Public Health, Safety & Environment Subcommittee - Regular Meeting

So two, welcome to the public health, safety and environment subcommittee as Wednesday, October 8th and we shall call the meeting to order. Roll call. We have councelor Oliver and we have Deputy Mayor Cindy Lloyd so far. And we'll give about 30 seconds to see who else joins the meeting and we will begin.

Not sure if I'm the only one, but I can't hear any audio coming out of the chambers. Uh, no, you're not, Chief. Okay. Hello. We can hear you now. Thank you. Yes.

Okay. I I need a I've never been known to have a demir voice, but I'll speak up this evening. Thank you all. Um, so repeating, we called this meeting to order. We have council Oliver, Council Cooper, as well as Deputy Mayor Lloyd. We conducted the pledge of allegiance. Uh, we do have a quorum and our first order of business is consider and possible action on overweight vehicle traffic on Gab Road. Chief Hammock. So, this was a recommendation that came out of the um Bloomfield's local road safety committee um based on a review of chapter 19, article six of the Bloomfield Code of Ordinances. The local road safety committee recommends the restriction of oversized vehicles on Gab Road based on the following reasons. The residential nature and land use of adjacent properties. the narrow width of pavement and lack of sidewalks along Gab Road, the availability of Mountain Avenue, uh, State Route 178 and Bloomfield Avenue, uh, 189 as easily accessible alternative routes. Uh, the sight line at the northwest end of Gab Road turning onto Mount Nav, uh, State Road 178 is restricted due to a severe angle of the intersection. And Gab Road has been the subject of a traffic calming application where residents came out and complained of excessive speeds, high volumes of traffic, uh, truck traffic, and pedestrian safety at a public information session recently held. Um, as the legal traffic authority for the town of Bloomfield, I have concurred with those recommendations from the local road safety committee and forwarded am forwarding my recommendation to add Gab Road to the list of restricted oversized vehicle roads in Bloomfield.

Thank you for that, Chief. And I know that we had previously passed policy that restricted uh those vehicles by weight correct already. So we did take those measures as well as have the temporary um traffic calming. So I I do agree that we need to solidify it um better in policy. So I appreciate you giving that

that's currently on Burr Road. Uh the signs electronic signs went up. the signage went up on the road and we are currently doing enforcement on Bur Road. Um this was a request from the residents of uh Gab Road to the local traffic authority or to the local road safety committee. Um they evaluated it and for the reasons that I just stipulated which I outlined in a memo to the town manager um I have concurred with that recommendation. Now I believe according to the town uh attorney um that is the process uh a recommendation from the local road safety committee concurrence from the legal traffic authority that then it can be forwarded through committee uh for council to consider.

Okay. And I do concur with that. That is a very difficult left turn going from Gab to Mountain. Um and even trying to take a right, it's a very hard right. Um, and so to look at it from that perspective, I think anybody familiar with our community would concur with those measures. Um, I do make a motion that we push this up to council for full consideration if the language is ready, chief. I can We have language uh formal ordinance language, you mean? Or to add just to add it? Yeah, I can certainly put that together to for you to review. Yes, sir. That would be great. Okay,

that would be great. So, I make a motion that we have that language added by ordinance for Bur Road for traffic safety and pertaining to the local road safety committee uh pursuant to chapter 19 article 6. Do I have a second? Second. All in favor? I any any I'm sorry. Any Sorry, Council Mahan, I missed you. My apologies. I'm I'm saying I as of I'm just hoping this opens up uh debate as well. Um if you you want to Yes, you can discuss. Absolutely.

Okay. Thank you. Um, I I I do agree with this item and I am going to uh I am going to vote for it this evening, but I'm hoping that moving forward we can get in the habit of um trying to solidify and having the concrete language first before we vote on moving these items or recommending them up to council. Uh, I feel like we've been we've been we've had a bad habit over the last two years of moving items without having the actual language down and doing it on the back end when that stuff needs to be done before. Um, it is a little bit slower. Um, but government, you know, government does move a bit slower. It's not necessarily meant to be quick. It's meant to be correct. So, um, I'm recommending that we do that moving forward. But I am gonna I am supporting this item tonight.

Good. And and there's been a couple of instances, but primarily we do have the language, but on this one, yes, we don't. But the good thing is we've already had um a similar situation, Maple Burr. So, it'll be very easy to make that shift. So, thank you for that comment, Council Mahan. Um we'll be sure to have that available if it is ready for council meeting, which is next Tuesday, not Monday because of the holiday. Um, it will be available in a council packet for everyone's review. If it takes a little longer, to council Han's point, we want to get it right, then it will be available in subsequent council meeting packets. Councelor Cooper.

