2026-10-13 - Town Council

00:41I'm Ed Grendelski, chair of the town

00:43council.

00:45Um I'm going to call a public hearing to

00:47order.

00:49Um this is on

00:52um agenda item

00:5514A.

01:06Do we have any comments from the town

01:08manager or the staff regarding this?

01:12>> So, the the purpose of the public

01:13hearing is to amend our road inventory

01:17to recognize the acceptance of a strip

01:19of land that was required by the

01:20planning commission in connection with

01:22the approval of the two-lot subdivision

01:24at 101 Comer Hill Road.

01:26It's uh shown on the the map here that I

01:29handed out.

01:30And this is a matter of of routine. The

01:32subdivision is uh been approved and

01:37it's been completed and it's our time

01:39now to accept the conveyance of land

01:42that would widen the road to make it in

01:44compliance with our

01:46ordinances.

01:53>> This is subject to a public hearing, so

01:55public comment if someone wants to speak

01:58on

01:59the subdivision, you're welcome to come

02:01to the podium.

02:11Having no public comment, council

02:14members, if any questions for the

02:17town manager or

02:25>> And it looks pretty cut and dry. They're

02:26just basically making two lots and they

02:29have the

02:30the right-of-way in front of it.

02:32Doesn't look too

02:33out of the normal.

02:36>> Any other comments?

02:40>> [clears throat]

02:47>> And if there's any I'll open keep it

02:49open to the public if any I'll give them

02:51one last call for a public comment on

02:53the

02:54this subdivision.

02:57Okay.

02:59We'll close the public hearing.

03:03Now open up the town council meeting.

03:07Um

03:09we'll have the prayer by a Reverend

03:11Jonathan Chapman.

03:16>> Good evening and thank you for the

03:17invitation to come and pray with you as

03:20many of you know after 14 years of

03:22serving Killingly, I am preparing to

03:24move on to a new chapter.

03:27So I'm especially grateful for the offer

03:29to pray tonight. 14 years

03:31in ministry in Killingly has taught me

03:33some things.

03:35What I grew up calling subs y'all call

03:36grinders. I'm sorry, it's weird. Uh

03:40shopping carts here are buggies where I

03:42come from.

03:45Another thing I learned is that good

03:47people can disagree passionately about

03:49basically anything.

03:52And another is that being the loudest

03:53person in the room doesn't necessarily

03:55make you the wisest.

03:58And perhaps the most important, I've

04:00learned that how we treat one another

04:03matters

04:04at least as much as what we believe.

04:08I've always said that my theology is

04:10pretty simple. Love God, love your

04:11neighbor.

04:13The rest is details.

04:16And I've never found an exception in the

04:18fine print for our neighbors who vote

04:20differently.

04:22So, let's pray.

04:26God of grace and goodness, we give

04:27thanks to you for this town.

04:30For the people who call it home.

04:33And for all those who give their time

04:35and energy to its well-being.

04:38We pray tonight for those entrusted with

04:40the leadership. Give them wisdom greater

04:42than their certainty.

04:44Humility stronger than their pride and a

04:46courage that does not depend on

04:47applause.

04:50Remind us that public service is not

04:52about winning arguments, but serving

04:53neighbors.

04:55That disagreement need not become

04:56disdain, that conviction need not become

04:58cruelty.

05:01And that the measure of our character is

05:02not

05:03how we treat those who agree with us,

05:05but how we treat those who do not.

05:09Help us to speak truth without malice.

05:13To listen without defensiveness and to

05:15remember that no political party, no

05:17personal agenda, no single person has a

05:19monopoly on what is good and right.

05:24May we love this community more

05:27than we love being right.

05:31May we seek the common good rather than

05:33simply our own good. And may we

05:35May the work done in this room tonight

05:37make life a little better for the people

05:39beyond its walls.

05:42It's in your name we pray.

05:45Amen.

05:49>> Thank you.

05:52Uh if you stand for the Pledge of

05:53Allegiance.

05:54>> [clears throat]

05:57>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

05:59United States of America and to the

06:02republic for which it stands, one

06:04nation, under God, indivisible, with

06:07liberty and justice for all.

06:20For all our

06:22uh purposes, for roll call, all members

06:24are present, and Dave Griffith is

06:26excused.

06:28Um

06:31Adoption of minutes of previous

06:32meetings. Can I have a motion?

06:36>> So moved.

06:36>> Second.

06:39>> Any comments?

06:51Hearing none, all in favor?

06:53>> I.

06:54>> Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion

06:58carries.

06:59Item six, presentations, proclamations,

07:02and declarations.

07:04Um presentation of the plaque honoring

07:06Stu Rivet, and Kevin Catulla will have

07:09the honors.

07:20>> Hello. I was on the uh permanent

07:22building committee with Mr. Rivers for 9

07:23years, so

07:25I asked to do this.

07:27It says, "In honor of Stuart Rivers, for

07:29his many years of dedicated service as a

07:31member of the Killingly Town Council and

07:32the Permanent Building Commission." So,

07:34I would speak on behalf of the Town

07:36Council that we're sorry for your loss,

07:38as well as the Permanent Building

07:39Commission.

07:40>> Thank you.

07:42That's very nice.

07:52Thank you.

07:52>> Thank you.

07:53>> Thank you.

07:53>> Very much appreciate it. Thank you.

08:14>> Proclamation honoring CM3 Christopher

08:18Hapgood.

08:22Um here with us tonight to accept the

08:24proclamation on behalf of CM3 Hapgood is

08:27his mother Wendy Hapgood, his father

08:29James Hapgood, and his daughter Farah

08:32Hapgood.

08:36Proclamation recognizing Petty Officer

08:38Third Class Christopher Hapgood.

08:41For distinguished military and

08:43life-saving services.

08:45Whereas as the liberty and security

08:48enjoyed by our community are protected

08:50by the dedication, sacrifice, and valor

08:52of the men and women who serve in the

08:54United States Armed Forces. And whereas

08:58Petty Officer Third Class Christopher

09:01Hapgood, a native of Killingly,

09:03Connecticut, has demonstrated life- long

09:05commitment to service.

09:07First serving 4 years in fire rescue

09:09before answering the call to serve in

09:11his country in the United States Navy.

09:15And

09:16whereas as a construction mechanic in

09:18the Navy's Naval Construction Force, the

09:21Seabees, Petty Officer Hapgood has

09:24distinguished himself through

09:25exceptional leadership, technical

09:27expertise, and operational readiness,

09:30including supervising personnel and

09:33managing millions of dollars in vital

09:35military equipment and assets.

09:38And whereas Petty Officer Hapgood has

09:41further exemplified dedication and

09:43achievement by maintaining a 3.86

09:47college GPA, completing 3,200 hours

09:51United Services Military Apprenticeship

09:55Program hours as a diesel mechanic, and

09:58contributing more than 325 hours of

10:01volunteer service to veterans in the

10:03community.

10:05And whereas

10:06during a critical emergency, Petty

10:09Officer Hapgood provided swift and

10:11decisive first aid stabilization to a

10:13severely injured shipmate, sustaining

10:16the sailor's life until medical

10:17personnel arrived, and demonstrating

10:20extraordinary courage and selfless

10:23service. And whereas Petty Officer

10:26Hapgood's distinguished service has been

10:28recognized through numerous honors,

10:30including the Navy and Marine Corps

10:32Achievement Medal, Military Outstanding

10:35Volunteer Service Medal,

10:37Navy Good Conduct Medal, Navy E Ribbon,

10:43Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and other

10:46command recognitions.

10:48And now, therefore, be it proclaimed by

10:50the Town Council of Town of Killingly

10:53that Petty Officer Third Class

10:55Christopher Hapgood is hereby recognized

10:57and honored for his distinguished

10:59military service, exceptional

11:01leadership, heroic life-saving actions,

11:04and steadfast commitment to country and

11:07community, and that the Town of

11:09Killingly extends its deepest gratitude

11:12and heartfelt congratulations for his

11:16exemplary service. Killingly Town

11:18Council, Ed Grandelski, Chairman.

11:24I think this is a

11:25a great thing. He's did a lot for the

11:28town, and I think we, you know,

11:31we have to recognize his service.

11:33Um

11:35I didn't know the gentleman, um

11:37but again, he seemed like

11:39he put himself out before others, and uh

11:42I uh

11:43I appreciate that.

11:45And I thank him and

11:47I guess his family for everything that

11:50he did. Thank you.

11:54>> [applause]

11:58>> Is there a

12:10It's inside.

12:12Oh, here we go.

12:20Oh.

12:21Okay.

12:31Yep.

12:38Uh

12:39Prudential Steel ready Um we're thankful

12:41uh that he did his thing. Um

12:44uh

12:46we're here because of people like him.

12:48We have freedoms because of people like

12:50him. Thank you very much.

12:51>> Thank you.

12:52>> Thank you.

12:53If you wish to say something, you are

12:55welcome to.

12:56>> [applause]

12:59>> Um there's no pressure. You don't have

13:00to. But if you want to, you can.

13:07>> Where? Right here?

13:08>> Yeah.

13:09Um

13:10I love him very much and I'm thankful

13:12that I have him as a dad. And um

13:17um I don't know what to say.

13:19Just thank you and I love him. I'm proud

13:20of him.

13:23>> Okay. Thank you. [applause]

13:29>> I just want to say, you know, he doesn't

13:30do things really for recognition.

13:32Um so when people step out

13:36and pull him in like that like this town

13:38has, we're very grateful.

13:41You know, we we had no idea. All of a

13:43sudden Winnie radio and all this stuff,

13:45we're just like

13:46that's just our son for us. But um thank

13:49you for thinking of him.

13:52>> Thank you.

13:53>> [applause]

14:16>> Go go go.

14:19>> Unfinished business for town meeting

14:21action, none.

14:24Citizen statements and petitions

14:27pursuant to the town council rules of

14:28procedure article 4 section 2 all

14:31presentations by citizen shall be

14:33limited to an aggregate of 45 minutes

14:36and each citizen presentation shall not

14:38exceed 5 minutes unless otherwise

14:40indicated by a majority vote of the town

14:43council.

14:45Um, anybody would like to come to the

14:48podium.

14:51You're welcome.

14:53Welcome, too.

14:57>> Good evening. Ian McDonald 548 Valley

14:59Road. Yes, thank you to Mr. Hapgood.

15:02And I'd also um

15:04you know

15:05echo Mr. Grindel Grindelski's sentiments

15:08there and um

15:10also Mr. Cutuli's uh

15:13thoughts are both on Jim River's service

15:14and his uh his dad there and and um

15:19uh and and lastly uh Pastor John there.

15:22I know

15:23uh

15:23I think most people probably know like

15:25he's

15:26he's um

15:28he's corralled a lot of volunteer

15:30[snorts] hours and efforts in this town

15:33um

15:35and uh that's going to be you know

15:37something uh

15:38a loss that kind of I think we're

15:40collectively going to have to make up

15:42for and uh

15:43I think you

15:45everybody here probably understands like

15:47he's pulled a lot of folks together

15:48there so

15:50very grateful to him as well. Um

15:53uh just mention one thing you know as

15:56we're kind of going forward

15:58I happen to

16:00my kids and my wife were involved in the

16:03SpongeBob production but

16:06uh

16:07just really impressed with

16:09that theater um

16:11uh over on Broad Street and just kind of

16:14um

16:16it's a very very well run, very um

16:21I think impressive thing in terms of

16:24the what they've done for our community.

16:26I think they're also helpful monetarily

16:28in terms of our rec department. You

16:30know, and just going forward, um

16:33there's going to be a transition if if

16:35we

16:36give it over to Westfield at some point.

16:38>> [laughter]

16:39>> And uh, you know,

16:40I think I think that's a real

16:43benefit to this town.

16:44Um it's sometimes, you know, you're not

16:47at these things, so you don't

16:48necessarily see, but I think that's

16:49something that

16:51um

16:52>> [clears throat]

16:52>> it's going to be important to support,

16:54and I think it's something that one of

16:56those things that, you know,

16:59maybe like our football team or like

17:00anything else, like this is something

17:02we're doing really well as a town, and

17:03and people are doing well, like, you

17:05know, not

17:06just the town, but it's going to I think

17:09those sort of things are kind of part of

17:10this ecosystem. We got to really

17:12support.

17:14Um and, you know, the the other thing

17:16I'll just last thing I'll say here is um

17:20and I I I don't know specifically what

17:22sort of the

17:25the goal-setting

17:27uh processes.

17:29I know, you know, I know there's a

17:30process. I don't understand exactly what

17:32that is, but

17:34I will say that

17:36and I and I don't really have any

17:39any big beefs with anybody here on the

17:40council. I'll put that out there. Um

17:44uh but uh what I will say, maybe some

17:46disagreements here and there, but um

17:49but I will say that, you know, you guys

17:51you guys are elected representatives.

17:54And

17:56our sort of town setup is that we have

17:59we go to elections, and and, you know,

18:02you're you're the voice of of the town

18:04generally.

18:05And I understand other people can

18:06volunteer for commissions, and we we

18:08very much appreciate everybody who steps

18:10up and does that.

18:11Um

18:12but there's there's a limit sort of to

18:14how much you can

18:16sometimes engage in that process or

18:18direct that process.

18:20And I know you guys also don't

18:22necessarily want to be, you know,

18:24micromanaging staff or micromanaging the

18:27town manager, and they probably don't

18:30want that either.

18:31But I do think there's some

18:34I hope, you know,

18:36we've all got a little bit of a sense of

18:39where the town is at in terms of

18:41uh

18:42directions, particularly as it relates

18:44to economic development and maybe what

18:47sustainable economic development looks

18:49like versus economic development, which

18:51is really

18:53dramatically changing our town, and

18:56whether that's, you know, pollution,

18:58traffic patterns,

19:00um just the nature of a particular

19:02thing. And I know we're we're we're

19:03circumscribed around some issues with

19:05the housing with the state, but but I'm

19:07talking about more business development,

19:09and we need business development. We all

19:10We all want

19:12development, but that's kind of a vague

19:13term.

19:15And

19:16and sometimes I I

19:18I wonder that worry that we get a little

19:20bit almost like a game of telephone

19:22where

19:24you know, we're all saying we want

19:25economic development, we got to get it

19:26going,

19:28and then maybe it goes

19:30to management, and now we're down

19:31farther along in staff,

19:33and they're maybe they're maybe they're

19:35doing their best just just try to meet

19:37that standard,

19:38but

19:40all of a sudden we're kind of pursuing

19:42some things that are really out of step

19:44with

19:45where most of the people in town might

19:47be at.

19:48So I

19:49I see it, you know, and I don't mean

19:51this like respect as any, you know,

19:53specific criticism, but I do think that

19:56some strong guidance in terms of what

19:59we're looking for

20:00as a town in terms of sustainable

20:02economic development, and maybe a little

20:05bit where the staff

20:08where the staff's role there is to sort

20:10of

20:12further that and or

20:15maybe

20:16you know, how far they're engaging

20:19potentially on their own.

20:21And when maybe when they're coming back

20:22to you guys and saying hey, we're

20:24thinking about doing this this deserves

20:26a little more of a prominent public

20:28conversation cuz this is a big change.

20:30And I think that's what most people want

20:32when we're having a big change. You

20:34know, that doesn't always mean a

20:34referendum.

20:36But that doesn't that also doesn't mean

20:38just like box checking we did what was

20:41technically required within

20:43this committee. But when we having I I

20:46think that's that's one thing. Whenever

20:48possible, it's not always possible, but

20:49whenever possible when we're having big

20:51changes

20:52we're at least coming back to our town

20:54representatives, which is you guys,

20:56um

20:57if not to the community. Uh and I hope

21:00we um we consider that as we look

21:02towards our goal setting

21:04that we give some some needed clarity uh

21:07both to our

21:09uh

21:10the town manager and the staff. So they

21:12they also know for themselves like

21:15this is what people are looking for me

21:16cuz I I don't think it's fair to them

21:19to just be told we're looking for

21:21economic development. They're do maybe

21:23they're doing their best.

21:24And then they come out and and they're

21:26landing somewhere different than

21:28where maybe you guys or the rest of the

21:30town are landing. And uh just wanted to

21:32mention that. Thank you.

21:41>> What he said.

21:44Ida Barras, 1123 North Road.

21:47Um

21:48I wanted to talk to you a little bit

21:49about the the planning and

21:53a big concern has been

21:56of course these warehouses and the

21:57changing of the regulations that allowed

22:01this to happen and

22:03everyone's quite uh

22:05aware that the majority of folks

22:09do not want these warehouses or

22:12um

22:14data centers.

22:16I know that there's a probably a few

22:17people that do, but I think the majority

22:19of the population does not and I think

22:21that comments have led to that belief.

22:26Um

22:27And in that on that same track,

22:30we're coming across we I think that the

22:32moratorium on the on the zoning, and I

22:35know this is a zoning issue, but I want

22:36to bring it up here as well.

22:38Um

22:39the

22:40the moratorium on the zoning started I

22:43think in July, and I think that we were

22:45going to be having workshops

22:47um where

22:49you know, to where people could have

22:51some input about

22:53zoning, and it would be great if um

22:58there was lots of representatives

23:00representation from the town council at

23:02that at that time as well.

