[0:00] We could all stand for
the Pledge of Allegiance.
[0:03] 
[0:07] I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
[0:11] and to the Republic
for which it stands.
[0:13] One nation under
God, indivisible,
[0:17] with liberty and
justice for all.
[0:19] 
[0:21] All right welcome, everybody.
[0:25] Thank you.
[0:28] Here next item on our
agenda is public comment.
[0:34] This portion of the meeting
is specifically set aside
[0:37] for comments from the public,
who are asked to limit
[0:39] their comments to two minutes.
[0:41] Any person interested in
providing public comment via
[0:44] email should email public
meetings at Rocky Hill, ct.gov,
[0:48] prior to 4:00 PM on the day of
the meeting to have their public
[0:52] comment read into the record.
[0:55] Do we have anybody present
who would like to offer
[0:58] a comment this evening.
[1:00] 
[1:03] With number.
[1:04] Go, Charlie.
[1:04] Go right ahead.
[1:05] Go, Charlie.
[1:06] Step right up.
[1:09] Oh go ahead.
[1:10] Oh, OK.
[1:11] Sure somebody take a step.
[1:15] It's dreary outside.
[1:17] Let's get this going.
[1:20] This is dreary.
[1:21] Also, I have two pages to read.
[1:26] That's all very short, Charlie.
[1:30] Thank you, Mayor Smith
and the town council.
[1:32] Charlie sorry, but can you just.
[1:33] We know who you are, but
can you just say your name
[1:35] and address for the record.
[1:37] Thank you.
[1:38] Yes Charlie Wisniewski,
670 old Main Street.
[1:42] I thank you, Mayor Smith
and the town council
[1:45] for permitting me
to speak on March 2.
[1:48] I have public comments on the
public property, the veterans
[1:52] green and adjacent streets
without an opportunity
[1:57] to participate in an unfolding
process, to spend my tax money,
[2:03] to alter my neighborhood.
[2:04] I shout out the following.
[2:07] The bids are due tomorrow.
[2:10] Next, a winner
will be announced.
[2:13] Apparently there is
a selection committee
[2:16] required by the state SLR.
[2:20] Kelson rose, engineer,
was invited to bid.
[2:25] In my opinion, some of the
bid materials sent to them
[2:29] was created by them, including
the conceptual design
[2:34] or concept sketch.
[2:36] Some language in
the bid package is
[2:39] similar to what was presented to
the town by SLR in March 2025.
[2:45] In my opinion, it
may be perceived
[2:47] that favoritism is present.
[2:50] This is borne out by the
difference in the cover emails
[2:54] to SLR versus the other
three targeted firms.
[2:59] In my opinion, there
has been unequal access
[3:03] to project information.
[3:05] SLR has worked with
the town of rocky Hill
[3:07] on the elements of the bid
request in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
[3:13] In my opinion, SLR had advanced
knowledge of the project's
[3:17] scope, as evidenced by multiple
proposals sent to the town,
[3:22] with adjustments based
upon cost estimates
[3:24] discussed with the town.
[3:26] 
[3:29] Next issue is the
health, safety,
[3:31] welfare and public policy.
[3:34] In my opinion, the bid request
and the vision of the Veterans
[3:38] Memorial green, developed by
SLR and the town's engineer,
[3:43] does not incorporate the
explicit public policy
[3:48] of the town.
[3:49] Why do I say that.
[3:52] Rocky Hill zoning
regulations and map establish
[3:56] the town center district.
[3:59] The 2025 plan of conservation
and development of rocky Hill
[4:05] significantly focuses
on the town center
[4:08] and the public policies of
pedestrians, walkability,
[4:13] and slow speed streets.
[4:17] The town council passed a
resolution on June 5, 2023,
[4:23] adopting a complete
streets policy,
[4:26] including language that
roadways be safe and convenient,
[4:31] including pedestrians
and bicyclists.
[4:35] So what is wrong with the
town SLR plan and narrative.
[4:40] It was created in 2024
without public input.
[4:44] It was created before the
June 2025 adoption of the plan
[4:51] of conservation and
development, which states
[4:54] pedestrians, not vehicles.
[4:57] A high quality pedestrian
network and where
[5:00] pedestrian considerations
generally outweigh
[5:05] vehicular considerations.
[5:08] The town SLR effort does not
incorporate Connecticut General
[5:12] Assembly, Connecticut
Transportation Institute,
[5:16] and Connecticut dot
USTA recommendations
[5:20] that a pedestrian safety
zone can be established
[5:25] in a town center zone.
[5:28] You, the town council,
have the approval authority
[5:32] to lower the speed below 25.
[5:38] The town plan does not consider
the report to the town council's
[5:46] public safety subcommittee.
[5:48] On March 2, 2026 data were
presented that documented
[5:55] a daily average number
of speeding vehicles
[5:59] at Main Street in
Garden Street of 2856.
[6:06] This is at the Northern tip
of Veterans Memorial green.
[6:10] There is no reason to believe
that the driver's behavior
[6:13] is different on dividend road.
[6:16] What do I want.
[6:18] Do not jeopardize or
delay the $500,000
[6:24] for issues related to the
selection of a consultant.
[6:29] Express to the public
a means to participate
[6:34] in the process of the
evolution of our neighborhood
[6:38] in this specific
location, but also
[6:41] for future similar situations.
[6:45] Do we need all this
effort for some stop
[6:48] signs in traffic speed signs.
[6:51] Thank you.
[6:53] Thank you.
[6:54] 
[6:58] Thank you Charlie.
[6:59] Thank you.
[7:00] Charlie do we have
somebody else.
[7:03] Thank you so much.
[7:06] Thank you sir.
[7:08] Thank you.
[7:09] OK, just one minute.
[7:12] 
[7:15] Thank you.
[7:16] Chair Charlie.
[7:19] 
[7:26] Glasses oh.
[7:29] Your glasses.
[7:32] Thank you.
[7:33] Hi, I'm Heather Taylor.
[7:34] I live at 50 Elm Street.
[7:36] I'm also right now the
moderator of rocky Hill
[7:39] Congregational Church.
[7:40] Moderator means I
basically was elected
[7:42] as chairperson of the church.
[7:43] And it's in that capacity
that I want to talk to you.
[7:46] We are celebrating our
300th anniversary next year.
[7:50] So we're preparing for that.
[7:51] So we increasingly strive
to position ourselves
[7:54] as a community center and
a resource for people,
[7:57] all residents of rocky
Hill, not just members
[7:59] of our own congregation.
[8:00] So we've had several
really successful concerts
[8:03] and other educational events and
things which have been great.
[8:06] We love the fact that
increasingly the town
[8:08] center is a place of vibrancy.
[8:10] Walkability has improved.
[8:12] We have bike racks now at
several locations which we love.
[8:16] So our church is in favor of
things that bring vibrancy
[8:19] and a sense of community to this
area of town, the town center.
[8:23] And to that end, I would
love to see the town amend
[8:26] its public arts policy to
consider proposed art projects
[8:30] that could take place not
just in the town's parks,
[8:33] but also in this area of town.
[8:36] We would love the increased
visibility and vibrancy
[8:39] and sense of community that
could be possible if art
[8:42] like that was considered.
[8:44] Thank you, thank you.
[8:45] 
[8:52] Hey, check 40 Riverview road.
[8:57] Excuse me.
[8:58] Pencil Casino.
[9:00] Casino oh, sorry.
[9:01] Wrong wrong paper.
[9:05] Wrong that was.
[9:07] I'm speaking for
my wife tonight.
[9:10] Alexis ciccarello.
[9:12] She wrote a statement,
and I'd like to read
[9:14] her statement into the record.
[9:18] So, Alexis ciccarello,
40 Riverview road.
[9:21] I'm here today as a
member of rocky Hill arts,
[9:24] now as the program director
of the Rocky Hill Historical
[9:28] Society and as a member
of the Rocky Hill theater
[9:31] group, the Hillside players.
[9:34] I have lived in Rocky Hill for
over 30 years, and in that time,
[9:38] there has been little
in the way of public art
[9:40] and public art policy.
[9:42] I believe it's about time that
we champion the arts in Rock
[9:46] Hill and commit ourselves to
supporting Arts Initiatives
[9:51] such as the pride crosswalk.
[9:54] Also, we must push for
development that centers
[9:56] on the needs of rocky Hill.
[9:59] The Rock Hill community
in regards to designing
[10:02] shared public space.
[10:05] I believe rocky Hill
needs more public art.
[10:08] I would like to encourage you
today to consider and adopt
[10:10] the revisions to the
current rocky Hill
[10:13] arts policy as it stands today.
[10:15] It is really a crosswalk
policy and not an arts policy.
[10:21] By expanding it to include
additional locations in town
[10:25] and including works of
art and other disciplines,
[10:28] it will truly be a
public arts policy.
[10:33] No doubt public art is crucial
to the vitality of a town.
[10:37] As it is a means to
enlivening its streetscapes,
[10:40] to developing a
distinctive sense of place
[10:43] to stimulating economic
growth and to increasing
[10:47] the visual quality of the
environment for its townspeople
[10:50] and visitors alike.
[10:53] It is a proven fact
that the benefits
[10:55] of public art to the well-being
of a community are numerous.
[11:00] Therefore, I urge you to
please pass the revisions
[11:03] to the Rocky Hill arts policy.
[11:05] Thank you for your
consideration and support
[11:08] of the arts in Rocky Hill.
[11:10] And if I just may go
back to my own self,
[11:14] I do support everything.
[11:16] Charlie was is talking about
and I remember I came here,
[11:21] I don't a couple of months ago
perhaps complaining a little bit
[11:25] about the communication
in regards
[11:27] to people from the council
and staff getting in touch
[11:32] with people from the podium.
[11:34] And I just want to say over
the last couple of months,
[11:36] I really appreciated the folks
who have reached out to me.
[11:39] Who you are, and I look forward
to communicating with all of you
[11:44] in the future.
[11:45] Thanks Thank you.
[11:47] Thank you.
[11:50] Do we have anybody else.
[11:53] Anybody else.
[11:54] Step up to the podium.
[11:56] 
[12:01] Hi, my name is Frank shank.
[12:03] I live at 121 Pebblebrook
drive and that's in Rocky Hill.
[12:06] Hi, Alan.
[12:06] How you doing today.
[12:07] Hello anyway, I wanted
to talk about the Rocky
[12:13] Hill arts policy.
[12:15] Art is really good
for every community,
[12:17] and it has to be
in the right place,
[12:19] I think what people could
see it and stuff like that.
[12:23] But what I think is not good to
be on public buildings or school
[12:27] buildings and stuff like that.
[12:29] But in the buildings I
think it would be good.
[12:31] The hallways, the
gyms somewhere when
[12:34] you walk into school,
something like that,
[12:37] but not on the building.
[12:38] So I think everyone that lives
here, if they built a brick
[12:42] house, I don't think they're
going to paint it because bricks
[12:45] aren't made to be painted.
[12:48] But anyway, that's
what I want to say.
[12:50] Thank you for my consideration.
[12:52] All right.
[12:53] Thank you.
[12:54] 
[12:58] Any yeah.
[12:58] 
[13:05] Hello Mary Beth for
Crowell farm road.
[13:09] I'm here tonight to share some
thoughts on the public art
[13:13] in Rocky Hill.
[13:14] I read the four page artwork
policy adopted on November 1,
[13:20] 2024, and from
start to finish, I
[13:22] struggled to find any language
that described art and a process
[13:26] to inspire people in town
to create something that
[13:29] defines us and inspires us.
[13:31] As members of rocky
Hill, I looked up
[13:34] the definition of artistic
having or revealing
[13:37] natural creative skill.
[13:39] Aesthetically pleasing
art is the result
[13:42] of people who create,
imagine, invent,
[13:45] and express feelings emotions.
[13:50] Art is an aesthetic.
[13:52] It can be beautiful.
[13:54] It can be inspirational.
[13:56] The policy.
[13:57] As I read it, the statement
in the first paragraph
[14:00] says that public art is a
catalyst for social interaction
[14:03] and education, and I agree.
[14:06] But what about
imagination, inspiration,
[14:08] creativity and beauty.
[14:11] We need our residents to help us
define who we are with our art,
[14:14] and then have people think
about who we aspire to be.
[14:18] The policy says our
public art can only
[14:21] be painted on crosswalks,
sidewalks, and parking lots
[14:24] located in public parks.
[14:27] Why is this the only idea that
the writers believe is art.
[14:32] I imagine that public art can
be a beautiful sign that is seen
[14:35] in the location where it
stands in a park or a garden,
[14:39] or planters of
beautiful flowers.
[14:42] Public art can also be
inside town buildings,
[14:45] as the gentleman said.
[14:47] Pictures painted by
residents of all ages.
[14:49] I'm sure that our town
school buildings display
[14:52] art on the walls,
on bulletin boards,
[14:54] and maybe outside as well.
[14:56] The second paragraph under
this policy under purposes,
[15:00] says the policy talks about
procedures and guidelines.
[15:03] It says that the
purpose of this policy
[15:04] is to establish
rules and regulations
[15:07] as an expression of the town's
official government speech.
[15:12] Is that all we are.
[15:14] Is that how we want our elected
leaders to invite our residents
[15:18] to open their imaginations
and to reflect
[15:21] on who we are in Rocky Hill
and who we aspire to be.
[15:25] How do we inspire our neighbors,
friends, and elected officials
[15:28] to be inventive, to
think out of the box,
[15:31] to bring beauty and
inspiration to our her home.
[15:34] How can our community
members step
[15:36] forward to engage in creative
and imaginative ideas.
[15:40] The policy.
[15:41] Policy does not say.
[15:43] Instead, it repeats that
art can only be considered
[15:46] on crosswalks, sidewalks
and parking lots,
[15:49] and that the town
may reject proposed
[15:51] artworks for any reason.
[15:54] Is that really what we
want to tell our residents.
[15:57] The next part of the policy,
under preliminary review
[16:00] of requests and suggestions,
says that the town staff will
[16:04] review the requests
or suggestions,
[16:06] and once it is
approved by the staff,
[16:09] the town council can weigh in.
[16:12] I suggest that the town council
should look at the ideas brought
[16:15] forward from townspeople first,
or maybe an ad hoc committee
[16:19] of townspeople to enable a
safe and encouraging group
[16:23] of residents to share the
thoughts and ideas from artists
[16:27] who come forward with an idea.
[16:31] It is not easy for creative
people to share their ideas.
[16:34] There should be a group of
people who will hear and see
[16:37] their neighbor's
artwork, and come
[16:39] to a polite and heartfelt
response to someone's art.
[16:43] A collaborative
group of neighbors
[16:45] may help to inspire each other
to produce the final product,
[16:49] or simply to enable
those who are
[16:51] interested in putting their
ideas forward without the fear
[16:55] or pain of rejection.
[16:57] The last sentence in
the policy is the town
[17:01] may order the removal of or
may remove the public artwork
[17:05] after providing written notice
to the requester at any time,
[17:09] in its sole discretion.
[17:12] This is, I don't know what they
mean by town if it's the staff.
[17:16] Again, is this the kind
of language that reflects
[17:19] who we are in our
town, our leaders,
[17:21] our staff, and our neighbors.
[17:24] I hope that you will consider
replacing this policy
[17:27] in this town council, perhaps by
recruiting residents for an ad
[17:32] hoc public art committee
to hear and share ideas,
[17:35] to invite residents to
participate in this effort.
[17:39] People who will
encourage and inspire us
[17:41] all on how to beautify and
inspire our town as a reflection
[17:46] of who we are and who we aspire
to be as neighbors and friends
[17:51] in Rocky Hill.
[17:53] And I just wanted to
mention here about enhancing
[17:57] our parks and public spaces.
[17:59] When I visited the
town's website,
[18:01] I found it challenging to locate
a comprehensive list of all
[18:04] the parks and our public farm.
[18:07] This highlights
the need for better
[18:08] visibility and recognition
of these valuable community
[18:11] resources.
[18:13] In addition, incorporating
historic markers
[18:15] throughout our parks would not
only provide useful information
[18:18] but also add an attractive
element to these spaces.
[18:22] Beyond markers, there
are other ways to make
[18:24] our parks more inviting.
[18:25] And engaging.
[18:26] For example, adding flowers,
benches or picnic tables,
[18:31] especially if they are painted
in bright, Cheerful Colors,
[18:34] could significantly enhance
the beauty and appeal
[18:36] of our public spaces.
[18:38] These improvements would
encourage more residents
[18:40] to enjoy our parks
and foster a greater
[18:43] sense of community pride.
[18:45] I also think some
residents would
[18:46] appreciate having the chance
to help with the beautification
[18:50] efforts.
[18:51] I know that in other
towns like Wethersfield,
[18:55] they have garden clubs who
volunteer in different areas
[19:01] of the town to maintain
and clean up gardens that
[19:09] are near the road or whatever.
[19:12] So anyway, thank you.
[19:15] Thank you.
[19:15] Thank you.
[19:16] 
[19:19] Anyone else.
[19:20] OK thank you.
[19:22] 
[19:24] Yeah Allen Bagley,
12 Esther road.
[19:29] I'm speaking in front
of the town council
[19:30] for the second time
on the same topic.
[19:34] It's an important topic to me.
[19:35] I was an art history major for
reasons I can't fully explain,
[19:39] but I was.
[19:40] And my neighbor at Florida
State in Tallahassee
[19:43] was a philosophy major,
and we shared a terrace,
[19:46] and he taught me about
Maslow's hammer, otherwise
[19:49] known as the golden hammer.
[19:50] If all you have is a hammer,
everything looks like a nail.
[19:54] This means you're
only using one tool.
[19:57] You need more tools.
[20:00] Or it's a cognitive bias to
think that you only need one
[20:04] hammer to cultivate diverse
skills would be a better
[20:08] solution to encourage
teamwork is a better way,
[20:10] and to question whether the
current approach is the best.
[20:14] And I'm here to ask if
the policy for Rocky
[20:17] Hill Public arts is the best.
[20:19] On March 2, at the last
town council meeting,
[20:23] it was asked, has anyone asked
for a change in this policy.
[20:28] It's like Groundhog Day.
[20:30] Last time I was here, I asked
for a change in this policy.
[20:34] People came up and asked
for a change in this policy,
[20:37] and it was maybe
people weren't fully
[20:39] listening to public comment.
[20:40] It's on the minutes recorded
by Ray's new robot machine
[20:44] that every verbatim,
word is stated.
[20:47] And you could read back
that yes, people have asked.
[20:50] I'm going to go through fairly
quick speed round of what Rocky
[20:57] Hill arts now is, through some
touchstones and highlights
[21:01] of a group of residents
that's founded in January
[21:06] 2, 2025, not yet named.
[21:09] That was about 60 weeks ago that
we've been meeting once a month.
[21:12] Mission statement to promote,
enhance and support art
[21:15] in the rock in Rocky Hill to
the benefit of the community
[21:19] by creating access to art
and meaningful public spaces,
[21:23] bases, I emphasize
plural spaces.
[21:27] April 27, we had a
publicly announced launch.
[21:32] I saw some of you here.
[21:34] Thank you for attending.
[21:35] Rocky, let's now meet
the artist and announce
[21:37] that we are fully formed, LLC.
[21:40] We raised $180.
[21:43] Mona every dollar helps.
[21:46] On June 24, a publicly
announced presentation
[21:51] by Connecticut Department
of Transportation
[21:53] on I-91 exit realignments.
[21:56] Everyone knows I call
that the Taco Bell exit.
[21:59] The project manager
is David Santini.
[22:02] Present at that
meeting was mayor
[22:04] Lisa Marotta, town
engineer Steve ray,
[22:08] town manager ray Carpenter.
