2026-10-26 - Aldermanic Affairs Committee

00:00which need to follow the procedures,

00:01which are, you know, again

00:04running a political campaign, as I'm

00:05sure you all know better than I do, is

00:07is a complex process

00:09even at the local level, and people need

00:12to understand what the rules are.

04:05>> Mhm.

04:49>> My previous service taught me that

04:50maintaining that confidence

04:52requires consistent work,

04:55listening carefully, applying standards

04:57fairly,

04:59asking thoughtful questions and

05:00explaining decisions clearly.

05:03It also requires independence of

05:04judgment and respect for everyone who

05:06comes before us.

05:08If confirmed, I would bring those

05:10principles to this appointment.

05:12I would also return with humility and a

05:14willingness to listen.

05:16Experience is valuable

05:18and so is remaining open to new

05:19perspectives,

05:21learning from fellow members and

05:22considering ways to make the fund more

05:24understandable and accessible to the

05:26public.

05:28I'm proud of my past service,

05:30but my reason for returning is rooted in

05:32the work ahead.

05:34Public trust grows when residents can

05:35see that institutions are responsive,

05:39that rules are applied consistently,

05:41and that participation matters.

05:44I would welcome the opportunity to help

05:45support that trust.

05:47New Haven has given me many

05:48opportunities to serve,

05:50and I remain very grateful for that.

05:53I would be honored to contribute my

05:55experience, judgment, and commitment to

05:58the continued work of the Democracy

05:59Fund, and I appreciate your

06:01consideration tonight. Thank you so

06:03much.

06:03>> Thank you. Thank you very much. Any

06:05questions from the committee?

06:07Alderman Moore?

06:09>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for for

06:11stepping up. I see you're already a

06:14public servant and you just you want to

06:16keep giving and I I really really

06:18appreciate that as somebody that that

06:20does both as well. It's a lot. Um

06:23So, my standing question tonight is you

06:25know, it sounds like you have been a

06:27part of the democracy fund before. Is

06:28that correct?

06:29>> Correct.

06:30>> Um and then the second question is uh

06:33you available at the times to work for

06:34your small

06:34>> Absolutely.

06:35>> Awesome. Thank you so much and thank you

06:37again. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

06:39>> Thank you.

06:40>> Alderman Kim?

06:41>> Hi. Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez. Um

06:43I I'm really struck by what you said

06:46about trust and responsiveness of the

06:48institutions in our democracy. Um

06:51and you talked about the challenges that

06:54our democracy and maybe the fund faces

06:56going forward. Can you list some of

06:58those challenges going forward that

06:59might be different from when you served

07:02on um

07:03with your 8-year

07:04on this uh fund?

07:06>> Yeah, well, there there there's a

07:07question of expansion which is always a

07:10big you know, we we attempted to do that

07:11last year. I think we did have an

07:13opportunity to expand it.

07:15Uh the consideration of how much further

07:16could it go

07:17and what benefit does that have in the

07:20community

07:21and what does it open up for our

07:22citizens and our residents?

07:24Um

07:25funding is always I think an issue and

07:26you know, the the fund has the

07:28opportunity and ability to to take

07:29donations.

07:30So, finding ways to find sustainability

07:33to lessen some of the burden on

07:34taxpayers

07:35I think that's also kind of important to

07:37look at in the future. We went in

07:39four-year four-year terms. How does the

07:41fund fit in with that now? What does

07:43that look like and how does it get

07:44reshaped and redone if it needs to be?

07:46So, I think there's definitely a lot to

07:48look ahead and to look at what we need

07:50to change.

07:51>> Right. Thank you so much for your

07:52insight. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

07:54>> Any further questions?

07:57>> Yeah. Thank you, Mr.

07:58>> Alderman

07:58>> Um how long have you been serving this

08:01far on this committee or

08:02>> on the fund? I served for 8 years and I

08:04served as chair. Well, I I for 9 years,

08:06but I served as chair for years.

08:07>> Oh, wow.

08:08>> Okay. Oh my goodness. I'd like to

08:10continue having you.

08:11>> Hm?

08:12What's that?

08:13>> I'd like to continue having you.

08:15>> Thank you.

08:16>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

08:18>> You're welcome.

08:18>> Uh any further questions?

08:20>> Listen, thank you so much for your work.

08:21I know that the

08:23the service that you provide, I know how

08:25how difficult it can be sometimes, but

08:26thank you for your service.

08:27>> Thank you. We appreciate it. Thank you.

08:30>> Thank you for stepping up.

08:34>> Okay. Uh next we have Melinda Agron.

08:39Melinda?

08:42Not here?

08:49Okay. Next we have Keith Froelich.

08:52Keith?

09:04Good evening.

09:05>> Good evening.

09:05>> Uh name and address, please.

09:07>> Keith Froelich, 176 McKinley Avenue

09:11in Westfield.

09:13>> Um could you speak a little bit about

09:15yourself and why you uh want to be on

09:17the commission for the historic

09:18district?

09:20>> So, I

09:22uh was approached by Mayor Helriegel and

09:25Mike Skittelini on two

09:27separate occasions.

09:29And they inquired if I would have

09:30interest in it and having

09:33lived in Haddonfield for

09:3438 years and

09:36practicing architecture that entire

09:38time, I felt like

09:40I might have an opportunity to

09:42contribute

09:44um in some small way on the

09:47historic

09:49district commission.

09:52>> Any questions from the committee?

09:55>> No questions.

09:56Sorry. I'm full of questions. I'm full

09:58of questions today. Thank you, Mr.

09:59Chair.

10:00Um Mr. Froelich, thank you so much for

10:02um agreeing to step up and serve. And

10:04sometimes it doesn't take a couple times

10:06to be asked to step up. Um it seems like

10:09you have a beautiful portfolio that you

10:11provided to us.

10:13Um

10:15And and it looks like in your work you

10:17range from

10:19very contemporary modern to, you know,

10:22res- restoration. And right now where

10:24our city is is that we are focused on

10:26building a lot more housing um to serve

10:29our residents, especially in the needs

10:31of affordable housing. And how do you

10:34And at times I know in cities in the

10:37past that preservation

10:40and

10:41development sort of come at odds. So,

10:45[clears throat]

10:46um as being on the historic commission,

10:48how do you see your role in knowing that

10:51the city's vision, with the Board of

10:53Alders and the mayor, is to build more

10:56housing, but also keep the characters of

10:59of some of our neighborhoods. So, I

11:00would love your perspective just because

11:02you've had a, you know, a long career

11:05and a lot of experience creating and

11:08building.

11:08>> Well, thank you for that. Uh I

11:11um

11:12My feeling is New Haven is a very

11:15special city. It has a really rich

11:19architectural heritage.

11:21And that spans from the earliest

11:24colonial times to the most modern

11:27>> [clears throat]

11:28>> possible that.

11:29And I love uh

11:33the way

11:34that all periods of architecture

11:37represent in here

11:38and are integrated and work really well

11:41together.

11:42And so, I think um relative to your

11:45question about

11:47housing,

11:48it really depends on the on the site and

11:51the context.

11:52And uh my own personal belief is you

11:56We're not out to create Disneyland. We

12:00want to be welcome new ideas, but we

12:03also have to be very respectful of

12:06neighborhoods and scales, communities,

12:09and the people who are going to be using

12:12uh these particular

12:14facilities or

12:15residences or

12:18like commission detail.

12:22I feel like New Haven has

12:26I you know, having been here for almost

12:2840 years I've seen a huge change for the

12:32better.

12:33And

12:36the integration of new

12:39has been a little more successful in

12:41some spots than others, but overall I

12:43think it's been very positive.

12:46And so I think I would just apply that

12:49attitude and

12:51experience

12:53towards rendering my opinions on the

12:55board.

12:57>> One follow-up question, what is your

12:58favorite historic structure in New

13:00Haven?

13:00>> The Beinecke Library.

13:01>> The Beinecke?

13:02>> Yeah,

13:03hands down.

13:04>> [laughter]

13:04>> Hands down.

13:05>> Any further [snorts] questions on the

13:06board?

13:07>> Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you

13:09again for

13:10for stepping up and being involved in in

13:13civic life and giving back to the city.

13:15And that's a great thing. Keep I'll keep

13:17saying that.

