2026-11-04 - Town Council

Good evening. I'd like to call the town

council

regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.

Madame Clerk, roll call, please.

>> Here

>> Gerald

>> here.

>> Good

>> here.

>> Jones

>> here.

>> McBride.

>> Merritt

>> here. Pacino,

>> that's me.

>> And Parker, excuse me, Mayor Parker.

>> Okay. McBride's absent this evening.

>> Okay. Thank you. We are at eight

counselors

and I am declaring a quorum. Could we

all please rise for the salute to the

flag?

I pledge algiance to the flag of the

United States of America and to the

republic for which it stands. One nation

under God, indivisible, with liberty and

justice for all.

>> Thank you.

Next we have recognitions, awards and

memorials. [snorts] Uh we have 2026 973

proclamation recognizing Veterans Day.

Council Pino, could you please read

that?

>> Absolutely ma'am.

>> Thank you.

Office of the Mayor Town of Graten,

Connecticut. Proclamation. proclamation

recognizing Veterans Day. Whereas the

men and women who have served the and

currently are serving in the armed

forces of the United States of America

have made major contributions toward the

preservation of this nation and its

people.

And whereas [clears throat] services

performed by these millions of gallant

Americans

have demonstrated the willingness of our

nation to meet challenges of those

forces wishing to subjugate individual

determination through armed conflict.

And whereas

honorable service performed

in defense of the nation in a time of

war is the highest form of civil

service.

And whereas Congress of the United

States of America has decid designated

the 11th day of November of each year as

Veterans Day. [clears throat] And

whereas the nation and the free world

are eternally grateful for the

contributions of the American veterans.

Both men and women to the advancement of

the cause of an honorable world peace.

Now therefore it be resolved

that the town council of town of Grotton

hereby [clears throat] calls all calls

upon all members of members to observe

community I'm sorry

town of Garten hereby calls upon all

community members to observe Wednesday

November 11th 2026 as Veterans Day and

asks the day to be observed with

appropriate ceremonies in honor of those

who have served and are preserving

are serving to preserve the principles

of justice, freedom, and democracy.

Dated at Grten, Connecticut, 4th day of

November. Signed, Juliet M. Parker,

mayor of the town of Graten.

>> Thank you,

Madam Clerk. Any public hearings?

Okay. Thank you.

We will now have receipt of public

comments and concerns. Um, in order to

allow everyone to be able to participate

this evening, I will be going down to

three minutes because our time, we only

have an hour per our rules for public

comment and I do not want to leave

anyone out. So, thank you.

>> I'd like to make a motion.

>> A motion.

>> So, per the rules, it also states that

we could as a council vote to uh

increase time if we chose. So, I'd like

to put a motion on the floor to restore

the time back to 5 minutes

to allow people to speak.

There's no second. We will have it three

minutes because there are 12. And if

there's anyone who walks in,

>> does it matter?

>> It does. it. We only have an hour for

the whole entire thing. Thank you.

>> It's per our rules. Thank you,

>> Council Bordon.

>> And just to remind everyone, our rules

are online for everyone to review. Thank

[Public comment, about a dozen speakers, mostly on the license plate reader cameras and the speed cameras, with one on a climate resolution and one on a school land history matter; speaker names, addresses and remarks omitted. Time limit set at three minutes per speaker; a motion to restore five minutes received no second.]

Thank you.

>> Any others?

I am closing public comment and thank

you for everyone for coming out.

We are now moving on to the consent

calendar.

Council good, could you please take

that?

>> Yes. Thank you, Madame Mayor.

I

I move to accept the town council

meetings

meeting minutes from October 6, 2026.

um and approved. And also

the uh sorry

>> and also uh

the uh contributions to special trust

funds. So moved.

>> Second Jones.

>> Motion's been made by council goods,

seconded by Jones.

Any

discussion?

>> Um,

council borderline.

>> Um, yeah, I and again probably won't

change, but I just want to put on the

record. Um, the section here where we

talks about shelfish commission, it

lists all six members.

[A councilor asked that future minutes briefly note the topic each public commenter raised; discussion omitted.]

Any other hands?

>> Seeing no other hands, all those in

favor? I

>> I

>> I

>> council borderline I didn't hear you.

>> I'm opposed. That's why you didn't ask

for that yet.

>> Okay.