23:05Also, thanks to everybody who was

23:06honored this evening. And um

23:10I'm

23:11I'm going to add a little bit to parks

23:13and rec because

23:15that show was so good.

23:17And I know some of you were there. I saw

23:19some of you at the show.

23:21Um

23:22And I think that

23:25for anybody listening um

23:27to this meeting

23:29it's really important that we have

23:31support, and we're going to be moving

23:33from

23:34the Broad Street Theater, which I love

23:38to a much larger venue.

23:40And we we really need people to to be

23:44supporting

23:45supporting the rec department, but also

23:47when you're doing your planning as well,

23:49and I I mentioned this last week that

23:52there be

23:54really good communication and support

23:58for all the other commissions, the Board

24:00of Education, all the other commissions

24:02that are working like

24:04>> [snorts]

24:04>> to save Okiinolli Pond, etc. That

24:06there's some really real support for

24:09public opinion in that area.

24:12And um

24:14and that everybody gets to work

24:15together, and I know that is a challenge

24:18time-wise because you're already giving

24:20up so much of your time, but anything

24:22there that could be um

24:24really put into your plans would be

24:27welcome.

24:28Thank you very much.

24:39>> Any other public comment?

24:47Any other public comment going twice?

24:52Any other public comment going three

24:55times?

24:57Okay, we'll consider public comment

25:00closed.

25:02Um

25:02>> Mr. Chair, you had a few letters that

25:05were

25:05>> [clears throat]

25:06>> really encouraged our letter if you

25:07wanted to just quickly talk about them.

25:09>> let me see. We got a

25:11Oh, okay. Thank you.

25:15Uh public comment, this is received

25:17October 5th for Town Council. Jillian

25:19Richmond, 131 Hartford Pike.

25:22I'm concerned about the proposed

25:24warehouse and distribution center

25:25between I-395, Westcott Road, and

25:29Mashantucket Road and the negative

25:30effects could have on the water

25:32resources and public infrastructure our

25:34families and school depend on. We are

25:36supposed to be

25:38part of the Last Green Valley and should

25:41be preserving our environment and

25:43waterways as such.

25:45In [clears throat] line with the

25:45document put forth by the Killingly

25:47Board of Education,

25:49I request one

25:51independent environmental assessment

25:53from a licensed firm to determine the

25:55potential impact on wetlands and

25:57waterways be concluded first.

26:00Two, full public disclosure of the plans

26:03for stormwater collection, treatment,

26:05and discharge. Three, independent

26:08groundwater assessment from a licensed

26:09firm with particular focus on impact on

26:13impact on the school's well.

26:15Four, full public disclosure of the

26:17emergency response plan as for fire

26:21retardant wastewater collection, etc.

26:24Item five, documentation of responsible

26:27parties agreements in place in case of a

26:30negative impact on the environmental

26:32community

26:33such that the burden would not be put on

26:35the back of the taxpayers.

26:39Diana Webber,

26:41238 Mashantucket Road.

26:44Hello Mr. Pelaia, town manager, and

26:46members of the town council. I am

26:48writing this for a couple of reasons.

26:50One is that there have been recent

26:52grants given in Connecticut, and once

26:54again, we are not on the receiving end.

26:57So, I So, as I've asked previously, do

27:00we have a grant writer? And if so, why

27:03are they not

27:04applying in the best interest of the

27:07taxpayers? The fire department just

27:09received last week $3.8 million

27:12specifically for gear, but you're asking

27:16us for $64,000

27:19for our fire station. So, that's just

27:21irresponsible governing.

27:23There were also grants given for trails

27:26and such. I think we might might have

27:28benefited from that, but what are we

27:31really going doing when it comes to

27:35that we have recreation areas that we

27:37can't use or that are dried up.

27:41One in particular, Old Killie Pond,

27:43which is a state park.

27:45That should have money put into making

27:47walking trails around it for families to

27:50enjoy once it's restored to its former

27:52glory.

27:53So, when you're coming at us for $64,000

27:57for a problem that was found back in

27:59May, and probably as far back as the

28:02last chief's time,

28:04there is $3.8 million being given

28:07specifically to firehouses

28:09for equipment. That's a problem.

28:12You might You might have seen my

28:13previous comments about planning and

28:15zoning and inland and wetlands co-

28:18commission meetings, i.e., the Husky

28:21mess,

28:22but I do want to thank you for having

28:23Mr. Roberts there instead of Ken Slater.

28:27One of their attorneys even commented,

28:29"We'll just wait for Slater to come

28:31back."

28:32That's not okay, and now they're very

28:34happy to come forward and throw the

28:36people that have helped facilitate this

28:38for them and behind our backs for years

28:41under the bus. So, I hope that you're

28:43also looking into that.

28:46Again, one of the most infuriating

28:47things about this town is the way it's

28:50being managed, and in the case of the

28:52sewer treatment plant, you were given a

28:54plan by a resident almost a year ago

28:58that could have resolved our issues

29:00through grants and other options instead

29:03of hiding out for

29:05$5 million donations, and those

29:08improvements could be well on their way.

29:11And it's not that I just don't realize

29:13that even the state wouldn't let a town

29:15be so crippled that they have no way to

29:18grow except to destroy its very own

29:20resources and safety.

29:23We are also not stupid in that stupid.

29:27So, the way I look at it, or I'm

29:30thinking anyway, is Husky has already

29:32included in their plans. They're putting

29:35the pipes down to tie into the sewer,

29:38and construction takes 2 years. So, I

29:41don't think you need a PhD to see what

29:44the writing on the wall

29:46is there, and that too is poor

29:49management and stewardship on the part

29:51of the town.

29:52We know this product project is not

29:54right for the area. We know that we have

29:57regulations and laws that should be

29:58vetted without prejudice,

30:00and we are fighting with all we have to

30:03make sure that

30:05doesn't go in there. Meanwhile, how is

30:08the lawsuit going? So, in closing, I

30:10would say, let's move forward. Let's fix

30:13what's broken so this never happens

30:15again.

30:17And just know it's in the planning and

30:20zoning commission and in the wetlands

30:21commission, but it's ultimately you and

30:24the town council that are responsible

30:26for it all.

30:28So, that I would think that you would

30:30try to manage and just educate yourself

30:32as best you can about what's going on

30:34and how your residents and commissioners

30:36are being treated.

30:38Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Barclay,

30:41Ms. Barclay for being at the meetings

30:43so you're hearing it firsthand. I don't

30:46even know if other people watch the

30:48meetings, but if you don't you you you

30:51should

30:54I guess review the minutes that are not

30:58are not sufficient, but they're

31:00but

31:01they're

31:03Let's wait a minute. You should the

31:05minutes are not sufficient.

31:08They're good, but they're not

31:09sufficient. You need to see this.

31:12Respectfully, I don't want to just put

31:14this all to the town manager because I

31:16think he could be very good for this

31:18town and he should be able to rely on

31:21his support staff and other departments.

31:23Also, I want a quick hit on the safety

31:25of both these projects.

31:27Also, on Putnam Pike, Dayville, that has

31:30already been destroyed by the Five Guys

31:32building and now somehow it's going to

31:34work. That all these trucks are going to

31:36enter and we'll be fine.

31:39I'm guessing here, but I'm not the

31:41expert, but I think there's a five to

31:43seven accidents a week between these two

31:46hotspots and especially between 37 and

31:4938.

31:51And in And in Dayville, it's the

31:53congestion that's already crippling us

31:56and now they want to add more trucks and

31:57vehicles.

31:59In the In both of these projects, you

32:01have to worry about spills due to these

32:03accidents and just the fact that trucks

32:06leak, so you're not adding more

32:07pollutants to our ground and water.

32:10How long shall we tolerate black box

32:12projects? Thanks for your time and

32:14consideration.

32:16Respectfully, Diana Webber.

32:20Um

32:23No name. Uh so, we don't know where

32:25that's from.

32:27Um

32:30Lori Zordanado

32:32I'm writing in the hopes to bring more

32:34attention to two things. The need for

32:36the Westfield Avenue building project to

32:38completed.

32:40And our auditorium in that building,

32:42which will be housing our theater and

32:44and perform performing arts programs,

32:47has not been a financial priority and

32:49continues to need some financial

32:51investment in order for the safe use of

32:53the auditorium.

32:55What is the plan for completion of the

32:57auditorium? That space has great revenue

32:59potential in the

33:01delays in completing it could have a

33:03negative impact.

33:05>> Lori Zernoto.

33:08>> Um

33:10with respect to the Westfield Avenue

33:12project, I guess there's a lot of delays

33:14with the contractor, but after going to

33:16the performance the other night, the

33:19how is the auditorium

33:22and the theater program

33:25going to be incorporated

33:27in the project? Is that something that

33:29we have to I know there's a heating

33:31system and whatnot that we have to look

33:33at, but um I think there's other issues

33:35with the auditorium

33:37and

33:39I guess we have to wait till we get the

33:40existing contractor

33:42finished or out of that contract and

33:44then we can pursue

33:47more with the theater. I

33:50>> Yeah, so currently we're stuck in phase

33:52two of the Westfield project because of

33:55the issues that we've had with the

33:57construction management company Downs

33:59and that's a matter that's

34:02you know, being discussed on an ongoing

34:03basis with the permanent building

34:04commission. We've involved the surety.

34:07Um you know, they've

34:10they're over scheduled by more than a

34:11year. They're not over budget. The

34:14budget is in relatively good health, um

34:17but they

34:19for whatever reason are not able to

34:21motivate their subcontractors to come

34:22back and finish the work in a timely

34:24manner.

34:25Uh so without getting into things that I

34:27can't talk about outside of executive

34:29session, we've involved the surety. The

34:30surety's been to some of the the weekly

34:32calls. Um

34:34they seem to have the impression that

34:36everything was going okay with Downs

34:37until they got on the calls.

34:39So now they're seeing for themselves,

34:41you know, the some of the capacity

34:42issues that we've been dealing with

34:43first hand.

34:45Downs' latest story is that they're

34:46going to have this buttoned up by the

34:48end of November.

34:49Um, you know, I'd like to believe that,

34:51but they've also, you know, dragged us

34:53along a couple months at a time up until

34:55this point. So, that remains to to be

34:57seen if they're going to perform or not.

35:00We did go out to bid for phase three in

35:02the spring, which is replacement of the

35:04heat and hot water system in the

35:06building. We're not able to award that

35:08bid in part due to some of the

35:09complications of not finishing phase two

35:12and also in part due to the fact that

35:14the bid went out late because of the

35:15complications with with uh, phase two.

35:18We didn't catch the bid economy that we

35:19wanted for that construction. As a

35:21result, the bid was way over budget. So,

35:23we need to rebid phase three, which we

35:25hope to do over the course of the winter

35:27to hit the bid economy the way that we

35:28should presuming that Downs is out of

35:31phase two.

35:32The uh, particulars of how the theater

35:36will be managed and the infrastructure

35:37that requires is phase four,

35:40which is still, you know, some of the

35:42details of that are still being ironed

35:43out with our design team.

35:45Um, how much money we will need to

35:48complete phase four is going to hinge on

35:51how we come out of phase two and phase

35:53three financially, right? So,

35:56we may have a decent amount of money

35:58coming out of phase two, which will help

36:00us

36:01complete phase three. Maybe there'll be

36:04money left over after both of those are

36:06done that we can put to phase four. But,

36:09I don't know what the the price tag is

36:10on all of phase four yet and I don't

36:12know how much I'm going to have left

36:13when I come out of phase two and phase

36:14three. So,

36:16it remains to be seen how much more

36:18money

36:19we will need to do phase four when we

36:21get there.

36:23>> But, if we get through phase two and

36:27phase three,

36:30can we still can't use the auditorium

36:33for theater because it needs quite a bit

36:35of work.

36:35>> It won't be It won't be fully outfitted.

36:37You won't have all the particular bells

36:40and whistles, if you will, that you

36:41would like to have for an enhanced

36:43theater experience, which is why we're

36:45moving, you know, part of the driver for

36:47going over there was we're going to have

36:48a bigger and better theater. So, we're

36:50not going to have all that particular

36:51equipment right away when we go into

36:53that space

36:55until phase four is complete.

36:59>> Okay. Thank you.

37:00>> So,

37:01any

37:01>> I think at this point did did

37:04I think what people are concerned about

37:06is

37:07we're done with phase two, we'll we'll

37:08be we'll then we'll be in that building,

37:10correct?

37:11>> You'll be in that building. The plan was

37:13to do phase [clears throat] three

37:15in situ. So, we'll we'll come in and do

37:17the work while we're using the building.

37:19>> There's probably a concern that people

37:20have is is there going to be a gap in

37:21that theater leaving Broad Street? Are

37:23they going to be able to operate in

37:24Westfield

37:25without any interruption?

37:27>> Well, they're not going to have they're

37:28not going to have a complete theater

37:30when phase two is done, right? So,

37:32there's still there's still design

37:34decisions being made about what

37:35equipment, how it's going to be

37:36installed, and what all that is going to

37:38cost

37:39that need to be addressed.

37:41>> But they would

37:41>> all of that gets put out to bid and then

37:43installed, right?

37:44>> But the but the the auditorium is safe.

37:46Is it a usable space?

37:47>> Yeah, it's a usable space, but it's not

37:49going to be all of phase four right away

37:51when phase two is done.

37:52>> Okay.

37:52>> Yeah.

37:54>> So, the the auditorium would be would be

37:56usable

37:58for their program, but they'd have to

38:00>> Yes.

38:00>> make do.

38:01>> They have to make do.

38:02>> Okay. All right. I I

38:04cuz there were some comments after going

38:06to the to the production the other day

38:07and then the the theater we start

38:10talking about it and are we are we going

38:12to have can we move right in? Well,

38:15you're going to move in, but it's going

38:16to be a time frame before we can get to

38:19where we really need to be.

38:21>> I I think the other disconnect

38:24with phase two is that

38:27early on in conversations about what

38:29phase one and phase two were going to be

38:31for Westfield, there may have been

38:33discussions about renovating this as

38:34new.

38:36And this is not, you know, at the end of

38:37the day with the amount of money that

38:39went to voters for approval was not to

38:41renovate this building as new.

38:43So,

38:43>> [clears throat]

38:44>> it will be a partially renovated

38:45building.

38:47But it's not going to look new.

38:49>> Okay. Well, that's a little bit of an

38:52update. I think you know, people are

38:55looking for

38:56a little more detail.

38:58But that's

39:00Thank you.

39:01Um

39:08And we're talking about some planned

39:10development, but and sustainable

39:13economic development, but a lot has to

39:14do with the the moratorium at the sewer

39:17plant. So, we're kind of beholding to

39:20get something moving with that. And

39:23there were Well, you will talk a little

39:25bit about the sewer plant in your

39:26manager's report, so we can

39:28wait for that. Um

39:36And then the warehouses and the

39:38moratorium on the warehouses, that's a

39:41that's a planning and zoning issue that

39:44would have to be discussed at the

39:45planning and zoning meeting.

39:49Are there any other council comments

39:52on public comment?

39:54Go ahead.

39:56>> I would like to address Ida Beres's and

39:59Ian McDonald's comments. So, it

40:02it was made known at the

40:05Was it the

40:08It was made known at the planning and

40:10zoning meeting, I I believe, or was it

40:12the in the

40:13that um

40:14the developer who tentatively purchased

40:17the 25 properties for the Ryan Company

40:20Amazon distribution center,

40:23Ryan Companies was not forthcoming. They

40:25said it was an unknown occupant, but

40:28they have known the whole time while the

40:30zone um

40:31while the zoning regulations were

40:33manipulated to suit Amazon, and that was

40:36known by

40:38economic development director, and also

40:41by um the planning and development

40:43director. Um

40:46the um

40:50um for the person um I forget his name

40:53also said that

40:55um

40:57planning and zoning and the city

40:59council, the town council were in all

41:01involved in this.

41:03Um

41:04the planning and zoning did not know

41:06that Amazon

41:08um was going to be built there.

41:10And

41:12as far as I know, nobody on the town

41:14council knew either.

41:16So, that was incorrect because um many

41:19people think that um planning and zoning

41:22and the town council members knew that

41:24it was going to be Amazon, which is not

41:26true. This it was all

41:28um economic development and um

41:32the um

41:37Slipped my tongue. And um

41:39>> It's okay. Take your time. Take

41:40>> And And Marie

41:42who did this underhandedly

41:45knowing that the town didn't want it.

41:47There were no changes

41:49um

41:50that the town wanted um

41:52because of

41:54the whole Walmart situation. So, the

41:55only way that Amazon was able to come in

41:58was to manipulate the regulations. And

42:01so, that's is all how it came about. So,

42:03it has nothing to do with the town

42:05council. Nobody's getting paid off. The

42:07planning and zoning commission didn't

42:09know about it. So, this is just for the

42:11public to know that we didn't know about

42:13it.

42:15Thank you.

42:18>> Any other comments from the council?

42:24Okay.

42:25>> [clears throat]

42:26>> We'll move on appointments to boards and

42:28commissions.

42:31Uh Randy Legault the second

42:35move from alternate member to regular

42:37member on inland wetlands. Can I have

42:39[snorts] a motion?

42:41>> I'll make the motion.

42:41>> Second.

42:44Any comments?