13:18My standing question is, you know, have

13:20you attended these meetings before and

13:22do they work with your schedule?

13:23>> I have attended meetings. It's been

13:26quite a few years. I haven't been to any

13:29recent ones, but I I think the general

13:32premise has probably not changed a lot

13:35since I was a little more active in

13:38the the meetings.

13:39And in particular I'm

13:42referring to back when they were

13:46prior to demolishing the Coliseum

13:49and that whole area.

13:51I was uh

13:52I was attending a lot of meetings at

13:54that point.

13:55Um

13:58Yes, the schedule works. There there are

14:00no issues whatsoever.

14:02I'll be able to dedicate

14:05a night a month

14:08to to this. And Wednesday nights work

14:10well. Middle of the week. So

14:13no problems whatsoever.

14:14>> Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

14:16>> Any further questions?

14:19>> Thank you so much. I just have a

14:20comment. I guess the the Historic

14:22District Commission is uh

14:24um

14:25right place for you with your

14:26experience. I think you'll fit in very

14:29nicely. Thank you so much for your

14:30service.

14:30>> Thank you.

14:31I [clears throat] appreciate that.

14:41>> Okay.

14:43Next we have Tyrese Ford to the Youth

14:45Commission.

14:58>> All right. Good evening.

14:58>> Good evening.

15:04Uh could you tell us uh name and

15:06address, please?

15:06>> Yes. Um Tyrese Ford. Address is 307

15:10Lighthouse Road, 06512.

15:13>> Could you tell us a little bit about

15:14yourself and why you want to be on the

15:16Youth Commission?

15:17>> Yeah. So, um I'll start with my

15:20occupation. I'm a public I'm sorry.

15:23>> [clears throat]

15:23>> I'm a public defender for juveniles here

15:25in the city and I've been in that

15:27position for

15:28uh about 2 years now and prior to

15:31serving as a public defender for

15:32juveniles, I um

15:34represented tenants in housing court

15:36through New Haven Legal Assistance for

15:38about 3 or 4 years um prior to my

15:41current position. So, in my current role

15:44as a public defender for juveniles, uh I

15:47represent children age 10 to 17 and the

15:50only thing that I, you know, don't

15:52handle are um class A felonies. So, you

15:55know, murder, aggravated sexual assault

15:57um unless the child, of course, is under

15:59the age of 15, then I do handle um

16:03murders, unfortunately. Uh

16:05you know, I came I became a public

16:07defender for juveniles for a reason,

16:08right? I grew up in New Haven, well,

16:12specifically southern Hamden,

16:14Technically, it's Whitney Avenue, but in

16:16effect, it's New Orleans.

16:17>> [clears throat]

16:18>> Uh

16:19Sorry.

16:19>> That doesn't count.

16:20>> Well, wait, 1 second. I'm sorry. I'm

16:22sorry. I'm sorry. Wait, no, no, no, no,

16:23[laughter] no.

16:24My grandmother My grandmother who

16:28My grandmother who, you know,

16:30basically helped raise me because back

16:32then, my parents could retire. So, my

16:35cousins and I would uh go to her house

16:38after school. She lived on my side of

16:40the street.

16:41So, I do have a little I do have a

16:43little

16:44you know.

16:45Um

16:46so,

16:48I became a public defender for juveniles

16:50for a specific reason.

16:52There is a need, and I think children in

16:55our city needs to see

16:57young people

16:59I'm relatively young still.

17:01Uh

17:02they need to see people from their city

17:04involved in their city, and they need to

17:06specifically see people like them.

17:09Um so, they can hopefully see themselves

17:11in me.

17:13That's the reason why I became um a

17:15public defender for juveniles, and

17:18I see kids when they made a mistake, and

17:21I do not believe that kids uh belong in

17:24any secure facilities,

17:26um but I do understand that

17:27interventions need to be made, and

17:29unfortunately, when they see me, a

17:31mistake has already been made. So, that

17:33intervention must come uh at some point

17:37prior to them coming into my court

17:39house.

17:40Um and so, that's why I'm interested in

17:42joining the Youth Commission.

17:43I see a need, and I'm trying to fill

17:45that need.

17:49>> Any questions from the committee?

17:51Councilman Morrell.

17:52>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

17:54Thank you, Harris, for being here. It's

17:55always um exciting to see a constituent

17:58uh

17:59one of these committee meetings uh

18:01stepping up and getting involved in

18:02civic life. I'm excited that you're

18:04here.

18:05Um my questions are um they're pretty

18:08simple. It's one, have you attended any

18:10of these meetings before, and do they

18:12work with your schedule?

18:13>> Uh I have not, but I have been in

18:15contact with uh Judge Wilson, as well as

18:18Judge Stone. Um

18:20you know, they gave me a a good rundown

18:22and summary of what the meetings are

18:23like. Um,

18:26Sorry.

18:27Uh, what the meetings are like and you

18:28know, they're every third Thursday of

18:30the month, so I have no issue, you know,

18:33attending

18:34once a month.

18:35>> That's great.

18:36>> Mhm.

18:36>> Thank you again for being here and thank

18:38you, Mr. Chair.

18:39>> You were

18:39>> Uh, any other further questions?

18:41>> Thank you, Chair.

18:42>> Okay.

18:42Alder Alder

18:44>> Yeah.

18:45>> Um, I do want to start by

18:47>> Is that what you're saying to me?

18:48>> Yeah.

18:49>> Okay.

18:50>> I do want to um, I don't have a

18:52question. I actually have more of a

18:54comment.

18:55>> Okay.

18:55>> Um, and I commend you

18:59for wanting to step up into this role.

19:01Um, cuz I'm talking to the younger

19:04version of me.

19:05Uh, made mistakes and I have been behind

19:08uh, needing a public defender and here I

19:11am as a city official.

19:12>> Congratulations.

19:13>> Um, thank you.

19:14Um, but I'm not the only alder that has

19:16made mistakes and came up along the way.

19:19Um, I did give you some grace by saying

19:21you were 25 at the time.

19:23>> [laughter]

19:24>> But you're talking to somebody that was

19:25like hardcore

19:27>> Yeah.

19:27>> from the streets of New Haven,

19:30um, who has actually been shot. And

19:32again, you know, it's relatable on the

19:35intervention for what these kids do

19:37need.

19:38Um, and as an alder, I feel more of a

19:43pill of being more of a servant to the

19:45community than the title of alder.

19:48So, I would love to um,

19:51hopefully my colleagues will agree on

19:53welcoming you,

19:55um,

19:55and

19:57you and I can connect, um,

20:00later on to get this ball rolling on

20:03other aspects with you.

20:04>> I'm ready.

20:05>> So, I commend you.

20:06>> Thank you.

20:07>> Thank you, Chair.

20:08>> Yes.

20:08>> Thank you, Alder Reyes.

20:09Uh, any further questions?

20:11>> I don't have a question, but

20:12>> Okay. Alder

20:14>> Alder

20:15Winfield.

20:16>> I'm Ferris.

20:19>> I'm thoroughly impressed.

20:21Just to see a young

20:23black male

20:25sitting in front of me as a public

20:27defender. I have four charges.

20:30And it's not like it's been an easy road

20:32that I've ran into.

20:34Probably have been sitting in your

20:36office a few times. Maybe not with you,

20:38but with someone.

20:40And I just applaud you

20:42for even

20:43standing in this role.

20:46I do know a few forwards coming from uh

20:50from Monique

20:53Rene.

20:54>> Those are my aunts.

20:55>> [laughter]

20:56>> So,

20:56you definitely come from good stock.

20:59>> I assume.

21:00>> Yeah.

21:00>> Thank you so much. They found my son.

21:03Mhm.

21:05>> [laughter]

21:08>> Thank you so much.

21:09>> Thank you.

21:10>> Thank you. Thank you.

21:11>> Uh I just have one quick question. Uh

21:13maybe from your perspective, you know,

21:15what suggestions would you give for the

21:17youth today? How

21:18what what are the danger points to spot?

21:20And how can we improve?

21:22And what do we need to really focus on?

21:25>> That's a That's a good question, and I

21:26don't think I I don't think it'll be

21:28fair to for me to answer that question

21:30within the next, you know, 3 minutes or

21:32so.