>> Okay. So that is and I was an I. So that

is 7 to one with council board one a no

and zero abstensions.

Thank you. Let's moving on.

We're moving on to communication

reports.

Council Burrell.

>> Yeah. I have nothing right now.

Council Gordon.

>> Uh thank you. Um I just wanted to say it

was an honor to attend the MLK

scholarship dinner. We had an invite

through uh the council. Um so we're

always invited to go and the town sends

us as if whoever wants to go. Um I kind

of was wearing a council hat, but I

didn't come under that umbrella, but I

also came through my my job. So that was

really nice. It's been something I've

been going to god since uh 1998, I have

to say. I can't say I made every one of

them, but at least probably somewhere

between 15 and 20. So, it was a nice

[Councilor attended a scholarship dinner.]

to go. I received many comments

regarding PLA cameras, regarding

uh different things that are going on in

our community. um the the lady that

spoke um regarding um the outreach and

um you know as far as like joining with

the other towns for a proclamation um

for a um

like a town council initiative to be

more environmental friendly. I did

forward that over to the town manager.

Um I guess she did said she spoke to uh

councelor Fitzgerald as well. Um I think

we should bring it as a recommendation

to the council. So I did send that

forward to the town manager if they get

the support. I think it would be worth

at least discussing um and then we can

[Councilor said a resident's request for a veterans benefits referral had been forwarded to the Town Manager without support so far.]

are submarine capital of the world. Um,

so I just think that's a great

initiative. If you don't like it, you

can agree to agenda items and still vote

them down. Agreeing to an agenda items

allows us just to talk about it. Doesn't

mean you have to support it. So I

encourage this council when you send

things to at least try to uh bring

things over. These are ideas that people

are bringing forth. Um I also then um

you know realized that all of a sudden I

guess somewhere in this big change of

minutes and rules. Uh well like the one

tonight on the agenda packet it says the

council may extend speaking hours 5

minutes with the majority. Now if you

want to go to the deeper thing where you

guys edited things maybe we should edit

it here. It states here. It doesn't say

up to one hour. I mean come on. If 50

people show up on one night and want to

speak our obligation is to the

community. We're elected at large by the

people for the people. Unless we have

other agendas, we should be we should be

more than willing to sit here for three

hours if we have to. With that, um I

appreciate the comments and things, but

I have a concern about the public safety

committee. It was my referral. It was

put up only less about just the minimum

amount of time 24 hours before it was

going to uh be going on. So, thank you

for that. Unfortunately, I work from

8:00to 5:00 p.m. I can't give my

employer last minute and then be on

camera at a meeting. So, I would think

this council would encourage and and try

to make a meetings around times when

everybody can attend.

>> 3:30 in the afternoon is not good for

the working class people.

>> We're moving on. Thank you.

>> Thank you,

>> Council Fitzgerald.

Um, I I appreciate the feedback um from

our public speakers tonight regarding

Flock. Uh, I just want to mention that I

I do support a pause for Flock. Um,

>> I'm going to stop you right there

because you have to if there's an agenda

item, we're not supposed to be talking

to the public about it. It's in our

rules. So, please everyone re please

review your rules.

>> Wow. I I I can rephrase. Um

um I I've been doing a lot of research

regarding the flock cameras um and and

speaking with co-workers about it. Um

just even today I was I was going into

an elevator and um discussing it just to

get the public's fe uh to to get

people's experience with it. Um I

personally I live between very close to

two FL cameras. Um, and

as this discussion has gone on, I've

I've become more and more aware of them.

Um, one concern that I've had from my

research I've been doing is

they go beyond video cameras to the

aspect of AI integration over time

tracks your patterns and and builds a a

profile. Uh, it's something over over

200 points of data can be gathered based

on people's patterns that's collected

from this data. Um, so I have a lot of

concerns about the privacy on that and

um

I I I really appreciate the the

feedback. Uh, and as your

representative, I

um appreciate you coming and speaking on

it. Um, recently I attended an Elks

Police appreciation event. Um, as well

as I'm looking forward to attending an

Amtrak New Haven to Providence rail

capacity study event which will be at

555 tomorrow from 4:30 to 7:30. Um

they're looking at the the market demand

as well as um route alternatives of

potentially running a planned route

between New Haven and Providence. Um so

um if you have the time, please come in

and and both learn about their

initiative as well as um voice your

interest in potentially a new rail

[Councilor said a local organization had asked about a Christmas tree.]

good.

