[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

2026-08-17 Council Meeting

Transcript