21:33But I am happy to, you know, speak with

21:34you here afterwards so we can have a

21:36deeper discussion. But But I'll say

21:38this,

21:39we need a culture shift

21:42with the youth, and I think that starts

21:44with people like all of our uh our

21:47people

21:48like myself going back to the kids and

21:51letting them know that we made mistakes

21:54and that they too have hope.

21:56I think that is one thing that is

21:58missing from the youth of today, and

22:00it's hope.

22:02And it's hope in their future.

22:04Um and I think

22:06>> [cough and clears throat]

22:06>> that

22:08unfortunately

22:10there's a culture of hopelessness.

22:12Um and I think we need to change that

22:15culture. Now, how can we change that

22:17culture? That's, you know,

22:19that's where we can have that deeper

22:20conversation. But um

22:23yeah.

22:23Thank you. Thank you. Any further

22:25questions?

22:27Seeing none.

22:28Thank you very much for your

22:29presentation.

22:30>> Thank you.

22:30>> Thank you.

22:34Okay. Um

22:37that's it for uh presentations. The uh

22:40items seven through nine are

22:41reappointments and uh the reappointments

22:44do not have to appear because their

22:45attendance is

22:47uh

22:48documented as very very very good. So,

22:50at this time

22:51uh is there anyone from the public that

22:53would like to speak on any of these

22:55items?

22:57Please step forward, please, and state

22:58your name and address.

23:09Name and address, please.

23:10>> My name is David Agosto. I live at 431

23:12Orange Street.

23:13>> Thank you.

23:15>> I once again object to appointing anyone

23:19to the Commission on Disabilities

23:21because the Commission on Disabilities

23:23is committed to performing its

23:24functions.

23:26I informed this committee last month

23:29that if the commissioners were

23:31potentially excluded from participating

23:33in the Safe Routes to School plan

23:35the

23:36city employees violated the ordinance

23:38that requires that they collaborate with

23:40the commission. The commission was asked

23:42to provide information for that plan.

23:45They were

23:46The information was not acceptable, not

23:48included in the plan. The commission was

23:50given the plan. They're on record as

23:52saying it's all about bikes.

23:54The final plan had 563 master plan

23:57and two master

23:58>> [clears throat]

23:58>> accessible devices.

24:00The actual population ratio is two to

24:01one.

24:03So, this one I want to talk to you about

24:04polling places.

24:06On November 3rd, fewer than half of New

24:08Haven's polling places will be

24:09accessible to voters with disabilities.

24:12As the city never repainted the handicap

24:15parking spaces they violate six federal

24:18laws and one [clears throat] state law.

24:20At every basically every polling place

24:22there are 1,000 violations of law

24:23violations

24:25multiple federal laws.

24:27Alderman King's polling place not

24:29accessible at all. It's a 100% denial of

24:32access to that polling place when she

24:34was elected.

24:36Um

24:38No one has done anything about that.

24:40The commission has not addressed it.

24:42I I I understand that they're doing the

24:44sixth repair of the ramp. However, they

24:46never cleared the snow off the premises.

24:48So, no one could There was a denial of

24:50access to a denial of access to a

24:52polling place.

24:54Yes.

24:55>> [clears throat]

24:55>> It's from the access route from the

24:58handicap parking spaces that serve this

25:00building to the actual ramp to the front

25:02door. What this means is that this

25:04building cannot be a polling place.

25:07And yet they're [clears throat] using it

25:08as called as polling place.

25:11When I brought the polling place issue

25:14up forward seven to the board of

25:15aldermen,

25:16it has done nothing about it. Instead,

25:19it addressed an error that caused voters

25:21to vote in the wrong district. It has

25:23not addressed the denial of access to a

25:26polling place

25:29If I were a member of the protected

25:31class according to the amendment,

25:32I filed a grievance. It was never

25:35responded to within the 60-day

25:37my time frame.

25:39My right to petition the government for

25:40a grievance is was denied to me because

25:43I'm a member of a protected class. The

25:44grievance was filed on behalf of the

25:46protected

25:47class.

25:48That also violates the equal protection

25:50clause of the 14th Amendment.

25:52That's where we are. On September 15th,

25:54aldermen surrounded with voting of them

25:56all in polling places that were not

25:58fully accessible.

26:00I sent all of the aldermen who have

26:01polling places that have ADA violations

26:04an email that your polling place is not

26:06accessible. And so, if you got an email,

26:09your polling place is not accessible. If

26:11you didn't get an email, I don't know.

26:14We've all seen the pictures of the

26:15inside of schools that are also polling

26:17places. And I'm looking at them and

26:19saying,

26:21"These polling places are not

26:22accessible."

26:23Looking at the conditions inside of the

26:24schools

26:25because no one is responsible for it.

26:28Principals are responsible for the

26:30accessibility of polling places in their

26:32schools, but they don't know that they

26:34have responsibilities. So, no one is

26:37responsible for it. It's entirely

26:39possible that every coin place in this

26:42city

26:43will deny voters with disabilities the

26:46right to access the polls in the city.

26:49Now, maybe they'll all just say that

26:50that will probably be accessible. Maybe

26:52the one that there's one in the senior

26:54center, but

26:57these system powers of discrimination

26:58are undeniable.

27:01And we keep doing that, and this board

27:03will not be able to stop them.

27:04Because of that, there's no point in

27:06appointing anyone to this commission.

27:10And that's all I have to say.

27:12>> Thank you.

27:13>> Thank you.

27:14Will you fix this, please?

27:17>> Thank you.

27:17>> Yes.

27:18>> You're welcome.

27:18>> Here's your jumper cables, please.

27:19>> no, no, no, you don't have to give

27:20anyone

27:21Thanks.

27:22>> You're welcome.

27:24I'm going to bring her a ton of people

27:26to conquer every time I see her.

27:28Otherwise, she'll be lonely.

27:28>> It's the weirdest thing.

27:30>> It's not the weirdest thing. It's not

27:31the weirdest thing that's been brought

27:32up at this table, so

27:33>> We'll wait for her to pee.

27:37>> Did you say

27:39>> Is there any other public testimony?

27:42Please come forward.

27:49Name and address for the record, please.

27:51>> Hello, my name is Allison Haymer, and my

27:53address is 6 Everett Street,

27:55Northampton.

27:56I am the administrator of the Human

27:58Democracy Fund, and there are two people

28:01who are

28:02up for appointment.

28:06Uh Tim has actually been very proactive

28:09and has been attending meetings and so

28:11I'm happy to say that you know, we have

28:14a vacant Democratic seat there, and we

28:17should fill it with somebody who's very

28:18eager to participate.

28:21Sergio Rodriguez served for 9 years,

28:23termed out under our old charter, took a

28:27year off, and then he had to buy law and

28:30would like to come back. We would be

28:32happy to have him fill the other

28:33Democratic seat that is available.

28:36Um, but I would like to

28:38take this opportunity to

28:40speak in support of both of them and

28:41also ask that the alderman look for

28:44anyone in their community who might fill

28:47the other seats

28:50we are at the maximum for registered

28:52Democrats. However, we have

28:56two vacant seats

28:59for any political party Republican

29:01independent working families anything

29:04you want and then we also have two

29:07Republicans who have turned out by

29:09charter

29:11but have not been replaced

29:15and we can't seem to find Republicans in

29:17town who

29:19>> [laughter]

29:19>> want to do that.

29:21So if you guys do know of anyone who's

29:23interested in joining the board we would

29:25really appreciate filling those other

29:26two vacant seats and thank you so much

29:28for your support.

29:29>> Thank you

29:36Is there anyone else that would like to

29:37come up and

29:39speak [clears throat] on any of these

29:40items? Please come forward.

29:46>> [clears throat]

29:51>> Good evening.

29:52>> Good evening name and address for the

29:54record, please.

29:55>> Yes, sir. Jamar Kimble 469 New Haven

29:58Avenue New Haven Connecticut.

30:04emotionally and uh

30:06mentally exhausted. You know, I come

30:08here to this committee and

30:11>> [cough]

30:11>> you know, with disappointment sorrow and

30:13reluctance because uh

30:16I'd rather be out you know, trying to

30:18help us win the the midterms.

30:20Nevertheless, you know, I was asked by

30:22the community to sit on the civilian

30:25review board approximately 3 years ago

30:27or so.

30:28Um, I had little or no board experience

30:31so I sat patiently and I listened and I

30:33watched you know, so that I get an

30:35understanding you know, how I can

30:37improve the situation.