[22:09] It's where the greetings
from Rocky Hill Public art
[22:13] was proposed by Mr. ciccarello
in a public setting.
[22:18] It's a project that I support.
[22:20] On the 11th of September, 2025.
[22:22] In a publicly
announced meeting, we
[22:24] were asked by the
Friends of the Library
[22:25] to talk about who we are.
[22:27] What is Wrike arts.
[22:28] Now who are we and what
are our objectives.
[22:31] 30 people attended that meeting.
[22:33] We spoke about our
objectives being
[22:35] public art in public spaces.
[22:38] December 20 of 2025 at a
publicly announced meeting.
[22:41] Excuse me and the
community center,
[22:44] we hosted a feedback
on the design
[22:46] and location possibilities.
[22:48] Plural on January
20, 2026, here I
[22:54] stood before you
in public comment
[22:56] supporting changes
to the policy.
[22:59] On March 2, 2026.
[23:02] Discussion possible action
about public art policy when
[23:06] again, it was asked
has anyone asked
[23:07] for a change in this policy.
[23:10] March 9, 2029 and winding
down rocky arts now last met.
[23:14] We met again with our artist
and his representation
[23:18] business manager.
[23:18] We talked about costs.
[23:20] We talked about multiple
options on locations.
[23:24] 
[23:26] Here a little dovetail to the
I'm a proof of concept person.
[23:32] I understand you want to try
something before it works.
[23:35] It's upwards of $9,000
to paint a crosswalk.
[23:39] We're not going to
do it flippantly.
[23:41] So proof of concept throw $9,000
into a project to say if it
[23:45] works, we're going to do a
project that we believe in fully
[23:50] on March 16 today at this
town council meeting,
[23:53] I ask you to please
accept the changes
[23:55] to the public arts policy.
[23:57] And with that, I bid you adieu.
[23:59] Thank you.
[24:01] Anyone else.
[24:04] All right.
[24:05] Good evening.
[24:06] Good evening, Sean Boyle,
eight Woodhaven road.
[24:09] My comments tonight are
specifically around the debate
[24:10] within this council
on whether or not
[24:12] to allow painting,
decorating of murals,
[24:14] street art or the
themed messages
[24:16] on publicly owned assets.
[24:18] I want to start
by making it clear
[24:19] that my position in
forthcoming comments
[24:21] are not about opposing any group
or individuals in our community,
[24:24] as I believe every
resident deserves
[24:26] the respect and
freedom to express
[24:27] their views and their opinions.
[24:29] The question before
you, however,
[24:30] is about the proper use of
publicly funded property
[24:33] and the role of you all
as our local government.
[24:36] Our towns, buildings,
roads and public spaces
[24:38] are paid for and maintained
by all taxpayers.
[24:42] They belong equally
to every resident,
[24:44] regardless of their political
views, social causes, beliefs,
[24:47] or religious convictions.
[24:49] Because these spaces
belong to everyone,
[24:51] they shall remain neutral.
[24:53] Civic spaces no, not platforms
for groups or the government.
[24:57] Endorsement of particular
causes or ideology.
[25:00] The Rocky Hill
Community is made up
[25:02] of people with many different
backgrounds and beliefs.
[25:04] While some residents
may strongly
[25:06] support a particular proposed
image, message, logo, or flag,
[25:11] others will certainly
disagree with it.
[25:13] Maintaining neutrality in
our public infrastructure
[25:15] ensures that all residents
feel equally represented
[25:18] by their local government.
[25:20] Of course, any social
group or private individual
[25:22] has the right to solicit private
residence and private businesses
[25:26] to promote their cause.
[25:28] Those individuals or
businesses, of course,
[25:30] have their right to display
any colors or logos or symbols
[25:33] that they deem
appropriate or they
[25:34] support on their private home
or their private business.
[25:38] That is entirely the appropriate
place for such expression
[25:41] of their support.
[25:43] However, publicly
funded property
[25:44] should be treated differently
once government in this council
[25:48] may move forward by allowing
public spaces and assets
[25:52] to promote a cause
are actually creating
[25:55] a precedent for future
councils to allow other causes
[25:59] as well to follow
suit, which may be more
[26:02] in line with their base and
their support, some of which
[26:04] may be far more
controversial or diverse.
[26:08] For these reasons,
I respectfully
[26:09] believe that our
public buildings, roads
[26:11] and infrastructure should
remain neutral spaces
[26:13] and that belong equally
to everyone in this town.
[26:17] Thank you.
[26:18] Thank you.
[26:21] Do we have anything else.
[26:22] Anyone else.
[26:23] I mean, Daniel, you have some.
[26:26] Yeah, I have a few to read.
[26:27] First, Lisa Gilbert,
7:30 Elm Street.
[26:32] Dear members of the
Rocky Hill town council.
[26:35] I am writing to
express my opposition
[26:36] to the proposal allowing
murals on public buildings
[26:39] in the town of rocky Hill.
[26:41] Public buildings are owned
collectively by all residents
[26:44] and should remain neutral.
[26:45] Civic spaces.
[26:46] Unlike private property,
municipal buildings
[26:49] represent the entire
community and should not
[26:51] be used to display permanent
artistic or expressive works
[26:54] that may reflect particular
viewpoints, styles, or messages
[26:58] that not all residents support.
[27:01] Establishing a policy
that permits murals
[27:03] on public buildings also creates
long term governance challenges.
[27:08] Decisions about which artwork
is appropriate, who selects it,
[27:12] and how disagreements
are handled
[27:13] can quickly place town officials
in the position of arbitrating
[27:17] artistic expression.
[27:19] Once murals are
permitted, it becomes
[27:21] difficult to apply
standards consistently
[27:23] or avoid claims of favoritism
or viewpoint discrimination.
[27:28] There are also practical
considerations.
[27:31] Murals require ongoing
maintenance, restoration,
[27:34] and in some cases, removal.
[27:37] These costs ultimately
fall on taxpayers
[27:40] and create obligations for
future town administrations.
[27:43] Public facilities
should primarily
[27:45] serve their intended
civic functions,
[27:48] rather than becoming canvases
that require continuing
[27:51] oversight and funding.
[27:53] Rocky Hill can support local
artists and cultural expression
[27:56] in ways that do not
place permanent artwork
[27:58] on municipal buildings,
encouraging murals
[28:01] on private property,
supporting local arts programs,
[28:05] or designating voluntary,
voluntarily community art
[28:10] spaces bases would allow
artistic expression to flourish
[28:14] while preserving the
neutrality and purpose
[28:17] of public infrastructure.
[28:19] For these reasons,
I respectfully
[28:20] urge the town council to
reject policies allowing murals
[28:25] on public buildings and to
instead pursue Arts Initiatives
[28:28] that do not place
the town government
[28:30] in the position of
selecting or endorsing
[28:33] permanent artistic displays.
[28:35] Thank you for your
consideration and your service
[28:37] to the residents of rocky Hill.
[28:41] Next is Valerie tribelets
of two Belden lane.
[28:45] Dear council members, I am
contacting you to support
[28:48] the proposed changes to
the public artwork display
[28:51] policy allowing art to
be displayed and created
[28:54] outside of our public parks.
[28:56] Art by nature is meant to
be displayed and accessible
[29:00] to everyone and by everyone.
[29:02] When you think of the
most vibrant and connected
[29:04] communities in the
world, art is always
[29:06] part of that equation of shared
humanity, meaningful messaging
[29:12] and appreciation for beauty.
[29:14] Those communities draw
people to them with a sense
[29:16] of openness and creativity.
[29:18] When I walk through
our town center,
[29:20] I want to feel the
vibrancy of life.
[29:23] Please approve the changes
to the public artwork
[29:26] policy for our community.
[29:27] 
[29:30] Next is Tony Socolow.
[29:33] My name is Tony Socolow
and I reside at 58
[29:36] Jennifer's way in Rocky Hill.
[29:38] I'm sorry that I will be
unable to attend the March
[29:41] 16 town council meeting.
[29:42] However, I would like
to provide my support
[29:45] for a change in the
town's public art policy
[29:48] with this email.
[29:50] I feel previous administration
was not really on board
[29:53] with the spirit of this
policy, and as a result,
[29:57] they produced a policy that
was too constrictive in how
[30:00] we could incorporate and enjoy
public art within our community.
[30:04] My interpretation of
the current policy
[30:07] seems to restrict art to just
parking spots and public parks.
[30:12] That's just so draconian
and unfortunately typical
[30:16] of the current
Republican philosophy.
[30:19] I am fully supportive
of the public art
[30:21] policy that would expand where
public art would be permitted.
[30:26] That would encompass not
only any crosswalks in town,
[30:30] but also allow sculptures
and murals to add
[30:33] to the beauty of rocky Hill.
[30:34] Towns such as West
Hartford and Middletown.
[30:36] Enjoy public art, and it
brightens up the community.
[30:40] I'd like to see that here, too.
[30:42] I trust our current
administration
[30:44] and its appropriate committees
to provide the needed checks,
[30:47] balances and
criterion to provide
[30:50] for responsible
public art that will
[30:52] enhance and beautify
our community
[30:54] and make it more
fun place to be.
[30:58] Thanks, Tony.
[31:00] Next is Laurie boskey
of 18 Highland street.
[31:04] I am writing in support
of the recommended changes
[31:07] in the public arts policy.
[31:09] The current policy as
written, is restrictive.
[31:12] Public art is accessible to
all, stimulates conversation,
[31:16] connects communities, and
can turn concrete spaces
[31:19] into inviting locations.
[31:21] The proposed
changes would expand
[31:23] locations and provide
opportunities for many members
[31:26] of our community.
[31:27] 
[31:29] Next is Susan Lennon.
[31:34] Dear members of the Rocky Hill
town council, I am writing you.
[31:38] In writing as a
rocky Hill resident
[31:40] to support expanding the
town's public art policy so
[31:43] that community art
projects can be proposed
[31:45] in more locations and forms.
[31:48] Public art contributes to
a community's identity,
[31:52] encourages civic pride, and
creates spaces that invite
[31:56] connection and creativity.
[31:58] As the policy itself
recognizes, public artwork
[32:01] can serve as a catalyst
for social interaction,
[32:04] education, and cultural
enrichment for residents
[32:07] and visitors alike.
[32:09] However, the current policy,
adopted in November 2024,
[32:13] is so narrowly structured
that it effectively
[32:16] limits public art to painted
crosswalks and parking
[32:19] spaces within parks.
[32:21] Within those are
interesting ideas.
[32:23] They represent only
a very small slice
[32:26] of what the public art can be.
[32:28] Some have suggested that
the lack of applications
[32:31] under the current policy
means there is little interest
[32:33] in public art projects.
[32:35] In reality, the
opposite may be true.
[32:38] When a policy allows only a
very narrow type of project
[32:41] in limited locations, it
signals that creative proposals
[32:45] are unlikely to fit
within the framework.
[32:47] Community groups,
artists and organizations
[32:50] are understandably
reluctant to invest
[32:52] time developing ideas
when the possibilities are
[32:54] so constrained.
[32:56] Expanding the policy
does not require the town
[32:58] to approve every proposal,
nor does it remove
[33:01] the town council's oversight.
[33:03] It simply allows
ideas to come forward
[33:06] and be thoughtfully reviewed.
[33:07] In other words,
Rocky Hill should
[33:09] not limit creativity before it
even has the chance to appear.
[33:13] A more flexible policy would
show that the town welcomes
[33:16] community participation
while still maintaining
[33:19] appropriate review,
safety standards
[33:21] and final approval authority.
[33:23] If we want public
arts in Rocky Hill,
[33:26] we have to make space for it.
[33:27] Thank you for your time
and for your continued
[33:30] service to the community.
[33:31] 
[33:34] Two more Lynn Tracy,
48 Church Street.
[33:39] Hello I am a local
artist and would
[33:41] be thrilled to see the arts
expanded within the community.
[33:46] There are many local
artists and musicians.
[33:48] It would be great to have a
visual connection and a presence
[33:52] in an active area of town,
where residents and visitors
[33:55] alike can appreciate and enjoy
displays of beautiful creations.
[33:58] Live acoustic music.
[34:00] Murals, decorative
and themed contests,
[34:04] et cetera could offer
uplifting energy for the senses
[34:08] and inspiration for our youth.
[34:10] Thank you for consideration
of expanding the arts policy.
[34:15] Lastly John Beatty
of 698 Maple Street.
[34:22] Dear rocky Hill
town council, I have
[34:25] been watching the town council
meetings on YouTube recently.
[34:27] There have been
discussions about creating
[34:29] beautiful artistic
portraits around our town.
[34:32] On the surface, this
sounds wonderful
[34:34] until one starts
asking adult questions
[34:37] one what will this cost.
[34:39] The proponents say it's free.
[34:40] Total costs include
administrative costs.
[34:43] Two where will they go.
[34:45] It sounds like this
needs to be determined.
[34:47] However, it sounds
like proponents
[34:48] are eyeing
crosswalks, buildings,
[34:50] and bridges so far three.
[34:53] Who will create this art.
[34:54] Four who decides who
creates this art 5 who
[34:58] will decide the
specs of the material
[35:00] used on the artistic project.
[35:02] Six who will decide
content 7 who approves the.
[35:07] Who approves the
concept among all
[35:09] the competitive concepts eight.
[35:12] Who will regulate
quality of content.
[35:14] The quality of the artist nine.
[35:16] Who will decide approved
locations of proposed artwork
[35:20] 10.
[35:20] If applied content does
not match what was approved
[35:23] or doesn't age well
due to material used.
[35:26] Who is responsible
for removing it.
[35:29] If I recall correctly,
the town council
[35:31] spent months in the
previous year determining
[35:33] a policy for this artwork.
[35:34] And to date, not one
project has appeared.
[35:37] Why are we doing this again.
[35:39] Crosswalk safety.
[35:40] During the debate last year,
I recall that some proponents
[35:43] suggested we artistically
paint the crosswalks
[35:46] on one of the
numerous state roads
[35:48] that criss cross rocky Hill.
[35:50] The state would not allow
this due to safety concerns.
[35:53] My experience is that
paint on roadways
[35:56] creates a very slippery
surface when it gets wet.
[35:59] This was best exemplified
in Middletown,
[36:01] when someone with
permission artistically
[36:03] painted an entire
intersection within Wesleyan
[36:06] Wesleyan University
footprint several years ago.
[36:09] This happened to be one
of our bicycle routes,
[36:12] and over the summer,
the road portrait
[36:14] went from paint to covered
with sand to being milled up
[36:18] and repaved.
[36:19] By now, painting
crosswalks anywhere
[36:22] is a valid safety concern.
[36:25] Please note that any
official crosswalk
[36:27] is painted in stripes,
leaving exposed
[36:30] road using special paint.
[36:31] Even artistically painting
a crosswalk in a town park
[36:34] is dangerous.
[36:35] One may think the cars
are going to go slower
[36:38] and there is less risk,
but imagine the young child
[36:41] that wipes out breaks an arm.
[36:43] Parents sue the town, citing
state crosswalk guidelines
[36:46] and these exact conversations.
[36:48] 
[36:50] Community artwork is our
town inadvertently stepping
[36:54] into a constitutional freedom of
speech, freedom of expression.
[36:57] Minefield art is certainly a
method of expressing oneself,
[37:00] and someone in town Hall will
be regulating that message.
[37:03] Do we really want
to be in that game.
[37:05] Hypothetically,
what happens when
[37:06] the concept of the pro-hamas
message is not selected.
[37:10] Personally, I am thinking about
the lawsuits that could follow
[37:14] other negative consequences the
ill will for the person or group
[37:18] not selected to be the artist.
[37:20] Would we be inadvertently
be creating graffiti zones.
[37:23] This unwanted
artwork could either
[37:25] be applied over the
approved artwork of adjacent
[37:28] to the project.
[37:29] When paint is applied
to textured surfaces,
[37:33] it is there for good.
[37:35] It is absorbed into all
the nooks and cracks.
[37:37] Go to any city and
see the 100-year-old
[37:39] advertisements on the side
of the brick building.
[37:41] Will the artist be responsible
for returning the Canvas
[37:44] to its original condition,
if the project does not
[37:46] meet the original plan cost.
[37:49] Is the town going to pay
someone to manage all of this
[37:52] and legal fees, of course.
[37:53] In conclusion superficially,
community artwork.
[37:57] Seems like a great idea.
[37:59] Unfortunately,
painting on the road
[38:01] creates a public safety concern
and potential liability.
[38:04] Painting on
buildings could range
[38:05] from downright ugly to expensive
constitutional lawsuits.
[38:09] Don't we already have a very
beautiful welcome to Rocky Hill
[38:12] sign on all the
entrances of our town.
[38:14] The previous administration
passed a well thought out
[38:17] compromise policy last year.
[38:21] I do not think we
need to spend any more
[38:22] time debating a concept that to
date, no one took advantage of.
[38:26] Lastly, I was pretty
excited when Mayor Smith
[38:29] won because he campaigned
on lowering taxes
[38:32] and growing the grand list.
[38:34] According to budget workshops
and board of education
[38:36] estimates, it appears the budget
could grow between 5% and 10%
[38:39] this year.
[38:40] This is not what
we were promised.
[38:43] My last point if this 5% to
10% estimate is accurate,
[38:47] the town council should not
be wasting any resources
[38:50] on non-value added
liabilities and spend
[38:52] that time trimming the budget.
[38:54] Thank you.
[38:55] 
[38:59] All right.
[39:00] Anybody else.
[39:03] OK thank you.
[39:04] And thank you, Daniel.
[39:07] Moving on to item number three.
[39:10] Appointments and resignations.
[39:11] I believe we do have
a couple appointments.
[39:14] Councilor Prakash and I have
reviewed a couple of names
[39:17] for alternate position for the
Affordable housing committee,
[39:22] and we approved Ryan
jangle Ryan capital
[39:27] Jang Le and Neha Thacker.
[39:31] Any H, capital thak
ER as alternates.
[39:36] 
[39:39] They're both alternates.
[39:40] Yes per Kim Richey.
[39:43] Yep anything.
[39:45] Do you guys have anything.
[39:46] We do not.
[39:47] All right.
[39:49] Item number four.
[39:51] Approval of Min of
approval of the minutes.
[39:57] I wasn't at that meeting.
[40:00] Anybody else.
[40:00] Literally anybody else.
[40:01] Then minutes of the meeting.
[40:06] Any discussion.
[40:09] All in favor.
[40:10] Aye abstention.
[40:14] All right.
[40:15] Any opposed.
[40:16] And one abstention.
[40:18] All right.
[40:19] Subcommittee reports.
[40:21] Finance and capital
improvements.
[40:23] Councilor Emanuel, finance.
[40:27] Terms of high level summary.
[40:29] Overall status on revenue.
[40:30] Revenues are on target.
[40:33] Tax revenues in line
with benchmark tracking.
[40:37] We received the
second installment
[40:38] of x money and town
aid road and pilot
[40:43] received a scheduled interest.
[40:45] Revenue is exceeding target,
but building permit fees
[40:51] are a little behind
target, but the staff
[40:54] is continuing to monitor
expenditures are on target.
[41:00] The only outlier is overtime
with the highway department
[41:03] because of the storms.
[41:07] They're doing so well on
that for a while, too.
[41:09] Yes slid right in
tonight's agenda.
[41:14] Consent agenda has two things.
[41:18] One, the suspense list, which
we do pretty much every year.
[41:22] This is.
[41:25] Uncollected taxes that
the collector must furnish
[41:33] to the governing body
of the municipality
[41:35] for approval each year.
[41:38] And so this year it
comes to $207,515.
[41:48] The second item is a tax
refund and that's for Cisco.
[41:54] They actually paid
their tax bill twice
[41:57] so they're being refunded.