42:46>> So, Randy obviously um that's his

42:50regular job, so he has a lot of

42:52experience

42:54that he's going to bring to the Inland

42:57Wetlands Water Course. So, he is already

42:59an alternate, and he will definitely be

43:02um

43:03a good good asset um a regular member

43:07with all of the experiences that he

43:08brings.

43:10>> Even as an alternate, he would jump into

43:12the conversation during it. So, he's

43:14he's

43:16He's been involved, which which is good.

43:19The the

43:20the training sort of we don't have to

43:21have a training program per se, but um I

43:24think he would be a good a good fit.

43:27>> Yeah, I I agree with Ula. He as an

43:30alternate, he's um been paying attention

43:32to everything that they've been working

43:34on. He's been

43:35um stepping up to engage when he when he

43:38acts as a regular member.

43:40Uh he does it for his day job. He seems

43:42like an excellent candidate for the

43:43position.

43:47>> Any other council member comments?

43:54All in favor, say I. I. I.

43:57Any opposed?

44:00Any abstentions?

44:02Motion carries.

44:04Uh

44:07Ken DePietro, appointment to the Water

44:09Pollution Control Authority. Can I get a

44:12motion?

44:12>> So moved.

44:13>> Second.

44:15>> Any comments?

44:18>> I you know, I think he's got a lot of

44:20experience. I mean, running being a

44:23school superintendent for all the years

44:25that he's been involved with um I mean,

44:28if you had asked me when I got on

44:31council back when I got on council what

44:33I would be able to discuss I would have

44:36told you you're nuts if you would have

44:38gone down the list. And so, he's had a

44:41lot of experience. I mean, even

44:43referenced having to check water

44:45quality. So, I think you know, they're

44:48in the they're in the middle of a

44:49building project. He understands budgets

44:52and understands how, you know, taxation

44:55and you know, how fees and everything

44:58impact everybody. So, I think he's got a

45:00lot of experience and

45:03I think he'll be good for and he and

45:05he's pretty

45:07pretty pretty vocal guy. So, so I think

45:10he'll be a good fit.

45:13>> Any other comments?

45:17>> I I agree with Mr. Wakefield's comments.

45:21>> I also agree that

45:23I feel like he'll he'll add some

45:24traction to that commission and I think

45:27they need that right now.

45:31>> Any other comments?

45:36All in favor, say I.

45:38>> I.

45:39>> Any opposed?

45:41Any abstentions? Motion carries.

45:45Uh Nicholas

45:47Linn Hanan, appointment to public safety

45:50commission. Can I get a motion?

45:53>> I'll make that motion.

45:54>> Second.

45:55>> Uh any comment?

45:58>> Wish we could have gotten a police

45:59officer.

46:01>> [laughter]

46:03>> Just saying ex-military, that would have

46:05been awesome.

46:06>> I had no part [snorts] of that.

46:10>> [clears throat]

46:10>> But state wouldn't allow him to be an

46:12SO, you know.

46:15>> That would have been great, but um the

46:17fact that him coming to the table makes

46:20them have a quorum that means we can

46:22gain traction on working on more of

46:24public safety. I think is an amazing

46:26feat and I'm glad he came forward

46:28because obviously that is not going to

46:29be an easy obstacle to overcome. So, um

46:32I'm glad he's willing to put the effort

46:34in and I'm looking forward to it.

46:37>> Any other comments?

46:41All in favor, say I.

46:42>> I.

46:43>> Any opposed?

46:45Any abstentions? The motion carries.

46:48Reports from Liaison, Board of Education

46:52Liaison.

46:56>> I wanted to introduce

46:58our new superintendent, Paul Haughey,

47:00who's here this evening

47:02to introduce himself to the council as

47:04well as the assistant superintendent,

47:05Andrea Drake. And I believe they're

47:07joined by the

47:09Board of Education chairs, Susan Lannon.

47:27>> Hi there. Nice

47:29>> Appreciate you coming.

47:32>> Thanks.

47:34It's an echo.

47:40>> All right. There you go.

47:43>> Dr. Haughey hadn't been in this room, so

47:45he doesn't know how the mics are

47:47temperamental.

47:49And it's okay. Um

47:52I'm Susan Lannon. Most of you know me.

47:54It's nice to meet you and see you again.

47:56Our school year just started. So, for

47:58our board

47:59liaison update tonight, I brought our

48:01big news.

48:02Many of you probably remember Andrea

48:04Drake Drake, our assistant

48:06superintendent, but our district did

48:07just hire Dr. Paul Haughey, who is our

48:09new superintendent. So, he is here

48:11tonight to introduce himself to you and

48:13talk about the start of the school year.

48:16Dr. Haughey.

48:19>> Good evening, everyone. Thank you so

48:21much for the opportunity to come before

48:22you this evening. Um it's an honor and a

48:25privilege to be here in Killingly as the

48:27new superintendent of schools for

48:29Killingly Public Schools. Um we've hit

48:31the ground running at speed as best we

48:33can over the first month of school and

48:37uh done rather well. Uh weather aside

48:40with uh

48:41some of the strange uh storms we had

48:44over uh one weekend. Um we really have

48:47had an excellent opening, uh one of the

48:49smoothest on record. I would tell you

48:51our enrollment is sitting about 2,341

48:54students. Uh we're at about 90% and 93%

48:59staffing capacity at this time with some

49:01open positions remaining, uh which is

49:04where our focus is in terms of filling

49:06high need positions in special education

49:09specifically. Uh but it's been an

49:12excellent open. I'm extremely um pleased

49:14with the way the year is is begun.

49:17Uh I literally got here on September

49:191st. Uh so it's it's been

49:22moving at a a good clip. I am quite uh

49:25frankly on a listening tour. So if any

49:27of you are interested, please feel free.

49:29Uh I'd love to have opportunity to meet

49:31with you and speak with you further uh

49:33and get to know more about the community

49:35at large as well as uh the history as it

49:38relates to Killingly and your

49:39experiences here.

49:41Uh the goal is to become the belle of

49:43the ball in Windham County and in

49:44particular in the northeast corner of

49:46Connecticut.

49:47Uh

49:48you know, focused on continuous

49:49improvement and uh really leaning into

49:52being better each and every day as a

49:54team. Uh the faculty staff uh and

49:58administration are really working hard

49:59with the children and the kids have been

50:01excellent uh

50:03almost immediately in the routines

50:04within I'd say 24 to 48 hours

50:07uh with a focus on teaching and

50:09learning, which is uh why we're all

50:10here. So again, I thank you so much for

50:13the opportunity to come before you

50:14tonight. I'm happy to answer any

50:15questions uh

50:17around safety, health, and wellness. Uh

50:19Ms. Drake has been amazing and really

50:21helped kind of keep things moving when

50:23it comes to the different departments

50:25that she's communicating and

50:26coordinating with. And uh actually

50:29that's the lot of the onboarding work

50:31and listening tour work that I took on

50:33immediately thanks to her stewardship.

50:35So it's been uh excellent working

50:37alongside her in uh getting acclimated.

50:40I've also learned quite clearly how

50:42important football is around here.

50:45>> [laughter]

50:46>> Whether whether I wanted to go to a game

50:47or not. So uh I I have tried to make as

50:50many sporting events as I can from

50:52unified um

50:54uh soccer to uh girls soccer to boys

50:57soccer and uh maybe one or two, maybe

51:00three football games at this point, so

51:02just for what that's worth.

51:04Volleyball's next.

51:08And field hockey.

51:09So, without further ado

51:12>> Yeah, big focus um for the start of the

51:13school year has been um district safety

51:16and partnerships with different town

51:18officials and

51:20law enforcement representatives. Um so,

51:23that's going to be our continued focus

51:24in the year ahead. We also did um

51:26professional development for our entire

51:29faculty um as we kicked off the school

51:31year related to school safety. Um just

51:34an update on the Kiss roof, our

51:36feasibility study is underway. So, we're

51:38happy to share that. The board um

51:41commissioned Antinozzi Associates for

51:43that work. So, that's underway. They're

51:45actually going to be attending our Board

51:47of Education meeting tomorrow to give

51:49our board an update and um they've been

51:53in in Kiss and they're meeting with a

51:55Kiss team as well um

51:58tomorrow before the board meeting. So,

52:00we're excited that that work is

52:01underway.

52:07>> Any questions from the council members?

52:10>> So, I understand you had a

52:12few calls last year

52:14where you had a lock in place and it was

52:17getting to the point where you were

52:18getting traction from the state to

52:20learn to do

52:23handle these associations a little more

52:25often.

52:26And uh there was supposedly a meeting

52:29that you're going to have to train more

52:31of the staff. Um how did that go?

52:34>> Thank you. Yes, it went really well. So,

52:36all principals throughout the district,

52:38every single principal and building

52:40secretary were trained

52:43in a swatting um protocols. That was

52:45with FBI Boston um conducted the

52:48training. It was phenomenal.

52:50Um I had attended it, seen the value and

52:53then required that of the

52:55administrators. Um since then we have

52:58instituted um what they call telephonic

53:01and electronic intake forms, which

53:04essentially our building secretaries

53:06know how to respond should a live call

53:08come through. So, there's a series of

53:10questions that are that they need to ask

53:13to try to better assess the situation to

53:16determine if it's truly a hoax or not.

53:19Um we've also worked closely with um

53:22state and local police on this matter.

53:25We've also consulted with the

53:26commissioner um of homeland security um

53:29for the state of Connecticut. I myself

53:32um am now a chair of the superintendent

53:34safety committee. I'm also now the the

53:37chair of region four um the department

53:39of homeland security region four, which

53:41is pretty much the the full eastern

53:43shore uh

53:44shoreline. So, um I'm sharing that

53:47committee.

53:48Um

53:49>> [clears throat]

53:49>> been through a lot of safety trainings,

53:51a lot of crisis trainings. My background

53:53is um

53:54prior I was a psychologist and have a

53:57lot of experience in crisis response

53:58myself. So, I'm really embedding myself

54:00into this work. Um always excited for

54:03new partnerships, new training

54:05opportunities, and it's something that

54:07we take extremely um

54:09it's extremely important. It's the

54:10number one thing. To me, safety comes

54:12before anything else. We can't educate

54:14if our students aren't safe.

54:16>> Excellent. Excellent. Um I'm I'm glad to

54:18hear that, you know, um

54:19after hearing all those. And I I have a

54:21daughter myself in high school. So, we

54:24hear firsthand the text messages come

54:25across. So, um

54:27uh I appreciate that. Great job.

54:29>> And something else I just wanted to

54:30share that was really important but uh

54:32is that we implemented new communication

54:33protocols. So, we have a new platform

54:36that allows us to push messages out as

54:39fast as possible. So, that there's three

54:41stages of communication. One, when we

54:44first get the call, so we can

54:45communicate quickly to parents and staff

54:47and the community, let them know

54:49something's happening, that our priority

54:51is making sure our schools are safe.

54:53Then once we do that, then we can devote

54:55ourselves to more detailed messaging.

54:57Once we

54:58our first priority is making making sure

55:00our schools and staff and students are

55:02safe. That's number one. Then once we do

55:04that, we can and out additional

55:06messaging with more details. Um but we

55:08have been recognized for our um response

55:12and um

55:13and and commended for our new

55:15approaches. We have new um procedures

55:18that we can take instead of necessarily

55:20going to a evacuation or a lockdown.

55:23There are some new secure um procedures

55:26we can follow as well, so there's less

55:28of a disruption. But obviously it's very

55:31important that we take every

55:33every call, every incident as a true um

55:37true call.

55:38So that does take time to dig through,

55:40but we're better equipped now with

55:42knowing those warning signs of a true

55:44call.

55:45Thank you.

55:47>> Fantastic.

55:53>> I have um a question in regards to the

55:55budget and the accounting error with

55:57which is um 500,000 plus. So that

56:01increased the Board of Education um

56:03minimum budgetary requirements. So the

56:06taxpayers are paying actually more money

56:08than they should be. So how is that

56:10being addressed?

56:15>> And and where I'm sorry. Uh where in the

56:18budget is there a 5,000 500,000

56:20discrepancy?

56:21>> accounting error in the medical benefits

56:24that I've heard of.

56:26>> That's not correct. The uh the

56:28insurance, if that's what you're

56:29referencing, was based on actuarial the

56:31actuary for Killingly, Connecticut gives

56:34you the assessment based on what we know

56:36at the time and the snapshot. And as a

56:38result uh that number is set by the

56:40actuary. And then we follow through to

56:42make sure all employees of the district,

56:44much like anyone in the municipality, uh

56:47has the opportunity to enroll in

56:48insurance.

56:49Um we have aspects of the budget that uh

56:52have deficit and may have uh overages or

56:55underages at this point given where we

56:57are in the year.

56:59Um and it's a ebb and flow situation

57:01depending on where we are in our hiring.

57:03We're not done hiring. We We have

57:05numbers that quite frankly

57:08uh may show at this time some, uh,

57:10revenue there, but not at 500,000. Uh,

57:14and to be fair, we aren't done with the

57:16hiring. So, if we are to find a BCBA,

57:19um, RBT, OT, PT, speech,

57:23uh, some specialists in high-need

57:24positions, we have to have money

57:26encumbered and set aside and ready to

57:28go. So, if they decide to take

57:30insurance, uh, that money is there for

57:32them.

57:33Uh, and again, that that's set by the

57:34actuary.

57:35Uh, so, I'd have to look a little more

57:37deeply at it, but that's, uh, in a

57:39global sense,

57:40um, having, knowing what I know of

57:42insurance and and knowing what's

57:43happening with rates and insurance,

57:45uh, that that money has to be captured.

57:47You can't undershoot. Uh, and the

57:49municipality usually gives you the

57:52percentages

57:53uh, early in the process. I would think,

57:55you know,

57:57for retirees, we did it in December, and

58:00usually in spring you start seeing what

58:02your projections look like. It's based

58:03on the experience as well. So, some

58:06years are better than others. Um,

58:08and I'd have to go back and look at the

58:09experience to see exactly how close we

58:11are,

58:12uh, currently, but

58:14uh, I look forward to working with the

58:15town administrator on things like this

58:17to make sure we kind of get a little

58:18more precise in in the work ahead. Uh,

58:21but again, that number is generated in

58:23partnership with you, the municipality,

58:25as one of the departments.

58:28That'd be my generic quick answer. I

58:30know right now in special ed we do have,

58:33uh, open positions that have to be

58:34accounted for. So, that's that's where

58:36that offset may be, and I don't know

58:39that it's exactly, uh, 500,000. It might

58:41be more like 400,000. Uh, but we have to

58:44have money set aside for if and when we

58:46hire those employees.

58:48I hope that helps.

58:49>> Thank you.

58:50>> Mhm. Yes, ma'am.

58:52And and if I can get more specific, I'm

58:54happy to answer more as we go forward,

58:56cuz as you know, budgets are, as I said,

58:58a snapshot in time. That was the

59:00snapshot back in the spring, probably,

59:03you know, as you were getting ready to

59:04go to town meeting, it was getting a

59:05little clearer,

59:06but it's always changing.

59:08Um, I would like to report that we had,

59:10uh,

59:11more hiring in specialized areas like I

59:15mentioned BCBA's

59:17OT,PT,Speech. So, we're working on that

59:20quite hard right now.

59:22Hope that helps.

59:24>> I do think

59:25what he's saying kind of comports with

59:27what the interim superintendent had

59:28reported that there was

59:30uh

59:31more resources budgeted

59:34in the health insurance line

59:35than they needed which was something

59:37that they realized over the summer that

59:38they had to do more hiring in other

59:40areas and so some of that over rich

59:43might need to be shifted to other other

59:45budget areas.

59:46Um and I think the way he had left it

59:48with us was that he was going to present

59:50a budget amendment to the board of ed

59:52and I don't know

59:54if that got presented or not but I think

59:55that's where that's just where the rule

59:57was coming from.

59:58>> Understood. So,

59:59you know, again as we get better knowns

1:00:01we'll look at you know, possibly doing

1:00:03each quarter poll to traditionally I've

1:00:05done transfers or made recommendations

1:00:08to the board accordingly. Um

1:00:11I'll look back and see what's coming up

1:00:13for probably the first quarter transfers

1:00:15and look at that more in depth as we go.

1:00:20>> Cuz I did bring it up at the

1:00:22town meeting that the numbers didn't um

1:00:26didn't pan out there the math was

1:00:29incorrect and I guess nobody really

1:00:31looked at it.

1:00:33>> I I don't know what happened

1:00:35at that time but

1:00:36I'm looking into special ed quite deeply

1:00:39and looking at exactly what we have

1:00:41versus what where we are short. And so

1:00:44again I just know that that number came

1:00:46from the actuary and I'm working with

1:00:48what we know and what was given to us.

1:00:51So, as soon as we're getting a little

1:00:53more precise in our hiring especially in

1:00:55those high need positions uh

1:00:57I'm sure we'll work on some kind of a

1:00:59transfer of some sort.

1:01:01That'd be the long and short answer of

1:01:03it. You know, we want to put the money

1:01:04where it's needed most to you know, meet

1:01:07the needs.

1:01:10Thank you.

1:01:11>> Any other council comments?

