City of Meriden, CT - April 16, 2001 minutes

The Meriden City Council’s regular meeting of April 16, 2001 was convened at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Joseph Marinan. Mayor Marinan led the Council in the salute to the flag and Matthew Dominello offered the invocation. The Clerk called the roll. Present: Matthew Dominello, Joseph Ferrigno Feest, Joseph Galotti, Keith Gordon, Brian Kogut, Patricia Lynes, George McGoldrick, Michael Rohde and Stephen Zerio.

Matthew Dominello, made a motion, seconded by Keith Gordon, to bring forth a Consent Calendar and to approve the minutes of April 2, 2001 and to adopt the Consent Calendar as previously prepared. Motion carried unanimously.

Be It Resolved, that a 3 way stop sign be installed at the intersection of Windingbrook Lane and Baldwin Avenue.

Whereas, the City entered into agreement with the Caretaker of the Broad Brook Filter Plant in April of 1997; and

Whereas, this agreement was for a four-year period, which expires in April of 2001, and will continue on a month-to-month basis; and

Whereas, the City wishes to continue this lease agreement for an additional two years to maintain security at this municipal facility; and

Be It Resolved, that the Law Department be directed to prepare a two-year extension to the existing agreement; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the City Manager is hereby authorized to execute this agreement on behalf of the City of Meriden.

Whereas, the City recently appealed an arbitration award (Meriden Board of Education and Meriden Federation of School Administrators); and

Be It Resolved, that $2,250 be made available from the City’s Contingency Budget to pay the arbitrator in this case for services rendered.

Further Resolved, that the City Manager is hereby directed to place this project in the City’s CIP for the coming fiscal year.

Whereas, it is a priority to maintain the high standards of the City of Meriden’s Department of Police Services for the safety of its officers, citizens and to the visitors of the City; and

Whereas, the Meriden Police Department recognizes that combative non-compliant armed and/or violent subjects cause handling and control problems that require special training and equipment. The use of police officers by troubled subjects in attempting suicide seems to be growing on a national level. Thus the Meriden Police Department has adopted the Less Lethal Force Philosophy to assist with the de-escalation of these potentially violent confrontations; and

Whereas, Less-Lethal Force Philosophy is a concept of planning and force application, which meets operational objectives, with less potential for causing death or serious physical injury when compared to conventional firearm projectiles. Meriden Police Department has policies and procedures to try to defuse dangerous situations without harm to the officers, citizens and/or visitors of the City; and

Whereas, Meriden has had at least 4 incidents of suicide by cop in the last 10 years and had to use deadly force for the protection of the officers, citizens and/or visitors; and

Whereas, Meriden officers are trained to use alternative methods of disarming persons that cause a threat not only to themselves but to others around them, (i.e. Bean Bag Shot Gun Rounds) if time allows for the alternative methods to arrive on the scene and if there is time to negotiate with the individual prior to an attempt to hurt themselves or others; and

Whereas, to help alleviate the downside to a shooting not only to the victim of the shooting and their family, but also to the officers involved and their families for the emotional distress that is caused by this type of incident, and to the time lost of the officers due to administrative leave for therapy and/or investigations; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved, adding the advance Taser M-26 to the equipment available will assist our officers by increasing the Less Lethal options immediately available, there-by improving the potential for successful resolution of the incident without the use of conventional firearm projectiles; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the City of Meriden Purchase 12 Air Taser Units to be carried by the on duty squad and for specified SWAT Team members. These units would be signed in and out by the duty squad at the beginning and at the end of each shift for accountability; and

Be It Further Resolved, that a sum of $10,000, be made available as soon as possible to purchase the 12 Air Taser Units with paddle holsters, training air shot cartridges, non-training air shot cartridges and Dataport Download Software for verifying accrual Taser usage. Train the trainer courses will be provided to selected Meriden Police Officers by the company so they in turn can train the other police officers with the use of the Air Taser units. The Finance Committee will determine funding sources.

