Governance, Policy & Economic Development Subcommittee - Special Meeting

is called on the plan itself. Um so this is something that we're looking at right now to see if we're able to afford it. Um it was pushed over onto phase two, but if there's a way for us to be able to get this into phase phase one, uh we are exploring all options right now in the concession area. um would really be there to service any of the groups that come in um that are going to be using the athletic facilities like uh the Junior Warhawks or the uh uh Bloomfield Junior Soccer Association um once we complete the area and then we're going into park furnishings. um some of the park furnishings we're looking at, they um if you go over to the one that my my pointer is at right now, these are at the center of town. These are these are these are um expensive benches. This is the type of bench that we um put in for the town center and for Philly Park. And there's a specific theme that goes there around this. We thought that that was appropriate for the center of town, but for all of the other park locations that we have, we've gone to a bench style um something similar to this over here. It is a a composite material that isn't going to splinter. You don't need to paint it every five or six years. It's it's it's permanent. Um so, it's in for the long haul. And so, I think that this is probably the type of bench in and furniture that we will be moving forward with just to be consistent throughout the park system. And just some of the some of the types of uh playscape apparatus that we're that we'll have on location.

Yes. And this is an example of the exercise qu uh exercise equipment that we're looking at. A lot of it will be body weight um type of um type of equipment that you see and you see you're seeing these pop up more and more locations there. Um CO really had a a major impact on this type of ex outdoor exercise. um equipment and we thought it would be nice to have it in his vault as part of this project and we're just moving it to pavers at this point. So I think and this really kind of concludes my project update and I'll be more than happy to answer any questions.

Thank you very much. Uh I just have one question before we open it up to to the other uh counselors. Um, I had a question relative to the I may have turned it off. Okay. Relative to the uh turf that is slated. Uh, I know it's not in this phase, but has there been a decision made uh relative to actual grass or andor artificial turf? Um, and you could possibly add the piece relative to the high school as well if you would like. If not, that's fine.

All right. So, can't really comment on on this area, this specific park. I mean, the park was designed for artificial turf. um and what makes the artificial turf work. And I'm actually, if you're all right, I'm just going to pull up my screen again so you can kind of visually see with what I'm talking about. So hopefully you can see again um the rendering over here shows it as natural turf and natural turf would work for us um but just not as well. So ultimately with what we're looking for is we need additional field space here in town. Um, football has outgrown their space and soccer is a spring, summer, and fall sport, and football is is becoming a year- round sport as well. Um, their their main season for football is August 1 um through typically the middle of Novemberish, depending if they make the playoffs or not. Um, so having space for them is is is difficult. and they're on the natural turf now and you can begin to see the the the wear patterns that you see here at 330 Park Avenue based off of the overuse of the fields. So the design of it over here was to have so that we could have one program here at 330 Park Avenue, another program over at Rockwell Avenue, and that's hence the part of the reason why we want a concession area over there, so that they can house games at this location as well, potentially sell um some some product in order to um you know, to help fund raise, support their costs. Mhm.

But uh back on to the artificial turf over here. This field will is will be designed for a a fullsize football field and soccer field that can go north and south, excuse me, that can go north and south as well as another one that can go east and west. And what you run into right now is with if you stay with stay here with the natural the natural turf at this location, you have the dirt infill at these locations. And the soccer program and the football program doesn't want to play on um on an infield in a dirt area because what it does is it creates a separation on playing surface coming into from the outfield into the infield and then back into the infield and so forth. Um and then again you practice here you know five days a week and whole games here on weekends. We don't have the the maintenance budget nor the uh the manpower to be able to maintain natural turf the way that we would like to. Um that's that's just reality and us and every other municipality needs to deal with that. Um you know even professional sports need to worry about things like that. That's why you see artificial turf at most colleges and a lot of uh um professional organizations at this point in time. So to answer your question, mayor is it was designed for artificial turf, but we can switch over to natural turf if that is what is needed. Um, so I gave you some of the benefits of the reason why it would be why we would prefer to have that and it would make it more desirable. You're going to get 10 years out of that field. It's not going to wear out due to overuse. The only thing that really starts to break down athletic fields is sun and temperature

and that's why it's you get approximately 10 year life cycle out of it. Um if you switch over to the high school, I know that we there was conversation that we had um earlier in the year uh myself, the town manager, the superintendent of of the schools, the athletic director on what to do with the high school. Um and I do believe the desire is to make keep that as actually I don't believe I know it's the desire to keep that as as a artificial turf field. Um because right now at the high school, if they can leave it as an artificial turf field, they practice on that field, they play on that field, soccer plays on that field, and then the youth programs also play there as well. If they have to switch over from artificial turf to natural turf, they've already said it, the only people that are going on there is the home games for the varsity football team and everybody else will need to find a new location. And that's due to the integrity of the turf. It's one of the reasons why they put artificial turf in there is because there was an injury at that location due to the inconsistency of the playing field. A child broke their leg. Um so at that point in time, the decision was made to move over to the artificial turf. Um and I do know that there was a um a resolution that was or a proposed resolution to to ban artificial turf in town. Um, and so that's why I can't specifically answer that question right now.