1:01:17>> I just wanted to to share I'd be remiss

1:01:19if I didn't thank our troop our troop D

1:01:21officers, Trooper Gibson, as well as our

1:01:24school resource officer and our ASOs who

1:01:26really do so much work to help support

1:01:28our district and the partnerships that

1:01:30we have. Those are very meaningful to us

1:01:33and if there's any way I can connect

1:01:35with our public safety commission, I'm

1:01:36happy to to support anything there as

1:01:38well. So, please let me know we're

1:01:40always looking to expand partnerships

1:01:42around school safety. That's very

1:01:43important and town safety as well.

1:01:47>> Let me interject right there cuz I'm

1:01:48really curious about that. Brian, maybe

1:01:50you could answer me this question. If we

1:01:51were looking to do more officers, is

1:01:53there a way that the collaboration

1:01:55between the school budget and officers

1:01:57can some kind of collide?

1:02:02>> So, we we carry the budget for the armed

1:02:05security officers and the school

1:02:07resource officers on the town side and

1:02:09through the two MOUs that we have in

1:02:11place, the school reimburses us for

1:02:14those costs.

1:02:15So, we did have some preliminary

1:02:17conversations last year with Dr. Nash

1:02:19when we had some shortages in the ASO

1:02:21areas.

1:02:22And you know, could we look ahead and

1:02:24budget for another ASO?

1:02:26They weren't in a position to do that

1:02:28last year because they had other needs

1:02:29to be addressed. We're open to doing

1:02:31that. We're open to, you know, if they

1:02:34want to look at other security

1:02:35solutions, if they think they can do

1:02:37that more cost-effectively outside of

1:02:39them being town staff. Um

1:02:42you know, that's a solution that we can

1:02:44look at as well.

1:02:45>> I think we should always be open to

1:02:46collaborations.

1:02:52>> Yeah, just just around that. Um

1:02:54I come from a family of law enforcement,

1:02:56so there's you know, absolutely 100%. I

1:02:59think it's very important that we be as

1:03:00collaborative and resourceful as

1:03:01possible. So, wherever we wherever we

1:03:03can realize an efficiency as it relates

1:03:05to public safety

1:03:07I I echo what the assistant

1:03:08superintendent said.

1:03:10The day we received

1:03:12the shutdown on the Monday

1:03:15everybody was there and very responsive.

1:03:18Same when we got our initial call

1:03:20earlier in the year. Again, very

1:03:22responsive.

1:03:23They've been exceptional out of the gate

1:03:25this year and can't thank them enough

1:03:26for all that they do. So, wherever we

1:03:28can realize an efficiency to your point

1:03:30and be collaborative, we look forward to

1:03:32doing so. And uh

1:03:34Mr. Pae and I have already had that

1:03:35conversation, so I think we're on point

1:03:37with that and doing doing the best we

1:03:40can with what we're given.

1:03:42So, I think I thank you for that point.

1:03:44You got it.

1:03:48>> With the

1:03:49With voting uh happening with the school

1:03:52being in session, how are we I mean,

1:03:55that's a whole that's a new

1:03:56uh

1:03:58a new area to delve in.

1:04:00Um

1:04:01where do we

1:04:02I mean

1:04:06Does the school have to be closed off

1:04:08more um and then parking situations? I

1:04:13don't know. Hopefully, we've

1:04:15we're resolving these things beforehand.

1:04:18Uh I I don't know what to ask you, but

1:04:20all I became aware that, you know, it

1:04:22was sort of nice that school wasn't on,

1:04:25but then again, I think school should be

1:04:27on and they understand what's going on,

1:04:30that voting is important if the kids are

1:04:32there and see it happening. It's it's a

1:04:35great experience. So, it's it's good,

1:04:38bad, who knows where?

1:04:40>> You're asking all the same questions I

1:04:42asked when when this was first proposed,

1:04:44but we saw how important it was for us

1:04:46to open school doors to support the the

1:04:49voting process. So, um we we discussed

1:04:51the logistics. Uh for example, we

1:04:54wouldn't allow entrance into the school

1:04:56setting beyond the the gymnasium doors.

1:04:58We would have uh additional security

1:05:01officers stationed. Parking is going to

1:05:03only be in a specific area near the rear

1:05:06entrance. So, we we have teased out some

1:05:08of these logistics. As we get closer to

1:05:10the date, these will be important things

1:05:12for us to really lock in. Um

1:05:15and we wanted to again be make sure we

1:05:18were responsive and collaborative in

1:05:20opening up the school.

1:05:21Um obviously easier if school's not in

1:05:23session, but we do think with um having

1:05:26security personnel and and just making

1:05:29sure logistics in terms of where people

1:05:31can access the building and where they

1:05:33can't is covered.

1:05:35>> So pretty much it's going to be the

1:05:36access for the voters is where we

1:05:38normally go, but do other people were

1:05:40accessing prior to? They were accessing

1:05:43the building on the other end of the No,

1:05:46they weren't. Okay, I just, you know,

1:05:48>> I'm not familiar with this is You're my

1:05:49first

1:05:51>> I mean, I'm usually at the polls there,

1:05:53but I'm not

1:05:55I'm outside. I'm not uh

1:05:57>> I may be incorrect, but I believe last

1:05:59year on election day we did have school.

1:06:03>> I don't think that this is the first

1:06:04year, but don't hold back to that. I

1:06:07think we did.

1:06:09I vote in that

1:06:11district in the high school. So when you

1:06:13go up to the high school, voters will

1:06:14turn

1:06:15left and enter through the gym

1:06:18>> Yep.

1:06:18>> entrance. There is a door that goes

1:06:21directly into the gymnasium and the

1:06:23public does not have access to the rest

1:06:25of the school. Um there's no bathroom

1:06:28usage for voters for

1:06:31the candidates who might be standing

1:06:33outside in the tent, the DTC, RTC. Um if

1:06:36you've been out there, you know, there's

1:06:38no access to the to the building where

1:06:39the the kids are and that will be the

1:06:41same. So the the really only access that

1:06:43the three voting

1:06:46have the three voting districts have

1:06:48within the gymnasium is within the

1:06:50gymnasium.

1:06:52I've I've been there. It's

1:06:54been oh

1:06:55non um climatic, I guess. That there's

1:06:58really people go and vote, do what

1:07:00they're supposed to do. There's security

1:07:02presence, uh no access to the schools. I

1:07:04have a high schooler. Um

1:07:06you know, I'm disappointed that there's

1:07:07not

1:07:08>> So would we need more signage to be a

1:07:10little more specific? I'm I'm just

1:07:12>> I think the people who have voted there

1:07:14know

1:07:16um because it's been a a voting district

1:07:17that way. It's never been different when

1:07:20we don't have school because the polls

1:07:22are closed, you still go in the same

1:07:25door and only have access to the gym.

1:07:28We wouldn't give public access to the

1:07:30school any other way even if school was

1:07:32closed. You wouldn't be able to go in

1:07:34through the main entrance and walk the

1:07:35hallway to the gym.

1:07:37>> Okay.

1:07:37>> When you're there to vote, you go in the

1:07:39voting door and you come out the voting

1:07:41door and there's only access to the

1:07:42gymnasium.

1:07:43>> So, what about the students? They

1:07:45wouldn't Would they be still using that

1:07:47entry They'd They'd have If If they were

1:07:48parking in that parking lot I mean, now

1:07:51I'm thinking a little bit different

1:07:52here. How would they access Would they

1:07:54have to change their access to the

1:07:57building?

1:07:58>> The students, unless it's changed Are

1:08:00they changing? No, so the students will

1:08:02go in the main entrance. That will bring

1:08:04them into the hallway of the school.

1:08:07That both The entrance that the voters

1:08:09use The voting is to the gym right to

1:08:10the left. Yeah. It's the emergency exit

1:08:12of the gym.

1:08:14>> So, what I could say but the kids are

1:08:16still going into the building at that

1:08:18point.

1:08:20And that's why I'm thinking should there

1:08:22be a little more signage to make sure

1:08:25the public doesn't even

1:08:26Let's make sure they go to the left.

1:08:28>> We can work on that. I know

1:08:31Buddy

1:08:32Conroy has a digital sign that he uses

1:08:35at times when we have large events and

1:08:37we can station that on the property.

1:08:40We also I think talked about just being

1:08:42mindful of setup time and you know, when

1:08:46the buses are coming in in the morning

1:08:49and just making sure that we stagger

1:08:50those times so that we're not, you know,

1:08:53doing everything all at

1:08:55People aren't arriving from

1:08:57from multiple

1:08:59standpoints

1:09:01at the same time. So, we have to just be

1:09:02really mindful of those logistics. We

1:09:04also talked about that should it be

1:09:07presidential election year and that

1:09:08might look a little different.

1:09:09>> a whole different matter.

1:09:11This is not going to Yeah, right. That's

1:09:13it. That would be a different scenario.

1:09:15>> Yeah, that's a different scenario. But

1:09:17yeah, we can absolutely work with Buddy,

1:09:18our our public safety administrator as

1:09:21it relates to that as well.

1:09:23>> Cuz I've seen

1:09:26irate voters

1:09:28that they just whatever they thought was

1:09:31right was right. You know, they would

1:09:32violate rules and whatnot and

1:09:36you have to keep them corralled to the

1:09:38right location.

1:09:39So, I want to make sure that

1:09:42they don't get to where

1:09:45to areas where they should not.

1:09:48>> I

1:09:49I know this conversation is focused on

1:09:51the high school, but the 79 West Field

1:09:53have location also will have school

1:09:55staff and students that day. So,

1:09:57security there I'm sure will be

1:09:59tightened and the entrances clearly for

1:10:02voters and not throughout the school.

1:10:06If I know Andrea, she's a straight she's

1:10:08on it. She's really been an asset to

1:10:10school security.

1:10:12And it's not we can speak her praises,

1:10:14but they have come from levels above us

1:10:16at the state and federal government

1:10:18about the way and our changes.

1:10:22So,

1:10:23I'm confident in her.

1:10:26>> Any Any other council comments?

1:10:29>> Um I just wanted to know who would be

1:10:31the best point of contact for the solar

1:10:34lease over there to get some more

1:10:35information on it.

1:10:41>> That would be our business manager, um

1:10:44but we can definitely put you in the

1:10:45right direction. We can assist you with

1:10:47that.

1:10:49>> That'd be great. I work in solar. I have

1:10:51for a while. I'm very interested in what

1:10:53the benefit is over there. I I

1:10:56understand that you guys had had some

1:10:57difficulty getting a hold of the

1:10:58representative

1:11:00from the installation company to get

1:11:02information. That was a couple of months

1:11:04ago. So, I don't know if there's been an

1:11:06update since,

1:11:07but I would just like to

1:11:09take a look at the lease and and see how

1:11:11well we're doing on it.

1:11:13>> Great.

1:11:15>> And thank you guys.

1:11:17>> Thank you.

1:11:17>> Thank you.

1:11:20Good. So, I'll just close by saying I'm

1:11:23um the chair of the Board of Education.

1:11:25I am not the liaison. So, your next

1:11:27meeting someone else may be sitting

1:11:29here. If there's ever any questions that

1:11:31you have that you want us to address in

1:11:33this time, let us know. You can email me

1:11:35ahead of time and we'll work to get that

1:11:37information to you, but um I know for us

1:11:41the schools and for you is often a

1:11:44budget monetary item in the town and

1:11:47it's a big expense. So, to see how that

1:11:49expense is worth it here, I invite you.

1:11:52I know Tammy's been there. Mr. Reynolds

1:11:54has kids in the school. You have

1:11:55grandchildren. If you haven't come out

1:11:57to see what our kids are doing from

1:11:59Goodyear to high school, take a peek. Um

1:12:02visit You can visit the schools. You can

1:12:04walk through our buildings if you reach

1:12:05out and just ask for a tour, but the the

1:12:07concerts, the robotics, the sports, the

1:12:09academics,

1:12:11um I promise you I'm heartfelt when I

1:12:13tell you it's worth it and we're here to

1:12:15figure it all out together. So, thank

1:12:17you for your efforts. The people that

1:12:19you've elected um to

1:12:21uh join our effort here of making

1:12:23Killingly better on your subcommittees

1:12:25are great. I'm glad we found a home for

1:12:26Mr. DePietro. Um I've gotten to know him

1:12:29over this summer. I had the same

1:12:31thoughts about the security um

1:12:33personnel. If we only got our hands on

1:12:35him a little sooner, maybe we could have

1:12:37enrolled him to a a different role in

1:12:39our in our town here, but

1:12:40[clears throat]

1:12:41you're all good people doing good

1:12:42things. So, thanks for the opportunity

1:12:43to be here and meet my team.

1:12:46>> Thank you.

1:12:48>> Thank you.

1:13:09Borough Council Liaison.

1:13:12>> That would be me. All right.

1:13:15Um so, um

1:13:17the borough um had its meeting on the

1:13:2016th

1:13:21of September.

1:13:23Um

1:13:24>> [clears throat]

1:13:28>> On the fire department, I touched base

1:13:31um, with the chief.

1:13:32Um, I reported last time, um, we I had a

1:13:36September 3rd meeting.

1:13:38Um, where we authorized 64,000 for, um,

1:13:44uh, turnout gear replacement. Um, I

1:13:47checked with the chief. Um, final specs

1:13:50on the gear that they they they have

1:13:52ordered has

1:13:54they're finishing that up, so soon the

1:13:56gear the new gear should be there.

1:13:59Um, they're continuing to make, um,

1:14:01their calls. Um, they haven't The only

1:14:04call that they have missed was last

1:14:06Wednesday. It was a CEO, um, call.

1:14:10Um, no one None of the firefighters were

1:14:12actually in town.

1:14:14Um, so there was nobody to answer, but

1:14:16they will, um,

1:14:18the surrounding other surrounding

1:14:20killing department

1:14:21>> Mutual aid

1:14:22>> Mutual aid did what it was supposed to

1:14:24do.

1:14:24>> did did what it was supposed to Um, so,

1:14:27um, they're still training. They're

1:14:29meeting. They're doing their weekly

1:14:30training.

1:14:32Um, I got a chance to meet, um, two of

1:14:34the, um,

1:14:35um, firefighters that are,

1:14:38um, working getting their firefighter

1:14:40one certs. Um, they're actually

1:14:44uh, young ladies, um, which is always

1:14:46exciting which is really exciting, um,

1:14:49because, you know, it's great

1:14:50opportunities for them, um, in

1:14:54emergency services is is uh, can benefit

1:14:58a lot.

1:14:59Um, they're pretty pretty spunky gals,

1:15:01so um, I've

1:15:04enjoyed, um, getting to know them.

1:15:06Uh, we had our audit presented at the

1:15:08last, uh, borough meeting. We got a, um,

1:15:11we have a clean audit. There were no

1:15:13deficiencies.

1:15:15Um,

1:15:17there was, um, discussion about, um,

1:15:20ways to replace

1:15:22um, our radio systems.

1:15:25Um,

1:15:26and

1:15:28they had initiated, um, a new, um,

1:15:33stipend program,

1:15:35um, um

1:15:35which actually is seeming to

1:15:38have

1:15:40getting more more people willing to um

1:15:43volunteer for different um to be their

1:15:45paid shifts.

1:15:46Um they're not It's not a whole lot of

1:15:48money, but um

1:15:51that actually seemed to be encouraging a

1:15:53little bit more

1:15:55um people to sign up for the for those

1:15:58actually paid slots.

1:16:00So, um initial initially

1:16:05it looked like it might be a little bit

1:16:06more

1:16:07um

1:16:08require more money, but it um

1:16:11it we only had like a month or 6 weeks

1:16:14worth of

1:16:15data, and so um they're going to work on

1:16:18that through

1:16:20um and we're going to revisit that after

1:16:22next after this month.

1:16:25Um

1:16:27and they're continuing

1:16:29um the old fire truck that we were

1:16:31placed um we're still continuing to try

1:16:33to get that marketed and um sold.

1:16:36Um

1:16:38and

1:16:40our we have a meeting on the 21st of

1:16:43this month is our regular meeting, and

1:16:45our fire commissioners will be meeting

1:16:47on the 27th

1:16:50of this month. So,

1:16:51um all borough um

1:16:53residents um are encouraged to

1:16:57um to show up at our meetings, um make

1:16:59public comment, um find out what's going

1:17:01on. Um

1:17:03I know I know our numbers are continuing

1:17:05to hold our staffing numbers, so

1:17:08um

1:17:10it's there's a good vibe. Uh one of the

1:17:12other things we did this this last um

1:17:14borough meeting is we authorized

1:17:17um there's one of the members is is a

1:17:20very talented artist, and he's going to

1:17:23actually put a historic mural up up on

1:17:27the upstairs floors that like presents

1:17:29the history of the fire department on

1:17:32the walls as so as you come up into that

1:17:34space.

1:17:35Um, they'll be up there and

1:17:38um

1:17:39it's it's a pretty impressive um and

1:17:43I he's he's a very very talented um

1:17:46not only can not only can he respond to

1:17:48emergencies and fires, but he he's a

1:17:51very talented um artist and so I'm

1:17:55looking forward to seeing what that work

1:17:57completed and you know, it's just really

1:17:59speaks volumes that they're willing to

1:18:01take pride in their in their station and

1:18:04take care of each other and in in the

1:18:06building itself. So

1:18:08um it's they got the

1:18:10I've had a chance to meet with different

1:18:12people here and there and and um

1:18:14the there's still a really good vibe and

1:18:17and they're really positive and looking

1:18:19forward to um the department getting

1:18:22back to to the

1:18:24levels that they were at before. So

1:18:28>> So I'm glad you you are here to make

1:18:29these comments cuz people keep asking me

1:18:31about things

1:18:33on the borough and I said that's beyond

1:18:35my scope.