[42:00] One of their payments.
[42:02] And that's finance
government ops.
[42:08] We have a meeting on March 16.
[42:11] Schools they do not have
major project at this time.
[42:14] Still waiting to hear back from
the state about Westfield roof
[42:17] that they submitted.
[42:19] Facility police
department generated
[42:21] project is 100% completed.
[42:24] Fire department fob system
projected is still ongoing.
[42:28] Parks and rec.
[42:30] Indoor pool.
[42:31] Boiler replacement will be
done in two to three weeks.
[42:34] Dog park is open and
this is important.
[42:36] They like to make this service
announcement that when you are
[42:40] done using a field, please
pull your empty water bottle
[42:43] and trash off the field.
[42:45] Highway there is a
quick announcement
[42:48] was put on town website
regarding the trash
[42:51] barrels and last
one is community
[42:54] development about the industrial
park culvert replacement design.
[42:58] The consultant is preparing
to host a public information
[43:01] meeting may be in March.
[43:04] That's all for me.
[43:05] Can I add.
[43:07] Yeah they also said they
wanted everyone to please
[43:12] stay off the fields until
April 1 because of the weather.
[43:16] They want to give the chance
to grasp the chance for them
[43:19] to dry out and
the grass to grow,
[43:20] because we want to have
nice fields for athletics.
[43:23] So they also ask that
we stay off the fields.
[43:25] I think you said trash,
but we want to make
[43:26] sure everybody stays off.
[43:29] Yeah did you mention
about the generator.
[43:32] I did.
[43:33] Oh, OK.
[43:33] Sorry I missed that part.
[43:34] I just leave it
up to you to say.
[43:36] Yeah, right.
[43:37] That's it.
[43:38] Public safety.
[43:41] Public safety met
prior to this meeting.
[43:44] And the fire department
for the fire department
[43:48] they had for I 91.
[43:49] They have 11 calls
so far this year,
[43:53] which is substantially
down from last year.
[43:56] And the chief attributes that
to a higher presence from state
[44:00] police They had 85 for total.
[44:06] They had 85 incidents
for the whole department.
[44:09] In February they filled
the head mechanic position.
[44:16] And they are in the
process of filling
[44:19] the assistant mechanic position.
[44:22] And I found this
pretty interesting.
[44:24] They had three drone calls
for February and three calls
[44:32] for their drone to
go somewhere else.
[44:35] I think it was I think it was
town three calls for our drone
[44:43] to be used in town.
[44:44] I know they bring it
to all kinds of stuff.
[44:49] Yeah, it was just three.
[44:50] It was just three
drone activations.
[44:54] It was our drones, not
other drones coming in.
[44:57] Yeah three drone
calls is in UFOs.
[45:00] No, no.
[45:01] Yeah, right.
[45:02] They would have said UFOs.
[45:04] They would have said UFO.
[45:04] And then for the police
department, actually ambulance.
[45:12] In total, they had
332 calls last month
[45:15] between the VA and Aetna.
[45:18] 
[45:21] Our Aetna colleague wanted
to point out he appreciated
[45:26] during the snowstorm that
station two was open for them
[45:31] and they were provided food.
[45:32] And they were very, very
appreciative of that.
[45:38] For the police
department, they have
[45:40] basically two open
positions are for patrol
[45:43] that they're going
through there.
[45:45] Some applicant
backgrounds and they
[45:49] have a communications
position open that they're
[45:52] going through interviewing.
[45:55] 
[45:58] Health district Charlie
wasn't able to make it
[46:02] but forwarded some items
that I just wanted to share.
[46:08] So as of March 9, the
Northeast continues
[46:13] to detect high levels of COVID.
[46:18] But overall between in our area
between COVID, the flu and RSV,
[46:27] it's substantially
down since January.
[46:32] So that's a positive,
obvious trend.
[46:34] 
[46:45] We had a discussion on the
speed cameras and the vendor.
[46:49] Which will be coming up on our.
[46:53] 
[46:57] I think that will be next month.
[46:58] It'll come up next month for
the Council for a vendor.
[47:04] And then we also discussed on
scene media relations policy.
[47:08] There's a few amendments
that are going to take place.
[47:11] We'll finalize that next
at our next meeting.
[47:15] And then that will come
to the council too.
[47:19] That's it.
[47:20] Thanks so where are
we at with the vendor.
[47:25] With the traffic camera we
have that's going to go on.
[47:29] Yeah, we have the vendor.
[47:31] Well, it's going to
come to the council.
[47:33] A vendor is going to come to the
council and present something.
[47:35] Yeah next month.
[47:35] Next month.
[47:36] Next month, the subcommittee
forwarded the recommendation
[47:42] to the town council.
[47:44] So now is the town
council's turn.
[47:48] OK, quick, can I just.
[47:51] You mentioned two patrolmen.
[47:54] Is that the replacement.
[47:56] One was promoted.
[47:58] Yeah OK.
[48:00] And I think one was retiring.
[48:03] One retired.
[48:04] One resigned.
[48:04] Resigned resigned.
[48:05] So it's replaced
its replacement.
[48:07] It's not new.
[48:08] OK thank you.
[48:09] They're not added.
[48:10] Good yeah.
[48:12] Thank you.
[48:14] Senior liaison.
[48:16] I reached out to
the two directors,
[48:18] and they have nothing to
report for this meeting.
[48:22] Land acquisition and
farmland preservation.
[48:26] No report.
[48:27] Our next meeting is
Tuesday, March 24.
[48:33] Liaison to the
state representative
[48:34] and State Senator.
[48:36] Thank you.
[48:36] Mayor I apologize in advance.
[48:38] It's a busy time of year.
[48:40] Representative would want
to share a few updates.
[48:42] She's been working on a lot
of different legislation,
[48:44] including stuff to expand
on felony protections
[48:47] around animal abuse.
[48:49] She's working on a bill aimed
at requiring affordable housing
[48:52] projects, using certain
construction methods to submit
[48:55] fire and life safety plans in
advance to local fire Marshals,
[48:59] and another that would expand
more affordable health coverage.
[49:03] Finally, she's actively
supporting the legislation that
[49:05] would create a Connecticut,
India and Connecticut
[49:08] Germany Trade Commission.
[49:09] Our councilors testified
on those Bills last month,
[49:12] and they both were voted
out of committee favorably
[49:14] and are moving
through the process.
[49:16] Senator lesser's recent activity
has reflected a broad focus
[49:19] on resident protection,
both here in Rocky Hill
[49:21] and across his broader district.
[49:24] For rocky Hill, that's
included continuing
[49:25] the public attention on
the concierge situation
[49:28] and tenant related concerns.
[49:30] But more broadly, his
recent public work
[49:32] has emphasized health
care, affordability,
[49:34] disability related
issues, and district
[49:36] level community engagement.
[49:38] As for us, I wanted to first
mention Minority Leader Whalen
[49:42] and councilor Emanuel and their
work on the Pa 490 working group
[49:46] at the state level.
[49:47] That work is critical to
farmland across the state
[49:51] and here in our town.
[49:53] Since our last meeting,
several members of the Council,
[49:55] along with the mayor
and deputy mayor,
[49:56] have continued our active
work at the Capitol
[49:58] on bills that directly
affect rocky Hill
[49:59] and municipalities like ours.
[50:01] I want to highlight a couple
of testimonies that we did.
[50:03] One on Senate Bill 408,
which is about fire
[50:06] safety inspections and
non-resident landlord
[50:08] registration.
[50:09] Mayor Smith, deputy
Thoreau and I submitted
[50:11] written testimony on behalf.
[50:14] Well, at the request of the
Connecticut Fire Marshals
[50:16] association, because
one section of that bill
[50:18] closely tracked the
concerns we had already
[50:20] raised on other legislation.
[50:23] I'm also proud to report that
Mayor Smith and the entire town
[50:26] council submitted bipartisan
testimony in support of House
[50:29] Bill 5501, and I
testify in person
[50:32] before the planning and
development committee on behalf
[50:34] of rocky Hill on that one.
[50:35] That bill would give towns
more practical flexibility
[50:38] in how we use our existing town
aid road funding for things
[50:41] like drainage, resiliency
work, vegetation management
[50:44] equipment and other preventative
infrastructure needs.
[50:47] I really want to thank Mayor
Smith, deputy mayor Thoreau,
[50:49] Minority Leader Whalen
and the entire council
[50:52] for speaking with one
voice on that issue.
[50:54] That kind of unity
does matter, and it
[50:56] shows that when we all
have common interests,
[50:59] we can lead with a big voice.
[51:01] So thank you for that.
[51:03] Lastly, committees
at the legislature
[51:05] are wrapping up their work
over the next couple of weeks.
[51:07] So the process is now
shifting from public hearings
[51:09] to more complicated stuff on
how Bills end up on the floor.
[51:14] Once a bill clears
committee, the process
[51:16] becomes more structured, but not
necessarily more straightforward
[51:19] because leadership
decisions, timing
[51:21] and negotiations all start to
play a great deal of matter
[51:24] in it.
[51:25] I'm monitoring dozens of bills
that could affect rocky Hill,
[51:28] including a lot of ones that
we haven't commented on.
[51:31] There's one before the
legislature right now
[51:32] that would restrict the kind of
data use around speed cameras
[51:35] and the types of stuff
we're talking about,
[51:37] so definitely keeping
a close eye on that.
[51:40] But I will keep working
with the mayor and others
[51:42] to make sure that our
voice is heard in Hartford,
[51:43] and that the Bills that are
most important to our residents
[51:45] keep at the front
of the discussion.
[51:48] Thanks, thanks.
[51:50] Can I just one thing.
[51:52] Thanks, Zach.
[51:53] Thorough report on when
Senator lesser mentioned
[51:59] the concierge tenants.
[52:01] I said it every time.
[52:03] Let's not forget about the town.
[52:04] There's an expense to
the town that we are.
[52:07] We are going to feel, so the
tenants get taken care of first.
[52:11] But let's not end on that note.
[52:14] I'm sure the mayor can speak
more directly about this,
[52:17] but I know that
in the background,
[52:18] the attorney general's
office is continuing
[52:20] to work on that second
element of the deal with them,
[52:23] and that the conversations
have been ongoing.
[52:25] Our entire state delegation
has been on that.
[52:27] Yep excellent.
[52:28] I can and I can touch on
that later where we're at.
[52:30] Sure school liaison.
[52:34] The board of Ed did
adopt their budget,
[52:37] but they have not filed the
official budget with the council
[52:40] yet.
[52:40] So I'm going to wait till we
get it so we can review it,
[52:43] and then we'll give a full
report, hopefully next meeting.
[52:48] All right.
[52:48] Thank you.
[52:50] Consent agenda item number six.
[52:55] I'll entertain a
motion to approve.
[52:56] I move approval of
the consent agenda.
[52:59] Second Any discussion.
[53:03] No discussion.
[53:04] Oh, yeah.
[53:05] OK OK.
[53:06] That's why you're here.
[53:09] All in favor.
[53:10] Aye Any opposed.
[53:13] Great thank you.
[53:15] All right, old
business, item number 7.
[53:19] Discussion possible action.
[53:20] Public arts policy,
proposed revisions.
[53:25] We tabled at the last minute.
[53:27] Do we need to take
it off the table
[53:29] or were we just
in the discussion.
[53:31] No, you were just we were just
in discussion phase anyway.
[53:33] There wasn't a motion.
[53:34] There wasn't a
motion on the table.
[53:35] Just want to check.
[53:37] So where are we at with this.
[53:42] Well, sounds to me
like we've gotten a lot
[53:45] of good public input tonight.
[53:47] I was happy to hear from
folks on both sides of this.
[53:50] It seems like there might be a
happy medium in here somewhere.
[53:54] I see the policy that we
put forth a couple of weeks
[53:57] ago as really mostly just
focused on expanding flexibility
[54:02] and not taking anything
away from the decision
[54:04] making process
that is very strict
[54:06] and runs right through
this room in every case.
[54:10] I'm certainly open to the idea
that there might be a specific
[54:15] carve out that we want to
make of spaces that are not
[54:19] necessarily where we want
to allow for public art,
[54:21] but I am very much in favor
of making this policy change
[54:25] in terms of flexibility,
I think and I
[54:28] think we heard from
a couple people,
[54:30] tonight with
specific reservations
[54:35] around public buildings.
[54:39] And we've heard a little bit
from safety concerns as well.
[54:45] I shared the I believe
with councilor Whalen,
[54:51] I shared with you the safety
study that was done regarding
[54:56] road roadway art specifically.
[54:59] Hopefully you were able to share
it with everybody else as well.
[55:04] And I think that addresses
some of the safety concerns
[55:09] there, hopefully, as well.
[55:10] And hopefully everybody
has had a chance to read
[55:12] the redlined version now.
[55:15] And the line with the version
without red lines or blue lines
[55:20] or Brown lines or whatever, the
whatever color the lines were.
[55:24] Hopefully everybody's been
able to see that by now.
[55:28] So yeah, I mean, can you expand
for those that haven't seen
[55:32] the safety, can you just explain
what that is a little bit more.
[55:37] I know that we as
a council, I didn't
[55:39] know if we wanted to elaborate
to say that there was a.
[55:42] Yeah so study done in more
recent than some of the others
[55:46] that were identified that show.
[55:48] Yeah so the most comprehensive
study of roadway art
[55:53] specifically.
[55:53] And once again, this is
talking about roadway art.
[55:55] This is crosswalks and painting
streets and stuff like that.
[55:59] The most comprehensive
study of that
[56:00] was done by Bloomberg
related organization in 2022.
[56:07] And it found in it was
across multiple states, 17
[56:12] different locations
that roadway art
[56:17] or aesthetic crosswalks
and things like
[56:20] that actually we're better.
[56:23] We're more safe for
pedestrians, less
[56:26] traffic, conflicts between
pedestrians and vehicles,
[56:30] less accidents.
[56:33] And it's really the most
comprehensive study of that.
[56:38] And there's really
not any other evidence
[56:41] that shows to the contrary
that I've been able to find.
[56:43] 
[56:46] And I also shared
the state's opinion
[56:51] on this, the DOT's opinion
on this, the federal statutes
[56:54] related to.
[56:58] You mean.
[57:01] I forget what it all
stands for again, but mutd
[57:07] and so the federal standing
on aesthetic crosswalks
[57:12] and how that relates to
moving traffic and safety.
[57:17] But I mean, number one thing.
[57:21] I don't want to spend four
months talking about this.
[57:24] Well, Mr. mayor, I think that
the policy in place right
[57:29] now was voted on by 9
members of our council
[57:36] when it was all approved.
[57:37] So I think it's very important
that we go through every change
[57:42] and have a discussion about
every change that's in here.
[57:44] So that may take some time.
[57:46] 
[57:51] And we could have,
you're changing
[57:54] the big bulk of this policy.
[57:57] And I think it has
to be opened up
[57:58] for us all to communicate
on each step of the way
[58:01] where you want to change.
[58:04] So that's what I mean.
[58:07] We've had this for over
almost a month now to review,
[58:12] but we have not talked
about each change.
[58:15] If you want, I'll
start and start
[58:17] reading what changes to policy
are in place here tonight.
[58:22] And the first one
here is common space.
[58:26] Community space.
[58:28] What's the definition of
community space for this change.
[58:35] What do we consider
community space.
[58:36] I'm at a loss for that.
[58:38] 
[58:41] Google's going to
tell us apparently.
[58:42] Good to know that
the sky is falling.
[58:44] Yes Siri has some input on that.
[58:47] Yeah OK.
[58:51] Oops I said now that was mine.
[58:54] Now that's yours.
[58:57] So we did have it,
if you want to call
[59:00] it limited into the parks
where the crosswalks
[59:03] or sidewalks and walkways
could be used for public art.
[59:09] But I don't understand what
the term community space means.
[59:12] Where are we expanding
to or is there
[59:15] no limit to community space.
[59:19] Any town building facility.
[59:22] Is it all open.
[59:23] I guess that's my question.
[59:25] Yeah so start it with.
[59:26] So yeah, in the section,
the initial section there
[59:31] with edits, removing
the section that
[59:35] says it's defined as
crosswalks, sidewalks,
[59:39] walkways, park
spaces and replaces
[59:41] that with community spaces.
[59:44] Just the initial statement.
[59:48] It's just changing the.
[59:54] The underlying statement of
this that it is the original one
[59:58] was just saying these only these
things versus this is saying
[1:00:04] the statement relates
to all community spaces,
[1:00:06] not just crosswalks for
the purposes of this.
[1:00:12] Correct me if I'm wrong.
[1:00:13] We're basically
saying yes, municipal
[1:00:15] owned or controlled spaces as
written would be very general.
[1:00:19] Based on this definition.
[1:00:21] So basically we're saying
there is no restriction.
[1:00:23] I'm saying that as written
right now that it suggests
[1:00:27] as written right now
municipality controls as revised
[1:00:30] right now as revised right now.
[1:00:32] So there is no restriction.
[1:00:33] It's not defined
essentially which
[1:00:36] is why my initial
comment on the subject
[1:00:37] was very open to the concept
of finding a way to carve
[1:00:42] into that a little bit.
[1:00:43] But the general idea being
that instead of a very small
[1:00:46] prescriptive list of what the
spaces are, very, very narrow,
[1:00:51] this is a flexible, broad term
that we can now in this process
[1:00:56] come to some agreement about.
[1:00:57] So, Zach, what are
you proposing exactly.
[1:01:00] Yes well I mean,
honestly, I and we
[1:01:05] heard tonight from some folks.
[1:01:07] And we've heard
your reservations
[1:01:08] around municipal
buildings not wanting
[1:01:11] on the side of building
brick buildings, et cetera.
[1:01:14] Or schools or
something like that.
[1:01:16] I mean, no, but what I'm saying
is it has to be specific.
[1:01:19] We are discussing a
public policy here.
[1:01:22] Let's get specific about
so and I like the idea
[1:01:24] of going through that
revision, each one with regard
[1:01:27] to answer your question,
from my perspective,
[1:01:30] yeah, this is about saying that
it's widely any municipal space,
[1:01:34] but I would offer
an Amendment myself
[1:01:36] that would constrain it by
saying that it would not apply.
[1:01:39] It would exclude
municipal buildings
[1:01:42] exteriors and would exclude
schools and school grounds.
[1:01:47] So basically, frankly,
we could even frame it
[1:01:49] as any property controlled
by the Board of Education
[1:01:52] to make that a little
bit more broad as well.
[1:01:55] On the outside, the outside
being where there was discussion
[1:01:59] here before about how
the inside of buildings
[1:02:01] is a whole different story,
especially they actually
[1:02:03] have some murals on the inside.
[1:02:04] But I did want to make
sure that in all of this
[1:02:07] is all within a framework
that you all agreed on
[1:02:09] before about how the
town council would
[1:02:11] review and decide on these.
[1:02:14] And so any decision about this.
[1:02:15] I heard some of the commenters
worrying about causes
[1:02:18] and things being put up there.
[1:02:21] The current policy that parts
of it that aren't being changed.
[1:02:24] No text.
[1:02:26] There's no text.
[1:02:26] So getting across messages.
[1:02:28] Yes, you can get across
messages without text,
[1:02:30] but we will have broad
discretion as a council
[1:02:34] to say no to just
about anything.
[1:02:35] And I think,
frankly, we're pretty
[1:02:38] reflective and nostalgic about
our identity in this town.
[1:02:41] So I think that we're all
going to have a little bit
[1:02:43] of a high bar there.
[1:02:45] Yeah respectfully,
though, we can get to that
[1:02:47] if we get to that one by one.
[1:02:50] I think the first
point is like if we
[1:02:52] need to define things right.
[1:02:53] So what do you propose.
[1:02:55] Let's put it on the page
and put it in the revision.