Right. So, I'll be I am more than happy to answer any questions on that on either side of things. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Um, I just want to acknowledge that we do have our deputy mayor uh Cindy Lloyd as well as Councilman uh Mahan here with us. Uh the town manager had a question and then we're going to move to uh councelor Merritt then to uh uh deputy mayor Lloyd.

And thank you Mr. Mayor and and thank you Dave. Appreciate you uh joining us tonight and providing such a thorough presentation on on such a critical issue to our town. And um if I heard you correct um you said in terms of the the district that has primary usage of the facility the the school district um they are in support of artificial turf. I believe that that was the understanding that I received that from all um from all the meetings that I was involved in that appeared to be the desire um that they would like to move into. Um

okay. And uh can you please uh provide the council and our public an understanding of the the the trend that we're seeing with usage of of artificial turf here in Connecticut uh for um other surrounding m municipalities and and and possibly um collegiate stadiums as well.

Sure, I'll be happy to. You know, I'm not I'm not that well-versed in terms of to name all of them, but I can tell you that as uh um as somebody in in the parks recreation field that does pay attention, does have communication with other municipalities, I'm well versed in that area there. but also from a from a parental perspective. Um I am my son is a collegiate athlete at Brandeise University, plays uh soccer for them and we've traveled all over the northeast and into the southern areas of the of the country as well as the west coast um to play for him to play soccer. I could say I can say with confidence that over 90% of the fields that are played on today are going to be artificial turf. Um, and that's from the only high school that I can think of right now that does not have artificial turf is Ram High School. They know that they still have natural turf. Um, Northwest Catholic just put it put in artificial turf. I believe they opened it up in fall of 24. But if you go and look at all of the region, all all most just about any school district that you see right now as well as university, University of Harford is going to have it. Yale University is going to have it. Yukon has it. Just pretty much every um every collegiate sport is going to outside is going to be playing on artificial turf.

And thank you. And one final question. um as we were asked to uh look into um a study and a comparison between artificial turf and and natural turf, uh when we talk about what the cost of that that study alone uh would be to to our taxpayers, what do we approximate that to be?

They put it on the high side of just under $28,000. um just to look at it and to see with what it would do to look at the existing surface at the high school to see with what it would take to convert it back over from artificial turf over back to natural turf. Um what it would entail what that would mean for for the track that's that up there that there's potential that you'd have to redo the track which they did not too too long ago. Um as well as provide an environmental impact for that. Um and again when it comes to in to studies with there um I'm not an expert in there and you could find studies on both sides of the coin. Um, but one of them that I go to on a regular basis when I'm asked this question over here, and I believe that this is um is a good reference to use, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment from California Environmental Protection Agency, which is ultimately the state of California, which probably has the um most

most stringent environmental laws in the country. um they did a study on it and they found um no concerns with any type of um play on artificial turf. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Thank you. Uh councelor Merritt.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. On that same topic, uh the uh that that area is floodprone where those fields are and the building right there, the basement of it flooded and gave us a lot of trouble back when. Uh is that being looked at because it certainly should have a impact if do we know if those fields get flooded? Um

so as as part of this project here, no these fl these fields here do not get flooded. Um there is a little wetlands creek that's coming in on the north side of the parking area um on the north side of Rockwell Avenue. Um we've reviewed that um as part of their um um um study and plan. they needed to do do core drilling in there to make sure and so that they understand with with with what's this the subbase what's below the the area um and and this will all have to go through permanent and um through the the the wetlands agent but we we do not have concerns in that area.

Okay, good. Um also the bike path coming in uh I believe it was promised uh it's that may be the first stretch of bike path we do because it looks like all the money and the plans are in place to do it with no real problems. Now, my understanding is that I don't know if you've talked with our town engineer about that. Um, but I think you should um because u I think we're going to have it go all the way to Blue Hills Avenue because it may want to connect at some point to other places.

Robert is heavily influenced on this um on this plan. Um he's been in at every meeting other than the kickoff meeting with them. I actually met with him earlier today and he is the reason why we have the um a portion of the greenway that's going to be running along the eastern section of the park was because um of his connections as understand with the greenway projects and working with Crog. Um, so he's been vital to this operation um or to this project and we will continue to lean on him as well as the other resources that we have

and uh uh I I would I have always thought that uh right now naming things after somebody is kind of a a no no. We've had problems with a lot of people objecting to that. So we haven't done that recently. Um, but I our former mayor uh put her heart into this and she's probably responsible for getting all the funding for it and she's pushed it right along. So, I would be in favor of naming it after her, but that's that's got to come down the road somewhere later. So, I won't talk about it anymore. Um, but thank you. I I think that's glad to see this is working out.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, Deputy Mayor Lloyd. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I will defer to any other active subcommittee members before taking if there's any other questions.

Uh, yes. Uh, Council Cooper.