1:18:36>> it's hard for people they they think

1:18:38well it's part of Killingly, but it's

1:18:40own municipality. So

1:18:42>> Right. Right. It is.

1:18:43>> we get that's why our our we had to do a

1:18:46state audit cuz we can get state funds.

1:18:49Um any any time we don't get quite as

1:18:52much state funds as the town does, but

1:18:54you know, we we have just as many

1:18:56requirements as

1:18:58as any other municipality. So

1:19:03>> Yeah, that's why I stay out of it. I

1:19:04just

1:19:05>> [laughter]

1:19:06>> I really don't say ghost call you, but I

1:19:08said this is that's something that I

1:19:10it's beyond my scope. So

1:19:13>> any any of the borough councilors um

1:19:15would you know

1:19:17I mean that's that's our job is to

1:19:19answer people's questions. So

1:19:21>> But it's nice that you make these you

1:19:22know, at this meeting which is out

1:19:24televising whatnot. So some people do

1:19:27get

1:19:29their questions or maybe better

1:19:32questions, but then again there's

1:19:34something it's out there they have

1:19:35someone that well, you have a person on

1:19:37the town council that does speak about

1:19:39it. So, it's it's not hidden out of

1:19:41sight anymore.

1:19:42>> I I know when when um

1:19:44Mr. Pelaya and I go on to Winnie, I

1:19:47always make sure I put that insert, you

1:19:50know,

1:19:51to keep people

1:19:53It's It's easy easy to kind of merge

1:19:56everything, but [laughter] um

1:19:58it's the the borough is its own happy

1:20:00little entity and um so

1:20:06That's it.

1:20:08>> Any council members have any questions

1:20:10for Tammy?

1:20:13Okay, moving on.

1:20:16Discussion and acceptance of monthly

1:20:19>> Sorry, Mr. Chairman, you skipped the

1:20:21>> Oh, sorry about that. I'm thinking about

1:20:25it and then I'm I'm not used to it, so

1:20:31Jennifer Reynolds from the Killingly

1:20:33Business Association. Thank you. Thank

1:20:36you for reminding me.

1:20:37>> [laughter]

1:20:39>> So, I'm the president of Killingly

1:20:41Business Association. I started in

1:20:42January. We meet the first Thursday of

1:20:45every month at the Killingly Public

1:20:46Library 8:30 in the morning. As always,

1:20:49every single one of you is welcome to

1:20:50attend.

1:20:52Um we're also on Winnie every Thursday

1:20:54um at 7:00 in the morning um usually

1:20:56with one of our members and they're

1:20:57talking about an event that's going on

1:20:59um

1:21:00or, you know, we recently had um the

1:21:02Dollhouse Art Studio who just opened up

1:21:04downtown um who came out. And this

1:21:07Thursday, I have the pleasure of having

1:21:09our town manager, Mr. Grandelski, and

1:21:11Parks and Rec, Bucky and Tommy, joining

1:21:13me. So, I encourage you all to listen.

1:21:16Um it's going to be exciting. We're just

1:21:18going to talk about, you know, some of

1:21:19the collaborations that we have. It's

1:21:20going to be great. So, exciting.

1:21:23Yeah, it's going to.

1:21:24>> Yeah, I got

1:21:25>> have to bail.

1:21:27>> It's okay. [laughter]

1:21:29>> I was fortunate enough that when I asked

1:21:31everybody, they said yes, and I was

1:21:32going to grab it and run with that. So,

1:21:34um so much like the borough reported,

1:21:36you know, last month, um we're in the

1:21:38process of redoing our bylaws. They're

1:21:40out of date, and we just want to make

1:21:41them more up-to-date with how we do

1:21:43business nowadays. So, we are working on

1:21:45that. Um we are looking forward to

1:21:48utilizing the ever anticipated Brickyard

1:21:50project. I know that everybody's looking

1:21:52forward to that coming to completion. Um

1:21:55and helping to continue to support the

1:21:56businesses as they come to town, you

1:21:58know, through ribbon cuttings, through

1:21:59membership, networking, advertising, and

1:22:02other resources that we have available

1:22:03to us. We're working on our

1:22:05collaborations. Um we're getting more

1:22:07involved with the Northeastern

1:22:08Connecticut Council of Governments.

1:22:09We're doing networking with other um

1:22:11business associations. Um we do

1:22:14networking with some of our schools. We

1:22:16have, you know, um Chad, Neil, and Tony

1:22:18Hebert, they come to our meetings all

1:22:21the time. Um they have collaborations

1:22:23with Ellis Tech. We have Ellis Tech that

1:22:25comes out. Um and we do collaborations

1:22:27with them. We've also done

1:22:28beautification at some of the schools,

1:22:30um sponsorship opportunities, um

1:22:32different kinds of drives. So, we have a

1:22:34lot of collaborations going on with that

1:22:35as well, and we're hoping to expand. Um

1:22:38some big things we have coming up, two

1:22:40major events for us. One is called Tips

1:22:43for Tools. It is on October 22nd from

1:22:465:00 to 9:00 at the Golden Greek. Um

1:22:49this raises funds to give to um incoming

1:22:53or to new students, first-year students

1:22:55at Ellis Tech to help them purchase

1:22:57their tools. Um depending what shop

1:22:59you're in, sometimes those costs can go

1:23:01upwards over a thousand dollars. And

1:23:03that's difficult for some families. So,

1:23:05they write essays, and we select usually

1:23:07somewhere between 10 and 15 students,

1:23:09and we give them the funds to purchase

1:23:12their tools. Um this year, um ahead of

1:23:15schedule, we've already raised 21,000

1:23:17this year. Um we're got raffle baskets

1:23:20that are going to be there. We're going

1:23:21to have um our guest bartender list is

1:23:24going to be awesome. Um any tips that

1:23:26the guest bartenders have and a portion

1:23:28of food that you order will go towards

1:23:30the scholarships. Any funds that we

1:23:32don't hand out that night are going to

1:23:34go towards our endowment. We're working

1:23:36on an endowment so that this will live

1:23:37on in perpetuity. So, all funds will go

1:23:40towards scholarships for that year or

1:23:42future years. Um so, I encourage

1:23:44everybody to attend. And November 1st

1:23:47from 10:00 to uh excuse me, from 12:00

1:23:49to 3:00 at Davis Park is our second

1:23:51annual Bark Harvest. We started this

1:23:53last year. Um, it's kind of a nod to all

1:23:57of the businesses that are downtown that

1:23:58have a dog in them in some way, shape,

1:24:00or form. You've got Bark Society, you've

1:24:02got Chubby Dog, you've got Two Dogs. So,

1:24:04we kind of are playing on that. Um, and

1:24:07we started that last year, like I said,

1:24:09great success. We'll have vendors, there

1:24:11will be food trucks there. Um, there's

1:24:13going to be a agility course for dogs.

1:24:15Bring your dog. Um, vendors won't be

1:24:17just dog related, but there will be

1:24:19vendors there. Um, there's going to be

1:24:21all kinds of things. There's going to be

1:24:22a pet parade, costume parade. We're

1:24:24having a pet photo contest. Um, so all

1:24:27of this is just fun. It's free for the

1:24:28residents to attend. So, we encourage

1:24:30everybody to come on out and check that

1:24:31out, too. Really excited about that.

1:24:34Um, and of course, our collaboration

1:24:36with Parks and Rec and the town on

1:24:38Spooktacular on the 24th. Um, it starts

1:24:41off with the block party, and then you

1:24:42have trick-or-treat on Main Street, and

1:24:44then you have the parade. So, it's it's

1:24:46this really incredible thing that I'm

1:24:47I'm feel very fortunate that we have the

1:24:49opportunity to be a part of. So,

1:24:51um we're inviting more and more

1:24:52businesses. So, it won't just be the

1:24:53downtown businesses. The fact that we

1:24:55have the road closed down is going to be

1:24:57great. It's going to create a lot more

1:24:58safety for our you know, the families.

1:25:00That was the first time last year, and

1:25:02I'm so glad we're continuing that. It

1:25:03got a little nerve-racking um sometimes

1:25:05with families trying to walk around Main

1:25:06Street, thousands of them in between

1:25:08cars. So, I'm glad we're not doing that

1:25:11anymore.

1:25:11>> How when when is the road

1:25:14What time frame is the road closed?

1:25:16>> The road's going to close right before

1:25:18um trick-or-treating starts, so right

1:25:19before 4:00.

1:25:20>> Okay.

1:25:21>> So, around quarter of four-ish, 3:30,

1:25:23quarter of four, it'll shut down.

1:25:25Yeah. And then that'll give everybody

1:25:27plenty of time to make sure that they're

1:25:28set up, all the cars to get off the

1:25:30street, and you know, the kids and the

1:25:31families can walk up and down the

1:25:32street, get their candy, you know, have

1:25:34some food, you know, join the enjoy the

1:25:37bonfire at Davis Park. It's going to be

1:25:38there's going to be um

1:25:40the fire station's going to be there.

1:25:42Go ahead. Yeah.

1:25:44>> I was going to say Catnip um Junkies is

1:25:47going to be roaming up and down the

1:25:49street. Danielson Surplus is sponsoring

1:25:52that one, so.

1:25:53>> It's going to be epic. It's really going

1:25:54to be epic. I'm excited.

1:25:55>> If you If you haven't heard Cat, it's

1:25:58like, um, you're going to New Orleans

1:26:01and that's they play that kind of music

1:26:03up and down the streets, so.

1:26:05>> That's pretty cool.

1:26:07So, costumes encouraged to come check

1:26:10that out. Um,

1:26:12on a more serious note, cuz that's a lot

1:26:14of fun stuff. On a more serious note, we

1:26:16are really happy to see the relaxation

1:26:18on the sewer moratorium. Um, we've

1:26:20missed out on a lot of opportunities.

1:26:22Um, I don't know if you're aware of, um,

1:26:24we had the opportunity for a shake shop

1:26:26that got turned down.

1:26:28Um,

1:26:28our hairdressers having problems at

1:26:30adding additional chairs, so some of

1:26:31them have left. Um, we have a business

1:26:33on Main Street that wants to sell, but

1:26:35can't market to restaurants because

1:26:37they've been told that they can't, um,

1:26:40take part in that water situation, so

1:26:42their marketing can only go to certain

1:26:43businesses, so they're having a hard

1:26:44time selling their business. Um, we have

1:26:47two, um, industrial businesses that

1:26:49wanted to come into Killingly and one of

1:26:52them's already here and wanted to expand

1:26:54in Killingly and one wanted to come to

1:26:55Killingly.

1:26:56They were told no. So, we are missing

1:26:58out on a lot of different things. Um,

1:27:01and I do plan to go to the Water

1:27:02Pollution Control Authority their next

1:27:04meeting.

1:27:05>> That's what I was just going to say.

1:27:06These individuals, we need No one comes

1:27:08down to the sewer plant meetings. It

1:27:10It's Well, a couple lately, but for the

1:27:13most part, no one

1:27:15goes down to those meetings. So, we need

1:27:18the public to come down and express

1:27:20their displeasure.

1:27:22>> I will be there. I will be talking about

1:27:24that. Um, I've got some more elaborate

1:27:26notes for them, um, but I won't get, you

1:27:28know, bother you guys with the details,

1:27:30but I will be going down there, but I

1:27:31just wanted to share, you know, that

1:27:33there is there is is some stuff that

1:27:34we're missing out on. Um, and it's sad

1:27:36and I'm hoping that we can kind of,

1:27:39through some of the stuff that's

1:27:40happening with the, you know, the

1:27:41appointment that you all did tonight and

1:27:42everything for the alternate that stuff

1:27:44starts to move along a little bit more.

1:27:46So, um,

1:27:48we're continuing to have some safety

1:27:50issues on Main Street. Um, Um, I know

1:27:52this is probably not news to anybody,

1:27:53but we're having items being stolen from

1:27:55people's stores.

1:27:57Um, paying customers are being harassed.

1:27:59Um, businesses are being harassed.

1:28:01There's people walking by banging on

1:28:02doors and windows,

1:28:04um, asking for money. There are drug

1:28:06deals happening in broad daylight. Um,

1:28:10the Water Street Park is notorious right

1:28:12now for that for a lot of drug deals.

1:28:15Um, we're having some issues with that

1:28:16in Davis Park.

1:28:18Um, Davis Park is also having problems

1:28:20with defecation happening in the park in

1:28:22the bushes. That's also happening in the

1:28:24bank vestibules.

1:28:26Um,

1:28:27we're having homeless issues at Owen

1:28:28Bell.

1:28:29Um, so we really need some assistance.

1:28:33Um,

1:28:34I'm sure you will probably talk about

1:28:35it, but I know the camera issue. We want

1:28:37to get those cameras up and I know that

1:28:38that hold was released and new

1:28:40regulations went into effect on October

1:28:421st, so I'm really hopeful that we can

1:28:44get those up and going and I don't know

1:28:47if there's any way that we can get some

1:28:50sort now that the schools are back in

1:28:51session. We had the, you know, the

1:28:52resource officers were doing some

1:28:54walking on Main Street and that was

1:28:55helping, but they're gone now. Um, so we

1:28:58don't have really the presence any of

1:29:00the presence that we have. So, we really

1:29:01need some help

1:29:02um, in being able to assist our

1:29:04businesses and the patrons that are

1:29:06there and frankly our residents, you

1:29:08know, with the safety of downtown. Um,

1:29:12so wanted to talk about that. Um,

1:29:15but again, overall, we're doing we're

1:29:17doing really great and again, I

1:29:18encourage you all to come to our meeting

1:29:20and I'm happy to answer any questions

1:29:21that anybody might have.

1:29:24>> Any comments, questions?

1:29:29Thank you coming forward today. Um, this

1:29:31insight is uh, some of the stuff we

1:29:33don't hear cuz

1:29:35um,

1:29:36hearing all the great things that our

1:29:37small businesses are doing in town.

1:29:39They're uh, providing valuable jobs for

1:29:42local residents and they're also

1:29:44providing community events that

1:29:46everybody looks forward to like

1:29:47Spooktacular. I could definitely wrap my

1:29:49head around how much I have looked

1:29:50forward to that in the past. Um and

1:29:53making it safe for these businesses to

1:29:55run is definitely one of my high

1:29:57priorities.

1:29:58Um so bring it to the table. Uh I

1:30:00appreciate that. And not only that, the

1:30:03water super treatment plant. That is

1:30:05something that uh

1:30:07>> Mhm.

1:30:07>> is something I want to keep driving

1:30:09forward over and over and over.

1:30:13This is something we need to make

1:30:16a reality.

1:30:20>> And during during budget season, I mean,

1:30:23that would be a good time to come when

1:30:25we start talking about the budget, the

1:30:27need for more policing on Main Street.

1:30:29Well, that's going to have to be

1:30:30budgeted. And that would be something to

1:30:33come forward with people that say we we

1:30:35need this. Well, maybe not just only

1:30:37budget season, but on the regular basis,

1:30:40but again, we need you're here, but

1:30:43if individuals who are impacted need to

1:30:46come also to say, you know, we we need

1:30:48this. And then

1:30:50but then they got to convince their

1:30:51neighbors

1:30:52to spend the money in the budget. So,

1:30:55there's there's there's a lot of moving

1:30:56parts.

1:30:57>> That's true.

1:30:58>> But people got to be involved. That's

1:31:00where this is. So, I encourage people to

1:31:03come to the podium and come to the

1:31:04meetings and we if if they don't get

1:31:08involved, we're not going to be able to

1:31:10do anything.

1:31:11>> Mhm.

1:31:12>> So, or we're not aware of the situation.

1:31:14So,

1:31:15>> That's what I'm here for, Ed. I'm here

1:31:16to make you aware.

1:31:17>> [laughter]

1:31:19>> What do you want to know? I'll fill you

1:31:20in.

1:31:23>> We also have many openings on our

1:31:25constabulary. Is it five?

1:31:28>> Yeah.

1:31:28>> So, that's also a problem.

1:31:30>> Agreed.

1:31:31>> Because of the regulations that have

1:31:32been put on police officers.

1:31:34>> I'm hoping that public safety commission

1:31:36will help us all out a little bit more.

1:31:38Now that they have a quorum.

1:31:40So.

1:31:44>> Okay, thank you.

1:31:45>> Thank you.

1:31:46>> Rally the troops to the to next

1:31:48Wednesday, you know,

1:31:50you know,

1:31:51I'm looking forward to it. I'll be

1:31:53there.

1:31:58Okay. Discussion acceptance of monthly

1:32:01budget reports.

1:32:03Summary report on general fund

1:32:05appropriations for town government. Can

1:32:07I get a motion?

1:32:07>> So moved.

1:32:09>> Second.

1:32:10>> Discussion.

1:32:15>> Um

1:32:36>> Any comments? Questions?

1:32:46All in favor?

1:32:48>> I.

1:32:48>> I.

1:32:49>> I.

1:32:49>> Any opposed? Any abstentions?