Whereas, the State of Connecticut, Department of Education, has notified the City of Meriden, Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Youth Services of a preliminary grant award in an amount not to exceed $55,000 for a one year period from July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002; and

Whereas, the City of Meriden, Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Youth Services, is requesting to submit a completed grant application

in order to continue the overall operation of the Youth Services Division which provides the coordination of services to all Meriden youth; and

Be It Resolved, that the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Youth Services, is hereby authorized and directed to enter into contract for a continuation grant from the State of Connecticut, Department of Education, in such form and manner as required by the State Department of Education, in an amount not to exceed $55,000; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Director of Health and Human Services, Beth Vumbaco, is hereby authorized and directed to sign such contract, and that the Division of Youth Services is hereby designated to administer said program and all activities will be carried out under the direction of Beth Vumbaco, R.N.,M.S., Director of Health and Human Services.

Whereas, the City has been in the process of recruiting a new police chief and with this process, expenditures have incurred, and the City must pay for these expenses; and

Whereas, the expenses incurred on behalf of the recruitment process includes advertisements in newspapers and professional journals, expenses associated with the interviews, along with anticipated reimbursement for travel and lodging for the candidates for the position of police chief for the projected amount of $9,000; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved, that a transfer in the amount of $9,000 from the Contingency Fund/Special Appropriation be made to line item: 001-2605-443-0001 so that these expenses can be paid.

Whereas, the Federal Government through HUD is offering grant funds for 3-year lead abatement programs to serve communities in need; and

Whereas, lead in household dust has been demonstrated to present a significant hazard to pregnant women and children; and

Whereas, lead pain poisoning has adversely affected many children in the City of Meriden, and Meriden experiences a disproportionate number of children diagnosed with lead poisoning; and

Whereas, these funds would be used to conduct inspections, abatement, management, relocation and case management; and

Whereas, receipt of these funds would enable the City of Meriden to realize a reduction in the number of children affected by lead paint poisoning; and

Whereas, upon receipt of these funds, the City and its community partners would contribute in-kind services in the form of office support, supervision and program oversight in the amount of 10% of the grant amount; and

Whereas, HUD grants up to 3.5 million dollars to a single community for a 3-year lead abatement project; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved, that Beth Vumbaco, RN, MS, Director of Health/Human Services is hereby authorized and directed to submit an application to HUD and, if funded, execute a contract on behalf of the City of Meriden for this project. Beth Vumbaco, RN, MS, Director of Health/Human Services shall process and submit all of the documents required that are relative to this contract.

Item 10. Letter to City Council from Stacey Gagliardi, 41 Howe Street re: Request for parking on one side of Howe Street was referred to Public Safety.

Item 11. Bid Waiver re: Engineering Dept. is requesting a bid waiver to allow AMTRAK to provide flag protection during the construction of the Railroad Canopy and Station Platform Improvements. This is an AMTRAK rail line and they are the only people who can provide this service. Filed.

Item 12. Letter to Mayor Marinan from Norma Adams of 292 Tulip Drive re: Repairs to sink hole in her driveway was referred to Public Works and Parks & Recreation.

Item 13. Letter to Matthew Dominello, Chairman of Public Safety from Mr. & Mrs. Iarusso of 39 Hourigan Drive re: Water problems from water running off Westfort Farms Estates causing massive flooding and damage whenever it rains was referred to Public Works and Parks & Recreation.

Item 14. Claims submitted against the City by John Miniter, 712 Main Street, South Meriden; Barbara Fritz, 41 Overlook Drive, Meriden; Mary Baez, 23 Crown Street Extension, Meriden; Dorothy Facin Maisto, 83 New Cheshire Road, South Meriden; Paulis Vikelis, 43 Retreat Avenue, Meriden; Vincent Spratta, 820 Hanover Road, Meriden; Sandra Brunet, 67 John George Drive, Meriden; Donald & Karen Arasimowicz, 209 Knob Hill Road, South Meriden; Jean and Therese Crevier, 33 South Meadow Lane, Meriden were referred to Legal and Safety & Risk.

Whereas, the City’s Economic Development Task Force is responsible for disposing of such property; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved, that the aforementioned property is declared surplus and may be disposed of by said Task Force.

Whereas, it is in the best interest of the City of Meriden Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the South Meriden Volunteer Fire Department to provide it’s firefighters and officers with the necessary equipment and training to develop and maintain a physical fitness and wellness program; and

Whereas, firefighting is a physically demanding profession performed under adverse conditions, such a program would enable firefighters and officers to be more effective in their duties; and

Whereas, the benefits of such a program would result in a decrease in work related injury costs and provide firefighters with the equipment and information necessary to maintain the quality of life with respect to health and wellness; and

Whereas, FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Fire Act, a matching grant program providing funding for various fire department programs is available with applications due no later than May 2, 2001; and

Whereas, the cost of providing fitness-wellness equipment and fitness-wellness training would be $141,000 with the FEMA share of 70% and the City of Meriden share of 30%; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved, that the City of Meriden will fund the City’s share (30%) $42,300 should FEMA award the City of Meriden with a grant award to provide the necessary equipment and training to initiate a physical fitness-wellness program for it’s firefighters and officers.