Yes. Thank you, uh, Mr. Mayor. Hey, Dave. Um, just a question. And I know that the the talk is about um natural grass versus artificial turf. Um but you know with these naming conventions there, you know, I think we I think there might have might have skipped over there's such a thing as um artificial grass uh which you know might be semantics but it's not. Um the the product is uh uh less hazardous than than artificial turf and you know it would be nice to to look into uh and they are regional um out of Boston. Um they do these installations. It would be nice to see if uh that is something that might be looked into because I there are still folks who have major concerns about uh the fact of using artificial turf and the the chemicals and the plastics uh from it that somehow seep their way into uh people's bodies and and to our uh sewage and and drainage lines and things of that nature. So um you know if there is some some way uh to capture that and and look into it would be happy to you know give whatever information I have but you guys are professionals I'm sure you would know uh about that sort of thing or you know able to do the research and and look to see um if we have some alternatives if uh natural u grass um will not be put in versus um artificial grass um that can be used and also it's it's very durable um which I think is also the point in uh from a budgetary um perspective but uh yeah so uh if you do if you have something uh in some way to to to make that part of uh

this plan before it's all dug up and installed it would be nice. So, so if I can comment at this time, um,

it is it's part of phase two. Uh, we don't have funding for phase two at this point in time. So, we're years off from this at this point in time anyways. And these are cons these and the the the product itself is always evolvement because they understand the environmental concerns that are out there. And I thank you very much for that for that option and that alternative. um you know working with with an agency like Banesh one of the reasons why they were chosen uh was because of their expertise in the area specifically in sports fields and designs a lot of their work they have done some work with municipalities but a lot of their work has been geared around schools private schools and universities and the installation of these types of fields and I you know again I'm not an expert on here I couldn't sell you one of these I don't know to like the back of my hand like like a representative it would be, but there are many different materials that you can use now. You know, corn husks, excuse me, uh uh coconut husks is one of them that you can use. You know, it's a it's an organic material that you can put down into it. It replaces it. Um these are all in really early stages at this point in time. Um so, they don't know the durability of them and how they're going to want to hold up. um you know what um so that's is it's there are options for us to be able to explore and we will explore those there. Um, you know, going back to the, you know, the the study from from California, that was one of the reasons why that that study just was released this past spring. That study actually they contracted that out. They started that either in 2014 and 2015. And they have almost a decade worth of data on there to support the evidence that they have in terms of um um the PAS and other materials that you mentioned in there in terms of the chemicals that could potentially leech in into the harmful chemicals that um or the proposed harmful chemicals um that could potentially hurt um the users of the field as well as spectators. It was a

pretty um detailed study and as well as that and when we look at materials of it we need to un make sure that the impact of it they're designed in an area where that they can take an impact from a fall and so that it helps reduce concussion or any other type of injury that may have in there. It's very similar with if you put in a plate a playscape you need to be certain that if you go with wood fiber in there it needs to be a certain depth or if you go with port in place it needs to be certain number of inches in there to make sure that you um are accommodating for the impact but we will continue to explore as we move forward as we always would

just thank you for that um and and thank you for just pointing out the fact also that there needs to be some some padding that goes with along with the installation of those things. I didn't mention it but so thank you for that. Right. Appreciate it. Thank you. Uh councelor Death and Brown.

Thank you. Um you answered both questions. I wanted to know about the funding for phase 2 and I also wanted to know about the padding for the playscapes. So you answered both of those questions. One of the things that I also um was thinking about uh when you're talking about other schools and the different turf they use for their sports, there might be some kind of um different level of sportsmen if other people are playing on turf and we're playing on natural grass or something else. So, I think that also needs to be taken into consideration so that we're on a level playing field um with our students who are playing sports. I think that's that's important for them as well. So whatever decision that we make um we're we should make the best decision for our students so that they can compete um on a level level playing field. So that's my two cents on that. But thank you for letting me know about the padding um under the playcapes because that was something I was very interested about. Thank you.

Thank you uh Deputy Mayor Lloyd. Thank you. Um, thank you for your presentation, Dave. It was very enlightening. Although I'd seen some of the renderings before, it was wonderful to see them again. Um, I'm going to go by phase or what I think I heard, and please correct me. Um, the path that you referred to, phase one. Okay. Now, I'm familiar with the wetland area on the north side by the treeine having lost a number of pairs of skippies and shoes. Is that the path that actually currently exists that goes over to Greenbryer Drive?

So, there are several pathways that are there. Um, there will be a new pathway that's coming through in between there, I believe. Um, and it's only the path is only going to go to the um to the where the trolley tracks, the Eversource the Eversource power lines are right now. um anything beyond that on the northern side of with the connection, Robert Troutier would be able to provide additional information on that. He's the lead on that project there. So, I do apologize that I can't provide that response for you. No worries. Exercise equipment phase one or phase two? Phase one.