Uh, thank you, uh, Madam Chair, and I do I I do agree with, uh, councelor Mahan, but also um to to a point because we have had, as you've noted, those similar situations, and I think that the the intent is already there. the language um should not be an issue as we have p pasted precedents um and look forward to this coming up to council for a vote for our residents. Thank you.

Thank you so much. And in previous meetings, do take note that this was discussed that the way it was written, it would give rise to us to be able to add uh streets and areas in town that would need similar um action. I do remember that because we have a couple of other hot spots that we haven't addressed yet like Woodland Avenue, right, Chief? So, the way it was written, we we're so fortunate to have the latitude to be able to kind of plug in the proper area and then do the approval as these areas get analyzed through the committee as well as through the police department and then we can so move to um update another street with those measures. Councelor Mahan. So, I I don't want, you know, my comments to be um strictly like applied here because like I said, you know, I I do think I do plan on moving this forward this evening. It's just a habit that I've seen across the board um on council and in committees, not just this committee where things are moved forward without language. So I'm just hoping that even uh with that happening and even with that happening in other committees um we can at least set a precedent of of the right way to do things here. Um so that just just a comment on procedure moving forward.

You got it. Thank you, Councelor Oliver. Yes. Uh thank you Chairwoman Lloyd. This isn't towards Chief Hammock. I I at all um because you know I I have to agree with Shamar on this one um just because what happened in our in our our committee meeting previously in a different committee uh I do agree with what he's saying and um thanks for voting Aisha

and my apologies uh presuming we had um readiness to vote so we have had proper discussion I'll be taking a vote. All in favor of moving this forward to council to take action on adding Gab Road uh pursuant to the local road safety committee recommendation. I

I any ns any abstension? The motion carries. Moving on to consider and possible action on a title change for former police department staff. Um, I'll say a couple of things and then chief, I'll let you elaborate. Um, but recently we came to understand that the work that our command staff at the police department was doing really was not truly befitting of the title that they carried. Um, their scope and breadth of daily tasks was far above that the title that they were carrying. And so what was recently undertaken was to um upgrade those titles so that when they are operating in their current role they would have the proper recognition and title that matches their daily duties. But in addition upon leaving this place that they would be able to exercise having had that experience on a certain command level that will certainly help them in their next life. and we don't want anyone to not have proper opportunities because they didn't have the correct title and recognition for the work that they did. So, we indeed did uh make some upgrades on some titles. And so, in this particular instance, we're looking to do the same for some that have retired and command staffed and really had never had the opportunity to have the proper title. So, Chief, if you could plug in a little bit more on that, that would be great. Yeah, I I believe it was a desire on behalf of the the manager to um move forward. Well, we had moved forward on the title change from lieutenant to captain and captain to deputy chief. Um and he wanted to uh move forward on correcting that going into the past. Um so, uh I don't have

any experience with that um previously. Um but certainly that is uh that's not an operational issue at the police department. It's more of a a corrective issue to correct what he believed was uh was uh incorrect uh uh for title uh titles in the past at the police department. Thank you chief. Yes.

Okay. Do we have any discussion? Discussion. I am going to move that we move this on after receiving explanation in writing that we do take this in the proper direction as determined in conversation with um myself as committee chair and the town manager. I am believing that it is an administrative operation and does not take a vote from council, but I will ensure that we find that out for sure upon receiving um a brief overview in describing what is being sought here. Any discussion? Yes. Uh Madam Chair,

Cooper. Okay, I see your hand. Yes. Uh yes, ma'am. So, um I I do believe that uh town manager Schwab uh provided us that um his reasoning um and and I'm not sure if it was a specific write up, but he did provide us his reasoning for it, right? Uh we'd have I'd have to go back and look in the records. Um but it was to align with uh the duties and um the I guess the normal staff structure, organizational structure of most police departments, correct?