[1:02:59] Yeah My proposal
is let's put it in
[1:03:01] and then move to the next one.
[1:03:02] Well my proposal.
[1:03:03] And that's fine.
[1:03:03] That's fine.
[1:03:04] And then we'll get
to who decides what.
[1:03:06] Which commenter
also mentioned here.
[1:03:09] So let's take it step by step.
[1:03:12] That's all I'm suggesting, Zach.
[1:03:13] Well, I can agree with that.
[1:03:15] I just don't think there are
that many steps involved.
[1:03:17] It's a short document.
[1:03:18] All right.
[1:03:19] Let's go through it.
[1:03:20] And I would just say let's go
through it like that paragraph.
[1:03:23] That first paragraph is the only
one that really adds anything.
[1:03:27] Everything else is just
taking away some language
[1:03:30] to open it up more.
[1:03:31] Yeah, but why do it.
[1:03:33] Otherwise, if it
doesn't change anything.
[1:03:35] OK I mean, no, I'm not saying
it doesn't change anything.
[1:03:38] I'm just saying that everything
else is not adding new language.
[1:03:44] It's removing
restrictive language.
[1:03:47] Sure yeah.
[1:03:48] So let's discuss
what we removed.
[1:03:50] Let's put it that way.
[1:03:51] So first paragraph we
have an understanding
[1:03:53] of where we're standing on it.
[1:03:55] Yeah let's go through it.
[1:03:56] We just talk about
the community space.
[1:03:58] We did it.
[1:03:58] We an understanding of that OK.
[1:03:59] Well community spaces minus
municipal buildings and school
[1:04:04] grounds.
[1:04:05] That's what we're saying.
[1:04:06] Both sides school building
if we were to amend it,
[1:04:09] we would basically
have as written
[1:04:11] minus basically any town
buildings, any town buildings,
[1:04:16] basically from the exterior.
[1:04:18] So you went from the
universe down to a world.
[1:04:20] OK I would be very specific
and clear to say that it would
[1:04:24] be the exterior of
municipal buildings
[1:04:27] and then school buildings
and school grounds.
[1:04:31] Do you follow the difference
or do you the difference being
[1:04:33] that interior versus space on
a municipal property, that's
[1:04:36] not the building itself
that theoretically
[1:04:38] could be open to this.
[1:04:40] But again, town council
approval on everything.
[1:04:42] So do you want to
go to the next.
[1:04:48] I think that helped
define what's the next.
[1:04:52] Let's move on to the next.
[1:04:53] What's the next.
[1:04:54] Let's move on to
the next one first.
[1:04:55] Yeah I also have a problem
with crosswalks in town.
[1:05:01] There's a lot of data from the
federal government about not
[1:05:07] approving artistic crosswalks.
[1:05:11] I'm going to read a
bunch of information.
[1:05:14] I have some Connecticut dot
information also about it.
[1:05:18] So I'll ask you to
bear with me because I
[1:05:21] come from public
safety background
[1:05:24] and I'm a rule follower as well.
[1:05:28] The federal government
gives US guidelines.
[1:05:30] Granted, our town can do
whatever we want on town roads,
[1:05:34] but there's recommendations
put into place
[1:05:36] by the federal
government for reasons
[1:05:38] that they don't allow
it on state roads.
[1:05:41] So bear with me.
[1:05:43] I'm going to read some
stuff from the highway,
[1:05:46] federal Highway
Administration and the Muzzi,
[1:05:51] as we said it earlier, is that
from the most recent moxie 2023?
[1:05:57] No, it's not.
[1:05:59] So you're reading old stuff.
[1:06:01] So just make sure
that you're because I
[1:06:05] believe that Alan had just
provided more recent stuff.
[1:06:07] OK can he read the most
recent stuff then, please.
[1:06:11] You can read what you've got.
[1:06:13] No I'm not.
[1:06:14] I mean, be accurate if I'm not.
[1:06:16] If it's not because the main.
[1:06:18] Let's read the.
[1:06:19] Generally I don't want it.
[1:06:20] Generally I have specifics
that I was going to read.
[1:06:22] I'd like you to
read your specific.
[1:06:24] OK I'll give a second
to bring it up.
[1:06:26] I'll bring it up.
[1:06:27] But in a nutshell, it doesn't
say that you can't do it.
[1:06:32] It provides a guidelines for
if you do it like it doesn't.
[1:06:38] There's nothing in that
specifically says not that you
[1:06:42] can't do aesthetic crosswalks.
[1:06:45] No, but it says they're unsafe.
[1:06:46] That's what it identifies
the inherent risks involved
[1:06:50] in something like that.
[1:06:51] But I'm not sure the
language says specifically
[1:06:53] that they're unsafe.
[1:06:54] Is that the specific
word that's used.
[1:06:56] I'd have to look it up here.
[1:06:57] What I have.
[1:06:58] 
[1:07:01] They're potentially
dangerous and non-compliant
[1:07:04] with safety standards.
[1:07:06] And then it goes forward to give
concepts of how you would do it
[1:07:09] in the most safe way possible.
[1:07:11] No, I don't have
that information.
[1:07:13] OK I'm just curious.
[1:07:14] I'm just asking the question.
[1:07:16] So in a nutshell.
[1:07:19] Well, I mean, I can read the
exact quote from the 2023, which
[1:07:22] basically just says that it's
not part of their purview
[1:07:29] because an aesthetic crosswalk
is not a traffic control device.
[1:07:33] Mukti controls or they're over.
[1:07:38] What they oversee is
traffic control devices,
[1:07:40] and an aesthetic crosswalk is
not a traffic control device.
[1:07:45] So this is what it says.
[1:07:45] Related to that says if
non-reflective colored pavement
[1:07:49] is used as a purely
aesthetic surface treatment,
[1:07:52] see section 303 within the
provisions of this chapter
[1:07:57] and are not intended
to communicate
[1:07:59] regulations, warnings,
guidance or other
[1:08:02] information to road users.
[1:08:03] The colored pavement is that
considered to be a traffic
[1:08:06] control device, even if it
is located between the lines
[1:08:09] of a crosswalk.
[1:08:11] So in a nutshell, what they're
saying is, if you were trying
[1:08:17] to paint something on the
road to control traffic, then
[1:08:24] they would deem that
as unsafe unless you
[1:08:28] did it in the specific
way that they want.
[1:08:30] But what they're saying
is aesthetic surface
[1:08:32] treatments on a roadway are
not traffic control devices.
[1:08:36] Therefore it's not even
something that they
[1:08:39] regulate, if that makes sense.
[1:08:44] And basically the CT
dot says the same thing.
[1:08:50] We are not talking
about regulation.
[1:08:52] Alan due respect.
[1:08:53] We are talking
about common sense.
[1:08:55] If it says there that they are
not the safest thing to do.
[1:09:01] We are not going
to do a definition
[1:09:03] of traffic control devices.
[1:09:06] Is that what you're going
to put in the policy
[1:09:09] that we are not worried
about the traffic.
[1:09:11] I mean, I'm serious.
[1:09:12] I mean, what does it
mean what you just read.
[1:09:14] I really don't
know what it meant
[1:09:16] for from a practical
standpoint of allowing
[1:09:19] public art on crosswalks.
[1:09:21] I really don't understand.
[1:09:22] It means they have no actual
jurisdiction on crosswalks.
[1:09:26] We are not discussing
their jurisdiction.
[1:09:27] We are not discussing
jurisdiction.
[1:09:29] We are discussing
the recommendation.
[1:09:31] They can't say that
it's unsafe if it's
[1:09:33] not in their jurisdiction.
[1:09:34] And in fact, Alan shared
a big comprehensive study
[1:09:37] showing that there is no
correlation between unsafety.
[1:09:41] Sorry not being safe
and traffic crosswalks
[1:09:44] that are because it was see, I'm
not worried about jurisdictions
[1:09:49] here.
[1:09:50] That's not what we
are talking about.
[1:09:51] But you're a data guy, right.
[1:09:52] Yeah, so look at the data.
[1:09:54] He read a code.
[1:09:57] Outdated code.
[1:09:59] Is it outdated or not.
[1:10:01] The Federal Highway 1.
[1:10:03] I don't have the newest.
[1:10:05] When was it coded.
[1:10:06] I'm just.
[1:10:06] I'm just curious.
[1:10:07] I'm seriously curious.
[1:10:08] 1999, it could be 2013.
[1:10:13] My understanding from
what I've looked at,
[1:10:15] the different because I've
looked at all of this stuff
[1:10:17] to try to disprove, because it
comes up often that people say,
[1:10:22] oh, it's going to be unsafe
because it's not normal.
[1:10:25] Like your striped crosswalk
Correct People say
[1:10:30] that it is going to be unsafe.
[1:10:32] The problem is there's
no anecdotal evidence
[1:10:34] that says that it is.
[1:10:36] In fact, there's data that
says it is more safe to have
[1:10:40] artistic crosswalk because it
draws more attention to somebody
[1:10:43] standing in a crosswalk.
[1:10:45] The 2022 study that hopefully
was shared with all of you
[1:10:49] says that there was a 50%
decrease in the rate of crashes
[1:10:54] involving pedestrians, 50%
less in an aesthetic crosswalk
[1:10:59] or a painted roadway.
[1:11:00] Who did that study.
[1:11:01] Bloomberg it's a
peer reviewed study.
[1:11:06] Yeah, it's a peer reviewed
study that's been done to date.
[1:11:11] Yeah I'm just asking,
who reviewed it.
[1:11:12] It was prepared by
an engineering firm.
[1:11:15] You don't believe in Bloomberg.
[1:11:16] No I'm just saying.
[1:11:17] I mean, I see a lot of polls and
quotes and studies out there.
[1:11:20] I mean, we all do.
[1:11:21] I don't believe everything
that is on the internet.
[1:11:23] That's all I'm asking, if
it's peer reviewed or not.
[1:11:25] That's all.
[1:11:26] And so in painted side
painted crosswalks generally
[1:11:32] are going to be where
traffic is lighter
[1:11:35] and there's more
pedestrians where you
[1:11:37] might have slower speed limits.
[1:11:39] So I'd love to really
look into that study
[1:11:41] because it is on to something.
[1:11:43] You can make data to your
friend any way you want.
[1:11:46] So find me a study that
says the alternative.
[1:11:48] I'm just saying I'm not going
to look for that because we just
[1:11:52] talked about we don't
want to spend four months,
[1:11:54] but guess what you
just signed us up for.
[1:11:56] Like every other meeting
we're going to be adjudicating
[1:11:58] whether we should
put up art or not,
[1:12:01] so we can't talk about
taking more time.
[1:12:04] This is important to get it
right here because I don't want
[1:12:06] subjectivity when
the time comes,
[1:12:08] because we already are
going to have a ton of it
[1:12:10] by the mere definition of art.
[1:12:12] So we got to have guidelines.
[1:12:14] And when you first
proposed it, I
[1:12:16] don't know if this
was a red Herring,
[1:12:17] say community space
so we can settle
[1:12:19] on not municipal buildings
and school grounds.
[1:12:22] I don't know that, but I will
tell you community space.
[1:12:24] That's like, what
are we doing here.
[1:12:27] So why didn't you initially
put in municipals?
[1:12:30] Were you hoping we
could do the buildings,
[1:12:32] the side of the buildings.
[1:12:33] By the way, you were hoping
to ruin our buildings.
[1:12:35] OK I would like it to be.
[1:12:37] I would like it to be as
open as possible and let us
[1:12:41] or whatever other sitting
body make the decision.
[1:12:44] Yes or no, if we like it or not.
[1:12:47] Are is, by its very
nature subjective is
[1:12:51] subjective form and if
anything, would be looking
[1:12:55] at all of these questions.
[1:12:56] Crosswalks, the safety.
[1:12:58] That is the point of us
deciding on individual projects
[1:13:01] when they come before us.
[1:13:03] I know you like to think that we
need more guidelines around it
[1:13:06] in the policy, but that's the
thought process that led to such
[1:13:10] a narrow policy that no one came
forward to try and activate it.
[1:13:13] So when it comes to art, I think
that we have to be flexible.
[1:13:18] As far as what was our intent
was our intent in putting this.
[1:13:22] I'll be real with you.
[1:13:24] I did not write the
language of this new policy.
[1:13:26] I reviewed it and saw it
for what it was, which
[1:13:28] was a broad generalization
that would probably get worked
[1:13:31] down in discussion,
because that's
[1:13:33] the purpose of what we do here.
[1:13:36] So, yeah, I don't think we need
to spend multiple meetings going
[1:13:40] over this because at the end of
the day, whatever we do on it is
[1:13:43] still protected by
the review process
[1:13:46] on any art that comes into town.
[1:13:48] Yeah so here's the thing though.
[1:13:50] Are we saying we are going to
review this in the broadest
[1:13:53] terms possible, and
Pankaj Prakhyat is going
[1:13:55] to be the arbiter of what
is art and where should it
[1:13:58] be put out there in the town.
[1:14:00] Is that what you're saying.
[1:14:01] I'm not ready to take
that responsibility,
[1:14:02] to tell you the truth, because
I don't know what art is.
[1:14:06] And is it my response.
[1:14:08] How responsible can
I be in deciding
[1:14:12] that you, as a town
councilor are making lots
[1:14:15] of decisions for this town.
[1:14:17] Why can't you make
that decision.
[1:14:18] You're not a person who
is a financial manager.
[1:14:22] Are you.
[1:14:22] And you make decisions
on the budgets here.
[1:14:25] Well, well, I do
run a big team and I
[1:14:28] do make financial decisions.
[1:14:29] I do, but thank you
for asking that.
[1:14:32] I do have some qualifications
regarding that.
[1:14:35] But that's not the point.
[1:14:37] That's besides the point.
[1:14:38] The point here is, personally
speaking for myself,
[1:14:42] I don't want to be
the arbiter of art
[1:14:46] and where it should
be placed in town.
[1:14:48] Number two.
[1:14:52] It's a huge responsibility
for this body to come together
[1:14:56] every few weeks or
every few months
[1:14:58] and decide, for example,
on a First Amendment issue.
[1:15:04] OK I'm not ready to take
that responsibility.
[1:15:07] Let me be Frank.
[1:15:08] And you can play this like
wherever we need to play this.
[1:15:11] I don't feel comfortable
taking that responsibility.
[1:15:14] On deciding on First
Amendment issues.
[1:15:17] And that's why I want
this policy to be
[1:15:20] as precise as possible,
because then I can actually
[1:15:25] take that responsibility
and work with what
[1:15:28] we have defined as a team.
[1:15:31] The broader the policy,
the more uncomfortable
[1:15:34] I get in deciding those issues.
[1:15:37] That's all I'm saying.
[1:15:38] The more precise it
is, the better it is.
[1:15:41] Can I ask you a
question, Mr. mayor.
[1:15:44] Does the apologies for
not knowing this answer.
[1:15:47] I don't have it in front of me.
[1:15:48] Does the policy
have any statements
[1:15:51] about no hate speech, religion,
those sort of things in it.
[1:15:57] Yep.
[1:15:58] OK.
[1:15:58] So we basically follow
the guidelines of I
[1:16:01] believe, the town attorney, the
town attorney put it together
[1:16:05] and reviewed the revision.
[1:16:07] So we have those guardrails.
[1:16:08] Yeah he put the town attorney,
put it together, I believe,
[1:16:12] based on the framework
of other towns
[1:16:15] that had projects come forth and
there are some adjacent towns,
[1:16:21] such as I believe,
Middletown and other towns,
[1:16:23] that this has been
very successful.
[1:16:25] And they're not spending every
town council or city council
[1:16:29] meeting talking about art
every single time there's
[1:16:31] a number of meetings,
there's a number
[1:16:33] of towns that already have it,
not just in Connecticut, but all
[1:16:36] over the place.
[1:16:37] Yeah I mean, Worcester
has art on their sides
[1:16:39] of their buildings all over
the place, and many of them
[1:16:41] are quite awe inspiring.
[1:16:44] But I understand
why we wouldn't.
[1:16:47] I completely understand
in our small town
[1:16:49] why we wouldn't
necessarily want to put
[1:16:51] random murals on our sides
of our brick buildings.
[1:16:56] But I do think I was on
the council when we voted
[1:17:00] for the current policy,
and the only reason why
[1:17:03] I voted for it because it
was better than nothing.
[1:17:07] In essence, there's
one crosswalk
[1:17:09] that we're able to put art,
and that's just not acceptable.
[1:17:13] So I don't disagree
that maybe we
[1:17:17] need to define a couple
things a little bit more,
[1:17:19] but we want it as open as
possible so that people can have
[1:17:23] the expression we have
restrictions in there
[1:17:26] about certain types of speech
that are not permissible
[1:17:29] and so forth.
[1:17:30] And ultimately, the
council has a decision
[1:17:32] to reject if there's something
we think that it's not suitable
[1:17:35] or if they don't maintain it, we
can order that they remove it.
[1:17:38] And it's at the cost of the
people putting up the project.
[1:17:42] So we need to make
changes in this policy
[1:17:44] because it's just not
acceptable the way it is.
[1:17:48] That's your opinion,
ma'am Yes it is.
[1:17:51] I would like to add something
from the Connecticut dot.
[1:17:55] And this is a 1924 or 2024.
[1:18:01] Sorry that says.
[1:18:05] The top priorities
for the safety
[1:18:07] of pedestrians,
bicyclists and drivers.
[1:18:10] Some pavement markings, such
as those that convert travel
[1:18:13] pavement into a defined,
delineated, pedestrian only
[1:18:17] space, is generally accepted.
[1:18:21] Which is your normal crosswalk
with the White lines.
[1:18:24] 
[1:18:27] Other treatments, such
as within a travel lane,
[1:18:31] can be causing concern to
other road users in addition.
[1:18:35] In addition, artistic
surfaces create
[1:18:38] a challenging for
pedestrians with low vision
[1:18:40] capabilities and other
mobility concerns
[1:18:43] as they navigate a
sidewalk or crosswalk.
[1:18:47] I just want to point
that out as well.
[1:18:49] 
[1:18:53] There have the Federal Highway
Administration, which oversees
[1:18:57] with our government, has
asked communities in the past
[1:19:00] to remove colorful crosswalks in
Lexington, Kentucky, Ames, Iowa.
[1:19:06] ST Louis, Missouri.
[1:19:07] Austin, Texas.
[1:19:09] So there is a reason why the
federal government doesn't
[1:19:13] approve of that on state roads.
[1:19:18] So I'm just bringing up safety
concerns from and as I say,
[1:19:23] I'm a follower of safety
for all our people.
[1:19:27] Other towns may do this stuff.
[1:19:29] We as a town can do it.
[1:19:32] It's not a State Road.
[1:19:33] It's not a federally
regulated road.
[1:19:35] But I'm just concerned about
crosswalks being painted
[1:19:40] painting and our town roads.
[1:19:43] Counselor Whalen, do you
mind if I ask a question.
[1:19:45] Are there outside
of the crosswalks?
[1:19:48] Are there other
spaces that you're
[1:19:51] concerned about public
safety relative to this.
[1:19:54] No OK.
[1:19:55] So in terms of the public
safety issues that you're
[1:19:57] concerned about, it is narrowed
in on that one kind of thing
[1:20:00] basically because
it's on the roadway.
[1:20:02] Correct yeah.
[1:20:03] OK I think that's why the
last policy in place, there
[1:20:07] was somewhat of a
compromise that in the park,
[1:20:09] it's low speed to do
stuff in that area
[1:20:14] is a safer area of travel.
[1:20:20] This is not
necessarily a question
[1:20:22] that actually leads anywhere,
but I'm going to ask it anyway.