Perfect. And then I I do know that it will be phase two regarding the um athletic fields, the soccer football. Um and I know it's predicated upon uh funding, but was there any talk about lighting those fields as well as they are currently at 3:30 Park? Absolutely. I would not put in recommend putting any type of athletic field in at this point in time without a specifically the sports that we mentioned. Soccer is a threeseason sport, but they play in the fall. um as well as football, major sport is in the fall and um with daylight hours coming to an end, the lights go on here at 3:30 Park Avenue, um basically the arbitrary date is September 1, so we need to have them.

Perfect. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Okay, Council Merritt has another question. Thank you. Uh the lights uh that go on on the pickball courts used to be the tennis courts. um seem to be going on at odd hours now and I as I remember the controls for those are in the school building there which we no longer own. So is that true still? And how are we going to deal with that?

So we had to remove them years ago. When we sold Belulk to them, we lost our access to the power over there. So, we needed to uh get uh an easement from from them in order to put in our own distribution box to light up the back the current basketball courts. But the pickle ball course does have their own lights in there. Now, those lights are far exceed my tenure here. Um they got to be at least 354 years of age. Those will be replaced. All the lights on the north side are going to be replaced uh with new state-of-the-art Musco lights similar to what you see over here at the current tennis courts, pickle ball courts, and athletic facilities. They're all LEDs. They all will have the um the the the shades on them, which is pointed specifically at the athletic courts, so you don't have that um uh glare that could potentially be going off into the neighbors homes. Um it's literally right on the fails. they've the what with what they've done with the athletic lights are amazing. Um and yes, that is included into there. So, we'll have new lights on basketball courts, pickle ball courts, as well as walkth through lights um for in the uh for at least the parking area and potentially the pathways as well. I can't guarantee the pathways yet. We're still looking into that and rolling it out to see, but definitely at minimum the parking lots. We're also looking for at security cameras as well at the location. Thank you.

Thank you. So I want to say um thank you very much for your presentation. I I do have a question related to the next phase. So I realize we don't have enough to move beyond phase one. Are we looking at other funding agencies i.e. the Harford Foundation for Public Giving and or uh other CIF funds. I I don't think they would potentially grant us two times, but I just wonder what other um means of funding could we pursue.

So if so depend I don't know how many phases there are going to be in the CIF um funding. I know that they just complete I think it was round eight or nine I want to say. Um I don't know how many phases that they have but yes if when we complete this project if if they still have that program in there it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and to demonstrate some of the hopefully some of the the successes and to see with what the park looks like and go back and ask for another round of it.

Can we guarantee on that? Absolutely not. Um, in terms of Harford Foundation for Public Given, to my knowledge, I don't know if municipalities are eligible for too many grants through the Hartford Foundation for Public Given. I think a lot of them are geared towards private funding 501c3s. I could be wrong on that. Um, so we would need to look for alternative sources that you could have. Um, you know, you could potentially work with uh um with the state and to see if, you know, if if something they wanted to bond, if it was something you wanted to work, you know, work with one of our uh state representatives on here to see if there was additional funds there. It will be it was put into the capital project last year. It'll be put into the capital improvement project again this year. Um I think last year we had it slated for FY28 and we'll probably be pretty similar to that there. Um with the understanding that $7.5 million is a large um is a large item.

Okay. Well, thank you very much uh for your presentation and we really appreciate it. You're welcome.

Thank you. We'll now move to uh item number six, discussion regarding business development updates. Mr. John Coleman, director of building and land use, will present. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Madame Mayor, members of the committee, Mr. town manager and citizens of Bloomfield. Happy New Year to you all. Uh the report I'm going to give you this evening u because we have not met for a while is going to cover a period of about 6 months uh going from July uh 1 of uh 2025 to uh December 31 of 2025. Starting off with the town center plan. I think most of you know the uh master plan was adopted last May. Uh we submitted a CIF grant application subsequently after that that we were not successful in receiving. Uh but we have now resubmitted uh at the suggestion of um the state an amended CIF grant application for uh almost a little over $19 million. And uh we submitted that on December 3rd of 2025. and we expect a decision and hopefully a positive decision on that application in March of 2026 regarding our uh plan of conservation and development that uh has been uh been with us for some time. Uh we are making significant progress in the rewrite of uh most of the chapters and uh staff will be submitting that rewrite um to the TPZ for their January 26

meetings, their meeting this month. Um and uh potentially the uh the TPZ will be able to approve it at their meeting in February and do the statutory referral to the town council. the PCD u needs to be referred by statute to the town council. Uh you have the opportunity to comment. You do not have to comment. Uh and um your comments are taken into consideration, but you do not have any approval authority in that process. The approval of the POCD rests entirely with the planning commission. But we obviously welcome your comments and look forward to receiving them if you have some. Uh regarding policy ordinances and zoning amendments, um I think as you remember the inclusionary zoning regulations were adopted in 2025 and part of that required that 10% of commercial building permits um uh has to be transferred to the affordable housing trust. Uh and since that was passed in early June uh at through um uh December 31, approximately $120,000 uh will be transferred uh to the housing trust uh under that and the cannabis moratorum that was put in place quite some time ago has been extended to March 1, 2026. uh on the ordinances. Um we are having a continued review of the housing trust fund policies and applications so that we can actually begin to put the fund into uh into use. uh we're working with a number of departments uh particularly being led by uh the operations division of the manager's office and we even had start today we are having a continued review of um of of collective efforts to collect um code enforcement citation