Yes. Okay. Okay. So, you would only need something in writing and that's it. I'd say if the council needs to move on it, which I don't believe we do, even more particularly because we're talking about retirees at this point, not active officers, but this is as well to ensure that their previous title matches the duties they were actually performing. Many, many people leave the Bloomfield Police Department having attained a certain rank on paper that does not totally encompass

the daily job that they were doing. And so, for example, there's many positions, I'll say, with the state where you have to have a certain level of command experience and you were operating as a lieutenant on paper, but your duties far exceeded that and were more akin to a captain in other places. to be able to articulate that experience as well as that title which is super important in this world when you move on to your next job or career, your second career for many um is really important and it can be something that can hold you back from opportunities if you do not have that correct acknowledgement of not only experience but the title that goes along with it. It's just kind of how it works in this law enforcement um environment. If I'm wrong, Chief, correct me. you you so mad chair just point of clarification very quick so you said this is going to apply to retirees

that's correct that's correct but why why do retirees need that they're retired from the department from Bloomfield they would either have apparently already you know gained other employment or or gone off and enjoyed retirement not necessarily and so I mean one of the two one of the two they've either gained employment or they they are enjoying retirement um right and so not right you asked the question so I want to answer yeah so yeah so I mean my I'm just wondering why you know why we need to go I mean that's a

the that's the administrative burden I think of of going back and then correcting you know folks titles um I think maybe for our I think that that you know is reserve should be reserved for are active um uh you know law enforcement officers, right? Um I don't know if that's for for I I just don't know if that is for retirees. I don't know why we're going back in and then rebooting their titles. I I can see it for current uh law enforcement officers and those going forward. I don't see it for uh there needs to be a cuto off. You can what are you going to do? You're gonna go back to you know uh uh 1970 you're going to go back to 1960 or you know the the burden I think and the the fairness and equity is to apply to this going forward. Right. So for me going forward means that those who are current Bloomfield Town employees who are police officers uh then that would apply to

you ready for the response? You ready? Sure.

The reason I disagree and I'll articulate this way so maybe I was just too wordy um when I explained why. The bottom line is what if I just retired from Bloomfield Police Department as a lieutenant, but truly was operating on the captain level just two years ago and I was uh boxed out of jobs and opportunities on that level because it was perceived because I didn't carry the title captain that I didn't have the command experience to qualify for a certain job. And so now I have been hamstrung or denied opportunity because of an administrative technicality that we have the capacity to correct. So when you say they've either gone on to something else already or have gone off into the sunset as a retiree, well the answer is probably yes, you know, either or. But we do have people that have retired that have not been able to attain the level of next job or next career because of this limitation. So that's where I would just disagree with you um slightly. I I do think cuz of course I know these folks um and see them at different events and whatnot. And so some of us are still working. I I can leave the state right now and if I had been a sergeant, but my duties were more akin to a lieutenant, there's certain jobs that I can get as a lieutenant that I won't qualify for if I had been a sergeant, but I was doing lieutenant work.

So, that that's kind of the the answer. But as far as um how far back and and stuff like that, I think um I can't speak for the town manager. It really was just to present to the community the thoughts around it because we've already done it for those who are active and it will um to your point council Cooper be applied going forward but there's also very young as well as high not so young retirees to still have some living and some working left to do that this could potentially benefit them where they have previously been held back. Um I see council Hans hand.

Thank you madam chair. Um I you know I first I I do want to say I think councelor Cooper does bring up a valid point just around the question of time frame. I do think that should be fleshed out. You know how far back does this go? Um because we can just keep on going back. So I think that should be determined um and and uh determined and told to us by the town manager. Of course, we also have to figure out if this is something that uh has to come to us for a vote or for something that could be done strictly through an administrative act. So, I I guess we're still figuring that out. But I think uh a good question was brought up of time frame. How far back do we go? Second thing is um I I wholeheartedly agree uh with you madam chair that you know the these folks you we have quite a few folks due to that discrepancy of uh with the title of the position they're not getting their um essentially the due justice and the the um where the title doesn't match the gravity of the role that they were actually performing. Um, and these are folks that have, you know, served and and served and protected our community and they should be uh given the correct title that matches the the service that they that they've given. So, um, I I agree that we definitely should write that wrong. Um, but we we have to determine how far back we go because as councelor Cooper said, we can just keep on going. how how far back does this go? You know,