[1:20:25] Just because I'm not as
familiar with every park in town
[1:20:28] outside of the one
park where the policy
[1:20:30] allows it for right now.
[1:20:31] Are there other
crosswalks at other parks.
[1:20:34] Are there other.
[1:20:35] No, but there's parking spaces.
[1:20:37] There's sidewalks.
[1:20:39] All that was in the
policy that's in place,
[1:20:42] I guess, in the strangest way.
[1:20:43] The question for me
is because I mean,
[1:20:45] I walked all these
neighborhoods this past summer,
[1:20:46] but I don't have quite
the layout in my head
[1:20:48] that you probably do.
[1:20:49] After all the years
you've been a resident,
[1:20:51] are there any places in
town where you'd sit there
[1:20:53] and say what.
[1:20:53] An aesthetic crosswalk
in that area is.
[1:20:55] Probably not as big of a deal
because XYZ, that sort of thing,
[1:20:59] is it.
[1:21:00] Or is it just blanket.
[1:21:01] You feel like it's a
public safety hazard
[1:21:02] on all of our town roads.
[1:21:03] Or do you think there might be.
[1:21:04] I think it's blanket on
all town roads for myself
[1:21:07] for safety concern.
[1:21:08] That's why I was asking.
[1:21:09] OK, I'm not against public art,
sculptures, flower decorations,
[1:21:16] all that stuff I
think is all good
[1:21:18] that I. I'm glad
that we took them
[1:21:21] off town buildings or the Board
of Ed buildings, the exteriors.
[1:21:26] I'm thankful for that
we're not going to do that,
[1:21:31] but we still have to amend it.
[1:21:34] But yes, we're basically we're
on board working that way.
[1:21:36] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[1:21:37] We're there, we're there.
[1:21:39] 
[1:21:41] What if we want to continue.
[1:21:43] We can just continue.
[1:21:44] We can come back to the
public safety thing.
[1:21:46] But that helps to know that
it's just that thing in terms
[1:21:49] of public safety for you.
[1:21:52] So further down the
section around location
[1:21:59] is scratched out.
[1:22:01] That one would be removed
because basically that section
[1:22:05] says only crosswalk
sidewalks, walkways, parking
[1:22:08] spaces located in public parks.
[1:22:10] It basically repeats the
section from the first
[1:22:13] from the statement portion.
[1:22:16] Why do we take out
number 3 under location.
[1:22:20] 
[1:22:23] I think we should
determine that wherever
[1:22:25] they're going to put work is
in satisfactory condition.
[1:22:29] Well, I think that's part of
the approval process anyway.
[1:22:34] I believe that is
already covered
[1:22:36] under a different section.
[1:22:38] 
[1:22:43] One it's under
procedure, I believe.
[1:22:48] 
[1:22:56] Yeah I mean, it has
the 12 month plan.
[1:22:58] Addressing, installation,
maintenance,
[1:22:59] and removal is all
under procedure
[1:23:02] and then preliminary review.
[1:23:04] I believe that's
maintenance and removal.
[1:23:06] But I think that was for
road or parking lot spaces
[1:23:20] that our community development
and the park and rec
[1:23:24] make sure it's good pavement.
[1:23:27] I think we got to make
sure that's in there.
[1:23:29] I mean, I didn't
see it this time.
[1:23:31] I could read the revisions
and understand it.
[1:23:33] Understanding because
you had a couple
[1:23:35] of weeks to go back over it and
it was color coded correctly.
[1:23:40] Got it out on March three.
[1:23:41] Correct so I don't care if
it's put in the procedure area.
[1:23:47] But I didn't see it.
[1:23:49] But I definitely
could have missed it.
[1:23:51] So yeah I believe it was.
[1:23:58] I know you took out
the other two things
[1:23:59] because the other part that
was deleted is redundant.
[1:24:03] So I get that.
[1:24:05] I just I don't know if number
three should be entirely removed
[1:24:08] or moved to the procedure part.
[1:24:11] I will say that just briefly
looking again at that,
[1:24:14] I'm not seeing
language that looks
[1:24:16] an exact replica, or at least
the exact meaning of number
[1:24:19] three.
[1:24:20] And as far as what number
3 is trying to convey,
[1:24:22] I totally think it makes sense.
[1:24:25] Number three.
[1:24:26] Yeah, yeah, just leave it.
[1:24:28] Yeah I mean, I'd be
amenable to leaving that in.
[1:24:30] So can somebody who's got
it in a physical form, just
[1:24:33] put a little asterisk on that.
[1:24:34] That will be towards
any potential Amendment
[1:24:37] that we might put on this.
[1:24:38] Yes OK.
[1:24:40] Under design.
[1:24:44] OK go ahead.
[1:24:45] Unless you had more.
[1:24:46] No go ahead.
[1:24:47] You're moving on.
[1:24:48] Under design number
one, public artwork
[1:24:51] cannot obscure or interfere with
markings required for safety.
[1:24:54] I think the idea
of that was just
[1:24:55] removing the crosswalk part.
[1:24:57] So it's any markings
for safety, even 2 and 3
[1:25:02] that are self-explanatory.
[1:25:05] Yeah same idea.
[1:25:08] I'm going to ask
about five I agree.
[1:25:15] I don't know.
[1:25:17] I guess that's
part of the review.
[1:25:19] But you also took out number
7, which was we wanted
[1:25:27] to ensure quality installation.
[1:25:29] So we wanted to.
[1:25:31] Art, by the way, is I think you
got rid of the stencil thing
[1:25:35] so that an artist
can be an artist.
[1:25:36] Yeah, they can just paint.
[1:25:37] So it's not.
[1:25:38] You don't have to agree.
[1:25:40] I'm not disagreeing,
but that being said,
[1:25:43] does that mean they can
then write whatever message
[1:25:45] they want afterwards.
[1:25:46] No, it has to get
previous approval
[1:25:48] through the normal process.
[1:25:50] Just took it out though.
[1:25:51] I'm just saying we
just took it out.
[1:25:53] So I think messaging
is something that
[1:25:57] is important to know when
we're reviewing a piece,
[1:26:01] but it says it shall
not contain text,
[1:26:04] word messaging or advertising.
[1:26:06] Well, no, you're
taking that out.
[1:26:08] So you're allowing it to be out.
[1:26:12] You're going to allow
messaging if it's approved
[1:26:16] ultimately by the Council.
[1:26:18] So then number seven
where we don't need
[1:26:23] to know that particular design.
[1:26:24] But we are going to know
the messaging there.
[1:26:27] Yeah so you're going
to put it back in.
[1:26:29] Simple question is that if
that's what he's asking really.
[1:26:31] But the design, any
text messaging or I
[1:26:38] mean that's still in
the design portion
[1:26:40] that has to come for approval.
[1:26:42] Even if we take
out the messaging
[1:26:45] or even if we take out that line
item, line number 5, then it's.
[1:26:52] The design part says, as
it's currently written,
[1:26:56] the November 2024 version says
that there can be no text.
[1:27:01] There can be no words,
messaging or advertising.
[1:27:05] Correct so what I'm saying
and I get that you're OK,
[1:27:08] but allowing it by taking
it out, you're allowing it.
[1:27:12] So correct when we
now review the design.
[1:27:15] OK I know we still have the
town may reject for any reason.
[1:27:20] OK yeah.
[1:27:21] But on number the new number 8.
[1:27:24] You start to say what
guidelines it has to follow.
[1:27:28] Yeah And we adjudicate it.
[1:27:30] So I mean graphic or explicit
depictions of sexuality
[1:27:34] or violence, works that
ridicule or demean people based
[1:27:37] on their beliefs race,
gender, sexual, gender,
[1:27:40] sexual identity,
ethnicity, nationality
[1:27:42] or personal characteristics.
[1:27:44] At some point, if they're going
to put messaging in there,
[1:27:47] I just hope that we
know before they do it.
[1:27:50] Yeah, I mean, we would get a
design mockup before somebody
[1:27:54] writes anything on the street.
[1:27:55] And I know we're going
to divergence from that,
[1:27:58] but I think the only reason
why specifically because one
[1:28:01] of the problems the questions I
had was like around advertising.
[1:28:05] Yeah but the.
[1:28:09] The thing that I
thought was we may
[1:28:12] be able to get a private
organization to pay
[1:28:15] for something and would we allow
them to put a badge, liberty
[1:28:19] bank, paid for by Liberty
bank assume you're imagining
[1:28:25] a situation where it isn't
the bank with the art idea,
[1:28:28] it's somebody else with the art
idea, and it's funded by them
[1:28:30] or funded by a non-profit,
and that their stamp
[1:28:34] is on it or something.
[1:28:35] That's the only reason to
not explicitly say that.
[1:28:38] No, we won't do any advertising.
[1:28:41] We're obviously not
doing it as an AD,
[1:28:43] but I'm very uncomfortable
with sponsorship.
[1:28:47] Me too.
[1:28:48] Point blank.
[1:28:49] But it's your decision
that we didn't
[1:28:53] allow it at Little League.
[1:28:54] We didn't allow.
[1:28:55] I mean that's just.
[1:28:56] And just recently, we didn't
allow it at the high school
[1:28:58] on athletic fields.
[1:29:00] And I just saw it happen
like this year or last year.
[1:29:03] And I'm like for a reason.
[1:29:04] We didn't do it.
[1:29:05] So sponsorship,
which is advertising.
[1:29:10] I'm not comfortable
with advertising.
[1:29:13] End of story.
[1:29:14] That's space.
[1:29:16] So that's a no go
from the doesn't
[1:29:18] matter whatever we discuss.
[1:29:20] But for me.
[1:29:21] Yeah so basically like if we
use it for commercial purposes
[1:29:24] and call it art.
[1:29:24] This is where I was
going when I said I don't
[1:29:27] want to be the arbiter of art.
[1:29:28] Now advertising is art.
[1:29:30] Yeah, if that's the
problem with this.
[1:29:36] There is no clear line here.
[1:29:38] Which we won't cross.
[1:29:40] It's too broad.
[1:29:41] Or we can make it
a line, though.
[1:29:42] I mean, but it's not
as written today.
[1:29:45] As revised today is not.
[1:29:46] I understand your reservation
around advertising.
[1:29:49] I think that's only.
[1:29:50] That would only be in some
limited not lost on me.
[1:29:57] Is that the subtext that
I'm hearing from all of you
[1:30:01] is that there's some safety
in specific guidelines,
[1:30:05] especially if somebody
gets upset by a decision
[1:30:07] of this council regarding
their art project.
[1:30:10] There's some of that too.
[1:30:12] We want to make sure that
we are in a good space.
[1:30:15] We did what we have
written seems to be OK as
[1:30:18] far as the town lawyer feels.
[1:30:20] Our protections are concerned.
[1:30:22] That's why I'm.
[1:30:23] I feel pretty comfortable
with where it's at.
[1:30:25] But I'm also very
comfortable with making
[1:30:27] all of these carve outs.
[1:30:28] We keep talking
about if advertising
[1:30:31] is another thing
that's a real hang up,
[1:30:33] I'm sure we could
discuss that as well.
[1:30:36] 
[1:30:39] Yeah I just don't
want to play in here.
[1:30:42] Yeah that was yeah, I mean yeah.
[1:30:43] Anyways, yeah, we can move on
the text and word messaging
[1:30:47] though we may want to
do a welcome to Rocky
[1:30:52] Hill or something like that.
[1:30:53] I think that's why
limiting like 0 words
[1:30:55] is good just so that we know
it's going to be in there as we.
[1:30:59] Yeah the design has to be
approved by the Council.
[1:31:03] I think any messaging in that
design would have to be approved
[1:31:05] like that to me is necessary.
[1:31:08] Yeah a design for instance.
[1:31:10] Perhaps we will, perhaps
we amend the language
[1:31:12] to say that any textual elements
must be included in the mockup
[1:31:17] that you present in order
to be included in the art.
[1:31:20] So in other words, it must
hit that point in the process
[1:31:23] that we see any
textual elements.
[1:31:24] They can't make a
change after that.
[1:31:27] They cannot advertise because
advertisement is considered
[1:31:31] a sign of well, there you go.
[1:31:33] There's a whole thing
around sponsorships
[1:31:37] and how they can be treated.
[1:31:38] But there you go.
[1:31:40] So are we playing
Don Draper or not.
[1:31:43] I mean, what did we decide here.
[1:31:44] I'm Yeah, we're with what you
guys are saying about returning
[1:31:48] to having a no advertising
and also having something that
[1:31:52] carves out that textual
elements must be
[1:31:54] included in mockup
designs before we
[1:31:57] receive them for council vote.
[1:32:02] But I'm fully with
the mayor on wanting
[1:32:04] to allow for textual
elements where appropriate.
[1:32:07] 
[1:32:10] Then number 7, we're
good with no stencils.
[1:32:14] 
[1:32:18] And well, that certainly
excludes Banksy from showing up.
[1:32:23] Yeah no artwork by Banksy.
[1:32:26] OK sorry.
[1:32:27] Banksy bummer.
[1:32:30] And then number 8 is.
[1:32:36] What's that.
[1:32:37] So then number 8, I think,
was just moving the numbers
[1:32:43] around because it was.
[1:32:48] 
[1:32:51] Because 7 was removed.
[1:32:54] I think that's what
essentially still saying,
[1:32:58] graphic or explicit
depictions are not intended
[1:33:05] to be religious beliefs.
[1:33:07] Can I be honest that last bit.
[1:33:10] I don't know if to call eight
a but eight bullet point.
[1:33:15] Can't we end that sentence
at, demean people and just
[1:33:19] say that anything that demeans
anybody is not something we're
[1:33:22] going to be OK with,
and don't have to even
[1:33:25] carve out any specific space.
[1:33:26] We can just say, if you
demean people, the mic, sorry,
[1:33:30] it is on.
[1:33:31] We could just say that to
demean people in general
[1:33:34] is enough that it
wouldn't be acceptable.
[1:33:38] Yeah, I mean I'm a big
fan of less is more.
[1:33:41] 
[1:33:47] I have no problem with that.
[1:33:48] Yeah, I don't have.
[1:33:49] Listen, that is the message
it makes not to demean people.
[1:33:52] So yeah.
[1:33:52] That's good.
[1:34:01] 
[1:34:04] Could I also suggest
that number 9
[1:34:06] be changed to say the town
may reject proposed artworks
[1:34:10] for any reason or no reason.
[1:34:14] In other words, we don't
have to give an explanation
[1:34:16] for a vote against a project.
[1:34:19] My only I mean, it's discretion.
[1:34:21] Well, that's what I
want to carve out.
[1:34:22] The notion we have
the attorney here
[1:34:24] super basically
discretion without having
[1:34:26] to answer for the why.
[1:34:28] Because are you saying for
any reason you have to have
[1:34:31] a reason at our
discretion, just means
[1:34:32] we decide we don't want it.
[1:34:33] You don't want it.
[1:34:36] Yeah that's.
[1:34:38] Yeah, at their discretion.
[1:34:39] Yeah because I think it was
important to leave that line.
[1:34:46] And the last line in
there, no matter what else,
[1:34:49] got changed in the middle.
[1:34:52] What are you looking at.
[1:34:53] What line.
[1:34:54] Line nine.
[1:34:56] Yep and then the final
line of the policy, which
[1:34:59] says the town may
order the removal
[1:35:01] or may remove the public artwork
after providing written notice
[1:35:04] to the requester at any time,
in its sole discretion, that I
[1:35:07] think both of those
basically mean
[1:35:10] everything else in the middle.
[1:35:12] There might be some
thing that comes up
[1:35:16] that we're not going
to think of as narrow
[1:35:18] as we try to make something.
[1:35:21] There's always the
possibility, something
[1:35:23] else that we don't think of.
[1:35:24] And so when you have
the ability to say no
[1:35:27] or you have the ability to
take it down for no reason or I
[1:35:30] mean, take it down sometime
later, that's the catch all.
[1:35:34] And that was what was originally
signed off on by the attorneys.
[1:35:39] Anyway, I think I would use the
sole discretion language again
[1:35:43] on 9 instead of for any reason.
[1:35:45] Just say this is
our sole discretion
[1:35:49] at the town's sole discretion
consistent up on number 9.
[1:35:55] Yes procedure basically
stays the same.
[1:36:06] And it just specifies any public
art requests or suggestions
[1:36:09] shall be submitted in writing.
[1:36:10] 
[1:36:13] Lays out the timeline, the
procedure doesn't change at all.
[1:36:18] I think that was just
a language change
[1:36:20] and everything else stays the
same right up until the removal.
[1:36:28] And I think in the
procedure stuff, I mean,
[1:36:30] it addresses the
safety and visibility.
[1:36:33] And I think that's where it
would go through obviously
[1:36:35] would go through the
police and so forth.
[1:36:37] So if there's a
particular intersection
[1:36:40] that the chief decides would
be too busy for whatever reason
[1:36:44] that we should not have,
then we should obviously
[1:36:46] not going to put artwork there.
[1:36:48] But I think there are some
several crosswalks that would be
[1:36:54] and we know very well
that the town engineer is
[1:36:57] not going to sign off
on anything that he
[1:37:00] thinks is not up to par.
[1:37:02] 
[1:37:07] So before we get to the removal
of the artwork thing I mean,
[1:37:12] honestly, the three concerns
for me were safety content
[1:37:17] and the last one
is the maintenance.
[1:37:21] And, we already did
this for a month ago.
[1:37:26] And I apologize because
I forget how we got here.
[1:37:29] But somebody has to
be able to determine
[1:37:32] the cost of either maintenance
or what the cost to remove
[1:37:36] that artwork, because that's at
the cost of the artist or group
[1:37:39] that the artist has to.
[1:37:41] We set aside some money
in a separate account
[1:37:45] that we have access to
be able to paint it back,
[1:37:48] to remove it or remove it or
paint it back to its old state.
[1:37:52] That is under five installation.
[1:37:56] There's a little bullet point
there prior to the start.
[1:37:59] The installation,
a cash security,
[1:38:01] an amount to cover
the cost of repairs,
[1:38:04] maintenance, and removal.
[1:38:05] Artwork yeah.
[1:38:06] That is there.
[1:38:07] I just want to make
sure we get that right
[1:38:09] because this scope got a
lot bigger potentially.
[1:38:13] And, I don't know how we're
going to determine that cost,
[1:38:17] by the way.
[1:38:18] I guess that's on you Ray or.
[1:38:20] Well that should be
brought up tonight.
[1:38:22] I think it says as determined
by the town finance director,
[1:38:27] this policy goes
beyond just painting.
[1:38:30] I mean, and sculptures
and what have you.
[1:38:33] And so the team that would
be internally reviewing
[1:38:37] this would be Joe Lentini,
Steve Mona for bond surety
[1:38:46] and the costs for maintenance
or removal or what have you
[1:38:52] would be based on the artist's
an estimated cost plus what it
[1:38:58] would cost for town crews if
we had to an hourly basis,
[1:39:02] what have you.
[1:39:03] And also materials,
that would have to be
[1:39:05] taken out of the cash security.
[1:39:07] But it's no different
than Steve working
[1:39:11] on a bond for a subdivision
or site plan or parking lot.
[1:39:16] Yeah OK.
[1:39:18] I just want to make sure we keep
that there, because that's going
[1:39:21] to be vitally important
to keep the cost away
[1:39:24] from the taxpayers.
[1:39:25] And then when you get to
the removal of the artwork.
[1:39:29] They have a 12 month
display duration.
[1:39:37] And it says if there's no
additional approved requests,
[1:39:40] which is fine.
[1:39:41] Before it was just approved,
request to display the artwork.
[1:39:45] They would stay
in that location.
[1:39:49] Correct so when I get a little
bit what I maybe could foresee
[1:39:57] is there's going to be like
three or four prime areas.