fees. Uh we also we are we are been um fairly remiss in uh in following up and collecting those fees and we're now working very diligently to put in place a process that'll allow the collection of those fees and we hope to have that in place quite shortly. Um and in terms of approved developments, we've been busy. Um the Rifield Hollow project uh 90 units of single family have are completed and are largely occupied. Telus 2 on Jerome Avenue it's 150 apartments that's completed and largely occupied. 200 Seabberry the Seabberry development um their 24 unit residential addition is um significantly under construction. Uh the the PLR 32 unit single family dwelling at Watkins and Simbrey's Road is well under construction. Abbey Court, also known as 1120 Blue Hills Avenue of 29 single family dwelling is under construction. 57 Jolly Drive, the second phase of the Jolly Drive washbook development, um is beginning construction. Our long discussed uh and reviewed Arbella is um under construction. They're moving dirt for 164 units of which 19 will be affordable housing units is under construction. Uh good old Popeye's is u has uh construction has resumed. Um I cannot give you a completion date. It is a it is an interesting construction process that they follow. Um it's sort of a hit or miss. Uh they start and they start but um they seem to be back underway again. Um I was originally told that they would be open on December 1. Clearly that did not happen. Uh so hopefully they'll be open uh you know in

the next uh two months I would guess at the earliest. Uh the storage uh con new constru storage storage facility on 85 Graanby Street is is fully completed and I think as you know the um large um 550,000 square warehouse that was proposed on West Enley Road has been withdrawn and is not going forward uh at this time. In terms of um approved development, um an additional Mourns that are under construction, uh there's a new self-con storage facility at 59 Douglas Street that's under construction. Uh we have a new tenant at 9 Tungstus Avenue. The new physical therapy medical office has opened. Capac Center is starting to undergo significant upgrades with its new owner. Um, Sigma and Katics are making significant um, investments in their property in terms of both internal rehabilitation and expansion, particularly at Katics. And a, uh, new small retail development um, at 529 Cottage Grove Road has been uh, been through all its land use approvals and is just commencing construction. Um, in terms of things in the pipeline, uh, we've got a few 270 Woodland Avenue. Um we continue to have conversations about 150 unit uh housing development on that site. Uh the First Cathedral is beginning their land use review process for 150 um units of affordable housing and an empowerment center addition to the uh main cathedral. um 132 Griffin Road North where the proposed data center was proposed has had no further activity and we have no had no further contact since June on that. So we consider that pro project is

is not moving forward. Also the uh Cottage Grove Road um the proposed battery storage facilities at Cottage Grove Road and the one in Terapill. We have had no further contact from them and as far as we know they are not uh they have not moved forward. The one that was on Toby Road was formerly withdrawn for cost purposes. Uh we have had uh a staff uh informal presentation and there will be some so impresentations for a proposed 130 unit uh apartment uh development at 800 Cottage Grove Road that looks like it's moving forward. Um and phase four of um the town center apartments at Gab Road and along Bloomfield Avenue. That's the last portion of the Butler proposals. uh is uh beginning its final land use approvals. Uh so that one's moving forward. Um and finally by the numbers which are pretty good uh since uh for the last 6 months uh we had 1194 building permits. So we've been busy. We had a building permit total value of1,160,529,000 which is um good news to my friend and CFO sitting here and also um is um probably about 5/8 of the way to the total that we projected for the year. So um we should um if we keep going at this pace um we should um exceed the permit values that we projected for the budget and the construction value is also a significant number uh 83 almost 83 83 million and 118 1119,000. So it's been a good six months. Uh we're busy. Uh we have a bunch in the pipeline and um we look forward to continuing um

economic development in town and I'd be happy to answer questions from any one of you. Thank you. Uh councilors, any questions? Councelor Susette uh Death and Brown.

Thank you. What is the total cost of the town center plan? um not including staff time. Um the initial budget was was 60,000 um probably four years now ago, counselor, and there have been two $10,000 additions. So the total cost uh to date out of pocket direct is about approximately 80,000 and that doesn't include staff time. That's correct.

The um I'm glad to hear that we're going to start uh the code enforcement. What's the fine? Well, it the the it's for it's for land use fines. It's for building It's for for building fines. It's for um it's for health district um tickets. It's for it's for all of them. So it's it's a range. It's not a Oh, it's a range of different numbers. Yeah, they range anywhere from $10 to significantly higher depending on the length of the of the uh the infraction and the type of infraction. Um we can we can get that, but off the top of my head, I can't give you specific numbers.