[Councilor reported a planning and zoning approval of an honorary road naming, which moves next to the RTM.]

consideration also. I also spoke with um

uh some members

around town u some residents around

town. Uh, one notable was um a gentleman

very concerned with uh shellfishing

issues and I told him that I would look

into it and his uh one of one of the uh

points he brought up was that he hopes

that all um commissions and committees

consider um environmental impacts when

uh when making decisions. So I told him

I'd repeat that. That's all. Thank you.

Council Jones.

>> Thank you, Madame Mayor. Um, first off,

I'd like to congratulate our newly

elected state reps, [clears throat]

um, [state representatives]

on, um, re-election to the Connecticut

State House as our local state reps. And

then also a huge congratulations to um

our new senator, our new state senator

[state senator] um who all all of these

candidates worked extremely hard and uh

so congratulations to them on uh their

victories last night and was it was a

very exciting night to be in politics.

Um on events I we we I attended along

with the mayor um the food bank that we

hold every month in the city at St.

John's. I think we had 346

families came through this time, which

is sort of around where we're we're

hitting now on an average somewhere

around 350. Um, so there's still it's a

very uh illustrates the hunger that's in

our community. And uh so thank you to

the United Way and to the city and to

all the volunteers who help with that.

um I attended the golf uh advisory board

meetings which I am the t the council

representative on it and one of the

issues that um we talked about which is

something that we have talked about for

a long time and helped drive uh their

move to a new software platform were the

getting a handle on the no-shows and the

no-shows have just about disappeared. So

we have gotten um we saw it as a lost o

revenue opportunity and it's terrific

that this software has really really

helped us uh or helped them get a handle

on that. um had the the personal safety

committee meeting um along with the with

the mayor um councelor Good, Councelor

Fitzgerald attended the Elks Police

Awards dinner and with the mayor and

councelor Patino um the MLK dinner which

is um amazing to watch um the best and

the brightest of our um high school

grads or high school students u move on

into uh scholarships and college

opportunities. So, um, congratulations

to all of those, too. So, that's it.

>> Um, Council McBride is not here. Council

Merritt,

>> I have nothing to report.

>> Okay. Council Pacino.

>> Thank you, Madam Mayor. I have nothing

to report that nobody else has already

said. That's the glory of being the

last. One of the last ones.

>> Okay.

So, I'm going to make a few comments.

The council is governed by the 35th town

council rules where we follow FOI,

freedom of information

rules, as well as the current edition of

Robert's rules of order.

Rules nine talks about committees. We

have the following standing committees

which is the committee of the whole

rules personal appointments and public

safety. This is where the town council

members are only appointed by the mayor

and this is only designated to the c

town council members. No other members

can join. If there's an ad hoc committee

or a miscellaneous committee, the

council as a whole decides yes or no if

they're interested. And if we want any

others to join in, [town manager] would be

able to contact the RTM moderator um

[moderator] to facilitate that section to

allow others to join in from his

perspective. We do not control the RTM,

he controls the RTM.

Um there was an issue regarding agendas.

So rules 10, section K, the mayor and

the manager developed the agendas.

And there is a section on timing that it

can be changed

to allow for everyone to speak.

I can reduce the time if more than 12 to

13 people come. In our rules, it does

say up to an hour. We just approved this

in June, June 2nd, 2026.

Please go back and watch the video or

read the roles that are on posted online

under the town council group and you can

click right on the link.

Council Jones stated what um events I

was at, but I also attended the

Community Foundation of Eastern

Connecticut annual celebration

um the Connecticut Conference of

Municipalities

where the town of Graten received um an

award. So, congratulations to the

everyone who participated in getting us

to the next step for sustainability.

the Riverfront Children's Center

fundraiser.

Okay, 30 seconds. And Southeast Alliance

for Interfaith Leadership. And I also

like to remind counselors that if

there's an item that potentially can

come to the committee of the whole,

please do not discuss. We shouldn't be

discussing the items outside of being on

the agenda to follow FOI rules. That's

all I have to say. Thank you.

Clerk of the council.

>> Good evening. Just want to congratulate

all the winners from last night's

election.

Clerk of the representative town

meeting.