[1:40:02] And if I was doing
something new and I wanted
[1:40:07] to get in the prime area, that
doesn't seem fair to the person
[1:40:11] who's already there.
[1:40:12] But it's not fair that it's
not available to other peoples
[1:40:15] as well.
[1:40:15] So that's another level
of decision making.
[1:40:18] We're going to have to make.
[1:40:19] Are we going to push them
off to oh, you can do it,
[1:40:21] but we're going to put you
over on East street, which
[1:40:26] nobody's there.
[1:40:27] Yeah, I think those are things.
[1:40:29] I'm just saying you're going
to have a lot of groups.
[1:40:31] And that was brought
up by the public
[1:40:33] that once they see
this stuff coming up,
[1:40:35] maybe you're going to
create this onslaught,
[1:40:38] which because we were
too restrictive before,
[1:40:41] but now we're not.
[1:40:42] So I'm just that's
going to come up.
[1:40:45] I mean, do they have the right
to go after the prime spot.
[1:40:49] Because I want to be with
where that group was.
[1:40:52] I'm just asking.
[1:40:54] I think the point, the point
of this section was to say,
[1:41:02] if you're going to
install something,
[1:41:04] it'll be there for
at least a month.
[1:41:06] Or I mean at least
a year, a year.
[1:41:08] It'll be there for
at least a year.
[1:41:09] And if somebody else
comes after that and says,
[1:41:11] hey, I want to paint on
this prime crosswalk, then
[1:41:16] that would be go through
the approval process.
[1:41:21] So again, that's
another decision.
[1:41:24] OK yes.
[1:41:25] We'll take the artwork.
[1:41:26] Now we're going to decide we're
going to bump the other people.
[1:41:29] Well, the way that it
was originally written
[1:41:31] was if somebody else
comes with a request,
[1:41:34] it automatically bumps the
people that were already there.
[1:41:38] Approved request.
[1:41:39] No, no, it didn't
used to say approved,
[1:41:41] I approved I'm good with that.
[1:41:44] And maybe this was a hole
that we didn't address when
[1:41:46] we voted this in November 2024.
[1:41:48] I don't but I'm just
saying that's going
[1:41:52] to come up hopefully.
[1:41:54] Hopefully it comes up with.
[1:41:56] So many people that want.
[1:41:57] So the artist did a
great piece of work
[1:41:59] 12 months ago, is now
going to get erased.
[1:42:01] And by the way, not
necessarily erased, right.
[1:42:03] Yeah I mean, but not necessarily
only if it's only if we say yes.
[1:42:10] Yeah right.
[1:42:11] So again, there's the decision.
[1:42:15] I'm just if there is a can of
worms that we're opening up
[1:42:19] is the bottom line.
[1:42:20] But that's OK.
[1:42:23] What's your thought process.
[1:42:24] I agree with the
approved request.
[1:42:27] But what's your thought
process about this 12 months
[1:42:29] you're taking out
and all that stuff.
[1:42:34] So what you suggest I'm asking.
[1:42:37] I say leave it alone.
[1:42:38] I agree with putting
the word approved
[1:42:40] in there for the
approved request,
[1:42:42] but then leave the
rest of it alone.
[1:42:44] I'm just trying to.
[1:42:46] I'm just trying to, I think
it looks like we're removing
[1:42:53] the requester has to submit a
written request after a year
[1:42:57] and get approval to keep
it for another 12 months.
[1:43:01] I think the point of
removing that is just saying,
[1:43:05] hey, if nobody else comes
along, you don't have to submit
[1:43:08] a request and then it stays up.
[1:43:13] It just stays until somebody
else comes and says,
[1:43:16] hey, we want this spot or
the town comes and says,
[1:43:19] hey, your mural is starting
to fade and we need to fix it.
[1:43:25] So, so to clarify, you're
proposing less approval.
[1:43:29] So before it was every 12
months we had to review it.
[1:43:31] Yes yeah.
[1:43:32] So it's less work.
[1:43:34] So I think that's good.
[1:43:36] OK I understand now.
[1:43:38] Well I don't yeah I didn't
I'm OK with that by the way.
[1:43:40] I thought it was just they
needed another approved request
[1:43:44] in order to be bumped.
[1:43:46] I think it says request.
[1:43:49] 
[1:43:51] Well, it guarantees
them 12 months,
[1:43:53] but after that, somebody
else guaranteed the spot.
[1:43:56] Somebody else could take
the spot responded yeah.
[1:43:58] If during or after.
[1:43:59] 
[1:44:05] Yeah I think it just made it
overly complicated with the way
[1:44:12] that it was written before.
[1:44:13] So the intention is there.
[1:44:15] If somebody comes and requests
to have that spot that was taken
[1:44:20] for 12 months and they get
approved before the 12 month,
[1:44:23] whatever.
[1:44:23] By the way, are we giving
them another full 12
[1:44:25] months if nobody else.
[1:44:26] Well, that was the other thing.
[1:44:27] Is that the way
that was written,
[1:44:29] it was like another 12 months.
[1:44:31] Nobody else can come
back for another.
[1:44:33] Like, what if somebody
comes eight months
[1:44:35] later, 20 months down the road.
[1:44:37] What is.
[1:44:37] So what are you saying.
[1:44:38] They're guaranteed 12 months.
[1:44:40] No Somebody comes in 18 months.
[1:44:42] A month after that.
[1:44:43] It is month.
[1:44:44] Yeah It's just like.
[1:44:46] Yeah, it's just like a lease.
[1:44:48] Yeah all right.
[1:44:49] I think that's.
[1:44:50] Yeah not to add to this,
but it just dawned on me
[1:44:54] that I don't see a way
that we can carve out
[1:44:56] a carve out here
that allows the town
[1:44:58] to decide to keep something.
[1:45:00] I mean, for all
we know, somebody
[1:45:02] might come to this council
with a project that goes up
[1:45:04] and within a year, we
all look at it like,
[1:45:07] wow, that's kind of iconic.
[1:45:08] That's kind of like, that's us.
[1:45:10] There is.
[1:45:10] It could happen.
[1:45:12] We don't have to approve it.
[1:45:13] Not expecting it at any time.
[1:45:14] But maybe we need
some language that
[1:45:16] says that we can
have the discretion
[1:45:17] to keep something if we choose.
[1:45:19] As a council, I think we
just keep it by default.
[1:45:22] Yeah I don't think we need to.
[1:45:23] And then we just order removal
at our sole discretion.
[1:45:28] OK yeah.
[1:45:29] The town's sole discretion.
[1:45:31] Council Supreme Court.
[1:45:33] So is that everything.
[1:45:35] Is that everything that's
running through the document.
[1:45:38] But it sounds like we still have
concerns around public safety
[1:45:41] and crosswalks specifically.
[1:45:43] And forgive me.
[1:45:45] What else have we not
resolved in this discussion.
[1:45:48] No, I think we're good.
[1:45:49] I think there's a couple of
we went through everything
[1:45:51] and we're good.
[1:45:52] We've made.
[1:45:53] We're saying that we're going to
take it off municipal buildings
[1:45:56] and then make these edits
we just talked about.
[1:45:59] And you're forgetting
the crosswalk part.
[1:46:01] That's right.
[1:46:02] That's what we've
been talking about.
[1:46:03] It sounds to me like that's
what I thought these edits
[1:46:05] were about crosswalks.
[1:46:07] So we're not going to do
crosswalks on public roads.
[1:46:09] No, no.
[1:46:10] So that's my concern
about the safety of it.
[1:46:13] So if you were to write
the Amendment right now,
[1:46:16] you would include
just if you were
[1:46:18] making the decision on your own,
that's what you would add to it.
[1:46:20] You would say, no crosswalks
that are on public roads.
[1:46:22] That's what you would do
if it was in your case.
[1:46:25] Correct OK.
[1:46:27] Can I make a suggestion
on the crosswalks?
[1:46:30] Sure is there something
in the review process,
[1:46:32] which discusses public safety.
[1:46:34] If you could add
to that would give
[1:46:36] you more comfort that that's
what I'm going to propose.
[1:46:38] Some crosswalks on public
roads that would be suitable.
[1:46:41] I agree that there's certain
ones that you probably don't
[1:46:45] want it on Silas Dean highway.
[1:46:46] Well, we can't there either.
[1:46:48] Well, even assuming
it was a State Road.
[1:46:49] Yeah so maybe let me speak
to that maybe this will help.
[1:46:54] So there is language that towns
do put in to ensure compliance
[1:47:00] with the Federal
Highway interpretation
[1:47:04] of artistic challenges.
[1:47:08] So what they've said is
that if they are outside
[1:47:12] of the typical white ladder
markings or with in between,
[1:47:18] it's OK.
[1:47:19] So we could say
that crosswalks will
[1:47:23] be installed using
the whatever you
[1:47:26] said compliant ladder markings.
[1:47:28] Decorative pavement art may
be placed within or adjacent
[1:47:31] to the crossing area, provided
the required white crosswalk
[1:47:34] markings remain clearly
visible and are not altered.
[1:47:38] We already have that in
the design section to then.
[1:47:41] Then that should
comply with everything
[1:47:43] of the federal highways
concerns and safety.
[1:47:48] Well, let me just comment meant
just to that does doesn't that
[1:47:56] muddy up if you're going
to keep the White lines
[1:48:01] and just have drawings
within those white lines,
[1:48:04] doesn't that defeat the purpose
of having somebody put something
[1:48:09] down there.
[1:48:10] No still keep it
within the White lines.
[1:48:14] You just keep the White lines.
[1:48:16] You can put other things because
the White lines are reflective
[1:48:19] graphics and text in between.
[1:48:20] But what's in between
isn't reflective.
[1:48:23] I just can't envision.
[1:48:26] A painting or whatever with
white lines going through it.
[1:48:30] No, not in the middle of no,
no, no, not in the middle of it.
[1:48:32] Just the exterior.
[1:48:34] Yes OK.
[1:48:35] I misinterpret what
you were saying.
[1:48:36] OK to outline the path that
the pedestrian should take.
[1:48:41] And those are reflective.
[1:48:42] No curved lines.
[1:48:44] All right.
[1:48:45] Yes I'll go back here.
[1:48:47] 
[1:48:50] Can I. Ray does.
[1:48:52] How do you remove.
[1:48:56] I painted lines on the roads
last more than 12 months.
[1:48:59] I know they fade, but
outside of milling it,
[1:49:03] how do you remove that paint.
[1:49:05] I don't know how that
paint would be removed.
[1:49:06] I know you have to
jackhammer, lightly
[1:49:10] grind off the pavement
markings or paint over them.
[1:49:14] If you want to remove
them, you have to
[1:49:16] or you could paint over them.
[1:49:19] You just paint over them,
you can paint over them.
[1:49:21] Is that the way you do it.
[1:49:23] I mean, now it's
a different color,
[1:49:24] I got to prime my house
when I do a different color.
[1:49:28] I'm truly asking.
[1:49:30] I do think that's
generally how it's done.
[1:49:32] When I lived in Washington,
DC, I remember at one point
[1:49:35] that they covered up lines by
just painting black over them.
[1:49:38] Yeah, that's what they do when
there's a road construction,
[1:49:43] they have to move the
lines over because they're
[1:49:47] working on one side and
then they move them back.
[1:49:48] They just paint
over the line again.
[1:49:49] That's at their cost.
[1:49:51] And that's the applicants cost.
[1:49:56] Yeah I think that's going to be
that's difficult to determine.
[1:50:02] And that's something
that's really
[1:50:03] got to have a lot of thought
and how much security
[1:50:05] bond is going to be put up.
[1:50:07] Yeah for a painting once
for artwork or sculpture
[1:50:14] obviously is not going
to be that expensive.
[1:50:16] But I think the cost
of painting a road
[1:50:19] is probably pretty standard.
[1:50:20] And probably our Steve,
our town engineer,
[1:50:25] probably have that data.
[1:50:29] Let me just pay for the paint,
pay for the time to do it.
[1:50:32] And so the edits that we've got
to the revised proposed policy
[1:50:42] include adding back
in under location.
[1:50:49] Item number three.
[1:50:52] To say that the public art
work is going to be applied
[1:50:57] in a satisfactory
condition, as determined
[1:51:00] by the Director of
Community development,
[1:51:02] or designee, parks and
rec director designee,
[1:51:04] and the town planner.
[1:51:06] So basically saying town staff
is going to review and make
[1:51:10] sure that the surface is good.
[1:51:12] The next one is that.
[1:51:14] 
[1:51:17] Public artwork show
public or public artwork
[1:51:23] shall not contain advertising.
[1:51:26] We can also add that
text must be included
[1:51:33] in the design mockup, or any.
[1:51:35] Any proposed text must be
included in design mockup.
[1:51:38] 
[1:51:41] And on now number
8 under design,
[1:51:48] we eliminate
everything after work
[1:51:50] that ridicules or demeans people
includes all the race, beliefs,
[1:51:57] gender, sexual identity.
[1:51:59] If we just work that
ridicules or demeans people.
[1:52:03] And then item number
9, the town may
[1:52:06] reject proposed
artwork for any reason
[1:52:08] at the town's sole discretion.
[1:52:09] 
[1:52:15] But crosswalks still
hanging out there.
[1:52:18] Well, you didn't exclude the
town buildings or the board of.
[1:52:21] Oh, yes.
[1:52:22] Yes, I don't know.
[1:52:23] Did somebody write
a did somebody
[1:52:26] take the language for that.
[1:52:29] Exterior exclude the exterior.
[1:52:32] Public artwork is
defined as what's
[1:52:36] going on inside municipal
buildings or any board of Ed
[1:52:40] properties outside of
municipal building,
[1:52:46] or I think any
board or any board
[1:52:50] of Ed, building or grounds,
building or grounds.
[1:52:55] Yeah Any town building.
[1:52:57] School grounds.
[1:52:59] School building.
[1:53:00] Correct including.
[1:53:04] We're losing half our council.
[1:53:06] Do we have a quorum.
[1:53:07] Do we still have a quorum.
[1:53:10] He's going to go.
[1:53:12] Somebody make sure they're not.
[1:53:14] They're not caucusing out there.
[1:53:16] You guys work out a deal.
[1:53:19] Yeah we're going to deal
behind closed doors.
[1:53:21] Wow this is a secret meeting.
[1:53:23] I've heard so much.
[1:53:25] Locked himself.
[1:53:28] The keys on both sides.
[1:53:30] So it was either come through
that door or text her and say,
[1:53:32] can you let me out.
[1:53:33] I've honestly done that before.
[1:53:34] So I opened all the doors
and I'm like, I don't know.
[1:53:38] Sorry all right.
[1:53:41] I'm so sorry.
[1:53:42] So we just went
through everything.
[1:53:44] I heard everything.
[1:53:45] We actually just agreed
to everything, so.
[1:53:47] Great moving on.
[1:53:47] You missed it.
[1:53:49] No the only thing that we.
[1:53:50] We didn't nail down the
language around was excluding
[1:53:54] any municipal or municipal
buildings or school
[1:53:59] buildings or buildings.
[1:54:01] Yeah the language
that I'd written down.
[1:54:04] That's your exterior, though as
an actual Amendment language.
[1:54:06] If we were to just do that, it
would be that public artwork
[1:54:11] shall not be permitted on or
within or I guess on within,
[1:54:16] on municipal buildings,
school buildings,
[1:54:18] or on property owned or
controlled by the Rocky
[1:54:20] Hill board of education.
[1:54:23] Sounds good.
[1:54:24] I want to put
exterior part though.
[1:54:27] That's We could put that on.
[1:54:29] On the exterior, we could
say that on the exterior
[1:54:32] of municipal buildings, school
buildings, or on property
[1:54:35] owned or controlled by the
Rocky Hill board of education.
[1:54:38] One of the art class
wants to do a sculpture
[1:54:43] or do some kind of painting.
[1:54:45] The grounds around
a municipal building
[1:54:48] would be available
as common spaces,
[1:54:50] but the exterior of
the building itself,
[1:54:52] under the way that
this is written,
[1:54:53] would not be available
on the building
[1:54:55] on the ground school grounds.
[1:54:57] I think that would be
board of Ed decision.
[1:54:59] That was more that was more a
deference to the Board of Ed
[1:55:02] and that the town wouldn't take
a non-school related public art
[1:55:07] project and put it
on the school grounds
[1:55:09] to exclude them from being
able to this would not exclude
[1:55:12] the Board of
Education from making
[1:55:14] decisions about the
property they control.
[1:55:16] I'm allowed kind
of our facilities.
[1:55:21] 
[1:55:26] Did we come to a
decision on crosswalks?
[1:55:29] I would say, can
we make a motion
[1:55:31] to approve to with these
discussed changes, as discussed,
[1:55:36] as well as adding the
no municipal exterior,
[1:55:39] but I think we have
to wait for Mukesh.
[1:55:41] Oh, there he is.
[1:55:42] Just to be clear, the.
[1:55:44] Did we come to a different
decision around crosswalks
[1:55:46] or are we staying
where we're at.
[1:55:50] I don't think we didn't.
[1:55:51] I don't think we came
to a different decision
[1:55:53] around crosswalks.
[1:55:54] No OK.
[1:55:55] 
[1:55:58] No, I would suggest that
the town manager rewrites
[1:56:02] this so we could read it.
[1:56:03] I'm not a big fan of
adding things and saying,
[1:56:07] add this and add that.
[1:56:09] I'd rather see this document
back at the next town meeting
[1:56:12] or council meeting
to vote on and read
[1:56:15] five five revisions here.
[1:56:17] With all of us, having person
to person agreement that we're
[1:56:21] coming back to vote on it.
[1:56:22] I'm OK with that.
[1:56:24] I think that's fair.
[1:56:25] I think that's fair.
[1:56:27] OK I'll entertain a motion.
[1:56:31] Somebody wants to.
[1:56:33] Well, we just tabled a
motion for that is just.
[1:56:35] Is it a table.
[1:56:36] Table? we can table this.
[1:56:37] Yeah so I make a
motion to table.
[1:56:39] Second second.
[1:56:41] Public parks policy for an
updated to make the revisions
[1:56:46] for the respectable changes.
[1:56:48] For the next meeting.
[1:56:50] For the next town
council meeting.
[1:56:52] Is he OK with that.
[1:56:53] We got a second discussion.
[1:56:56] Discussion? he's got.
[1:56:57] 
[1:57:00] A question.
[1:57:01] Do you have a question.
[1:57:02] I have a question.
[1:57:02] Yeah regarding the
crosswalks, were
[1:57:04] they included or just exclude.
[1:57:06] The rest of the
policy is as we wrote
[1:57:07] it up before we got in here.
[1:57:09] So I'd say it's still
included crosswalks
[1:57:12] that included those
changes we discussed
[1:57:15] in the Alan just went over.
[1:57:17] Oh, OK.
[1:57:18] 
[1:57:28] All in favor of the motion.
[1:57:33] Abel? bill.
[1:57:33] Yeah, I just lost two hours.
[1:57:37] I oppose.
[1:57:39] I want to prove it.
[1:57:40] All right.
[1:57:44] 
[1:57:47] Where are we.
[1:57:48] Does anybody else need
a five minute recess.
[1:57:52] Yes move to recess, everybody.
[1:57:56] You get a motion.
[1:57:59] Second second.
[1:58:00] All in favor.
[1:58:01] Aye see you back in a hard five.
[1:58:03] 
[1:58:06] It reminds me of my grandpa.
[2:01:52] My grandpa.
[2:01:53] All right.
[2:01:54] 
[2:01:59] All right.
[2:02:00] We're all back.
[2:02:01] Almost there.
[2:02:06] 
[2:02:10] Ray, do you want to.
[2:02:12] Well, next item on the agenda
is making a motion to return.