Okay. And one more thing, I had a conversation um with Lindsay from Westfield Bank. I went in to do some banking and they have a wonderful program um for firsttime home buyers um where I think you're putting down 1%. The bank is taking care of all the closing costs. Um, I think it'd be really good for us to get some more information on that, um, program and see how that program can benefit some of our renters here in Bloomfield who would be um, looking for a home. I think at that point, if I'm putting down 1% um, and and the bank is taking care of some of the the cost, I think that's a really good a really good program. Yeah.

So, I'm hoping that someone can pick that up and have that conversation. We'd be happy to follow up on that if you would be so kind as to send me the contact. Yes. Um, we will we will follow up on that. Excellent. Thank you.

I will piggy back on on that. Uh Lindsay did write us um yesterday and wants to uh put a meeting together with our town manager as well. But my understanding I met with her um soon as uh Bob had uh called me and this program is no money down uh 680 is the uh credit level. Well, initially she she told me zero, but either way, I think it's a wonderful program. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.

Our residents, so the more information we get, the more information we could share. No PMI insurance required. Yep. And they're not dealing with um what is it called? H Right. Right. It's through that facility. Yes. So, it is a wonderful program and and certainly if we could uh encourage some of our uh residents to inquire with them, that would be great. Thank you for bringing that up. Yeah, I think I would just, you know, I think, you know, if it's permissible to make, I think we might also get it up on our on our website.

Definitely what if it uh if that's appropriate. I don't know if that's appropriate for us to have that type of information on our website, but if it is, that's another place where that information could be made available. Check that out. Uh we have Deputy Mayor Lloyd uh with a question as well.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um and I believe, Mr. Mayor, when you had spoken with me, you had received some tangible um collateral information delineating those programs from Westville Bank in writing. So if you might share that with counselor Deba Brown as well as um the other counselors and then if you guys uh unit manager can discuss a mechanism on how to promote that while keeping in mind we don't want to be biased towards anyone entity. So figuring out how to roll it out u may be good to piggyback on councelor beam brown's comment. Thank you uh councelor Yes. Oh, thank you, Mr.

Cooper. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Hey, Director Coleman, how you doing, sir? Living the dream, sir. I love when you say that. Tell I can tell. Um the the the one thing I do just want to ask about is the um the town center plan, right? And I know we uh had gone for was it 23 million initially, right? and the um the reduction. Why

we refined our we did a you know we had the opportunity and the consultant had the opportunity to refine the costs particularly for public improvements and also for potential acquisition based on actual appraisals so that that number reflects a uh a more accurate estimate of the expenses that would be involved. Okay. Um the Yeah, I I'm I'm going to leave it right there. Thank you. I won't say anything further. Thank you. Thank you, Council Meritt.

Um on that same topic, um do I recall that we were the state told us we should go ahead and look for a contractor for the center development program. The consultant did um do did receive some letters of interest um and they are they have those um for confidentially purposes. They have not been shared um with staff. I can't really give you any specifics on it, but we did receive um I think three specific um letters of interest from potential developers.

Super. Good. I I would also like to add that uh this CIF proposal was supported in large part by our um state representative Bobby Gibson as well as uh Senator Slap

and we've been really encouraged to um talk to our counterparts at the state to um encourage them to move this forward. So I'm uh hopeful that uh we get that consideration. There has been again like you mentioned a reduction in the total ask and um so I'm prayerful about that. Yeah. And that is essential to have those conversations. Definitely. Definitely. Any other questions from council? No. Well, thank you very much. Thank you for your time.

I do have I'm sorry. I'm sorry. the 529 Cottage Grove Road uh location. Is that the the project with Aldi's? No, this is separate on the different sides down just east of Northwestern Drive. Okay. Um and it's a smaller five unit uh retail development. Okay. Um we um the all these development proposal has uh not been resubmitted as yet. So there has been no conversation as yet. Okay. Thank you very much. You're welcome. Thank you.

And see, we now will have the administrative report coming from our town manager, Alvin D. Schwab Jr.

All right. All right. Um, good evening. Good evening and happy new year. All right. I'm going to take the liberty of saying that. uh well into the new year cuz it feels good to be back here, right? So happy new year to our citizens and happy new year to our council. Um in terms of you uh councelor the beam brown, welcome. Welcome. Right when the elections were occurring back on November 4th, I was actually uh undergoing surgery. So I I have not been here for for over two months. And uh I I also welcome councelor Goodwin as well. looking forward to the next two years with both of you. I'm sure we'll continue to um make good things happen for the citizens of Bloomfield who are very deserving. So, I am beyond grateful. I'm beyond grateful to return after um a couple of months medical leave and but my my journey is not over and that I I have a year of treatment ahead of me. So there may be times I may not be here and um but when I'm not uh we'll be I'll be uh more than adequately uh supported in my absence by our our tremendous staff. And I'd like to publicly at this time just thank the staff for for carrying my load as as well as your load uh over the last couple of months. I know it wasn't easy but but you did it in expert fashion which was the expectation and you did not disappoint. Uh, most notably, I'd like to thank our deputy town manager, um, Sharon How, our CFO, Mr. Daryl Hill, our our director of operations and communications, uh, Miss, uh, India Rogers, and our our director of, um, land and plan, um, use. I always screw that up, John. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but I try. And, uh, that's, uh,