30:39You know, one of the things that I

30:40recognized that there was a lot of

30:43controversy. One of the reasons I didn't

30:45want to get on the board in the first

30:46place. There's a lot of controversy on

30:48the board

30:49and conflict. And so, one of the things

30:51that I suggested because, you know,

30:52coming from a social work background, we

30:54try to find solutions.

30:56And so, I recommended a

30:59conflict resolution

31:01uh

31:02training for the board cuz there was so

31:04much controversy, right? The board

31:06agreed and approved and, you know, it

31:07never came to fruition.

31:10Um

31:11I mean, both personal and professional

31:13experiences, I need to oppose strongly

31:17the reappointment of Anne Marie Barrios.

31:21With the several reasons, and I'll try

31:23to keep this brief. You know, 25, almost

31:2630 years ago,

31:27um [clears throat] Ms. Emma Jones' son

31:29was brutally murdered

31:31for a traffic stop.

31:34Shot multiple times, no weapon, you

31:36know, nothing other than a traffic stop.

31:39And so, I stood with her because the

31:40community felt that it was wrong.

31:44And uh she vowed, you know, to get

31:45justice for her son and she wanted to do

31:47three things. She's going to wear white.

31:49And Ms. Jones is

31:51in the audience today.

31:53She was going to end police chasing, you

31:55know, for non um felonies. And she was

31:57going to establish a civilian review

31:59board.

32:00Which we have today. So, it was endless

32:03time, money, effort,

32:06um

32:07everything that goes into establishing,

32:10you know, this board. And it took years

32:11for it to come to fruition. And I

32:13realized after I got here why I was so

32:16frustrated because this is not

32:19the board that I believe that she

32:22envisioned.

32:24In fact, it operates, you know, in in

32:26the complete opposite.

32:30Um

32:32I mean, I I I'll give you some examples.

32:34Uh

32:36You know,

32:37um

32:39in my opinion,

32:42I believe that Anne Marie is more

32:43interested in power and control of the

32:46board rather than just Anybody that

32:47disagrees with her,

32:49you know, she tries to find a way to

32:51remove her from the board

32:53um

32:54secretly. You know, she's asked to have

32:57people removed from the board including

32:59me. She has asked to remove board

33:00members, had the emails cut off, tried

33:03to discontinue information, just to name

33:05a few to say

33:06>> That's right.

33:08>> Um

33:14You know, over a year ago, I got a call

33:17from an attorney

33:19saying that

33:21they wanted to interview me for because

33:24I was the board accusing me of

33:25misconduct.

33:27And um

33:29and I was really

33:30for a for for a volunteer board, they're

33:33actually going to write, you know, so I

33:35was really confused, right?

33:37And um

33:38they they never gave me a copy of that

33:40complaint even though I asked, you know,

33:42uh corporate counsel at that time uh

33:45Mr. Mark

33:47um I asked for, you know, what the

33:51due process was, was I going to be

33:53allowed to, you know, ask questions,

33:55cross-examine, look at any information,

33:57the lawyer is going to be able to, you

33:58know, do their own investigation into

34:00these allegations. And I didn't hear

34:02anything but crickets.

34:05Uh if if Before I go into that, um

34:10I want to say that

34:12a couple months ago,

34:15uh Anne Marie took a conversation from

34:17an executive session,

34:19right? Misrepresented that

34:22that conversation and published it in

34:24public meetings. I mean, totally in a

34:27fraudulent fashion.

34:30I came to the meeting

34:32and asked for a correction of the

34:33minutes.

34:35And you know, how they actually

34:37operated,

34:38and I never received a response. You

34:40know, just the fact she took a a

34:42conversation from an executive meeting

34:45and published it in the meeting already

34:47a violation of Robert's Rules of Order.

34:49Anybody who knows that.

34:52And then and then and then reported it

34:54to the newspaper. Try to paint me as

34:56some kind of racist.

35:00It doesn't stop just there.

35:02I finally got

35:04after I asked for a personal minutes,

35:06I finally got a response from the

35:08investigation

35:09from alleged incidents that happened 2

35:12or 3 years ago.

35:14Now, I want to read the copy. I want to

35:15read I want you guys to hear copy of

35:16this complaint.

35:18Repeatedly making inappropriate comments

35:20towards two female members at a

35:22conference about putting on a bathing

35:25suit bikini or thongs to go to the pool.

35:29Telling one female member that he wanted

35:31her to rub his back with suntan lotion.

35:35Touching one female member

35:37during the meeting making her

35:38uncomfortable.

35:40Making inappropriate comments towards

35:41one female member regarding her weight

35:43and body.

35:45Inappropriate behavior throughout the

35:47hotel accommodations.

35:49Retaliation against one member for

35:51making a complaint.

35:53So, I didn't find out

35:55with this complaint until until a year

35:57later.

35:58And so, this is what happened as a

35:59result of that.

36:02The male member made unwelcome comments

36:04about the bathing suit towards female

36:06member while attending a conference

36:08attending conference 2 years ago.

36:10All right. It was sustained according to

36:12his attorney's report.

36:14The male member made comments towards

36:16one female member regarding suntan

36:18lotion.

36:19This was also sustained uh sustained.

36:23The male member engaged in unwelcome

36:25touching at a meeting sustained.

36:27Most of the majority meetings that I

36:29attended

36:30and I got former board members up here

36:33who were were on Zoom. The early

36:35meetings I probably can count on one

36:37hand that I actually attended.

36:39All right. And so, you know, where this

36:41came from is beyond me. But, it was

36:43sustained.

36:45The male member made inappropriate

36:47comments toward the female member

36:49regarding her weight. Not sustained.

36:52Male member acted

36:54inappropriately by going to a hotel in

36:56which a female member was staying during

36:59the June conference in Tampa, Florida.

37:02Not sustained. You know that any hotel

37:04has cameras.

37:06The male member

37:07retaliated against a female member for

37:09making a complaint. Not sustained.

37:12And so three of these allegations were

37:15sustained. So when she couldn't have me

37:17removed from the board, she stooped to

37:19the level of collusion and lies

37:23to have me have me removed from the

37:25board. She continued to engage in

37:28disruptive,

37:30negative, and divisive behavior.

37:33You know, she she she she she actually

37:36the capacity

37:38>> [clears throat]

37:39>> that we're supposed to protect people

37:42with abusive power from. We're charged

37:45with protecting the community against

37:48abuses of power. She's using the same

37:50tactics against board members that she's

37:53supposed to be defending the community

37:55against.

37:56You know, what she has done is highly

37:58inappropriate. I was offended. Um

38:02but the the the amount of lawsuits that

38:03are going on with the city, you know, I

38:05would be I'm I'm shocked that she would

38:07even come up with these

38:09I've worked in this community for 60

38:11years. I was there at my father's side

38:13as a child. My grandmother's side when

38:15she worked at Handy Andy Food

38:16Store and passing out clothes and food.

38:19I come from a family of service.

38:21Right? I have a long history of service

38:24to this community.

38:25And my and my reputation served as a as

38:27a former supervisor of mine. Right? I

38:30just received an honorary doctorate

38:32degree in community service.

38:34Right? And so nobody's going to give me

38:36a doctorate degree in community service

38:38because I have a service to this

38:39community. You can't have apples and

38:42oranges. How could you come up with such

38:43egregious

38:45allegation

38:48with years of service to the community.

38:50So,

38:51I'm here, you know, to oppose because

38:53she makes the community more dangerous

38:55for us.

38:56Um

39:04Somebody needs to stand up.

39:06I mean, I know no weapon formed against

39:07me shall prosper, right? And I've

39:10already been told, you know, that I just

39:12need to stand I'm standing in the gap

39:13for the community. Cuz this is not a

39:15job. I got to worry about losing my

39:17income. This is a volunteer position,

39:19and I have to deal with these kinds of

39:22harassment and and and and and

39:25allegations, you know, when I'm here to

39:27serve the community.

39:29You know, when I first heard this, I

39:30thought about all the people that have

39:31been unjustly murdered, George Floyd.

39:35You know, I thought about Tamir Rice.

39:38Um

39:41you know, Leek Jones.

39:42>> Mhm.