[2:02:16] Would somebody like to
make a motion to return.
[2:02:18] We'll return to session.
[2:02:19] Second All in favor.
[2:02:21] Aye all right.
[2:02:23] Next item on the agenda.
[2:02:26] Shared services and
operational assessments.
[2:02:27] Ray, would you like
to get us started.
[2:02:30] The document that was just
passed out, the little chart
[2:02:34] that has the option.
[2:02:36] Option 1, 2, and 3.
[2:02:39] If you recall.
[2:02:40] 
[2:02:43] The council wanted
us to reach out
[2:02:46] to get a price for
public safety, which
[2:02:53] included the police, fire,
and EMS and the highway
[2:02:55] and public works.
[2:02:58] This chart identifies.
[2:03:02] Two quotes the column that
says, quote is the cost
[2:03:09] for public safety admin only.
[2:03:13] 
[2:03:17] The second one down,
the quote of $97,000
[2:03:23] is the public safety admin
and operations for the fire.
[2:03:27] Police and fire
and then the public
[2:03:30] works and grounds is 70,000.
[2:03:37] Going to the right column.
[2:03:39] 
[2:03:44] Is the cost for
what I wanted to do.
[2:03:47] She broke out.
[2:03:48] She asked for a quote.
[2:03:49] Just for police.
[2:03:52] No thank you.
[2:03:53] 
[2:03:57] For police only.
[2:03:59] For police.
[2:04:01] Admin only.
[2:04:02] It would be $45,000 price.
[2:04:08] And for public safety, admin
and operations would be 67,000.
[2:04:14] So those were because the
other prices came back
[2:04:19] before these were broken up.
[2:04:20] They were pretty high.
[2:04:21] So Mona asked to say, how
much would it cost if you just
[2:04:24] do like police and admin only.
[2:04:26] Or instead of just
like the whole police
[2:04:30] department with Patrol.
[2:04:33] I'm sorry.
[2:04:34] My voice is like treacherous.
[2:04:36] I'm sorry.
[2:04:36] Sorry so yes, their original
quote was the column left
[2:04:43] and then we went back and said
if we removed the fire at EMS,
[2:04:47] what would it be if you did.
[2:04:48] Police admin for clarification.
[2:04:52] Admin we explained to
them according to an org
[2:04:56] chart from the police, which
was from the chief lieutenants,
[2:05:01] sergeants, detectives and any
non patrolling patrol officers.
[2:05:08] So it's that group of
11 out of the 50 plus,
[2:05:13] and then the 67,000 would
be complete operations
[2:05:17] of the police department
compared to what was
[2:05:21] to the left column, which
was looking at police,
[2:05:24] fire, and ambulance.
[2:05:26] 
[2:05:31] And I said, I don't
know if you said there
[2:05:32] was four requests sent out.
[2:05:37] Seager was the only one that
responded back to the request.
[2:05:41] So we had three other vendors
who actually have done
[2:05:44] similar processes throughout
the state on these areas,
[2:05:49] but they did not respond.
[2:05:50] So we still have Seeger, who did
respond and did the follow up.
[2:05:55] Did they not respond because
they don't want to do it
[2:05:57] or they just didn't respond.
[2:06:00] I'm not sure why.
[2:06:01] OK yeah.
[2:06:03] Can I ask a reminder question.
[2:06:06] And I should have I
could have pulled it up.
[2:06:08] But what is the public
works budget from last year
[2:06:13] and what is the public
safety just so I can.
[2:06:18] I brought that with me.
[2:06:20] OK, so 10% would be 10.
[2:06:24] Yeah, 10.5 million,
give or take.
[2:06:28] So we have the.
[2:06:31] Excuse me.
[2:06:31] The public works with grounds
was a total of three million.
[2:06:35] The two groups together,
then all public safety,
[2:06:41] which was the admin
piece was 1.4 million.
[2:06:47] Let's see if I were to let
me see if I can separate
[2:06:51] out the fire admin on that.
[2:06:56] So that would be one point.
[2:06:57] And this is rough.
[2:06:58] Like 1.2 million
would be police.
[2:07:02] So what about the
operations if Mona,
[2:07:04] if you include the operations
with operations for police,
[2:07:08] for everything, for
operations with public safety,
[2:07:11] public safety, police, fire.
[2:07:14] Yeah was that 9.3?
[2:07:16] That's what I mean.
[2:07:16] 10% I told you that before.
[2:07:20] That's the big one.
[2:07:21] Yeah how much control
do we have over the EMS.
[2:07:39] What do we give them.
[2:07:42] We don't give them much money.
[2:07:44] And we wouldn't have much say
because it's not a profit.
[2:07:48] Yeah which is really why I
went with the alternative
[2:07:50] to see if it was police only.
[2:07:53] Yeah right.
[2:07:54] Now that the budget
for ambulance.
[2:07:58] Yeah, we've got about
200 that we're paying
[2:08:00] for Aetna ambulance service.
[2:08:02] Otherwise we're paying for
pension, health insurance.
[2:08:07] And we give the volunteer
a small around $10,000
[2:08:11] for whether they
wanted to buy computers
[2:08:14] or just a discretionary fund.
[2:08:17] So yeah, the volunteer
portion of it is minimal.
[2:08:22] It's probably less than
100 pensions, about 65.
[2:08:26] Those are all controlled
correct things
[2:08:30] that we can't change anyhow.
[2:08:32] Not a lot of flexibility.
[2:08:33] Correct so I don't know if we
pulled EMS out in the fire.
[2:08:38] It seems right.
[2:08:39] And the fire should stay.
[2:08:41] Fire and the fire wasn't much
for the admin for the operation.
[2:08:47] The operational.
[2:08:48] Yeah, I think we should
not even worry about admin.
[2:08:51] It has to be admin operations.
[2:08:52] Otherwise you just don't do it.
[2:08:55] I mean, it's 1 million
versus 10 million.
[2:08:57] So yeah.
[2:08:59] Yeah right.
[2:09:01] Like right.
[2:09:02] I mean you're going
through the thing.
[2:09:04] I mean it's like let's
just not do that.
[2:09:06] It's fine.
[2:09:07] It's not worth it.
[2:09:08] It was like the
one unless we get.
[2:09:09] Yeah Like I said I don't
disagree one way or the other
[2:09:13] with any of these, I
think my concern was,
[2:09:16] I know we did the
$65,000 of contingency
[2:09:19] and I saw the results.
[2:09:20] So just went back and asked
the additional question
[2:09:22] in case you would prefer
to fit to the budget versus
[2:09:25] is the reasonable approach.
[2:09:27] Option two without fire EMS,
it would be police only at 67.
[2:09:34] Yeah is that that's
what that column is.
[2:09:38] Yeah what's fire for
the budget overall.
[2:09:42] Do you know.
[2:09:43] Yeah, I think I brought
that one with me.
[2:09:47] We would be looking at admin
and operations 1.7 million.
[2:09:52] Yeah I want 1.3.
[2:09:54] 1.4 I mean, if you really
wanted to do it, we can put
[2:10:00] $40,000 in the upcoming budget.
[2:10:03] It's not like
that's too far away.
[2:10:06] If there is a can do it. $40,000
in $100 million dollar budget.
[2:10:11] That's what we
were talking about.
[2:10:12] So I don't see if
there is a will.
[2:10:14] There is a way.
[2:10:15] I don't see 100,000
as a big deal,
[2:10:17] really on $100 million budget.
[2:10:19] It's 0.1% I hear you.
[2:10:21] I'm going to definitely
remember those words as we're
[2:10:23] going through budget workshops.
[2:10:24] Yeah, for something
we have not done ever.
[2:10:28] Yeah it's worth it.
[2:10:29] Yeah if you're
going to tell me I'm
[2:10:30] going to hire another
person that's a different.
[2:10:33] Fair enough.
[2:10:33] Fair enough.
[2:10:34] Fair enough.
[2:10:35] We haven't done before.
[2:10:36] Yeah will where there's a will.
[2:10:38] There's a way.
[2:10:38] Yeah exactly.
[2:10:39] For things we want to actually
I need to do I mean if we don't
[2:10:44] again, I mean it all
depends like if you want
[2:10:46] to look deep or
not, if you don't
[2:10:48] want to look deep in anything.
[2:10:50] Sure, we can keep
spending the money.
[2:10:54] It's a $10 million budget
for just public safety.
[2:10:58] I mean, you spend
$100,000 for $10 million.
[2:11:01] I would do it tomorrow, but
you're not me, so that's OK.
[2:11:05] I know that what you're saying
makes plenty of logical sense.
[2:11:08] For some reason, I can't shake
this feeling that it's like,
[2:11:11] just put a little more down on
this spot on the roulette wheel
[2:11:14] right now.
[2:11:15] Because we just
we've been worrying
[2:11:17] about the expenditure
of it and whether we're
[2:11:18] going to get it back.
[2:11:19] Yeah so here's the thing.
[2:11:20] I think John mentioned this last
time, if I remember correctly,
[2:11:24] yeah, I will be happy if
they said there's nothing
[2:11:29] wrong with this department.
[2:11:30] Like there is nothing.
[2:11:31] We are doing everything great.
[2:11:33] It's like the best run
department in the whole state.
[2:11:36] Sure, I will take that.
[2:11:39] I agree.
[2:11:39] I don't think I don't
think you're going
[2:11:41] to find that with fire, though.
[2:11:42] I would rather put.
[2:11:44] I mean, if we're going to
put any additional effort,
[2:11:45] I would certainly
look at town Hall.
[2:11:48] I mean, there's a thing
on the prior spreadsheet
[2:11:51] that we were given
for a proposal
[2:11:54] that there's a lot of overlap
between HR and payroll.
[2:11:57] Not that we're going to be
getting a couple hundred
[2:11:59] thousand dollars, but
if we fine tune what's
[2:12:02] the operations of town Hall
with certain departments,
[2:12:06] then as a taxpayer, would
certainly feel more comfortable
[2:12:10] knowing that our taxpayer, our
tax dollars are being utilized
[2:12:13] well in town operations.
[2:12:16] But I wouldn't put 100% of
it at just public safety.
[2:12:21] The police I would be an
advocate for option two.
[2:12:24] Police only.
[2:12:27] And then if we talk about a
phase Ii later in the year,
[2:12:31] then we look at the
municipal departments.
[2:12:36] What was the figure on those.
[2:12:38] Do you have it up without the
Board of Ed finance and finance.
[2:12:44] Admin and HR was
between 45 and 48.
[2:12:49] And if you add HR
that's another 2325.
[2:12:54] So that's 70 roughly 7075.
[2:13:00] That's for five departments
four departments.
[2:13:03] 
[2:13:05] What is the percentage of the
budget if you take those four.
[2:13:12] It could be tough.
[2:13:13] I mean, right now we
have the contingency
[2:13:17] and being aware that
the 65 was set aside.
[2:13:20] I would say from the
last financial we did,
[2:13:23] I'm concerned about what
this snowstorm has done.
[2:13:27] I think we're basically 150% for
the overtime for snow removal.
[2:13:34] And salt is pretty bad.
[2:13:36] And this is where I'd get it.
[2:13:37] So I'm as well as a couple
of retirements that go there.
[2:13:40] So it would be close.
[2:13:42] I mean, it would be
my recommendation.
[2:13:44] I mean, seriously, I think
if we went with both,
[2:13:47] I would try looking at freezing
some discretionary expenditures
[2:13:52] throughout other departments.
[2:13:53] Do you have any recommendations.
[2:13:55] 
[2:13:58] For freezing.
[2:13:59] For freezing.
[2:14:00] When I well when we make the
freeze we do it across all.
[2:14:04] It's just any nondiscretionary.
[2:14:08] OK well, I thought
you were going
[2:14:12] to have the recommendation.
[2:14:13] What? you.
[2:14:14] Yeah, that's what I meant.
[2:14:15] We should do here from your end.
[2:14:18] Financing do you see the.
[2:14:20] If we were to do any of this.
[2:14:21] The best bang for our buck.
[2:14:23] If you want to say.
[2:14:25] Do you think is there an area
that you think in the town.
[2:14:30] I think what John said
might be the best, but.
[2:14:32] Yeah could you put them
all into that one table
[2:14:35] that you created
with the colors that
[2:14:37] had the budget and then the.
[2:14:38] I think that would be helpful.
[2:14:39] Yeah and we did have AI don't
think I don't know if I brought
[2:14:43] it with me, but we had asked
all of these vendors, when we're
[2:14:47] in the very early
stages of what would
[2:14:49] be the best bang for your buck.
[2:14:51] And they did come out with that.
[2:14:53] And I don't know if I
brought the table with me.
[2:14:56] If not, I can have
it for the next.
[2:14:59] I mean, the phased approach
is not bad to actually
[2:15:03] if you go like phase
Ii, that might give us
[2:15:08] a little bit of cushion
on the budget side,
[2:15:11] but also see how it plays
out, that can be a possibility
[2:15:18] if you do a phased one.
[2:15:20] So in option two the police only
but that's admin and operations.
[2:15:28] So that.
[2:15:32] The whole police budget
or is that still taking.
[2:15:35] Does that mean include
every patrol officer.
[2:15:39] The second line.
[2:15:41] So option two that
says police only
[2:15:43] is everything from dispatch
to records to patrols.
[2:15:47] It's the whole entire.
[2:15:50] So I mean that's certainly
a large that's certainly
[2:15:54] a much larger budget number
than just police administration
[2:16:01] duration for sure.
[2:16:02] Yeah, that's 7 million
instead of one.
[2:16:08] And would include equipment
and everything else.
[2:16:14] Yeah and I'd say I wouldn't.
[2:16:17] I know if we're
thinking down the line,
[2:16:20] I would not rule out
that public works parks
[2:16:24] grounds is an option as well.
[2:16:27] I think you may see
something that overlaps.
[2:16:30] Yeah and that's a
similar dollar amount.
[2:16:32] A little bit.
[2:16:33] A little bit lower dollar amount
but maybe more like equipment,
[2:16:37] less people but more equipment
and other expenditures
[2:16:40] like that.
[2:16:41] Yeah just so I'm clear.
[2:16:48] When we give them these
budgets or whatever they're
[2:16:51] going to purview, whatever that
includes what their proposals
[2:16:56] are in the future because
I know public works,
[2:17:00] we have that new
building or whatever.
[2:17:02] That would be part of the
scope of their review.
[2:17:05] I would hope if we ask
it to be, it will be OK.
[2:17:09] OK just meaning it's not
just what we've spent.
[2:17:13] It's what we're about to spend.
[2:17:14] Yeah Yeah so if
they would come back
[2:17:17] and say yes, you need
a larger facility.
[2:17:19] Well, yeah.
[2:17:20] No, there's two
edge to this sword.
[2:17:22] 
[2:17:26] So for.
[2:17:30] Yeah for public works,
they may come back
[2:17:31] and say, well, this
small older building
[2:17:34] is costing you more money
because it's less efficient
[2:17:37] or whatever.
[2:17:37] You should be ready to get
a new building or whatever
[2:17:40] just out of hypothetically.
[2:17:44] Same thing could be said
on for public safety
[2:17:47] on the police side.
[2:17:48] Maybe they say, well, based on
your scheduling and overtime,
[2:17:51] we recommend you hire
more police officers
[2:17:53] and that will end up saving you
money, or make better services
[2:17:59] or it could happen.
[2:18:02] I like counselor
Emanuel's thought,
[2:18:06] just go police
and operations now
[2:18:08] and if we want to later
go after town Hall stuff.
[2:18:13] But in any case,
I'd support that.
[2:18:16] I think you were
saying to do both.
[2:18:19] Just phase it.
[2:18:19] You weren't saying
just to do one.
[2:18:21] Yeah, it's just
phase, but you should.
[2:18:25] I mean, we want to include
police and fire in there, right.
[2:18:28] The first one.
[2:18:30] No, no, no, I think personally,
I don't think we're going
[2:18:33] to get that much out of fire.
[2:18:34] I don't have anything to say
specific other than anecdotally.
[2:18:39] I've seen some of the stuff
that the fire department does.
[2:18:41] And I wonder if we really
like they probably are getting
[2:18:45] a lot of good use out of
the dollars they do have,
[2:18:46] and they don't ask a lot every
year on their budget open to it
[2:18:49] if it's critical to you.
[2:18:51] I think if we start with police
administration and operations,
[2:18:55] that's a big chunk right there.
[2:18:57] And the fire
department takes a lot
[2:18:58] in as you know from
other sources as well,
[2:19:01] more so than our
police department.
[2:19:02] So I think we could come
back to that in the future
[2:19:05] if phase I of this
works out really well
[2:19:08] and we're finding we're getting
efficiencies all over the place,
[2:19:10] maybe we think it's a more I
think going with your 10% the 7
[2:19:14] million for police,
admin and operations
[2:19:19] and getting it for 67,
which is less than 10%
[2:19:21] I think it's a good
more bang for your buck.
[2:19:25] Would this go out to bid.
[2:19:27] No well, we did the
RFP at this point.
[2:19:31] So this is the responses.
[2:19:33] We got one back go
back and rebid it.
[2:19:35] Oh you did it for that.
[2:19:36] Oh OK.
[2:19:37] I thought you just reached out
to these people to look at this.
[2:19:40] It was not a formal
process though.
[2:19:42] It was RFP.
[2:19:43] Yeah Just went out for a quote.
[2:19:45] Just yeah.
[2:19:45] She sent an email out
saying I need the code
[2:19:49] and gave them the 10 day option,
and there was no response.
[2:19:53] So yeah, I'm wondering like
counselor Kaplan has said
[2:19:58] in the past, like
we asked for police,
[2:20:02] but she always recommended,
well, what would fire cost.
[2:20:06] Sometimes she said,
these companies
[2:20:09] put a lower rate
on just to throw
[2:20:12] in that as a good faith thing.
[2:20:15] So I don't know.
[2:20:15] Yeah, I would agree.
[2:20:16] We could go back and say, hey,
can you make a best price.
[2:20:21] Yeah right.
[2:20:22] Yeah I agree, I think
just thinking, because I'm
[2:20:25] kind of interested in fire.
[2:20:26] He's kind of interested in fire.
[2:20:29] Yeah could you come down
just to see come down
[2:20:32] and what would be police and
fire and with best price,
[2:20:35] please.
[2:20:36] Yeah Yeah and it is, as
we learned with the other,
[2:20:41] it is manageable
to the point, as we
[2:20:44] are the ones that
decide how many
[2:20:46] people they want to interview.
[2:20:48] So if we say you're
going to go to fire,
[2:20:49] but don't interview
every firefighter then so
[2:20:54] we can control it to an extent.
[2:20:56] Yeah, obviously
they wouldn't choose
[2:20:58] to not interview people that
were appropriate for decisions.
[2:21:03] So how would you recommend
going forward with that.
[2:21:05] Do we do you put out
another RFP or you
[2:21:09] just ask these people
because they're
[2:21:10] the only ones that responded.
[2:21:12] Do we want to do we want to
basically set it up so that we
[2:21:16] accept one of the
options we have now,
[2:21:18] if we can't get some
better, like best
[2:21:23] price to add in or do we say
that we would approve it.
[2:21:27] I'd rather hear back.
[2:21:29] And then we can just have a
quick five minute conversation
[2:21:32] and get it done.
[2:21:33] If we can get the table
of it all together in one.
[2:21:36] So we can say, all right, looks
like police in town, admin
[2:21:39] or whatever is good.
[2:21:41] And we know we need to account
for an additional x amount
[2:21:45] potentially for phase Ii.
[2:21:46] And hopefully, we can make a
decision on the next meeting.
[2:21:50] Works well.
[2:21:50] Works for me.