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And that's U director, uh, John Coleman. And um and the glue from outside that that keeps us always on track is the Crumby Law Group. Uh Attorney Crumby, thank you for always being that that present support uh that uh keeps us going and in all types of circumstances. Uh you you are tremendously a force multiplier like no other. Thank you so much. Uh we already had the update on the football field surface. I I thank um Mr. Molesco for for coming on and talking about that. Um, so I'm just going to do a a very um high level report here on a couple of matters. Uh, I I officially came back uh to the fold about um last week um Monday I believe. So I've been back um just over two weeks now and um we were greeted with some not so good news at the end of the year, right? And uh there was no uh way of looking at it other than it being not so good news. And that was in regard to our S&P rating being changed from a double A plus uh to uh double A. And um and that was really the result of past uh audits uh not being submitted timely from fiscal year 21, 22, 23 and our our present uh fiscal year 24. Um but the the good news is is that um uh we have 90 days to engage in corrective action for fiscal year 24 or else there'll be some serious penalties that we will have to endure. Uh we do not see ourselves uh being in that position of peril. Uh the trial balances have been submitted to CLA, our auditors, and um and we have uh hope uh that they will uh be complete and have submitted to OPM our our our audit um hopefully no later than end of February. Uh but this is not an exact science.

There's a lot of work that goes into this and um but we're hopeful for that. And uh so by the end of February is is what we're um putting our hopes with and uh we'll we should have met the the the mandate that um the fiscal year 24 uh audit be completed before 90 days. So uh stay tuned for that. Um but uh as there always is a time that the glass looks half empty, we also turned around and got that glass full back up, right? Because we were successful in defending ourselves. Once again, thanks to the Crumby Law Group who who um reached out and got some very capable uh support in the lawsuit that was brought against uh Curtain at all against the town of Bloomfield as it pertained to uh the the um referendum for fiscal year 26. Uh we uh succeeded and uh enormous fashion and victorious on that. But I understand uh based on some media reports that there may be an appeal forthcoming. But I think this validates the efforts of this council. I thank you for having trust in the staff uh that uh basically provided the guidance that led to your decisions and um and provided a budget that was uh capable of providing the quality of service that our our citizens are so deserving of. So, uh, may be a appeal forthcoming, but we will fight that appeal with the same vigor and intensity, um, and and motivation that we did with with this lawsuit. And, uh, and I do expect us to continue to be victorious in defending the actions of of this council and this administration. All right. So, uh, I had a couple meetings I'd like to let you know about. Um, I met with the state DOT today, although it's a little bit uh, further down the calendar. Uh there is going to be a new bridge uh that's going to be um

replaced right outside the the libraries uh um on on Mountain A probably in 2028. Right. There's going to be a new bridge that's there and and when that comes it's going to cause a little bit of pain because we're going to have a detour um during the actual um tearing down and building up of that bridge. So uh we're going to be some seeing some detour traffic around that area. Uh I I do plan to get together some stakeholders to determine the best time of year for that to happen. Uh whether that be during the summer months or during the the spring months and uh stay tuned for for more information on that. All right. Uh I'm also presently working uh with um everything related to uh all entities and stakeholders related to Prozer Library. had a great uh um morning meeting this morning with uh Elizabeth Lane and uh and we continue to be uh challenged with what is normal expectation as we go through um punch list items at the completion of of of a a project of such magnitude. You know, continue to be very very appreciative of the efforts of Mark Weissman and and the library building committee. Uh but I'm going to give that a little bit of my attention this upcoming week. I I hope to have an in-person meeting uh to to see exactly where we're at since I've been uh delayed with my um my medical leave and haven't had um a lot of traction on that. So, uh hopefully this week coming I'll I'll have everybody uh in in in the same room and and we can see where we're at with that. So, uh, I just would like to make the public, uh, aware of, um, couple of publications that came out recently in place of what used to be mailed. We have our in Bloom quarterly newsletter that's that's available right now online. It's a tremendous resource of what's happening uh, in Bloomfield. I encourage strongly

everyone to uh, check that out. Uh, Miss India Rogers and and her very capable um, uh, compadre uh, Mr. Brian Wolf put a lot of effort into that as long as uh as well as Romano and um I I'm very proud of that um that publication that uh now saves the town uh thousands tens of thousands of dollars by having it available online. And we do have some printouts of it at our our town buildings as well. But you will be doing yourself a disservice if you're you're not checking out the In Bloom quarterly newsletter. And um and uh one last uh uh promotion for another loose newsletter and this comes out of 3:30 Park A out of our senior services uh department led by um Miss uh Iet Hugh Panel. Uh they they have a new a new newsletter there that they call the Silver Scoop, right? So I I I love the name. I love the energy behind it. And um and this also is a a place the go-to place for all things that's happening in our senior center. I would encourage our our public strongly to please uh get a hold of the Silver Scoop so that you can understand what's going on and uh be well informed as to all the activities uh that um our our folks provide over at 3:30 uh park for our citizens. Uh subject to your questions, Mr. Mayor and Councel, that's all I have to report this evening. Thank you. What I would like to say is uh welcome back and we on behalf of myself and the council uh it's great to see you back in in the chamber. So um definitely definitely.