1:32:52Motion carries.

1:32:55Um

1:32:56System object report based on adjusted

1:32:59budget for Board of Education.

1:33:01Can I get a motion?

1:33:04>> I'll make a motion.

1:33:06>> Second.

1:33:08>> Discussion.

1:33:26>> So we don't have the unless um

1:33:28superintendent or assistant

1:33:30superintendent answer the questions, we

1:33:31don't have a liaison

1:33:34to answer the questions.

1:33:39>> Well, based on what we have, um

1:33:48I guess

1:33:50All in favor?

1:33:52>> I.

1:33:52>> I.

1:33:52>> Any opposed?

1:33:55Okay.

1:33:57Town manager's report.

1:34:02>> So, the uh

1:34:04Water Pollution Control Authority is

1:34:06continuing to work on their preferred

1:34:08alternatives for the plant expansion.

1:34:10They had two presentations regarding the

1:34:12options.

1:34:14Well, actually, they had I correct

1:34:16myself a little bit. They had one

1:34:17presentation to the authority uh by the

1:34:19consultant a couple weeks ago, which was

1:34:21attended here in

1:34:22in this room, and they had an earlier

1:34:24presentation last month to staff and

1:34:26some of the other stakeholders who are

1:34:27involved.

1:34:29Um

1:34:30the WPC at this point needs to give

1:34:33feedback to the consultant on two

1:34:36primary points in order for this to move

1:34:39forward. One is they need to decide how

1:34:41much flow they want to plan for.

1:34:43There was a basis of design memo that

1:34:46was circulated over the summer that's

1:34:48kind of been in limbo uh pending

1:34:50feedback from the commission.

1:34:52And then, they need to pick a preferred

1:34:54alternative

1:34:55to suit that flow.

1:34:57Um they don't To be fair, they don't yet

1:34:59have cost figures on those alternatives,

1:35:01which they should have in the next

1:35:02couple weeks, and then they can make a

1:35:04decision on the preferred alternative,

1:35:06but they do need to finalize how much

1:35:08flow they want to plan for, and there's

1:35:10been

1:35:11um a little bit of discussion, but

1:35:13really a

1:35:13um a little bit of feedback from one or

1:35:16two members, but not really a full

1:35:17discussion of of what they'd like to see

1:35:19in terms of of planning for that.

1:35:22Um so, hopefully uh that's something

1:35:24they can do at the next meeting or two.

1:35:27Uh regarding the PFAS issue in Rogers,

1:35:31uh I got a slew of test results uh sent

1:35:33to me at the end of last week from DEEP.

1:35:35I haven't had a chance to go through

1:35:37them yet to see, you know, what the new

1:35:39what the new totals are in terms of how

1:35:41many

1:35:42um hot test results there are.

1:35:44We did get um some movement on the water

1:35:47main component of the project. We had a

1:35:49meeting with Connecticut Water last

1:35:51month, and they indicated that they're

1:35:52still going to participate. They gave us

1:35:54the disclaimers

1:35:56that we'll need to meet in order to work

1:35:58on expanding the system,

1:36:00um that left us with the $800,000

1:36:02shortfall, which is the 20% match on the

1:36:04grant. But when we went back and had the

1:36:06conversation with DPH, uh they let us

1:36:09know that they have some surplus money

1:36:10available on a first-come, first-serve

1:36:12basis. And

1:36:14essentially, if we can get the project

1:36:16uh off the ground in the next year or

1:36:17two, we should have 100% funding from

1:36:20outside sources. So, it's an extra

1:36:22$800,000. Um we don't have to come up

1:36:25with

1:36:26Um regarding Oakhill Lee Pond, I I

1:36:29didn't have much of an update. I did get

1:36:32uh an email forwarded me to me today,

1:36:34which had been sent to the dam owner

1:36:36last week, uh basically saying that they

1:36:39had had a meeting with the dam owner and

1:36:40asking them for a schedule

1:36:42[clears throat] when they're going to

1:36:42fix the lower outflow pipe and make

1:36:45other repairs. I don't know what other

1:36:46repairs includes, if there was more

1:36:49extensive conversation about that in the

1:36:51meeting, but when I did reach out to the

1:36:54the head person at D, he basically said,

1:36:56you know, the the details are

1:36:57confidential. So,

1:36:59um that's the way that kind of went.

1:37:02The Brickyard project is on schedule. Uh

1:37:04we should have that done substantially

1:37:06by the end of the end of the fall. Uh we

1:37:09are going to hold off on the final

1:37:10paving until spring just because with

1:37:12the weather at that time of year,

1:37:14we're likely to have a satisfactory

1:37:16final paving job if we wait for for

1:37:18better weather.

1:37:20The emergency access road is continuing

1:37:22forward. They've been working on boxing

1:37:23out the road and doing some of the

1:37:25preliminary grading. We should be

1:37:26bringing in fill materials in the near

1:37:28future.

1:37:30There's a public information meeting on

1:37:32the redesign of the Wright Road bridge

1:37:35uh later this week in this I think it's

1:37:37Thursday night at 7:00 in this room. Um

1:37:40I do believe it's excuse me, 6:00 at

1:37:42this room.

1:37:44Um the deal here is that uh we got a

1:37:47design-build grant through DOT to

1:37:49replace four bridges in town. This one

1:37:52is

1:37:53uh leading the pack in terms of the

1:37:55progress on the solution. So, they'll be

1:37:57presenting options on the redesign and

1:37:59uh

1:38:00due to the funding sources, they're

1:38:01required to have this public input

1:38:03meeting

1:38:04uh, to go over the the preferred

1:38:05solution.

1:38:08The Peep Toad Road Bridge is also in

1:38:10that program and

1:38:13um, we saw some of the pre- we saw the

1:38:15preliminary recommendation from DOT's

1:38:18designer a couple weeks ago, which is to

1:38:20not have a bridge anymore. And

1:38:22essentially build two cul-de-sacs at the

1:38:24end of,

1:38:25you know, either side of the road and

1:38:27convey convey the land where the bridge

1:38:30is now to the private property owner and

1:38:32I don't think anybody really likes that

1:38:34solution.

1:38:35Um,

1:38:37I think the the most significant driver

1:38:40behind that recommendation is the

1:38:42historical nature of the bridge and the

1:38:43character of the bridge. It's

1:38:45essentially, you know, man-made and

1:38:46built out of stones by hand.

1:38:49And uh, in order to replace that,

1:38:52I mean, I mean, it would be very

1:38:54difficult to replace that and make that

1:38:56within their program budget. Um,

1:39:00So, we don't have a a final answer on

1:39:02that yet. We've told them we, you know,

1:39:04we're not willing to accept the two

1:39:05cul-de-sacs.

1:39:07Um, there's some back and forth about

1:39:08whether they would come up with another

1:39:10design

1:39:11um, to replace the bridge.

1:39:14But that design would, you know, it's

1:39:15not going to be in character with what

1:39:17the bridge is now.

1:39:18Um, and I don't think that they're

1:39:19willing to go down that path.

1:39:21So, we're just going to have to see what

1:39:23they what they come back with next

1:39:24before that

1:39:25that particular project goes any

1:39:27further.

1:39:29It could be that we just withdraw that

1:39:31bridge from the program and just leave

1:39:33it as is and

1:39:35accept that it's going to become a

1:39:36maintenance burden over time.

1:39:39Until it's not usable anymore.

1:39:40>> Yeah, it can't be just like a precast

1:39:42that looks close to it and call it done,

1:39:44otherwise you lose it.

1:39:46>> Pretty much.

1:39:47>> I mean, I feel like that's just one of

1:39:48those things where someone's got to pull

1:39:49the band-aid off.

1:39:50>> Right.

1:39:53Yeah.

1:39:54They did a woo to some bridge that they

1:39:57are either designing or have designed.

1:39:60It wasn't clear where they uh,

1:40:02reuse the historical stones and uh, it's

1:40:05kind of like a facade on the pre-cast

1:40:07bridge.

1:40:09But we need more

1:40:11Yeah, like a veneer essentially. Yeah.

1:40:13But still not going to

1:40:14you know, it's not going to look like

1:40:15the bridge that it is now. So.

1:40:19Anyway.

1:40:20We'll see what See what they come back

1:40:22with next.

1:40:24I think um

1:40:27on the Westfield project, I don't really

1:40:29have anything else to add. The weekly

1:40:31meetings are ongoing and

1:40:33we're going to continue to apply

1:40:34pressure to the construction manager

1:40:37to get things wrapped up.

1:40:40Um there was a public act in 25 2025

1:40:43that

1:40:44created the need for a regional housing

1:40:46plan, which is something that the

1:40:47Council of Governments is primarily

1:40:49tasked with doing. We do get to

1:40:50participate in the process.

1:40:52It speaks to you know, what

1:40:55what different communities in the region

1:40:58should bear the burden of in terms of

1:41:00addressing the housing needs in the

1:41:02related infrastructure.

1:41:04Um

1:41:05I've assigned a couple staff members to

1:41:07participate in the planning process. We

1:41:09will always have the option of

1:41:11withdrawing from the planning process if

1:41:12we don't like the direction that it's

1:41:14going in and that we can adopt our own

1:41:16housing plan in place of that. So the

1:41:18draft plan I think is due out this

1:41:20summer by the Council of Governments so

1:41:22we can see

1:41:23how that develops as we go along.

1:41:28What else? Oh, the spectacular I think

1:41:30is has been well covered. Well, but

1:41:33yeah.

1:41:34Coming up weekend after next.

1:41:37Festivities start at 4:00 p.m. and uh

1:41:40should be a good time. So I thank

1:41:42everybody for their participation

1:41:44planning that and putting it on and

1:41:45promoting it.

1:41:46There's a coffee with the council coming

1:41:48up next Wednesday

1:41:51at Starbucks.

1:41:52Um following the WPCA meeting so if you

1:41:55come out for the WPCA meeting and you

1:41:57want to go get coffee and talk to the

1:41:58residents after it's at 7:00 p.m.

1:42:02And just a reminder there's a special

1:42:04council meeting on October 27th to do

1:42:07the town manager goal setting.

1:42:09And um only only one uh council meeting

1:42:13in November due to the election, so it's

1:42:14just the second Tuesday.

1:42:16>> You realize the humor about that? You're

1:42:18going to talk about brown stuff and go

1:42:19drink brown stuff?

1:42:20>> I I totally get the humor.

1:42:22>> [laughter]

1:42:23>> It's not an accident.

1:42:25>> Fair enough.

1:42:34>> Any comments for the town manager's

1:42:36report?

1:42:43Thank you.

1:42:46>> I

1:42:47good um

1:42:48I know they never get credit for it, but

1:42:50um town hall staff

1:42:52primarily Kelly, there and did you help

1:42:56too, Ashley?

1:42:57And the the town actually in front of

1:43:00town hall, they they give out candy

1:43:02during for the spectacular as well. And

1:43:06um

1:43:06and their

1:43:08town town staff actually put together

1:43:10like a thousand little bags

1:43:13to go out, so they you know

1:43:16didn't have to

1:43:18um but they put it together and

1:43:20>> Oh, okay.

1:43:23>> And you didn't pay for it, so.

1:43:26>> Um so even the KBA brought it up, where

1:43:28are we standing for the um

1:43:30I didn't mean to overcut there. Um

1:43:33the cameras.

1:43:35>> Yeah, uh

1:43:38I don't know.

1:43:39>> Okay.

1:43:40>> So, we were at uh police headquarters, I

1:43:43think

1:43:44the week before last, maybe it was

1:43:46around October 1st, and they

1:43:49um they didn't tell us we were good to

1:43:51go. They were having a meeting that day

1:43:53with some of the camera vendors. So, I'm

1:43:55I'm not on the same page about it being

1:43:57released, but I can follow up on that.

1:44:00>> Okay.

1:44:00>> I did hear that there were regulations,

1:44:02but we didn't get a green light to to

1:44:04move forward.

1:44:06>> Well,

1:44:07it was just under observation, wasn't

1:44:09it? Wasn't it like a wasn't a halt, it

1:44:11was more of an observation, wasn't it?

1:44:13>> It was a restriction on

1:44:15new technology security cameras, license

1:44:18plate readers, Flock technology.

1:44:20>> So, they weren't license plate readers

1:44:22and they weren't Flock, so I

1:44:23>> No, but they were secure They were

1:44:24security cameras that were also

1:44:25restricted. So, even though we didn't

1:44:27have the Flock cameras, that's what we

1:44:29budgeted. The order that came out,

1:44:31I think it was August or September, put

1:44:34that on hold as well.

1:44:36Um because we are essentially a

1:44:39Connecticut State Police supervised

1:44:40police agency.

1:44:42Not an independent department.

1:44:44>> Fair enough. I understand.

1:44:44>> case, we're you know, we're still

1:44:46looking forward to installing the

1:44:47cameras and as soon as we can do that,

1:44:49we we will.

1:44:50>> Okay, cuz it's like seems like the one

1:44:52resource we have availability once it's

1:44:56a go-ahead, you know, we don't have

1:44:57enough police officers, we don't have

1:44:58enough resource officers, but this is

1:45:00the one thing we can do.

1:45:02>> Understood.

1:45:04>> I have a question. Is there Do the

1:45:06businesses have cameras currently?

1:45:09>> Uh there may be businesses that that do

1:45:11have cameras. Um you know, I don't have

1:45:13an inventory of of what everybody has.

1:45:15We have cameras on the outside of the

1:45:17building and the side of the building

1:45:18that are been there for years.

1:45:20Um

1:45:22I I think it's really just a coincidence

1:45:24that, you know, this order came out from

1:45:27the state because of the blowback and

1:45:29Flock technology, which is not really

1:45:31what we were looking to do. We were just

1:45:33looking to install security cameras so

1:45:35that we could have a little bit, you

1:45:37know,

1:45:38better video coverage of of Main Street.

1:45:41>> But there's no Is there any restrictions

1:45:42that would prevent the businesses from

1:45:44installing their own?

1:45:45>> can install their own.

1:45:47They can install their own and if

1:45:48something happens and it's in front of

1:45:50their business and they want to share

1:45:51that footage with us, they're they're

1:45:52perfectly welcome to do that. They The

1:45:54The restriction here is because we're

1:45:56using public funding and we're

1:45:58essentially a a state police agency.

1:46:03>> And and the thing was is we already had

1:46:05the policy. We had the you know,

1:46:07>> adopt a a privacy policy in advance of

1:46:11rolling forward

1:46:13to the system.

1:46:14>> Yeah.

1:46:15And and the camera again the cameras

1:46:17that we're looking to install are are

1:46:20not AI powered they're not Flock cameras

1:46:22they're not you know they wouldn't be

1:46:24subject to the same abuse that

1:46:27some other police agencies have

1:46:29or police officers in other police

1:46:31agencies have incurred

1:46:33that have brought the attention to the

1:46:34Flock camera issue.

1:46:40>> I I think that's you know the the

1:46:42the kind of sad part is I think we're

1:46:45all here in this town we're all in the

1:46:46same page. You know

1:46:50we want to keep people safe. We want to

1:46:52you know the bad guys to be caught and

1:46:56you know it's just been very frustrating

1:46:58and I've talked to a lot of businesses

1:47:01and you know

1:47:03they're they're frustrated because you

1:47:05know

1:47:08they work really hard to

1:47:11build their businesses and you know it

1:47:13just takes a couple of bad apples and

1:47:17so

1:47:32>> Any other further comments?

1:47:37Okay. All right.

1:47:39So we can move on. Consideration and

1:47:42action on ordinance to authorize

1:47:43acceptance from Michael and Sharon

1:47:45Doughty of a conveyance of land for

1:47:48highway purposes associated with the

1:47:50proposed two lot subdivision.

1:47:53Can I get a motion?

1:47:54>> I'll make the motion.

1:47:56>> Second.

1:47:58Discussion.

1:48:06Are we exposing ourselves to anything on

1:48:09this any long-term uh

1:48:13maintenance

1:48:17>> We are widening the right-of-way for the

1:48:20road.

1:48:21And I suppose with that comes uh

1:48:26a very insignificant amount of increased

1:48:28liability, but it also

1:48:31you know, makes the road wider, so

1:48:32potentially more safe

1:48:34um by having a wider road right-of-way.

1:48:36But, it is more responsibility

1:48:38incrementally.

1:48:40It's not uh

1:48:42I don't think there's any significant

1:48:43burden we're taking on here.

1:48:45>> Okay.

1:48:46>> And

1:48:47the two-lot subdivision was approved by

1:48:49planning and zoning.

1:48:50>> Yeah, no. It's well,

1:48:51but sometimes there's been some issues

1:48:53where when it

1:48:55we have to make sure that they follow

1:48:57their rules, so it would be nice that we

1:48:59don't get into any

1:49:01situations that we shouldn't be into.

1:49:14All in favor?

1:49:15>> I.

1:49:16>> Any opposed?

1:49:19Any abstentions?

1:49:21Motion carries.

1:49:32New business.

1:49:34Consideration and possible action to

1:49:36approve the acquisition of 32 Putnam

1:49:39Pike.

1:49:42Brian, can you elaborate a little bit on

1:49:45this?