and I hear what you're saying. And so I I'll respond to that briefly to say that um things were certainly different 40 years ago at Bloomfield Police than what they are now, what they were maybe 25 or 30 years ago. Um things have changed a lot. Bloomfield over that say 25 or 30 years has acquired accreditation which has really significantly raised the bar not only on um the daily operations being documented because we were always high-caliber police department but it documented how high caliber and it documented um policies and procedures that support excellence as well as talking about who, what, when, where, why, how meaning how everything is done. And so it it would lend itself to being able to understand those folks duties and the level that they operate on. That probably didn't exist 50 years ago cuz never mind how long ago I was there. But um it was over 20 years, but I'm still young enough to work another career. So I retired in O2. That's 23 years. So when you say how far back do we go? I could leave in I could leave right now from the state and then still yet may want to pursue another opportunity. So um duly noted I have taken notes to bring back to the town manager on you guys comments and councelor Mahan you want to

yeah I just

yeah I just want to make it clear that I'm not saying that folks um that folks shouldn't be given this um that their title shouldn't be corrected. I just want to know what that time frame is because we do have to that is something that should be determined and and and put into whatever policy because if we just put a blanket statement of we are now changing this these titles from um you know from as you said uh sergeant to uh lieutenant or so or or captain instead or something of the of the sort. um how we have to also determine that that time frame. I do think that folks that have served um like around your time frame um uh Chairwoman Lloyd that you know you should have your titles corrected even going back to when um when our town manager was on the force uh should be corrected. Um but that that time frame has should be determined and explicitly stated

duly noted and I came before the town manager so never mind the details on the dates in the year. So I've taken note of those comments. Yeah, go ahead now. Um so I've taken note of that. U I'll bring those comments to the town manager, but we did want to present that to the public because it is something that um people are still viable working employees even with retirees that go back over 25 years and they're still working and so we do need to kind of look at some corrective measures. Thank you for your comments. Any other comments? Uh councelor Oliver, did you want to chime in? Are we all set? No, I I I did, but everybody already touched base on it, so no need to repeat. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. So, we'll be moving on now to the police department update from Chief Hammock.

Keith, you're muted.

Yeah, sorry. I lost uh lost control of my computer for a second. Um if you can see the screen and hear me uh these are the stats for the month of September 2025. Uh compared to the same month last year uh crime had took a a a deep dive uh over 53%. Uh larsenies I talk about at every report is the area that really drives our crime numbers in Bloomfield. Um and the current number of larsenies in particular in the Kobakco Plaza uh is really low right now. So uh that is a very good thing. It's responding to some of our patrol officers uh activities there. Um and we hope to continue uh with that moving forward. From a personnel report, we have four vacancies currently at the police department. Recruits King and Mendenhal graduate from the police academy uh in two days on Friday where they'll go into their field training program for the next 12 weeks. Uh and we certainly hope that they're successful in that. We're currently conducting background reviews for candidates who applied to the police department uh for a possible sponsorship in the Connecticut Police Academy in January or early spring in one of the satellitemies. Um, and we currently have one employee on light duty and one employee who is out on long-term illness. Um, our traffic statistics, uh, we had 56 motor vehicle accidents. Uh, 19 were on private property. Uh, we conducted 306 motor vehicle stops during September. Uh, you can see that compared to uh, last year um, it's up over a hundred. Um, and over last month it's up over a 100. So, the officers are really out there digging their heels in. Uh we've given them direction on Maple,

Brown, uh Gab Road, Burr Road, um uh Graanby, uh a number of hot spots that we've had, uh civil or citizen complaints about that officers have really uh applied pressure to. Um we uh they conducted 141 motor vehicle details throughout town. Um, and unfortunately, well, or fortunately, uh, there were no, uh, driving while impaired arrests for the month of se for the month of September. Uh, traffic complaints, as I just said, uh, Maple Avenue and Burr continue to be, um, high on our list. Uh, we've added oversized vehicles on Burr Road, uh, and stop sign violations at the corner there, as well as speeding. Uh we're trying to be ever mindful of loud mufflers from uh what we're getting as feedback from the residents in that area. Uh so there were 12 motor vehicle details. Um 24 motor vehicle stops. Uh that says in August, that's a typo. That was September. Um Browns and Brown and Mills Lane. Uh we received several complaints regarding speeding. And then at the bottom of the hill, uh stop sign violation. Um, so we did 20 motor vehicle details out there with 40 motor vehicle stops and then Graanby and Toby Road. Um, we've been trying to apply some pressure there uh because we've had several complaints um from some of the business owners there about uh motor vehicle activity in the area. Citizen complaints, there were five complaints uh against the department for officer conduct um during the reporting period of September. I assigned all of them for investigation at either the command level or uh the basic supervisory level um during every one of those complaints. Just so you know, I do communicate directly with the complaintant um at the beginning and