>> Okay. Their next meeting will be on a

Thursday. Thursday the 12th because of

um the 11th will be Veterans Day. It'll

still be at 7:00 at 7:00 at 355. And

currently there's one Democratic seat

vacant in district 1.

>> Okay. Thank you,

town manager.

>> Good evening. Uh the Department of

Transportation is going to hold a public

information session on the Allen Street

I95 exit interchange upgrades. that will

be held on Thursday, December 10th at

555 plus with an open house at 6:30 p.m.

followed by a formal presentation from

the Department of Transportation at 700

p.m.

Amtrak is also hosting a fall open house

to look at the Amtrak new haven to

Providence capacity planning study. That

will be also held at Thrive 555 on

Thursday, November 5th

from 4:30 p.m. being tomorrow to 7:30

p.m. at Thrive.

Let's see.

For those of you who have not signed up

for the town manager newsletter, please

do so. You can go to the town website

and find a link there to sign up for

that. I think we have somewhere around

10,000 people signed up. So, it's pretty

good.

>> Let's see. Uh, mayor, may I make one

clarification on concerning flock and an

earlier question?

>> You can.

>> Okay. Just to make it clear, the public

safety committee is talking about town

owned flock, not the city owned speed

cameras. Uh, DOT is not involved, the

department of transportation is not

involved with our cameras other than if

you need a encroachment permit. Uh the

town council certainly has the ability

to pause the their use. So just to make

that clear

and

that's all I have.

>> Okay.

>> Council borderline.

>> Uh thank you through the uh mayor

through the town manager. Um

my question was about the email I'd sent

you earlier. Can you just explain that

so the public understands

regarding that there's no more like if

people want to zoom in for public

comment it's not allowed anymore.

>> Well, it all depends on how you So the

town council over a year ago the agendas

have been uh posted just as in person.

That does allow for for members or staff

to participate remotely. Uh it's been

that way for over a year. Uh it started

under [former mayor]. Mayor Parker has

continued it. Um, it's so I don't really

have anything to add

>> I guess. Can What's the question? So I

didn't hear the answer to my question.

So the public cannot zoom in under

public comment anymore. Is that correct?

>> Not if it's not posted.

>> Right. So that has not been happening

and that was news to me. I guess I must

have missed that memo.

>> I got a couple people reached out to me

and said the link was not up.

>> Um, so that's concerning.

>> I'm actually going to jump in on that.

We did get a opinion. I believe it was

in 2024 we got an opinion regarding the

meetings that if you do not post it if

it's not posted on your agenda

that it's can't be it does not have to

be zoom availability

and that was from I believe Russell

Blair is that correct because we also

did receive that email where explained

everything in that email

>> but my question is why did we take it

away you're [music] not answering the

question

>> so we and and we should because people

have disabilities, we have COVID, we

have illness, people work.

>> Okay, you asked the question and I I'm

>> but your response to say that you took

it away that you have the right to

>> Can you stop please?

>> Well, it's let's be clear. FOI says you

don't have to, but why did we take it

off?

>> We do.

>> The mayor can put it back

>> here for the people.

There are other ways to have the

comments sent to end and I'm currently

not going to put it back on.

You asked my opinion. I'm say in my

opinion

I'm going to follow what we have from

[counsel] and you received that

email that it does not have to be

accessible to the public to do Zoom

meetings.

>> Thank you. We're moving on.

>> Right. But it was a choice.

>> We're moving on. Committee whole.

Committee reports.

>> Not good.

>> Committee reports. Um committee the

whole we are discussing items tonight.

Personal and appointments. Chair. Good.

>> Uh no meeting. No report.

>> Rules committee. Chair Pacino.

>> Thank you, Madam Mayor. No meeting. No

report.

>> Public safety chair burill.

>> Yes. the public safety meeting, public

safety committee meet met uh on the 29th

where uh we were discussing the opioid

funds and we were going over the forms

that we needed to send out to people who

wanted to collect money from the

opioids. And we also decided that uh

that [clears throat] the public safety

committee would probably go through the

forms and help try to choose uh who

would get these funds.

Uh, also we talked about just basically

trying to get information about the

flack cameras.

Uh, but we definitely were didn't know

much about them at the time and we're

trying to get more information. So, we

have additional meetings coming up with

chiefs and hopefully a a flack

representative

at upcoming meetings. That's all I got

right now.