Thank you sir. So at this time what we're going to do is move into public comments. We have Andy Wilkinson. And so just please state your name and your address before. Thank you for having me council members. Um a little history might be helpful in the context brings me here but little bit of background is going to help as well. I am again Andy Wilson. I am the new CFO for ECON Incorporated. college room. Yes, sir.

Oh, thank you. Uh and and what brings me here tonight is uh kind of the history of the context that I wanted to talk about was uh how I came in contact with BCON was early this summer I was a management executive consultant with a coach and analytics out of North Carolina. Um, George Economos, the CEO over at BCON, decided he wanted to do some work not only for his own personal development, but really ensure that the long-term strategy of BCON was sound and ready for uh, succession planning and that sort of thing. So late summer I came in in that consulting capacity started to work with George and the team as far as developing leadership capabilities, understanding the business, that sort of thing. Uh during that time, a shift in the way the business for BCON started to change. Um what is occurring is we are currently and I say we now because George at the end of the consulting engagement decided based on the outcomes and the relationship made me an offer to come uh full-time. So I'm in the process of transitioning from Indiana to Connecticut uh to to to join the the team on a on a permanent basis. Uh but what we what has been ongoing is with what BCON does, the industries that they serve, there is a huge growth bubble that has hit. This growth bubble is causing us to do a 5x increase not only in staff but outcomes over the next three years. uh as we started to develop our strategic plan of how we're going to accomplish this, how we're going to manage this customer expectations, some of the things we decided to do is if you guys are familiar with BCON, they've been in the area since the 70s. Uh have been in that as part of Sound Construction, uh have been in business, we celebrate our 60th anniversary this year, uh which is something we're also going to ask the town to be a part of with us. Um but this growth initiative

is going to be a little bit different. The way BCON has managed their business cycles in the past is a very few small select customers and they ride the bubble and then die down, ride the bubble and die down. Uh, but the culture of the organization is different than what I've seen in several of the manufacturing organizations I've worked with being such a tight-knit family atmosphere that has one of the lowest attrition rates that I've ever seen. uh they when employees come because of the culture they stay until they basically pass away uh and they they're allowed that opportunity if they want to continue to work. So we have employees that are 30 plus tenur employees. So as part of this new strategic plan is when we go through this growth cycle we actually do not want to ride it as a bubble then reduce staff. We want to once we get to this we want to seek out new customers. We want to continue and maintain this level of growth long term. to do. So, as we started to look at what are we going to do this, we've had to make some short-term plans and then start to look at some long-term plans of what we need to do from a facility expansion perspective. Um, the short term was we've rented an additional facility over in the on the Cottage Grove area. We've picked up the lease on building F, which is going to help us manage the front end of the bubble. However, we started to talk to the owners of uh have you mentioned it uh in your presentation. We learned about the battery story storage facility on the seven acres that is directly behind us because as we looked at it, our initiative was what can we do to purchase that seven acres to actually expand our facility to make this a permanent growth within within the town and and then be able to maintain this uh this employee base that we're getting ready to bring on in the near future. So, that's kind of just why I'm here tonight is to figure out how can you guys help me get to the right people that we can partner to start to figure out what this development means for not only for Bloomfield but for BECON and how we partner together in this.

Thank you very much for the time. Thank you. Thank you. I believe that gentleman right there would be a good resource. Look forward to working with Yes, sir. Thank you. All right. So, we have a guy online, Luke Smith, that's been asking to speak patiently, waiting for public comments. I'm going to allow him to talk and to come in. Okay. Thank you. You have the floor, Mr. Smith. It'll be uh three minutes. Three minutes.

You're currently muted. You have to unmute yourself. Mr. Smith, I know you've been waiting patiently. Um, on your computer, if you could unmute yourself, that would be perfect. I'm not really sure what else I can say. Mr. Smith, one last uh right going once. Luke Smith going twice. Okay.

Very very sorry about that. Um sure if you have an opportunity to attend another meeting um you can work through that. So, do we have any other public comments that are outlined on uh online? I don't believe so. Okay. Going once, going twice, going three times. Okay. So, motion to close uh public comments. No. Okay. So, thank you very much for those who did speak. We will now move to the approval of minutes which we will need our counselor Merritt to join us. Councelor Merritt. So, we're going to um ask for the approval of minutes. If there are no concerns, if you've had an opportunity to review uh the minutes of our last meeting, um then we can call to a motion. Is there a motion to approve? and seconded by councelor Merritt. All those in favor

I I Okay. Okay. So, all in favor except one extension. Okay. And now we'll leave this to you, Council Merritt. Are you ready? Uh I move be Thank you very much.