39:43>> But most of all,

39:45you know, the person that came to mind

39:51was this young 14-year-old man

39:54who was sitting on summer vacation.

39:57And um

39:59and he was beaten

40:00and shot

40:02and left to look like this

40:05because behind the same type of lies and

40:08behaviors, you know, these towns were

40:10burnt in this country

40:12behind the same type of tactics and

40:14behavior. This is This is outrageous.

40:17It's like the fox guarding the henhouse.

40:19She has no business on this board. This

40:21is but not neglect at best. And uh I

40:25think the community stands behind her,

40:27so not only

40:28do they not believe that I engaged in

40:34behaviors

40:35>> [clears throat]

40:36>> that um

40:38I'm trying to find the language that was

40:40I remember the language.

40:42But it was sexual in nature, right?

40:45That it is appalling

40:49to suggest, you know, I'm I'm deeply

40:51offended that she would do so. And the

40:53community is here to support me, even

40:55though they haven't seen or witnessed or

40:58been asked anything, but they know who I

41:00am and what my character is. And that's

41:02why they stand with me today.

41:04So, I don't know.

41:06That's all I have for now. Thank you.

41:09Thank you.

41:12Any questions?

41:17Yes.

41:18>> Um you said

41:20Emma Jones is the founder and

41:24leader of this the group?

41:27>> She wrote the legislation to establish

41:29the community civilian review board. I

41:30mean, she's in the audience if you'd

41:32like to ask her, you know, some

41:33questions about the board.

41:36>> Excuse me.

41:37Thank you.

41:38>> Thank you.

41:39Thank you. No questions.

41:44>> Is there anyone else who would

41:45>> [clears throat]

41:45>> like to speak? Please come forward.

41:52Name and address for the record, please.

41:55>> Um

41:57Oh, good evening.

41:58>> Good evening.

41:59>> My name is Emma Jones. My address is

42:03284-286

42:05James Street in New Haven, Connecticut.

42:09Thank you so much for calling me here,

42:11although I had no anticipation of

42:14speaking today.

42:17And so, [clears throat] I'm not going to

42:19take up a lot of your time. I am the

42:22founder, orchestrator,

42:25and the person who developed the citizen

42:29review board.

42:30It means a lot to me.

42:32My son, Malik Jones,

42:35who was murdered in 1997 by East Haven

42:39police officer,

42:40and it was an experience

42:43that

42:45I had to swallow, and I have never

42:48gotten over it, and I haven't put it

42:51down. But one of the things I can assure

42:54you that I did do

42:56for this whole community, that's why I

42:59could say citizen review board, not a

43:02person review board. It's set up as a

43:05citizen review board for the citizens.

43:09And the other thing that I did was I not

43:12only did work to develop that

43:15citizen review board, but I did other

43:18things across this country to support

43:21and help uh other people who were going

43:24through similar kind of situation. So,

43:28as I sit before you,

43:31the one thing I can assure you

43:36that

43:37um

43:38need to

43:41have a new kind of

43:44change or revolution is the citizen

43:47review board

43:49and the leadership there.

43:53It definitely does.

43:55Um

43:58I was hoping that once the citizen

44:01review board was established,

44:04that people would get along,

44:06they would behave as citizens together,

44:09and they would hold people who needed to

44:13be held accountable accountable.

44:17But, I never expected that there would

44:20be any kind of

44:21um unfairness,

44:24injustice, or anything of that nature.

44:27And so, I'm troubled by that as I sit

44:30before you today. And I I would like to

44:34just take this opportunity to say to you

44:38that I can sit here in this chest in

44:41this chair, literally, and tell you, you

44:45know, you it would take you

44:48months to sit here and hear all of the

44:51things that I really had to do in order

44:55to get that citizen review board

44:57established. It was not an easy task. I

45:00can tell you that, but I would be lying

45:02and I'm not a liar. So, I came here to

45:04tell you the truth, whatever it is

45:08that would be in the best interest of

45:11the community.

45:13Um I think that's why you're sitting

45:16around this table.

45:17And [clears throat]

45:19I would hope that you're prepared to do

45:23that. It seems like from all of the

45:26complaints that I get periodically from

45:30people who are serving on the citizen

45:32review board that there's a lot of

45:34unhappiness with the leadership.

45:37And I I

45:39I'm praying to almighty God Allah

45:43that somehow you will see

45:46the reality of the situation and do what

45:50is in the best interest of the

45:52community. That's all that I ask for. Um

45:56I don't ask to go in and take this

45:59citizen review board over. I'm too tired

46:01for that. I've had enough.

46:04But I I do I do rely upon you to do what

46:10is right and what is in the interest

46:13of the community. And I really uh thank

46:17you more than I can tell you for giving

46:20me this opportunity. And if you have any

46:22questions for me, I would be delighted.

46:25I know it's late in the evening, but I

46:28would be delighted to answer any

46:31questions that you may have.

46:33>> Thank you, Mrs. Jordan.

46:35>> Well, I hope

46:37>> Uh thank you, chair. Um

46:42Oh my god.

46:45I don't have a um

46:47a question.

46:49But um

46:51uh

46:52always seeing you, I admire your

46:53strength.

46:55And um

46:57even till today, I still extend my

46:59condolences to you.

47:01Um,

47:02I remember being

47:04in high school

47:06when this unfortunate situation happened

47:08to your son.

47:10Um,

47:11and to me, that was like my first black

47:13panther moment.

47:15Um, that was like we going down and

47:16saving down and

47:18like me and my friends

47:25>> Well, it's okay to cry cuz I I do it all

47:29the time. I'm not sitting on a board to

47:32have to hear people's difficulties like

47:35this and sometimes people come by my

47:38house because I'm that woman who went

47:40all across the country. Whenever people

47:42call me and said, "I have a problem." I

47:45went. I was a trained lawyer, but I gave

47:49up a lucrative career to go out and

47:52fight for justice for my son son and for

47:55other people. And so, I, you know, I

47:58plead with people who have the

48:00opportunity and who have the power to

48:03make a difference that they do that.

48:06Because the people who don't have the

48:09power really depends upon you to make

48:12decisions that are going to

48:16uh,

48:17have a a good result for them. And

48:22that's all I ask for. It's not a lot.

48:26And so, I I see your tears and I

48:29understand them and they're the same

48:32same tears that my my my other children

48:36who are here, my daughter

48:38a daughter and I have two sons and, you

48:41know, and uh, we live with what happened

48:45to my son every single day. And it's not

48:48something that you can forget. It's not

48:50something that you can have a nice

48:52funeral for and go home and it's over.

48:56It's nothing that you can do uh,

48:59but

49:00he has a little daughter and the

49:03daughter she's now

49:06she's

49:0721

49:10and so that was in 1997 that was a long

49:13time she was a baby

49:15and

49:16she tells me

49:18I you know I love my dad and if I had

49:23the whole world of cash nothing but

49:26money the whole wide world not just New

49:30Haven not just in Florida but the whole

49:34world if I had it full of cash I would

49:38give it to anybody who wants it who say

49:42that I can have at least

49:45another year some more time with my dad

49:49do you know how that makes me feel

49:51the civilian review board is critically

49:54important not only to me to his daughter

49:58and to all of my relatives and so you

50:02were sitting in a pivotal position

50:05because I've done my work and and when I

50:09did my work I said okay now let this the

50:14citizen run the citizen review board and

50:18I'm so disappointed and so hurt to hear

50:22that people are not getting along very

50:24well at the citizen review board because

50:28with the bickering and the fighting

50:30that's by it's diabolically opposed to

50:35everything that the citizen review board

50:38is set up to be about so you have to do

50:41something

50:43>> Thank you.

50:43>> Thank you.

50:44>> Go ahead Robert.

50:45>> [snorts]

50:47>> Thank you for being here. Thank you for

50:48sharing your story. Thank you for

50:49sharing your experience. I just want to

50:51ask a clarifying question

50:54so that we're very clear on what you're

50:55here testifying. Are you here in

50:57opposition to this particular nominee?

51:01>> Well

51:02>> It's uh who is the nominee?

51:05>> Emory

51:05>> Emory uh

51:06>> Rivera Barrios

51:08>> Rivera Barrios Yeah, Emory Rivera

51:10Barrios.

51:11>> is that's the chair of the Civilian

51:12Review Board.