>> Okay. I have question.

>> Thank you,

Council B.

>> I have a question.

>> Your question?

>> Yeah. So, is there any chance to try to

make these meetings more publicly

accessible during uh everyone's working

hours a little bit more?

>> No, let me I'm going to answer that

because this it's a subcommittee of the

committee of the whole meetings and we

do not have public comment under

committee of the whole. So, public

comment if it's in our

>> That's not what I asked about. I didn't

ask it's accessible. So,

>> so people can attend.

>> Yes. And it's posted online.

>> Again, you didn't hear what I said. So

what I was asking if a person wanted to

be in person to attend at 3:30, it's not

working hours for the average person. So

I was asking just like planning and

zoning doesn't meet at 1:00 in the

afternoon that it be accessible so

people could attend should they want to

without having to leave work early.

That's what I was asking. Council

Borland, the committee can decide on the

time it they're available to me to

handle the meetings as well with any

other committees or ad hoc committees or

miscellaneous committees. It's up to the

chair to decide on those meetings.

>> And my also my understanding is it's

with other committees as well. People

who make referrals to the committee,

they can invite them over or give them

notice that these meetings are coming a

little bit more sooner than last minute.

>> Okay. So just interesting if we truly

care about the word

>> point of order.

>> So

>> your point of order please.

>> Uh the counselor has asked a question.

The question has been answered. It's not

up for a debate. It's not on the agenda.

>> Thank you.

>> On the agenda.

>> We're talking about public safety

meeting.

>> We're moving on.

>> We have another question.

>> We're moving on. I already

>> I have another question. We

>> I We're moving on to the next agenda

item. Thank you.

>> Why? I speak twice.

rules. This is not

>> I have another question regarding the

public safety committee meeting. This is

my time to ask those questions

>> per the rules.

>> Council Bordon, what can you set his her

time back and

>> fight this hard?

>> Please be respectful.

>> That's what I ask.

>> What is your question?

>> Sure. Um so, uh my question is to the

public safety um you have the police

>> through the mayor to the chair. Sure.

>> Sure. through the mayor to the chair.

>> Um you guys are inviting the police

chief. Um did you ask any of the

financials yet? Is that something else?

Because that report that the town

manager gave us was pretty in he came

out ahead of time at the meeting. It was

pretty in intensive and I just want to

know about the financials and the other

things. Is that going to be part of the

agenda at all?

>> [chair], could you reply to that?

>> It was all [clears throat] on the agenda

and

>> it was on the

>> It never was discussed though. I was

just wanted to see when I should zoom in

to listen. When when do you guys plan to

talk about the financial side?

>> We already know what the financials is.

It's on the budget. You were in the

budget sessions and you know the

finances what's going on. Right now

we're trying to find out right now we're

trying to find out whether the safety

and it's the concern about the data

being breached by other other uh things.

That's we were concerned about that

information on what it costs was covered

under the budget situation and we pretty

much had it that information

>> through the budget process. So only the

cops are coming to tell you if it's safe

or not.

>> Oh, right.

>> We're trying to get other I said in my

report, we [clears throat] are trying to

get somebody from Flack to show up, but

it's no guarantee

>> from who?

>> Flack.

>> Flock.

>> Flock.

>> Flock. Sorry.

>> You think they're going to tell you if

they're getting paid?

>> The point The point is I need somebody

to ask

>> you. How about a legal person?

>> Perhaps that's my point of order. Let's

stop this conversation right now. We're

moving on to the next part of the thing.

Thank you. I do think it's important to

note per FOYA, you can only ask the

simplest of questions for something

that's going to be on the agenda unless

you have it on the agenda. You can only

ask what time was this, that type of

thing. Anything further than that, you

have to add it to the agenda.

>> Thank you.

We're now under new business.

Councelor Fitzgerald

>> under could you please do 2026 802-2

Gruntton I mean Gruntton Housing

Authority updating term date David

[member] resolution please

>> certainly uh item 2026 802 gha updating

term date [member] resolution

resolution making the following term

update for Grant Housing Authority

member [member] unaffiliated

resolve that the town council approves

the term update for the Graten Housing

Authority member [member]

unaffiliated to July 31st, 2027.

>> Second Jones.