Whereas, it is in the best interest of the City of Meriden Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the South Meriden Volunteer Fire Department to ensure that fire officers and firefighters are well trained in supervision and safety; and

Whereas, this training would benefit the residents and business community by developing firefighters with the necessary skills to be more effective in firefighting; and

Whereas, FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Fire Act, a grant program providing matching grants for various fire department programs is available with applications due no later than May 2, 2001; and

Whereas, the cost of the providing a 96 hour Fire Officer I program and a 16 hour Incident Safety Officer program would be $42,000 with the FEMA share of 70% and the City of Meriden share of 30%; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved, that the City of Meriden will fund the City share (30%) $12,600 should FEMA award the City of Meriden Department of Fire Services with a grant to train firefighters and officers in supervisory skills and safety.

Item 15A. Your Finance Committee to whom was referred a resolution concerning Traffic & Vehicle Assistant to be a certified job description & that current Parts Clerk be put into it and paid retro to 1/1/01 from funds already budgeted on 4/2/01 report that they have attended to the matter and recommend the following:

Committee: Laura M. Gallo, Chairperson; Brian F. Kogut, Vice-Chairperson; Stephen T. Zerio; Keith Gordon; Walter Shamock.

Item 15B. Your Finance Committee to whom was referred a resolution concerning appropriation of $7,850 to pay arbitrator’s expenses associated with appeal of Meriden Federation of School Administrator’s Award on 3/5/01, report that they have attended to the matter and recommend the following:

Committee: Laura M. Gallo, Chairperson; Brian F. Kogut, Vice-Chairman; Stephen T. Zerio; Keith Gordon; Walter Shamock.

Brian Kogut, made a motion, seconded by Keith Gordon, to adopt. Motion carried. Councilor Zerio voted Nay.

Item 15C. Your Finance Committee to whom was referred a resolution concerning an appropriation of $85,000 for material and installation costs for traffic signal installation at Thomas Edison Middle School on 4/2/01 report that they have attended to the matter and recommend the following:

Committee: Laura M. Gallo, Chairperson; Brian F. Kogut, Vice-Chairperson; Stephen T. Zerio; Keith Gordon; Walter Shamock.

Item 15D. Your Finance Committee to whom was referred a resolution concerning an upgrade from Records Clerk to Administrative Secretary at Police Department on 3/19/01, report that they have attended to the matter and recommend the following:

Committee: Laura M. Gallo, Chairperson; Brian F. Kogut, Vice-Chairperson; Stephen T. Zerio; Keith Gordon; Walter Shamock.

Brian Kogut, made a motion, seconded by Stephen Zerio, to adopt. Councilor Dominello asked to abstain. Hearing no objection it was so ordered. Motion carried unanimously.

Item 15E. Your Finance Committee to whom was referred a resolution concerning a special appropriation of $200,000 be made to cover dumping fees for the Bulky Waste Program until the end of fiscal year on 4/2/01, report that they have attended to the matter and recommend the following:

Committee: Laura M. Gallo, Chairperson; Brian F. Kogut, Vice-Chairperson; Stephen T. Zerio; Keith Gordon; Walter Shamock.

Item 15F. Your Finance Committee to whom was referred a resolution concerning an appropriation of $5000 for the Visions Group for the cost of flower planting program on 4/2/01 report that they have attended to the matter and recommend the following:

Committee: Laura M. Gallo, Chairperson; Brian F. Kogut, Vice-Chairperson; Stephen T. Zerio; Keith Gordon; Walter Shamock.

Be It Ordered, that this appropriation for flower plantings be $7,000 which will include the flower barrels for Parker Avenue; and

Item 16A. Your Public Works and Parks & Recreation Committee, to whom was referred a letter to City Manager Kemp, Mayor Marinan, City Planner Caruso concerning biological control on city-owned land at Hanover Pond on 3/19/01 report that they have attended to the matter and recommend adoption.