:19] >> Yes.
[2:10:19] >> Aldwoman Zucardi.
[2:10:20] >> Yes.
[2:10:21] >> Alderman Nestrom.
[2:10:22] >> Yes.
[2:10:22] >> President Prom Deluchia.
[2:10:24] >> Yes.
[2:10:25] >> Mayor Singh.
[2:10:25] >> Yes. Motion passes 7 to zero. Thank you
[2:10:28] very much. Thank you for