1:49:45>> Yeah, so 32 Putnam Pike was a property

1:49:48that was brought to tax sale by one of

1:49:51the fire districts. And uh it's it's 22

1:49:54acres that abuts other town-owned land,

1:49:57which is approximately 72 acres.

1:49:59>> I don't know

1:50:01>> if you can put the map up or not um on

1:50:03the screen.

1:50:05That was in the packet for the benefit

1:50:06of the public, but in any case um

1:50:10we had the opportunity to place a hold

1:50:12on the property if we wanted to become

1:50:14the owners of it because there were no

1:50:16participants at the tax sale that that

1:50:18bid on the property, so that gave us the

1:50:20right to to put the hold on it.

1:50:22Um

1:50:23the town charter requires council action

1:50:26and town meeting action for the town to

1:50:27acquire any land.

1:50:29Um

1:50:31so, you know, if you're interested in

1:50:33ratifying this action to acquire the

1:50:34property, we'd have to

1:50:36again, take action in the spring to put

1:50:38this on the ballot, and then we would

1:50:40need action at town meeting to to

1:50:42finalize it.

1:50:43Um the cost would be approximately

1:50:45$4,000 between the back taxes and the

1:50:48cost of doing this the prorated cost of

1:50:49doing the sale that gets attributed to

1:50:51the property.

1:50:53And if the owners are able to come up

1:50:56with the outstanding amount in the next

1:50:58uh few months, it would be redeemed, and

1:50:59we wouldn't, you know, we wouldn't take

1:51:01ownership of it in any case. So, um

1:51:03essentially asking you is if you want to

1:51:05ratify the acquisition of acquiring

1:51:08uh 32 Putnam Pike.

1:51:11Potentially having that become town

1:51:13property if the other actions on it on

1:51:15this are positive in the spring.

1:51:22>> Just make a comment that um

1:51:24>> And the open space committee recommended

1:51:26acquisition of it.

1:51:27>> Yeah, and this abuts other town-owned

1:51:29property from off of Breakneck Hill

1:51:31Road.

1:51:31>> Right.

1:51:33>> I I also think it's a good opportunity

1:51:36decrease increase our open space in very

1:51:39um

1:51:40inexpensive.

1:51:44>> And the open space land acquisition

1:51:46committee has recommended the

1:51:48acquisition.

1:52:00>> Is it Is that landlocked? It's not

1:52:02buildable.

1:52:03>> It is land.

1:52:04It's currently

1:52:06It's currently landlocked.

1:52:08Um

1:52:09it wouldn't be as much landlocked once

1:52:10it abuts our property cuz we can access

1:52:12our property.

1:52:14>> Are we looking for a motion on this?

1:52:16>> Yes.

1:52:16>> I'll make that motion.

1:52:24>> So we would have to send this to a

1:52:26public hearing.

1:52:30>> In the in the spring.

1:52:31If the property is still available and

1:52:33it's not redeemed.

1:52:35We'll bring it up in discussions to add

1:52:36it to the to the question.

1:52:38>> Okay, so what I'm trying to figure out

1:52:39what So So we approve

1:52:44and then we can't until until next

1:52:46spring when it's final then we do the

1:52:48final approval.

1:52:49>> That's right.

1:52:49>> Okay. All right.

1:52:51>> You'll have to act on this again.

1:52:52>> All right. That's I'm trying to

1:52:54>> It's not final. This is just telling me

1:52:55yeah, you want to do this. I'll bring it

1:52:57up in the spring or no, we don't. Okay.

1:52:59>> The tax

1:53:00>> The tax sale wasn't Was it September and

1:53:03then they have 6 months after the tax

1:53:05sale to

1:53:06>> to redeem.

1:53:07>> To

1:53:09>> All in favor.

1:53:10>> Aye.

1:53:11>> Any opposed? Any abstentions?

1:53:15Motion carries.

1:53:19Consideration and punctual action to

1:53:21approve an updated memo of understanding

1:53:24with the Board of Education regarding

1:53:25the school resource officer program.

1:53:29Brian, can you

1:53:30>> Yep. Um so we've had a an MOU between

1:53:33the town and the school for several

1:53:34years which governs the collaboration on

1:53:38the school resource officer program and

1:53:41there was a state law passed this summer

1:53:43just requiring that that that MOU get

1:53:45updated every 3 years and that it

1:53:47include include language in the MOU for

1:53:50uh essentially a progressive discipline

1:53:52model or graduated response model for

1:53:55student discipline. And that

1:53:57language that was required by the

1:53:58statute has been integrated into the

1:54:00revised MOU and just asking you to

1:54:03approve the MOU.

1:54:07>> Can I get a motion?

1:54:09>> I'll make that motion.

1:54:10>> Second.

1:54:16>> Any further comments?

1:54:30>> All in favor say I.

1:54:32>> I.

1:54:33>> Any opposed?

1:54:35Any abstentions? Motion carries.

1:54:40Consideration and possible action on a

1:54:42resolution to accept the 2024-2025

1:54:47audit.

1:54:49Can I get a motion?

1:54:52>> I'll make that motion.

1:54:54>> Second.

1:54:55>> Discussion.

1:55:01So, the motion The audit is is complete

1:55:03at this last month. It was kind of still

1:55:05not

1:55:06>> Yeah, we have the final copy of the

1:55:08audit. Um, just to recap, you know, the

1:55:12there were deficiencies. The most

1:55:13significant deficiency uh was that they

1:55:16were not able to get

1:55:18that the The books essentially didn't

1:55:19close on time. They haven't closed on

1:55:21time in a long time, and that delays the

1:55:24auditor in doing their work. And they've

1:55:26been bringing this up for a few years.

1:55:27It hasn't been addressed. It was more

1:55:29serious this year.

1:55:30>> Mhm. It keeps getting

1:55:32delayed and delayed a little bit more.

1:55:34So,

1:55:35um

1:55:38I don't know. We like Well,

1:55:41I'm not quite

1:55:42>> the attraction that they had three

1:55:44representatives today,

1:55:46so

1:55:47I think it's been heard.

1:55:48So.

1:55:51>> Well, I think when I was talking to

1:55:53Brian today, I got to make mention of

1:55:54what's the status of the audit almost

1:55:56every month as a as a just as a

1:55:59off-the-cuff comment to keep the

1:56:02discussion going.

1:56:03>> Yeah, and the finance director did send

1:56:04them a memo on year-end closing

1:56:06expectations,

1:56:08uh you know,

1:56:09following the last meeting, and I think

1:56:11you've gotten everything that you asked

1:56:12for, that you required of them.

1:56:15Yep.

1:56:17So, that's a positive development. We

1:56:18also have uh the best practice uh audit

1:56:20review is underway, and they'll be

1:56:22coming out the week after next to do

1:56:24their do some field work.

1:56:26And uh they'll be having a meeting with

1:56:28the um

1:56:29with the finance team at the school

1:56:31before they leave to to do some

1:56:32interviews and follow-up questions.

1:56:35Uh we expect that we'll have that best

1:56:37practice report as a draft sometime in

1:56:39November and probably plan on having a

1:56:41joint meeting with the Board of

1:56:43Education beginning in December.

1:56:45Board of Education and the council to

1:56:47debrief those recommendations.

1:56:49>> [clears throat]

1:56:51>> So, all in favor of accepting the

1:56:532024-25

1:56:56audit

1:56:58signify by yay.

1:57:00>> Yay.

1:57:02>> Any opposed?

1:57:05Any abstentions? Motion carries.

1:57:08Consideration and possible action on a

1:57:10resolution authorizing transfer of

1:57:13fiscal year 2025-2026

1:57:16unexpected funds

1:57:19from unexpected departmental budgets to

1:57:21special reserves and programs. Can I get

1:57:24a motion?

1:57:26>> I'll make that motion.

1:57:27>> I'll second it.

1:57:30>> Discussion.

1:57:32Let's see. Let's go on.

1:57:33>> So, we um we have three recommended

1:57:36transfers that were vetted by fiscal

1:57:38subcommittee last month.

1:57:40Um

1:57:41the first transfer deals with moving

1:57:44money [clears throat]

1:57:44out of the town budget that was

1:57:46unexpended into our reserve for demo and

1:57:48relocation.

1:57:50Our

1:57:51that it's essentially a savings account,

1:57:53right, for special purposes and in this

1:57:56case in some situations we're

1:57:57responsible for emergency

1:57:59relocation costs. We can be responsible

1:58:01for securing um the site of where fire

1:58:04is. We can also use the money to address

1:58:07um

1:58:08I don't want to say it. Uh

1:58:12blighted properties um or abandoned

1:58:14properties in town.

1:58:16There are maybe a few thousand dollars

1:58:18in the fund right now and we expect that

1:58:20to go negative um temporarily due to the

1:58:24uh costs associated with securing some

1:58:26of the the fire sites that uh happened

1:58:28over the last few months. We do expect

1:58:30to recover that and and bring that back

1:58:32up once we receive some of the insurance

1:58:34proceeds, but we also been asked by some

1:58:36of the counselors and staff over the

1:58:38years to bolster the fund so that we can

1:58:40pursue addressing some of the abandoned

1:58:42properties in town.

1:58:43Uh

1:58:44you know, recognizing that 82,000 is a

1:58:47significant amount of money to transfer

1:58:49in. It's not, you know, significant in

1:58:51terms of how many properties we can

1:58:52address with that, but it's a start.

1:58:55Uh the second transfer is taking money

1:58:58out of our savings account for uh store

1:59:00maintenance and um addressing the over

1:59:03expenditure in the highway budget

1:59:04related to winter storm costs. And the

1:59:07last transfer is moving unexpended funds

1:59:09out of our law enforcement budget into

1:59:11the reserve for constable Larry, which

1:59:13can be set aside to address future

1:59:15policing costs.

1:59:18And the total total money moving around

1:59:21is $122,000.

1:59:28>> Any other comments, questions?

1:59:35All in favor signify by saying yay.

1:59:38>> Yay.

1:59:40>> Any opposed?

1:59:42Any abstentions? Okay, motion carries.

1:59:55Uh let's see. We are now on

2:00:0015E.

2:00:03Consideration of possible action and

2:00:04resolution authorizing fiscal year

2:00:072025-2026

2:00:10budgetary year-end transfers. Can I get

2:00:13a motion?

2:00:15>> I'll make that motion.

2:00:16>> Second.

2:00:22>> Okay.

2:00:24>> So, this is another resolution that's

2:00:25required by the construct of our charter

2:00:27to address line items within department

2:00:30budgets that are over expended during

2:00:32the year. So, it's not necessarily that

2:00:33the department budget is expended, but

2:00:35that just line items within department

2:00:37budgets are expended. And so, within the

2:00:40overall general government side of the

2:00:42budget, we're moving 30 approximately

2:00:44$35,000 between line items to address

2:00:48those variances. And there's Oh, it

2:00:51looks like there's a web outcome.

2:01:05>> Any other comments, questions?

2:01:13All in favor?

2:01:14>> I.

2:01:15>> I.

2:01:15>> Any opposed?

2:01:18Any abstentions? Motion carries.

2:01:23Uh 15F, consideration and possible

2:01:26action of a resolution authorizing

2:01:27salary adjustments for non-union

2:01:30employees and management staff for

2:01:32fiscal year 2026-2027.

2:01:35Can I get a motion?

2:01:37>> I'll make that motion.

2:01:38>> Second.

2:01:40>> Discussion.

2:01:42>> Uh so, this last resolution uh coming

2:01:45from fiscal subcommittee addresses

2:01:47um annual raises for our non-union

2:01:49personnel. And we go through the budget

2:01:52process uh and we have union contracts

2:01:55in place. We know what the raises are

2:01:56because they're stipulated there.

2:01:58Uh the department heads and other

2:01:59unrepresented staff, we don't um budget

2:02:02for increases. We typically manage that

2:02:04by making a transfer out of contingency,

2:02:07which is built into the town's annual

2:02:08budget.

2:02:09And so, uh we're recommending a transfer

2:02:13of uh 75,000 from contingency into the

2:02:16general government side

2:02:17and approximately 23,000 from the WPCA

2:02:20contingency into their operating budget

2:02:22to address raises for all the um

2:02:24non-union staff.

2:02:26And um our raise is 3%, which is in line

2:02:29with our other department union

2:02:30contracts.

2:02:38It's approximately 50%

2:02:41that that covers.

2:02:48>> So, I'm going to ask you a couple

2:02:49questions that we're not moving

2:02:51fast enough on our

2:02:53water treatment plant upgrades and the

2:02:56raises are going through at the same

2:02:57time.

2:02:59>> Yeah, I don't think it's a reflection on

2:03:01the staff

2:03:02at the WPCA that the

2:03:04that the WPCA authority is not moving

2:03:06fast enough on the

2:03:08>> All right. I just I just want to say

2:03:09that all that's all.

2:03:14>> They really don't have the the say in

2:03:16the

2:03:17the plan upgrade.

2:03:23>> Make that motion.

2:03:25>> Second.

2:03:27>> Any further comments?

2:03:32All in favor.

2:03:33>> Aye.

2:03:35>> Any opposed?

2:03:40Motion carries.

2:03:44Consideration on resolution authorizing

2:03:46town manager to enter into lease with

2:03:48the Killingly Historical Society.

2:03:53>> So moved.

2:04:00>> Discussion.

2:04:02>> So, this is a request from the Killingly

2:04:03Historical Society. They've had a

2:04:06a lease that's gone

2:04:08I don't know, was adopted

2:04:10a couple decades ago and it's basically

2:04:12run year year to year and um

2:04:15they're applying for a grant that

2:04:16requires them to have a 99-year lease.

2:04:19So, we basically amended the lease to

2:04:21say 99 years so that they'll be eligible

2:04:23to apply for the grant.

2:04:26>> Make that motion.

2:04:27>> Second.

2:04:31>> Any further discussion?

2:04:37All in favor, say aye.

2:04:38>> Aye.

2:04:40>> Any opposed?

2:04:42Any abstentions?

2:04:45Motion carries.

2:04:54Okay, council member reports.

2:04:58Ulla, would you like to start?

2:05:01>> Um from the Killingly Housing Authority,

2:05:04Carol Green continues to to do a

2:05:07phenomenal job managing her very tight

2:05:10budget.

2:05:12So, um she

2:05:14has to attend CHFA meetings um two

2:05:17meetings every 2 weeks um

2:05:20so she they're still waiting on the um

2:05:24small cities grant for the renovation of

2:05:27Birchwood Terrace.

2:05:30Um

2:05:33and they're now um required to have

2:05:36legal representation if there is closing

2:05:38on that project.

2:05:40They did um take a loan for a new

2:05:42dishwasher

2:05:45um cuz it's cheaper than leasing. They

2:05:48continue to have a lot of um

2:05:51apartments um opening and trying to

2:05:54refill them so they had eight apartments

2:05:56opening. There going to be two more.

2:05:58They're going to um start to have to

2:06:00fill some of those apartments that they

2:06:02left open for the Birchwood Terrace

2:06:05renovations cuz it's too costly for them

2:06:09to keep those apartments um unoccupied.

2:06:13And um

2:06:15Carol just keeps does a very good job um

2:06:18managing on a very very tight budget

2:06:20with the restrictions that are put on

2:06:23the the rents.

2:06:26And um

2:06:32uh

2:06:34from the um

2:06:36planning and zoning meeting from Sep-

2:06:38tember 21st. Um

2:06:41there was uh

2:06:42sever- a lot of um or several public

2:06:45comments in regards to the um

2:06:47Husky project or um the Amazon. Still a

2:06:50lot of traffic um safety record related

2:06:53violations in regards to Amazon.

2:06:58And also um very many concerns about the

2:07:00proposed stormwater management systems

2:07:02compliance with Connecticut DEEP's um

2:07:06gluten um

2:07:08load uh

2:07:10reduction and runoff.

2:07:12Um

2:07:14There uh was a public hearing on special

2:07:17permit 90 Putnam Pike, which is two

2:07:20warehouses. They continue to work on

2:07:22items and issues brought up with Tighe &

2:07:25Bond, which is a third-party reviewer.

2:07:26They have addressed 94 of 101 items. The

2:07:30public hearing is continued to Oc- to

2:07:32October 19th.

2:07:36Um

2:07:39a subdivision um

2:07:41by Zadora & Sons on 169 Rock Avenue and

2:07:4532 High Street Highview Drive, a six-lot

2:07:50subdivision. The public hearing will be

2:07:52October 19th.

2:07:54Um

2:07:5579 Commerce Avenue

2:07:58there is going to be um a 100-ft by

2:08:0150-ft warehouse for storage was

2:08:04approved.

2:08:05It's um

2:08:08I believe it's actually being built in

2:08:09the same area where there was another

2:08:11building that was destroyed by fire. So,

2:08:13that footprint of the warehouse is

2:08:15actually smaller.

2:08:17Um there was a new application put in by

2:08:20Ryan Companies Amazon.

2:08:22Um

2:08:24and they uh because it's a new

2:08:26application, they were asked um

2:08:28by the Planning and Zoning um to go over

2:08:32the uh and have an a presentation on the

2:08:36entire application again.

2:08:38And 129 Bailey Hill Road, a two-lot

2:08:41subdivision, and 753 Cook Hill Road, a

2:08:44two-lot subdivision, will both have

2:08:47public hearings on October 19th.

2:08:50And I also intended the inland wetlands

2:08:53and watercourse meeting.