51:14>> Yes, I am. And

51:18this committee

51:19because and this is based on

51:23having attend like a couple of meetings

51:26and having gotten

51:28um

51:29a whole bag load of complaints and

51:33telling people

51:35try to work it out. And it doesn't work

51:39out.

51:40So, when it doesn't work out and you're

51:43consistently getting complaints

51:45for me, it's time to do something.

51:50>> Thank you.

51:51>> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

51:53>> Thank you so much for hearing me.

51:56>> Thank you. Thank you.

51:57>> All right. Bless you.

52:02>> Is there anyone else from the public

52:03that would like to speak on these items?

52:06Please come forward.

52:08>> [clears throat]

52:10[snorts]

52:15>> Good evening.

52:16Please state your name and address,

52:17please.

52:18>> Yes, thank you. My name is John

52:20Respiratory. My address is 242 Bradley

52:22Street, New Haven.

52:24I'm here to to speak

52:26um on the same issue to oppose the

52:28reappointment of uh

52:31Rivera Barrios to the chair of the

52:33Civilian Review Board.

52:35Um first thing I want to say is to

52:37show my respect for the testimony of Mr.

52:39Jones.

52:40I believe that hers

52:42it should carry a lot of weight because

52:43I think that she's right about the

52:45importance of the the actions of the

52:47board.

52:48Number two, I want to

52:50give my full support to the testimony of

52:52Jewell Kimbro. We overlapped on the

52:54board for a period of time and

52:57um I found him to be an exemplary board

52:59member with a tremendous vision and I

53:02and I urged him to to put his name in to

53:04become chair at one point because I

53:06thought he would be

53:07uh perfect for the position.

53:09>> You know, so

53:10>> Sorry, you speak into the mic.

53:12>> Oh, my sound here, too. So, I want to

53:14also give my support to his testimony.

53:17Um

53:19Uh I want to say two things about why I

53:20think that um the board is struggling

53:23and why I think the appointment is a bad

53:25uh a bad idea and that a new

53:27chair should be found.

53:29Um

53:30The first is that I believe there's a

53:329-year term limit and that she has

53:34already finished her

53:378 years as of July, and so the end is

53:40coming and I don't think that there's um

53:43reason to extend um

53:45for the uh for the rest of the of the

53:48for the like to extend another 2-year

53:50period to take her beyond the term of

53:52that I believe 9 years.

53:54Um

53:55but I think one of the things I think

53:56that's the most important reason

53:58um to consider uh working hard to find a

54:00new chair is that

54:03um the membership of the board that she

54:04took over um

54:07immediately dropped from almost 15

54:09members to six or seven members.

54:12And the membership has struggled to have

54:15numbers somewhere between five and seven

54:17or eight at a time, but never uh much

54:20more than that. And if there were ever

54:22more than that, [snorts] it never lasted

54:23for more than a few weeks.

54:25But I think there are 14 or 15 seats

54:27available.

54:28And

54:29um and I think that this highlights the

54:32one of the biggest problems of of the

54:34board if you the board's not close to

54:36full strength, it's not truly

54:38representing the community.

54:40Um

54:41And um but what I think that it means is

54:44that

54:45either the chair is not doing the work

54:49to load the board or nobody wants to

54:52serve on the board.

54:55Either of those

54:56reasons, neither of them is okay. Both

54:59fall squarely on the shoulders of the

55:02chair. So, if you don't have a chair

55:05that is either working actively and

55:07successfully to fill the board to

55:09capacity

55:11or creating an atmosphere whereby people

55:14want to be on the board, then the chair

55:18is essentially ineffective in my view.

55:21And since

55:22um it's one or the other, um but that

55:25that's where the numbers stand. I would

55:27say that we need someone

55:29who will get the board up to full

55:31strength

55:32at the worst, um have a waiting list of

55:36people that think, "Wow, I can't wait to

55:38serve on this board. This is a great

55:40thing for the community."

55:42But that's not happening, and that's why

55:44I think that some strong thought should

55:45go into seeking immediately appointment

55:48of a new chair for the civilian review

55:50board who will immediately

55:51[clears throat]

55:52begin working on getting the board to

55:54full strength, which is where it was

55:56prior to uh Mr. Varied taking over as

55:59chair.

56:02>> Thank you.

56:03>> Thank you.

56:05>> You're welcome. Thank you for your time.

56:12>> Is there anyone else in the public that

56:13would like to speak?

56:16Please come forward.

56:18>> I think it's 27

56:19>> Name and address, please, for the

56:20record.

56:22>> [laughter]

56:24>> I'm Stephanie Cobb, and my address is 27

56:26Homestead Avenue.

56:27>> Thank you.

56:27>> You're very welcome.

56:31>> Um one I'm very honored to sit here and

56:33>> Before you speak, can

56:35>> Could you push that?

56:36>> And I'll give you a moment.

56:37>> Yeah, but I can't I can't hear you.

56:39>> I'm sorry. Say it again.

56:39>> Okay, I'm trying to push my address.

56:40Just give me 1 second.

56:42>> Yeah.

56:42>> I'm Stephanie Cobb, and

56:4427 Homestead Avenue.

56:46>> Homestead Avenue?

56:47>> Mhm. Thank you.

56:49>> Can you push that mic closer to you?

56:50>> I'm very loud. I can be quiet in here.

56:53My previous address have been 99

56:55Edgewood Avenue,

56:56down the street, and before that 27 Pond

56:58Street in Watertown.

57:00My parents served this community

57:02until they passed.

57:04This community has served our family

57:07until they served back.

57:08Um I want to with Mr. Mayo

57:11who um

57:13has done nothing to be helpful.

57:15Recognize my conditions as disabilities.

57:17I heard someone speaking about that. My

57:19disability is unseen. Someone caring

57:22enough to know that I have struggles

57:24walking in distances and to be

57:25concerned.

57:27Um

57:28I just want to speak at this character.

57:31Um

57:32I'm a US Army veteran.

57:34I've served my country.

57:36I've worked at the United States

57:37Department of Veterans Affairs for the

57:39past 20 years.

57:40Um but I want to say that um I'm

57:43definitely opposed

57:45because of the work that my parents have

57:47done. And arguing and bickering is not

57:50going to help this community that's

57:51always in turmoil. You can't have a

57:54board that's doing this and then they're

57:57trying to be helpful because if you

57:58don't know how to be helpful in your own

57:59stance helping out the community.

58:02I've lived here. I have raised my kids

58:04here.

58:05I know what the difficulties are here. I

58:07really talked about being shot.

58:10And my favorite building here is the

58:12Whitehall

58:13because I was a part of the Ulysses S.

58:15Grant program.

58:16Um so we served and I mean we were

58:18invested in living here. I went to

58:20Timothy Dwight School before they they

58:22changed it. I'm not saying. So it's sort

58:25of messy. Um So I just want to like say

58:29no I disagree. And I think that you

58:31should seriously

58:33consider finding someone who's more in a

58:37community mindset and not trying to just

58:40remove people by tactics. We have enough

58:43of that in politics already. This is

58:45terrible. So um I'm honored to be here.

58:48I've never done this before. I think my

58:50mom was on the committee I think. Um and

58:53my dad came in they came in these

58:55buildings to serve.

58:57The only American city is my mother was

58:59a part of that.

59:00For 3 years. I have to remember the

59:02mayor's names. But

59:05the importance [clears throat] of not

59:07always listening to the bad stuff. But

59:09what have they accomplished in this

59:11committee?

59:12What have they gotten done for the

59:14community? Have they investigated any

59:17badness in this community? Because we

59:19have good people and we have bad people.

59:22And the bad people like to hide.

59:24They don't want to be found out.

59:26So just to consider that. And you're a

59:28judge?

59:29Your honor?

59:30>> No.

59:30>> No, no. I'm just

59:32sitting in your chair. [laughter]

59:35You look like a judge.

59:38So I just wanted to to step make my

59:40stance on I'm not shy by any means.

59:44But it's very, very important that we

59:46can know if they can make the meeting

59:48and we can know these questions.

59:50Are you able to do the work?

59:52You know, showing up is half the battle.

59:54The other part is actually getting along

59:55with others to get the job done.

59:57>> The whole battle is done.

59:59>> Yeah. And that's all I really have.

1:00:00>> Thank you so much.

1:00:01>> Thank you all so much.