>> Motion made by Firo, seconded by Jones.

>> Discussion.

>> Yeah.

>> Council board.

>> So why are we changing it again?

>> [town manager].

>> Uh so uh [member] was planning to get

off of the uh resign from the um housing

authority. However, when [member]

was appointed, the intent was then for

uh for [member] to get off the

committee. Well, someone else commit

quit that committee right after that.

So, he's asked to stay on because it

would be too few people to run the

committee. So, his intent is to stay

until we find yet another [snorts]

person to get on the committee. So it

just needed to operate and continue on.

>> Thanks.

>> Any other hands?

>> Seeing no other hands, all those in

favor?

>> I

>> I

>> All right, that is [clears throat] eight

to zero to zero.

Councelor Jones.

>> Thank you, Madam Mayor. uh 2026 844

Avalonia Land Conservancy grant

application endorsement request

resolution.

>> Just the last paragraph of the whole

resolution

resolve there.

>> Resolve uh resolve that the Graten Town

Council endorses Abalonia's application

to the state of Connecticut Department

of Environmental and Energy Protections

Open Space and Watershed Land

Acquisition Grant Program for the 102

7

I guess 102.17 acre property at zero

Gungew Road pin number [omitted].

So move second. Pino

>> motion made by Jones, seconded by

Borlon.

Any discussion?

Council Borlon.

>> I think it's a great opportunity and I'm

excited to see, you know, just all of

this with the land. I think it's, you

know, anytime we can protect some land

and do good things with it, it's good

for Grot. So

I'll say

>> yes

seeing no other hands all those in favor

>> I

>> I

>> that is 8 to zero to zero.

>> Council Pacino

>> please.

>> Human assist. Thank you madam ma'am. Uh,

human services assistant fund allocation

request resolution [clears throat] item

2026-901.

Um,

be resolved.

>> Oh, this resolved. Oh,

>> yes. Please.

>> Be resolved that the town council

approves the additional 100,000.

be resolved that the town council

approves an additional 100,000 out of

general fund condition contingency fund

uh to human services assistant fund uh

7360

and be it further resolved that the

request for additional funding be sent

to the representative town meeting per

rule per RTM rule 6.5.3

>> second

>> motion made by Pino seconded by Parker,

are there any

council board?

>> Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to put

150,000 on the floor. [clears throat]

>> I don't know if I should put my reason.

>> No, you can't. Unless there's a second.

I do not see a second.

>> Um, I'll continue anyway with my own

discussion on it. It just it's the most

underfunded

support program in our town in my

opinion. I speak for myself. Um, as we

said tonight, flock is probably getting

a h 100,000. Just imagine where that

money could go if we stop the cameras.

We constantly are struggling uh in our

community. We talk about crime rates

being up as it was addressed here in

public comment tonight. You when you

address the needs of people, you can see

a change in the community um with the

cost of oil. I don't know about you, but

I looked at mine. Thank god I lock I

lock in every year. So, I buy mine in

bulk in like September for the upcoming

winter. It's just something I've done

forever and I've kind of gambled with it

and have walked out so to speak. Um, you

do run the risk, I guess, because I've

heard people lose money when a company

forecloses, I guess, if you free buy

without protections. But long story

short, people are going to be

struggling. Um, there is other programs

that help with heating costs, but when

you can help people with parts of their

groceries and things like that, it can

help them save for other things. Um, so

I just know there's going to be a need.

I know it was said that we can move the

money over, but I think when you

actually move the money over now, it

sends a strong message. We're going to

use it. So, why wait and make people

come back and have to ask for it? Let's

be a little bit more proactive and just

stick some more money in there. That's

what we're here to do to serve the

community and our most vulnerable. But

yet, continually, even with the ARPA

fund dollars and things like that,

people were dying because of um lack of

access. And yet we were building bridges

with our we were building other

infrastructures and other things. And

when we went went to the ARPA funds and

other funds, human services got like a

fraction like a percent barely of the

money. Um so I think we have people in

our community that are donating to that.