2:08:57>> Helen.

2:08:58>> Uh permanent building committee we had

2:09:00last Wednesday we we had a walk-through

2:09:03of the

2:09:05uh

2:09:05municipal adult building.

2:09:06>> Right. Right.

2:09:07>> All right, I'm never going

2:09:09>> [laughter]

2:09:09>> Uh

2:09:10permanent building committee we had a

2:09:12walk-through of Westfield Avenue last, I

2:09:14believe it was last week, and uh

2:09:17and

2:09:18>> [clears throat]

2:09:18>> could see some of the stuff that was one

2:09:20item we were there specifically for to

2:09:22look at and um

2:09:24I think Brian has pretty much covered

2:09:26everything that's on that has the

2:09:28updated project as far as where it is.

2:09:31And then uh open space we had that piece

2:09:34of property here that was presented for

2:09:35the for the town to purchase.

2:09:39Which I think is a good thing. It abuts

2:09:40the town-owned property off of Breakneck

2:09:42Hill Road. There's that little kiosk up

2:09:45there, and uh it all comes down and

2:09:47connects

2:09:48to that piece, which is landlocked, so

2:09:52that's all I have.

2:09:54>> What is interesting I was getting a some

2:09:56public comment off not with, you know,

2:09:59right tonight, but

2:10:01after I went to the

2:10:03show over here on Broad Street, "When

2:10:05are we moving over here?" you know, so a

2:10:08little bit of

2:10:09uptick

2:10:10>> Hopefully it'll be soon and and uh like

2:10:13I say the theater, like Brian mentioned,

2:10:14the theater is going to not have the

2:10:17probably all the lighting and sound and

2:10:19everything that they hope to have from

2:10:21they first move in there, but um that'll

2:10:24be the next

2:10:25step to get to that.

2:10:27It'll It'll be nice when it's done.

2:10:29>> But they're not forgotten. That's the

2:10:30thing.

2:10:31>> not forgotten, and unfortunately it is

2:10:32taking

2:10:33>> Right.

2:10:33>> way longer than it needs to.

2:10:35>> Yes. Yes.

2:10:37So we

2:10:38we addressed it, so that's a good thing.

2:10:40>> 72 acres on Breakneck, is that the same

2:10:4272 acres that has a hiking trail on it

2:10:44right now?

2:10:45>> Yes, and this I think a historical

2:10:47>> Right, it even has a couple foundations.

2:10:49>> Yeah. Yeah.

2:10:49>> All right, so this would be adding to

2:10:51that.

2:10:51>> Correct.

2:10:52>> That'd be fantastic.

2:10:53>> Yeah. Yeah.

2:10:54>> All right, I just want to note that that

2:10:55has hiking trails on it right now, too.

2:10:58>> Yeah, conservation commission

2:11:00talks about that at their meetings.

2:11:02There's a loop. They got Wait, we have

2:11:04to get through

2:11:06There's another a conservation group has

2:11:09property that abuts Breakneck Hill, and

2:11:12then we abut that. But we have a

2:11:15memo of understanding. I guess we can go

2:11:17across.

2:11:19So, that all works out.

2:11:22Jared, do you have anything?

2:11:25>> Uh I had attended the um IWWCC meeting

2:11:29uh remotely, but Ulla, you were in

2:11:31person at that meeting, I believe. And

2:11:32that was when they had started going

2:11:34over the new Husky application um

2:11:37on the 14th. Um

2:11:41I'm kind of getting it confused with P&Z

2:11:43because I had also watched the P&Z

2:11:45meetings remotely, and there's been I

2:11:46think two of those since the Inland

2:11:48Wetlands. Um and they were both

2:11:50discussing the the Husky project. Um

2:11:56but that is still in um

2:11:59I think that's still in public uh public

2:12:02comment or public hearing.

2:12:04>> Yes, it's still it's still in public

2:12:05hearing.

2:12:06>> And that's ongoing until the next

2:12:07meeting, and then they may close out at

2:12:09the next meeting.

2:12:10>> Yes.

2:12:12>> So, still ongoing.

2:12:13>> Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

2:12:16Tammy.

2:12:19>> All right. So, I went to the Board of

2:12:21Rec meeting on the 28th. Um

2:12:26They like conservation are very, very

2:12:28busy. Um

2:12:31They had um second year in a row

2:12:33Killingly High um sent thank you notes

2:12:36for um the bait the

2:12:39the work that the

2:12:41Parks guys did for the baseball and

2:12:43softball fields. American Legion also

2:12:46sent a thank you card for that.

2:12:49Um the Kiln Lake Democratic Town

2:12:51Committee

2:12:53um thank um

2:12:54uh

2:12:55sent a thank you for their um

2:12:57inclusion and location at the Red White

2:13:00and Blue.

2:13:02Um there was um

2:13:04there was a letter that was sent um

2:13:07pre you know, thanking uh for the work

2:13:09on the pickleball courts. Um

2:13:12It it also however it also included um

2:13:16some concerns on um

2:13:18some

2:13:19abuse and misuse of the courts by

2:13:24I think there were three um juveniles

2:13:27with e-bikes and scooters and other

2:13:31things um going on.

2:13:33Um and apparently um

2:13:37those individuals decided to move on

2:13:40from

2:13:41um Westfield Ave and did a little

2:13:44incident over in Lions Park on Warren

2:13:47Ave.

2:13:48Um not Warren Ave. Louis Bullard

2:13:51>> Louis yep

2:13:52>> Um so

2:13:54uh that's was handled by our cons by one

2:13:57of our constables and um so hopefully

2:14:01it was it was very interesting to find

2:14:03out that there is apparently no truancy

2:14:05laws anymore. So in the middle of the

2:14:08day

2:14:09the when they should have been in school

2:14:11they were just roaming around

2:14:14raising holy terror. So

2:14:17but um

2:14:18so hopefully that will mean when we can

2:14:20get some we actually it actually led to

2:14:22a discussion of using cameras

2:14:24in some of you know, um Westfield Ave

2:14:27and and trying to protect town assets

2:14:30and property.

2:14:32Um

2:14:33so I mean that's I said well until we

2:14:36get the green light we can't as a

2:14:38municipality do anything.

2:14:41Um

2:14:43it went there was always there was

2:14:45another discussion of Westfield Ave

2:14:47update. Um went over the

2:14:50um Red White and blue, um, the, um,

2:14:54where we were following that. Um, we're

2:14:57in really good, um, position,

2:14:59um, for next year's, um,

2:15:03fireworks and 4th of July celebration.

2:15:06Uh, programming over the summer, there

2:15:08was over 300 people at each of the

2:15:10summer concerts.

2:15:12Uh, Camp Wallaby for the first time in a

2:15:14really long time had over 100 students,

2:15:18um, participating in their summer

2:15:19program.

2:15:21Um, the summer running program had like

2:15:2360 participants in it.

2:15:26Um, uh, fall programming is running and

2:15:29most of them are full and there's 295

2:15:34youth hoop participants as of right now.

2:15:37Um,

2:15:39there was discussion of, um, upgrades

2:15:42for Lions Park on Lewis Boulevard,

2:15:45um, about getting a, um, grant not grant

2:15:48from the Lions,

2:15:50um, and possibly needing some more. I

2:15:53think they I think the total number is

2:15:55something to do the upgrades to that

2:15:58park is something like 100,000 and

2:16:00somebody made the comment about that

2:16:02seems like a lot. I said, "Well,

2:16:04considering my kids were at KMS when

2:16:06they did the upgrades to the playground

2:16:08at KMS and that was like, I hate to say

2:16:11it, almost 30 years ago and that was

2:16:13100,000. So, I, you know,

2:16:17it's it might seem like a lot, but if

2:16:19you to get the kind of equipment that

2:16:21you need to make sure it's safe

2:16:24for people and kids to climb and play

2:16:27and and not get hurt on,

2:16:30um, you can't be getting the stuff that,

2:16:32um,

2:16:33can't be ordering it the cheapest stuff.

2:16:35You got to put the good stuff in there.

2:16:38Um, there I guess there were also some

2:16:39power upgrades at Owen Bell for the, um,

2:16:42and there's a new scoreboard that'll be

2:16:44going up for the softball field.

2:16:47Uh, theater update, I know we had a a

2:16:49discussion of that tonight.

2:16:51Um, over the summer they had Dear Evan

2:16:53Hansen.

2:16:55I I went to that one. That was kind of a

2:16:57heavy

2:16:58um had heavy topic um

2:17:01but it was well attended. Also went to

2:17:04SpongeBob. Um they always do a great

2:17:07job.

2:17:08Uh their Christmas one this year they're

2:17:11going to be the first community theater

2:17:12to actually be doing this one, How the

2:17:14Grinch Stole Christmas. And if you were

2:17:16actually went to their Rudolph one last

2:17:20year

2:17:21they they're portrayal was so dead on.

2:17:24It was like watching the 1960s

2:17:26Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

2:17:28production

2:17:29um last year. So I can't wait to see how

2:17:32well they they they um they do their

2:17:35Grinch.

2:17:36Um their April program is just is going

2:17:38to be Trolls. It's going to be an only

2:17:40kids program.

2:17:42So that's usually means is like 50 or 60

2:17:46kids participating. So there's there's

2:17:49massive amount of children that they

2:17:51coordinate. It's great. And June um

2:17:54they're going to be bringing Lay Lay

2:17:55Miserable.

2:17:57Um and they are going to be um one of

2:17:59the first community groups in in the

2:18:01state to be doing that. Um they did have

2:18:04put out a request for need for like an

2:18:07orchestra to really to make it the kind

2:18:10of production it needs to be. Um so one

2:18:12of our Board of Ed members that's um

2:18:15been coming on a regular basis

2:18:17said that well maybe perhaps you know,

2:18:19we can reach out to cuz students need to

2:18:21do community service hours.

2:18:23Um that might be something that maybe

2:18:25you know, band members or

2:18:28you know, music boosters or somebody

2:18:30they can

2:18:31you know, volunteer to help with that

2:18:33production which is going to be you

2:18:35know, I can't I

2:18:36I've I've been I actually went to Steel

2:18:39Magnolias when they did that production

2:18:41and that that was really well done as

2:18:44well. So

2:18:45um

2:18:47Uh they did talk about um we had um made

2:18:50um

2:18:51we acted on

2:18:53um a USDA grant um working with um

2:18:57in conjunction with the Brickyard

2:18:59project.

2:19:01Um it's

2:19:02a $98,000.

2:19:05It'll actually help to supply

2:19:07cuz right now the senior movies has like

2:19:10a portable screen. The what it'll be

2:19:13able to do is actually put a real live

2:19:16screen into the auditorium that'll come

2:19:18down and it'll be able to um actually

2:19:22it'll help it'll help make that space a

2:19:25little bit more usable too. So and I

2:19:27know in the past that they have gotten

2:19:30um

2:19:31the curtains for that area.

2:19:34They've got they got a donation from a

2:19:36trust fund for that.

2:19:38Um Cat Hollow Wendy Fusco gave us a huge

2:19:44update multiple pages gave us a whole

2:19:47bunch of pictures if anybody would like

2:19:49to see them. Um I

2:19:51think I don't know if I they got you a

2:19:53copy but um

2:19:56so far this year there has been over 552

2:20:00hours volunteer hours put into upgrades

2:20:04to Cat Hollow. Um and

2:20:08she has been become a grant talk about

2:20:11being a grant writer. She has figured

2:20:13out the her first grant writing was a

2:20:16was an oops and she didn't get it and

2:20:18they told her what she needed to do.

2:20:20Well then the other six that she has

2:20:22applied for she has gotten all of them.

2:20:25All of which

2:20:26got were able to she's been able to get

2:20:28plants and um

2:20:31the ag students actually were in there.

2:20:33There was 12 sophomores and their

2:20:36teacher that actually were helping get

2:20:38rid of invasive plants over this year.

2:20:41Um so it's um they're really putting

2:20:44some serious work and if you haven't had

2:20:46a chance to get over to Cat Hollow that

2:20:49is probably one of the

2:20:50next next Horn Bell is probably one of

2:20:52the

2:20:52>> That's true. That's what's on the It's

2:20:55commission. Horn Bell seemed to be

2:20:57number one. Cat Hollow was right as

2:20:59follow.

2:20:59>> and if you ever had a chance just to

2:21:02um and apparently all the lady beetles

2:21:04are still doing their job because you

2:21:06don't see all the little bugs on the

2:21:08trees. Um so the hemlocks are doing

2:21:10better than they were in the past and

2:21:14the only extra oh

2:21:17on fiscal sub we

2:21:20had authorized also um for the

2:21:25I'm going to mess up the name Shubel

2:21:27Hutchins um

2:21:29fund there's we

2:21:33authorized

2:21:34spending giving Westfield church uh

2:21:37$3,000

2:21:39towards

2:21:40um

2:21:41uh to help them with all their other

2:21:43community outreach

2:21:46in their letter they talked about the

2:21:4711,000 Easter eggs that they put out. Um

2:21:52but one of the biggest things that

2:21:53they've done has been the weekly meals

2:21:57and I've and I help help them out by

2:21:59actually baking.

2:22:01Um

2:22:02and

2:22:04originally the whole purpose on that was

2:22:06to reach out to the homeless and what it

2:22:08has actually turned into is helping

2:22:12people that actually aren't homeless but

2:22:14they have limited resources. And so a

2:22:18lot of and cuz I actually got a chance

2:22:20to actually volunteer a couple times.

2:22:22And you know they they have homes

2:22:25they they most of them walk they don't

2:22:28come in a vehicle. Um so they're within

2:22:30walking distance with a and they don't

2:22:32have a vehicle to get to drive. And they

2:22:37they you can tell that you know

2:22:39resources are are tight for them and as

2:22:41we're going into the um

2:22:44winter time it's only going to get worse

2:22:46as everybody knows heating oil is

2:22:48ridiculous.

2:22:50And but they started out with maybe 40

2:22:5250 meals back in the early spring they

2:22:56last past week they had 91 meals they

2:22:58put out. Um so, it's a great

2:23:01opportunity. Um they still have um week

2:23:04one

2:23:05of Friday, the first Friday of the month

2:23:07is still isn't um um been picked up.

2:23:10Westfield Church

2:23:12um as a church has committed to do week

2:23:15two and five. Week three has been picked

2:23:17up by Christ Church out of Pomfret. Um

2:23:20they come in and they um

2:23:23um they they use the certified kitchen

2:23:26and uh use the church. Uh

2:23:30Cornerstone does week four, but it'd be

2:23:33great if we could get somebody that a

2:23:35group that would be willing to to commit

2:23:37to doing maybe the week one.

2:23:39Um it's it's turned into a and it's you

2:23:42know, it's it's really more than just

2:23:45it's not just a reach out to the

2:23:46homeless. It's it's help it's kind of a

2:23:49community

2:23:51lunch and meal kind of a thing, so

2:23:54um

2:23:54that that was nice. [clears throat]

2:23:56Um I did attend the Small Town Music

2:23:59Festival on the 3rd. Um it went well. I

2:24:02talked to a lot of businesses.

2:24:04Uh they got got a little bit of uptake

2:24:06in their business because of of the

2:24:09music festival. Um

2:24:11I

2:24:12actually talked to the owners of the

2:24:15Emerald Buddha, and they were they were

2:24:17grilling out on the sidewalk, and they

2:24:20were so excited. They can't wait for the

2:24:21brick yard to be done cuz she's like

2:24:24"I'm going to be out back there going to

2:24:25be that out back in the brick yard next

2:24:28year cooking." I she can't she's she was

2:24:30so super excited. She can't wait for

2:24:31next year.

2:24:33Um and also the library um as as a

2:24:36member of the DAR, we were um kudos to

2:24:39the library for hosting it.

2:24:41Um but we had the American Revolution

2:24:43experience from September 19th to the

2:24:4630th. Um it was an interactive um

2:24:49display with um kiosk. Um all the fourth

2:24:53graders from KMS came walking over, and

2:24:57we did did programs for them um through

2:25:00for that for like I think the next last

2:25:03week that it was there and the kids

2:25:06really got into it.

2:25:08Really um

2:25:10got a lot out of it and and there it was

2:25:12great to see

2:25:14the school taking part and and the

2:25:16library was great and it's you know you

2:25:19have this

2:25:20group of people and then you're talking

2:25:22in a library and you're not

2:25:23you're supposed to be so quiet but it's

2:25:26it was a really great experience and

2:25:29it was a great working with the kids so

2:25:32and that's all I got.

2:25:34>> Thank you Tony. I just had agricultural

2:25:36but we did we did not have a quorum.

2:25:40Adam

2:25:41>> So

2:25:42Board of Ed was here. There's not really

2:25:44much to report on past what they did.

2:25:47Met with the Vision Committee and

2:25:50they were finalizing

2:25:52their objectives and how to

2:25:55um

2:25:56follow through on them

2:25:57and the um

2:26:03can't think of the name of the committee

2:26:04right now.

2:26:05Jonathan and all three of us are on they

2:26:07didn't meet.

2:26:09The ordinance committee we haven't met.

2:26:11Yep.

2:26:15>> Okay.

2:26:18Executive session. Do you want to take a

2:26:215 minute break or do you want to go

2:26:23right into it and then

2:26:26take a break? Okay.

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