1:00:02>> Thank you.

1:00:04>> Hazel Ann Wynn.

1:00:07I know them.

1:00:07>> Mhm.

1:00:08>> Okay.

1:00:09>> Where do you live?

1:00:10>> I live on Chestnut.

1:00:12>> [laughter]

1:00:13>> No. Uh we were on the corner by the

1:00:15Grand over there.

1:00:18>> Okay, is there anyone else in the public

1:00:19that would like to speak? Please come

1:00:21forward.

1:00:27>> Hi.

1:00:28>> Good evening.

1:00:28>> Good evening.

1:00:29Um I'll sit in my chair.

1:00:32>> [laughter]

1:00:36>> Please state your name and address for

1:00:37the record.

1:00:37>> My name is Eddie Kimble.

1:00:39I live at 113 Shepherd Street.

1:00:45>> [clears throat]

1:00:45>> Thank you.

1:00:47>> [laughter]

1:00:50>> Do I have to say that over again?

1:00:52>> No, no. You're good.

1:00:53>> You heard that part. All right.

1:00:55Um

1:00:56>> [clears throat]

1:00:57>> Jamal is my cousin and

1:01:00I'm going to tell you a little bit about

1:01:02me.

1:01:03Um I'm on the board of LCI.

1:01:06Um

1:01:09I ran for alderman

1:01:11and I lost. But that's besides the

1:01:15point. Um

1:01:18Our family has always been working

1:01:21to help other people in New Haven.

1:01:24The community

1:01:27Um

1:01:295 years ago I started a community um

1:01:32garden.

1:01:35Um I

1:01:38didn't get any help from the um

1:01:40city or whoever I was supposed to get

1:01:42help from.

1:01:43I bought all the seeds. When I harvest,

1:01:46I put it on a table

1:01:49so that my neighbors that don't help me

1:01:54can have it.

1:01:56They won't come out and help, but

1:01:59>> [clears throat]

1:02:00>> they weed from the um you know the

1:02:05Yeah. So um but the [clears throat]

1:02:07reason why I'm here is because um

1:02:11we needed this review board.

1:02:17There are four people on the board

1:02:20at this uh time. Okay? Because I went to

1:02:25meeting last month.

1:02:27And there was four people.

1:02:31And the chair, she left.

1:02:36She said she had something else to do.

1:02:38This is the same girl that you want to

1:02:41put back on

1:02:42the board.

1:02:44And um

1:02:46for our family to do so much for New

1:02:49Haven

1:02:51and um

1:02:53what was that about?

1:02:56>> I love the camera.

1:02:57>> Huh?

1:02:58>> [laughter]

1:03:00>> Okay.

1:03:02Um

1:03:03Look.

1:03:04You ready?

1:03:05>> I don't have something on my clothes.

1:03:07>> Okay. I mean I can hear you if you're

1:03:09ready.

1:03:11Did you get it out?

1:03:13>> [laughter]

1:03:15>> Okay. Um

1:03:19But

1:03:20you know

1:03:22not just

1:03:23Jemima and I

1:03:25it's the whole family. And we have

1:03:27children coming up.

1:03:30Okay, and

1:03:33I have one great grandson, 10 years old

1:03:38that we still have to raise. Okay, and I

1:03:41have a granddaughter, she well,

1:03:44great-granddaughter, she's eight.

1:03:48That's for my side, okay.

1:03:50My my

1:03:52great-grandson goes to

1:03:55Reverend Coleville Church

1:03:57uh um

1:03:58private school on Dixwell Avenue that

1:04:01the Reverend Kimber

1:04:03started.

1:04:06Okay.

1:04:07And [clears throat] um

1:04:10if we're trying to make our children

1:04:13understand

1:04:15about different races and different

1:04:17stuff

1:04:18um

1:04:20the adults should pitch in

1:04:22and not cause a whole lot of confusion

1:04:26on boards and stuff like that. I'm glad

1:04:28our board uh can zoom. So we like

1:04:33>> [laughter]

1:04:33>> But um

1:04:36the

1:04:38this commission

1:04:42I haven't really

1:04:44heard anything

1:04:46accomplished.

1:04:48And they get a lot of complaints, but

1:04:51they don't have a backing because they

1:04:54didn't want to start this commission

1:04:57first of all.

1:04:59But they got it through.

1:05:01Now they're down to four members.

1:05:05What is four members going to do?

1:05:08That means the chair is not trying to

1:05:11get

1:05:13people to sign up or if they sign up,

1:05:17she's not approving them, you know.

1:05:20So, um

1:05:22I think we have to do better and what

1:05:26she's accusing or whoever's accusing

1:05:29Jamal Lowe,

1:05:31he is not [clears throat] that type of

1:05:32person. He's not going to

1:05:35ruin his legacy

1:05:38over some stuff like this, you know what

1:05:40I'm saying?

1:05:41And people always trying to find

1:05:43something wrong.

1:05:46They don't see the good in people. They

1:05:48but

1:05:50they will make up stuff and I'm saying

1:05:54make up because

1:05:56my cousin is not into Caucasian

1:05:59women.

1:06:02All right. And I'm older than him.

1:06:05So, I know.

1:06:08All right?

1:06:09Uh we already done been through

1:06:11Caucasian. We got it in our blood. We

1:06:13don't need no more.

1:06:16So,

1:06:17I think this

1:06:19>> [laughter]

1:06:19>> I just I just speak what I believe,

1:06:23okay? And

1:06:26this girl

1:06:29she's not bringing anybody in, but are

1:06:33you going to accuse my cousin of

1:06:35um

1:06:36stuff that he hasn't even done?

1:06:40And at this point it is hearsay because

1:06:43if she doesn't have witnesses and he

1:06:45doesn't have, what they going to do

1:06:47about it?

1:06:48But if they can't coincide on this

1:06:51board, she doesn't need to, you know, be

1:06:55put back on the board.

1:06:58So, I'm not going to take up any more of

1:07:00your time. Um

1:07:02I get long-winded sometimes. We all

1:07:05right now.

1:07:06>> Good night. Thank you.

1:07:07>> You have a good night.

1:07:09>> [laughter]

1:07:10>> You need to have a good lawyer next

1:07:12time.

1:07:18>> [clears throat]

1:07:20>> Hi, my name is Andria Hatcher.

1:07:22>> Name and address for the record, please.

1:07:2428 my Street in Alex Sandin in New

1:07:28Haven, Connecticut.

1:07:30And I can I was at a few meetings and

1:07:32what I seen

1:07:33it was deplorable.

1:07:35I mean, I you know, as you know, I'm

1:07:37from Newport, Rhode Island. I lived here

1:07:39for years now, but this was deplorable.

1:07:41And from what I my understanding is, the

1:07:44board is set up not to be an extension

1:07:46of the police department or to be in

1:07:49agreement. That's what I seen.

1:07:51I've seen a person come in,

1:07:54the police sat down,

1:07:56he said all these were unfounded.

1:07:59The person that had documents from a

1:08:01higher authority

1:08:04that said they were founded

1:08:06and nobody looked into it. So,

1:08:09I mean, it was just terrible. But, the

1:08:11thing [clears throat] that I want to say

1:08:13for for a review board, I would like to

1:08:15know if I needed their help.

1:08:18That it was set up, say something

1:08:19happened to my son.

1:08:21I'm a black I have a black son.

1:08:23And if we all be transparent here,

1:08:25that's who most of the injustice happens

1:08:27to.

1:08:28The black male.

1:08:30So, what I'm saying, the board is set up

1:08:33not did my son do the crime, but that

1:08:36he's handled properly during the arrest,

1:08:39during the procedures are followed.

1:08:42So, I don't want to make this about

1:08:43race, but I want to make it about

1:08:45justice.

1:08:47That my son gets justice if he

1:08:51is not treated fairly during an arrest

1:08:53or whatever the case is. So, yes, I'm

1:08:56here saying that she doesn't need to be

1:08:58removed because that's not what she has

1:09:01in her heart. She doesn't feel this

1:09:03pain. That That's why she started

1:09:05crying. Our community feels this pain

1:09:10of injustice. And when somebody takes

1:09:12control of something that was formed by

1:09:15us, basically to protect us, that

1:09:18doesn't have the heart

1:09:20of the founder or the mother or the

1:09:22reason it was established, she needs to

1:09:25be removed. I don't know her personally,

1:09:29but I seen her at my bank in Citizens in

1:09:32East Haven. But, I'm just saying,

1:09:34basically, the board's purpose and the

1:09:36agenda of the board must be

1:09:38fulfilled cuz we got to stop really stop

1:09:41this.