[2:21:51] It sounds like
we're going to have
[2:21:52] a very decisive next meeting
on a lot of subjects.
[2:21:54] It could be.
[2:21:55] Yes yeah.
[2:21:56] You're right.
[2:21:57] Now a lot of oats.
[2:21:58] You're exactly
your favorite part.
[2:22:01] You'll be able to make a
motion and we will vote on it.
[2:22:05] Part is just responding.
[2:22:07] We'll let you do a motion.
[2:22:08] So just to clarify, because I
think you were kind of getting
[2:22:11] off track a little bit,
are we just looking
[2:22:14] at police and fire police.
[2:22:16] We're kind of leaning
towards I think.
[2:22:19] Yeah And is there
a way that they
[2:22:22] could do something for fire.
[2:22:23] I'm going to ask that what
we're doing right now.
[2:22:25] Yes yeah.
[2:22:26] We're going to ask for that.
[2:22:27] If they could bring a quote for
include fire but didn't perfect.
[2:22:31] It doesn't.
[2:22:32] Isn't that what they did
though, is this police and fire
[2:22:36] EMS, EMS as well.
[2:22:37] But then we're going to
say, hey, best price too.
[2:22:40] Yeah, exactly.
[2:22:42] Just bundle it
work for you, Mona.
[2:22:43] Yes but we've also we've also
already option to police only
[2:22:49] is already our entire
budget for this.
[2:22:53] So if they come back
and they say, hey,
[2:22:54] we'll throw in fire for $5,000,
we're already technically
[2:22:59] over budget at that level.
[2:23:01] I have a feeling that we would
all be amenable to making
[2:23:04] a decision in that moment.
[2:23:05] And by the time this gets
rolling, we'll have approved.
[2:23:10] We'll have flying.
[2:23:11] The police will have
flying cars by the time
[2:23:13] so we can add it
in the next budget.
[2:23:14] Yeah, we'll all have jetpacks.
[2:23:16] Yeah we may have to add a
little bit onto our budget.
[2:23:18] By then I'll have
my salt delivery in.
[2:23:22] Oh, I will know if
we can afford it.
[2:23:24] OK good.
[2:23:25] Salt gotta have salt. OK, so
we're all clear where we're at.
[2:23:30] We've narrowed, so
we're all in agreement.
[2:23:32] We've narrowed it down to just
police now, admin and operations
[2:23:39] and see if we can get
it with police and fire.
[2:23:43] And your lowest and best price.
[2:23:46] Yep although you didn't have
the list of what they suggested
[2:23:53] were the most impactful.
[2:23:55] I was going to bring that.
[2:23:56] I'll bring that.
[2:23:57] And I just I want to continue
it after next meeting.
[2:24:02] These were the meetings
are already getting longer.
[2:24:07] Next meetings are
already getting longer.
[2:24:08] Adding it back on.
[2:24:09] Yeah so what are we doing.
[2:24:11] We are making a
motion or a motion
[2:24:13] to table the next meeting.
[2:24:15] I think we just keep.
[2:24:16] Yeah Second OK.
[2:24:18] All in favor.
[2:24:18] Aye in favor.
[2:24:19] Aye keep it on the table.
[2:24:23] All right.
[2:24:24] New business discussion.
[2:24:25] Possible action.
[2:24:26] Land preservation trust fund.
[2:24:28] Is this Mona you as
well to go through that,
[2:24:31] or does John need to I can
go through it and Mona can.
[2:24:35] Have you got.
[2:24:38] We can save Mona's voice.
[2:24:39] A little bit of talk.
[2:24:41] So the land preservation
trust fund is in the budget,
[2:24:47] and it was first
enacted in 2003.
[2:24:51] And the simple purpose was it
creates a permanent, legally
[2:24:55] protected pot of
money that could only
[2:24:57] be used to buy, protect,
and improve conservation
[2:25:00] land in Rocky Hill.
[2:25:02] So why does this matter.
[2:25:04] It turns land preservation from
a year to year policy choice
[2:25:08] into a long term
financial commitment.
[2:25:11] This was slightly
amended in 2007,
[2:25:14] but 0 over the past 20 years.
[2:25:16] Nothing has really
happened to it.
[2:25:19] There's currently 27, I believe,
close to $28,000 in the account.
[2:25:25] It actually should have 50
according to the ordinance.
[2:25:28] But what we want to do is.
[2:25:32] Put more attention to
this fund and start
[2:25:36] having some money go into it.
[2:25:39] Just one caveat.
[2:25:41] When this was first proposed,
20, a little over 20 years ago,
[2:25:44] there was no community farm,
so nobody thought of expenses
[2:25:49] for something like that.
[2:25:50] So the ordinance itself
is very constrained
[2:25:53] with what money
comes in and what
[2:25:56] you could apply the money to.
[2:25:59] So what Mona is
proposing is two.
[2:26:07] Two transfers into this fund.
[2:26:09] 
[2:26:11] And what I countered with since
we talked about this at finance.
[2:26:17] Yeah since we have a large
headwind with the budget,
[2:26:21] there's two transfers,
one for close to 50,
[2:26:23] the other close to 150.
[2:26:26] Keeping the 150
into a non recurring
[2:26:29] that Mona can use for
the upcoming budget
[2:26:33] and transferring
50 into this fund.
[2:26:38] And then long term I'd like to
speak with councilor counselor
[2:26:42] Whalen on proposals to amend
the ordinance so that there
[2:26:47] isn't any problems
expanding some things,
[2:26:51] like at the community farm.
[2:26:52] But ultimately, according
to the ordinance,
[2:26:55] everything has to
come to the council.
[2:26:58] So more things to add.
[2:27:01] So that's basically it.
[2:27:03] It's a transfer.
[2:27:05] This particular
request is a transfer
[2:27:07] of I forgot the exact
amount one of the 4949 828
[2:27:14] to the land trust.
[2:27:15] And the 148 3:21 to the
non-recurring fund Correct
[2:27:22] Do you have it backwards.
[2:27:23] The documentation
says otherwise.
[2:27:25] Backwards it says that the
reverse of that on the document.
[2:27:28] And this is the right one.
[2:27:32] Non-reoccurring foundry.
[2:27:34] The foundry.
[2:27:35] Foundry foundry was 49.
[2:27:36] The foundry was 49.
[2:27:38] Yeah no.
[2:27:38] That's right.
[2:27:39] So that account is going
away and that money is going
[2:27:43] would go into the trust.
[2:27:45] The other, the 149 and change.
[2:27:48] 148 one 4148 would go
into non-recurring.
[2:27:53] Correct so yes.
[2:27:55] No I'll clarify.
[2:27:57] It's not wrong.
[2:27:57] It's not backwards.
[2:27:59] Just for clarification.
[2:28:00] The first line is presently
in the non-recurring fund
[2:28:05] and it is named foundry.
[2:28:07] So if any of you have
listened to me, probably
[2:28:10] to the point of annoying in
order to take something out
[2:28:13] of a designated purpose,
out of the non-recurring,
[2:28:17] you need resolution.
[2:28:19] So we're saying this little
49,000 that is currently
[2:28:23] in non-recurring for a
purpose called foundry
[2:28:27] should go to the land trust.
[2:28:30] Then after further
discussion, the portion
[2:28:33] that is in an account called
real property acquisition
[2:28:37] 148 is recommended to
go to non-reoccurring
[2:28:42] with no designation.
[2:28:46] Thank you.
[2:28:47] Yes is that what's it used for.
[2:28:51] For that.
[2:28:53] 148,000 then what are we.
[2:28:55] Is it.
[2:28:55] Where does it go
or what's it do.
[2:28:58] What that does is.
[2:28:59] I know you've seen my
finance reports before.
[2:29:02] So on non-recurring, you
basically have a purpose.
[2:29:06] It can be working on sidewalks.
[2:29:08] You can be doing the foundry.
[2:29:09] There are sections that
are called undesignated.
[2:29:12] And the only time that can have
a purpose is by resolution.
[2:29:16] When we come back,
we have a resolution
[2:29:18] and say we have a purpose
for this designation.
[2:29:22] Maybe we'll do something during
a budget process and say,
[2:29:26] perhaps we'd like
to use that one.
[2:29:27] 44 does that come to the
town council for a vote
[2:29:31] or it goes to finance
and then through finance.
[2:29:35] Then it comes to
council, a consent,
[2:29:37] but then it comes as a consent.
[2:29:39] So we don't have any talk.
[2:29:41] Not always.
[2:29:41] Well, you can pull it out.
[2:29:42] You can pull it out
if you take it off.
[2:29:44] Consent yeah.
[2:29:46] And just keep in mind
that the restriction
[2:29:48] that does occur with that
is it can't be operational.
[2:29:52] So it would be those
things that are
[2:29:54] more of a non-recurring type.
[2:29:56] So it'd be I mean basically
that you can't use salaries.
[2:30:00] You can't do exactly the
garden or something like that.
[2:30:04] Yes correct.
[2:30:06] 
[2:30:11] So I think, friend,
I think the best
[2:30:15] understand was I
hate to do this,
[2:30:18] but it was kind of found money.
[2:30:21] And now that we've
found it, we're
[2:30:24] going to take what we had land
preservation because the land
[2:30:28] preservation that
hadn't been touched
[2:30:30] or whatever this was originally
designated for 19 years.
[2:30:34] So we're trying to
get that the money
[2:30:38] that was excess in the other.
[2:30:40] So we're trading $100,000 to
get the contingency fund is
[2:30:46] gaining $100,000 of
the found money is
[2:30:49] really what it comes down to.
[2:30:51] And we still have to
designate the use of that.
[2:30:54] Should we come to use
it somehow, some way.
[2:30:57] Correct I think it was a
fairly easy discussion.
[2:31:01] We did vet it pretty thoroughly.
[2:31:03] Yes thank you.
[2:31:04] 
[2:31:07] OK, so for a motion.
[2:31:10] Sure whoa.
[2:31:12] What's that.
[2:31:14] So I'll Yeah You sure.
[2:31:17] We can just have a quick
discussion about it
[2:31:20] like two weeks OK.
[2:31:23] Whereas the Rocky Hill land
preservation trust fund,
[2:31:26] whereas the town of rocky
Hill established the land
[2:31:28] preservation trust fund in May.
[2:31:31] Actually, that should be 2003
for the exclusive purpose
[2:31:37] of funding capital improvements
and non-recurring expenses
[2:31:41] on land conservation
areas owned by the town
[2:31:44] and the acquisition of
additional conservation
[2:31:46] and open space properties.
[2:31:47] And whereas available
funds have been identified
[2:31:51] in the real property
acquisition fund for the purpose
[2:31:54] of land preservation.
[2:31:57] Oh, actually, scratch that.
[2:32:00] I want to go back.
[2:32:01] I'm sorry.
[2:32:02] After space property's open
space properties, it should say.
[2:32:07] And whereas available funds have
been identified in the capital
[2:32:11] non-recurring fund
received and unexpended
[2:32:14] subsequent to the foundry
riverfront project
[2:32:17] in the amount of 49,008 28.
[2:32:21] Be it resolved that the above
land preservation funds below
[2:32:25] be transferred to the
trust fund and hereby
[2:32:28] are reserved for the purpose
of the land preservation trust,
[2:32:31] as reflected below from
account 409500005950.
[2:32:40] Non-recurring foundry 49,008 28.
[2:32:46] Do I add the real property
acquisition too in that
[2:32:53] just for transfer purposes.
[2:32:54] No go ahead and I'll correct you
when you get to the last part.
[2:32:57] OK from account 519500005950.
[2:33:03] Real property
acquisition 148,003 21
[2:33:08] and $0.47 to account 789004820.
[2:33:17] Land preservation transfer and
the amount would be 49,008 28.
[2:33:23] And then to account 409540959.
[2:33:30] Non-recurring 0.
[2:33:32] 59 50.
[2:33:34] 59 50.
[2:33:35] Description undesignated.
[2:33:37] Undesignated in
the amount of one.
[2:33:40] 48 three.
[2:33:41] 21 and $0.47.
[2:33:46] I'll second.
[2:33:48] I'll I'll second.
[2:33:50] I was there a second.
[2:33:53] Any discussion.
[2:33:54] Can you read it again.
[2:33:57] What? yeah.
[2:33:58] One more time.
[2:33:58] No all in favor.
[2:34:01] Aye Aye.
[2:34:03] Thank you.
[2:34:04] All right.
[2:34:05] Thank you guys.
[2:34:06] So mayor's report.
[2:34:09] First of all.
[2:34:10] 
[2:34:13] We have announcement
as of the last, hour,
[2:34:19] that Rocky Hill girls basketball
is going to the Division
[2:34:23] Ii championship game.
[2:34:24] Along so Terry with a.
[2:34:30] 
[2:34:33] With a overtime win over
Enfield 1 point victory, 4948
[2:34:41] and led by senior
Catherine Harding's
[2:34:44] 20 points, 20 points out of 49.
[2:34:47] I got to give it a little
more oomph than that.
[2:34:50] 49 to 48, 49, 48 wins the game.
[2:34:54] The championship game will be
either next Saturday or Sunday,
[2:34:58] the 21st or 22 at Mohegan Sun.
[2:35:00] Tickets are only $12.
[2:35:02] Residents should consider
going and supporting our lady.
[2:35:05] Reclaiming my time.
[2:35:08] I'm trying to keep this
short, but that's good.
[2:35:11] That's great news.
[2:35:13] And it was great to
see a bunch of people
[2:35:15] here to talk about stuff here.
[2:35:19] I hope we see this
much participation
[2:35:22] from the public in our budget
process coming up here.
[2:35:26] Pretty soon we're going to
be talking about that stuff
[2:35:29] and have all the budget
hearings, everything
[2:35:30] coming up real soon here.
[2:35:32] We asked about concierge,
so I'll just touch on that.
[2:35:36] We're the town is in
communication with the attorney
[2:35:40] general's office, who is
negotiating with JC in regards
[2:35:45] to what oversight
looks like for us
[2:35:50] and them throughout for
the next year or so.
[2:35:55] Basically, what we've
asked for is that they have
[2:35:58] a plan for maintenance,
plan for and if anything,
[2:36:04] that they recently fixed brakes
and a plan for maintenance
[2:36:10] on all of the rest of the
stuff that they're fixing now.
[2:36:14] And my ask was that plan goes
through all of next winter to
[2:36:22] and basically the
attorney general's office
[2:36:26] is handling that.
[2:36:27] But they're in close
communication with our fire
[2:36:31] Marshal, building officials,
and the town to make sure
[2:36:34] that this doesn't become a
thing that happens again.
[2:36:41] And to counselor
Sweeney's point,
[2:36:45] we want to them to
acknowledge that, we
[2:36:49] had some significant
costs related to this.
[2:36:54] And besides that,
I just got to give
[2:36:57] a shout out to the Board
of Ed held a future chefs
[2:37:02] competition today.
[2:37:05] I am surprised that I have made
it past 9:30 after having six
[2:37:11] different dinners this evening.
[2:37:15] From our students, we had
six finalists that cook
[2:37:19] stuff from all over the world.
[2:37:21] It was great.
[2:37:22] And it was my
pleasure to be there.
[2:37:26] I encourage everybody to
look out for that next March
[2:37:30] and try to get on
the judging panel,
[2:37:32] because it was really good.
[2:37:33] 
[2:37:36] There's a lot of
other stuff going on.
[2:37:38] I will just try to
share that online
[2:37:41] with everybody so
we can move along
[2:37:44] with the rest of our evening.
[2:37:46] I would say just a
couple highlights.
[2:37:48] We have the Harlem Wizards game
coming up in a couple of weeks
[2:37:54] through the education
foundation's fundraiser.
[2:37:56] I would encourage
everybody to jump on that.
[2:37:58] And Parks and rec has put
out a bunch of other events
[2:38:00] that are coming up in the
coming months as well.
[2:38:03] 
[2:38:05] And I'll throw it over
to the town manager.
[2:38:09] All right.
[2:38:10] Sorry, I think I'm catching
whatever has given me
[2:38:14] parks and rec in recognition
of America 250 campaign
[2:38:20] and to raise funds for
the Rocky Hill schools.
[2:38:23] The Education Foundation
is offering an opportunity
[2:38:26] to purchase the America
250t shirts, which you
[2:38:29] have a photo in your package.
[2:38:33] You're wearing yours
tonight, right.
[2:38:36] Black and white.
[2:38:36] 
[2:38:40] 100% of the proceeds will go to
support the Rocky Hill schools.
[2:38:45] If you need, if you'd
like to have a t-shirt,
[2:38:48] you can contact the
Board of Ed office
[2:38:50] and see Sandy for assistance.
[2:38:52] Or you can do click the link
below and within the photo
[2:38:56] which is online, by the way.
[2:38:58] 
[2:39:00] Some more mundane activities
here at town Hall.
[2:39:05] I'll go through
them pretty quickly.
[2:39:08] Sidewalks several sidewalks.
[2:39:12] Being prepared to go out to bid.
[2:39:14] Central hills phase Ii.
[2:39:16] Elm Street sidewalks.
[2:39:19] Both grant both grants.
[2:39:22] Hayes road, which is in the
capital improvement program
[2:39:26] for this upcoming budget.
[2:39:27] And Glastonbury Avenue, another
grant languishing with the state
[2:39:31] right now.
[2:39:31] 
[2:39:35] Bulky waste pick
up at curbside has
[2:39:37] resumed in the transfer
station will now
[2:39:39] be open Thursdays and Fridays.
[2:39:42] 
[2:39:45] Tax department has sent
out some delinquent notices
[2:39:48] for real estate,
personal property,
[2:39:50] motor vehicle supplemental.
[2:39:52] Quite a few Bills went out
there as far as planning
[2:39:56] and economic development goes.
[2:39:58] The town planner, Kim Richey,
attended economic Development
[2:40:00] Commission this past last week
to discuss the Connecticut
[2:40:06] municipal Development
Authority district
[2:40:09] and how it will blend in
with the plan of conservation
[2:40:12] and development to review
specific tasks associated
[2:40:18] with the plan of development
and recommendations specific to.
[2:40:23] Economic development trying
to get the commission
[2:40:25] to take on some of those.
[2:40:27] Implementation tasks related
to economic development.
[2:40:33] He completed multiple searches
for part time custodian, a per
[2:40:38] diem custodian, a full
time office manager
[2:40:41] for the senior center,
and the head mechanic
[2:40:43] and the assistant mechanic.
[2:40:46] You just heard earlier that
public safety, I think,
[2:40:50] is being advertised.
[2:40:52] A position has been open
for recreation supervisor
[2:40:55] in the parks and rec
department, and that
[2:40:57] will be posted this week.
[2:41:01] You got a replacement position.
[2:41:03] Yes it is.
[2:41:04] Yes it is.
[2:41:06] Thank you.
[2:41:06] 
[2:41:09] The town clerk has been meeting
with the registrar's office
[2:41:12] concerning election, concerning
election related Bills
[2:41:17] in the upcoming primaries for
the elections in November,
[2:41:22] and they required a list
of offices to be filled,
[2:41:26] were sent for the 26 election
were sent to the Secretary
[2:41:30] of State's office.
[2:41:32] That concludes my report.
[2:41:36] OK I apologize, I
actually did have
[2:41:40] one quick question about what
he just said in his report.
[2:41:43] The town clerk met
with the registrars.
[2:41:45] Did they meet with both
registrars or just one.
[2:41:48] She meets with both.
[2:41:48] Just make sure.
[2:41:50] Thank you.
[2:41:52] It's a team.
[2:41:53] We had a motion.
[2:41:53] Do we have a second.
[2:41:55] All in favor.
[2:41:57] I have a great
evening, everyone.
[2:41:59] Oh, boy.
[2:42:01] Next time you're to order.
[2:42:04]