We have an obligation. We can't rely on

just our community to fund that. And I

think this is a good opportunity. Um our

funds are pretty high. We keep, you

know, advancing everything else. Um, and

I just think it's a stronger message so

we don't have to. Um, but if the support

is not here, that's okay. But I'm on the

record saying such. Um, so I stand

behind that. But I'm definitely excited

that at least 100,000 is going over. And

um, if someone should eat more, I hope

that they come out sooner rather than

later. Um, because I do uh, with the

holidays coming, I think we're going to

see a larger, greater need like we have

no other um, in years past. Um, so

again, as you know, I'm a big supporter

in outside resources and making sure

that community is taken care of because

everybody is one paycheck, one illness,

one divorce, one uh layoff away or

worker comp injury from needing food and

help um in the community. And I just

think that that should be there u in in

a plentiful amount. And I believe that

for Thank you.

Any other hands?

Seeing no other hands. All those in

favor?

>> I

>> I.

>> So that is 8 to zero to zero.

>> Council Guerrero, will you be able would

you take the next one please?

>> Uh yeah.

>> Yeah. Just now therefore,

>> huh?

>> Just the last paragraph. There it is.

>> Okay. All right. Uh, item number 2026

A86,

recreation trail grant 2026 resolution.

Therefore, read it resolved that the

town council hereby authorizes town

manager [town manager] to execute any and

all documents for the Connecticut

Department of Energy and Environmental

Protection

Recreation Trails Grant to accept grant

funding in the amount of $156,248

and refer this item to the RTM per rule

6.5.3. Second

>> motion made by Buril, second by

Bordalon.

Any hands just discuss council Bordon?

>> No, I think it's great. I mean, this is

money that's coming in. Um, is there any

other outstanding requirements to to get

this, John, that we should be aware of

through the mayor

to maintain this money?

>> No.

>> Okay.

>> And we and I the plan is this is the

second of three phases. So hopefully

we'll get one more round next year.

Yeah, I mean I think it's great. I'm a

big component to open space because I do

believe it does help the health health

and well-being, not just the physical

health of running, but also protecting

land and doing things uh for trails gets

people out. Um and uh you know I I just

think it's great opportunity.

That's it.

Any other hands? Okay. All those in

favor?

>> I

>> I

>> I

>> All right. That is 8 to 0 to zero.

Council board, would you like to take

the next one?

>> No, thank you.

>> Uh, actually this is not a resolution,

do we? Oh, yes, we do.

Council Merritt, could you take

this next one? Is on page 30.

[clears throat]

>> 2026

896 Sustainable

Connecticut Climate Leader

Designation Award 2026 Resolution.

resolved that the town council authorize

town manager [town manager] to execute any

and all documents necessary to accept

the 2026

sustainable Connecticut climate leader

designation and the associated

16,667

climate leader prize funding and refers

the matter to the RTM per rule 6.5.3

>> second

motion made by merit second by Parker.

Any discussion?

>> Council Gerald,

>> I just want to commend um I I believe

it's the planning department, but as

well as all departments who um

contributed to the sustainable CT

application. Um I've I've previously

filled out a few and there's significant

work that goes into them. And so I just

really want to give kudos to um the the

town staff who put their work into this

because this is um this is a really big

recognition for Graten and um when I was

reading a press release before it came

to the town council, I was really proud

to see that Graten was included in that.

So shout out to the team that put put

together this application.

>> That's all for me.

>> Thank you.

Seeing no other hands, all those in

favor? I

>> I

>> Okay, that is 8 to 0 to [clears throat]

zero.

>> Council good.

>> Thank you, Madame Mayor. Item 2026 347

uh 2025/2026

Neighborhood Assistance Act Program

Award acceptance

GCC resolution.

I move that the town council authorizes

town manager [town manager] to execute any

and all necessary documents and accepts

the $150,000

received under the 2025 Neighborhood

Assistance Act Tax Credit Program and

further authorize the acceptance of up

to $150,000

under the approved 2026 Neighborhood

Assistance Act Tax Credit Program for

the Town of Graten Community Center.

when the contribution is received and

refer this matter to the RTM per rule

6.5.3

>> second

>> chino

I think that was

>> um I'll give it to you uh councelor good

and council Pacino for the motion

any

hands

all right seeing no hands all Those in

favor?

>> I

>> I

>> That is 8 to 0 to zero.

>> Motion to adjurnn.

>> Motion to adjurnn. Do we have a second?

>> Second.

>> Seconded by Jones. All those in favor?

>> I.

>> That is 8 to 0 to zero. And we're

adjourned at 7:51 p.m.