1:09:42It's all over the country, but we're

1:09:44fortunate enough in East Haven to have a

1:09:46review board who can look at the cam-

1:09:48cameras of the police. They didn't look

1:09:51at how they any of the cases that were

1:09:53brought before them. I've been studying

1:09:55all of this.

1:09:56And I mean, it's an outrage. And

1:09:58somebody that's the chair has to have

1:10:00the heart of the community, the heart of

1:10:02the founder, the mother who gave up a

1:10:05whole entire life, as y'all know, if

1:10:07y'all are in our community, she's a

1:10:08lawyer. She stopped all of that to just

1:10:11to get this. It wasn't easy to get here.

1:10:14But, if I have something done and I need

1:10:16to come to the review board, or even any

1:10:18of you can still be a victim as well,

1:10:20and your children and your children's

1:10:22children, that I can come and I know

1:10:24they're on the side of justice, not race

1:10:27justice. And that's what I wanted to

1:10:30say.

1:10:31>> Thank you. Thank you.

1:10:32Thank you.

1:10:34>> Is there anyone else from the public

1:10:35that would like to speak on these items?

1:10:38Please come forward. [clears throat]

1:10:47Good evening.

1:10:48>> Good evening.

1:10:49>> Name and address for the record, please.

1:10:51>> My name is Kenneth Shanklin. I stay at

1:10:53136 Elm Street, New Haven, Connecticut.

1:10:56Um

1:10:57I just want to say that um

1:11:00in in a few words, I'm going to speak on

1:11:02the character of Mr. Campbell.

1:11:05Um honestly, he's been cutting my hair

1:11:07since I was a small boy, you know.

1:11:09He's always been um

1:11:12for lack of a better word, he was he's

1:11:13always been a leader. And he's always

1:11:15been somebody that you could look to

1:11:18to be an example in our community.

1:11:19There's not a lot.

1:11:21I mean, there are a few, but not a lot

1:11:23that have been over the course of

1:11:25decades.

1:11:26And he's always been here. Um

1:11:28myself, I got out of prison and

1:11:30he he's mentored me, you know, he's

1:11:32helped me through my addiction. He's

1:11:34been um he's been a light, you know,

1:11:37where a lot of people are down. And it

1:11:39it it kind of hurts that he he has to go

1:11:42[clears throat] through what he's going

1:11:43through because these allegations are

1:11:45really they're dumbfounded.

1:11:48He wouldn't do anything that destroyed

1:11:49his father's legacy, more or less his

1:11:52own.

1:11:52You know, because he's still trying to

1:11:54work. He's still putting in the work.

1:11:56That's the thing. It's not just it's not

1:11:58stopping. It's it's ongoing, you know.

1:12:01Someone like him

1:12:03you know, this is his life.

1:12:05This is who he is. You know, he's just

1:12:07all about serve in of the community, not

1:12:10just the black community, community in

1:12:12general.

1:12:13Because we're a melting pot in there.

1:12:15And you know, everybody has to love one

1:12:17another for this thing to work.

1:12:20And when somebody gets taken out at the

1:12:21knees like he has, he can't do anything

1:12:23but try to hollow from the ground up.

1:12:25That's all he he he he just wants to be

1:12:28you know, able to continue to do the

1:12:30work.

1:12:31You know, and there's a lot of it to be

1:12:33done. If anybody's from Waverly knows.

1:12:35There's always something going on.

1:12:37Um

1:12:38I'm not going to hold y'all it's after

1:12:407:00,

1:12:41you know. But I'm just going to be

1:12:43frank, you know, please don't allow this

1:12:45to continue. You know.

1:12:47It's simple, you know, change needs to

1:12:49be done. You got 15 spots and you know,

1:12:52you got less than six people. That is

1:12:54not conducive to what it's supposed to

1:12:57be, you know.

1:12:59It it's it's just not. That's all I have

1:13:01to say. Thank you. Thank you very much.

1:13:08>> Is there anyone else from the public

1:13:10that would like to speak on any of these

1:13:11items?

1:13:13Is there anyone else from the public

1:13:14that would like to speak on any of these

1:13:16items?

1:13:18And for the third [clears throat] time,

1:13:19is there anyone from the public that

1:13:20would like to speak on these items?

1:13:22>> Yes.

1:13:23>> Seeing none.

1:13:24>> Mr. Chair, I move to close the public

1:13:27public

1:13:28>> Second.

1:13:29>> portion of the meeting.

1:13:30>> Discussion?

1:13:32Seeing none, the public portion of this

1:13:34meeting is closed. I'd like to recess

1:13:37recess for 5 minutes, please.

1:13:47>> [clears throat]

1:14:36>> Oh, what?

1:14:38>> I'm okay.

1:14:46Anybody?

1:14:47>> Everybody.

1:14:51>> I don't know, don't

1:14:53I [laughter] don't want her and children

1:14:54watching. I don't want them.

1:14:56I think I was a good guy.

1:14:57>> Yeah, yeah.

1:14:58>> I got to say that.

1:14:59>> [laughter]

1:15:00>> I don't want people to, you know,

1:15:02I don't want any children to

1:15:33>> I see the preparation.

1:15:46>> [laughter]

1:15:47>> Absolutely.

1:15:50Absolutely.

1:16:06I'm sorry.

1:16:19>> [laughter]

1:16:33>> I'm sorry to hear that.

1:16:41Over the moon.

1:16:43>> Over the moon?

1:16:43>> Yeah.

1:16:52>> Four didn't show up.

1:16:55I had to describe it six.

1:17:03Passover.

1:17:04>> We're going to pass over that.

1:17:06>> Okay.

1:17:07>> Okay.

1:17:29>> Is that ready?

1:17:36>> Okay, we're going to be

1:17:38>> Yes, uh Mr. Chair.

1:17:40I make a motion to move items one and

1:17:44three

1:17:45and

1:17:48skip over four

1:17:50seeing as they were postponed and um

1:17:54we're going to move

1:17:56items five, eight, and nine.

1:17:59Also also six, so five, six, eight, and

1:18:02nine.

1:18:02>> And two? So all of

1:18:03>> Yeah.

1:18:04>> Two? But you said one and three.

1:18:05>> I said one and two. One one and two and

1:18:07three.

1:18:08>> One through three.

1:18:08>> Yeah. So items

1:18:10one, two, and three

1:18:12and five, six, eight, and nine.

1:18:17>> Second.

1:18:18>> All in favor?

1:18:19>> Aye.

1:18:20>> Discussion?

1:18:31All in favor?

1:18:33Any discussion?

1:18:33>> Discussion.

1:18:38>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to

1:18:40speak on these candidates. A lot of them

1:18:43are really well qualified. Some of them

1:18:45have served already and have spent a lot

1:18:47of time

1:18:49contributing to you know our great city

1:18:51and they're back, which I think is also

1:18:53really commendable. And so I just want

1:18:56to thank everybody for for showing up

1:18:57and continuing to show up for our city.

1:18:59I think civics is really important and

1:19:01being involved and engaged is really

1:19:03important. So Mr. Chair, I

1:19:06I support these these candidates, these

1:19:08nominees. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

1:19:10>> Thank you, all aboard.

1:19:12>> Uh any more discussion on the items?

1:19:14Seeing none, all in favor?

1:19:16>> Aye.

1:19:18>> Anything?

1:19:21Items passed.

1:19:24Congratulations.

1:19:26Uh do we have a motion to adjourn this

1:19:28meeting?

1:19:29>> Mr. Chair, I make a motion to

1:19:32adjourn.

1:19:34Um

1:19:35>> Do I have a second?

1:19:36>> Second.

1:19:37>> All in favor?

1:19:38>> Aye.

1:19:39>> This meeting is adjourned.

1:19:42>> [laughter]

1:19:50>> I just want to say thank you so much.

1:19:55>> [laughter]

1:20:00>> Uh item number seven we passed over

1:20:03uh for tonight. There'll be no vote on

1:20:05that.

1:20:11>> Thank you.

```*