then at the end to give them a resolution. Um all of those complaints uh were investigated uh and all of the complaintants were communicated at the end as to what occurred. Um we had two use of force incidents during the reporting period September. One involved a mental health crisis. Uh the subject was successfully restrained and committed for evaluation. The second involved a disturbance in which a male party was placed under arrest. Officers used a very minimal amount of force um to place the subject under arrest. That uh incident was reviewed uh through the chain. It goes through the supervisor, the training supervisor, uh the command level, uh the deputy chief, and then myself, uh before it's signed off on to make sure it's within policy to make sure that any force used was necessary and reasonable. Uh in both those cases, uh that's the case. Bloomfield Volunteer Ambulance, um they did a number of things during the month of September. Uh Zach has been very busy. Zack Clamberg has been very busy at BVA um trying to really uh move that uh agency forward uh at a very aggressive pace. Um they attended the senior expo um did medical standby at the food truck festival uh also at Watkinson school um and the Bloomfield High School football games. They did a CPR demon demonstration and education class for First Cathedral. Um, we did get uh a supply of Narcan from the state um that we picked up and that's been distributed through BVA and to all of our PD units. So, we have that on supply. Um, BVM members went to their annual EMS conference uh which is very well attended. Um, the uh they attended

uh R1 certification by Connecticut OEMs. Uh the September monthly training was a protocol update um for a new added glucometer uh Narcan EpiPen procedures as well as um basic life support scope of practice. We added one new member. Um, I have the unfortunate news for those of you who have not heard that Bob Whan, who is a member of the BVA fund, which is the 501c3 fund, uh, that meets uh, twice a year uh, and sends out um, a request for donations to the community to fund our ambulance uh, purchases every three years. Uh Bob was a very dedicated member of the fund um and unfortunately passed away uh last month uh and he will be uh greatly missed. Um so BVA uh committee made donations to food share and sacred heart church in his memory. Um and uh just Bob was a very just a great man. Um the BBA incentives were issued. Um, and that is the report from both uh the PD and BVA. I'm here to answer any questions.

Thank you for the report, Chief. Any questions online? Any questions in the room? Thank you. Any in the room? Thank you, Chief. Our deepest condolences do go out to the Whan family as well as the BBA family who I'm sure their relationship was longstanding and he will be missed. Thank you. I would ask at this point if the fire department doesn't mind um our CEC chair has a hard stop to go to another meeting. Would that be okay if she jumped ahead? Thank you. I see head nause. Thank you, gentlemen.

Thank you. I appreciate that. Um basically I'll have a very brief report. Um couple months ago we brought the CC um brought to the governance policy and economic development subcommittee um a recommendation to pass a resolution um asking to include Bloomfield in the federally designated Highlands region. It is a federal designation. that has to do with the um originally had to do with the Appalachian Mountain chain and recently that area was expanded to include like the medical the trap rock ridges in Connecticut. So the upside is um it you know can potentially bring f federal funding. uh there wasn't it wasn't a really heavy lift on the part of the town and the good news is um the council did what the council needed to do in terms of approving the resolution back in July. Um at the same time the West Hartford Town Council went through the same process and their council passed a resolution and um the Husatonic Valley Association which is a you know a regional um nonprofit is actually working with DEEP to and to facilitate towns doing you know going through the next step. So they're working with DEP. Deep is putting together the paperwork that's needed to go to Fish and Wildlife and get the, you know, get this done. So where we thought, um, potentially the, um, building and land use department, Mr. Coleman, might have some work to do, um, he doesn't. So, at this point, um we'll wait and see, but uh there's no more action on the part of the town and hopefully we'll get that designation and it will potentially bring some

opportunities with it down the road. So, um that's good news and um like I said, it you know, there wasn't a whole lot on the town's um part to do, which is a nice change. Usually things like that take a little bit more work. Um otherwise the committee has been um reviewing certain regulations. Uh a tree regulation, tree replacement regulation was passed um about a year and a half, two years ago. Um Mr. Coleman is finding um that it's not working quite the way it was intended. So, we're taking another look at it to see about making it um more workable for um both builders and, you know, for the town in terms of getting what we want out of it. As far as tree replacement goes, uh we're also taking a look at solar regulations because I think uh we're a bit behind on that or maybe not quite, you know, up to par with neighboring towns and there's a lot of still a lot of interest in solar. So, that's what we've been focusing on. Um, in terms of upcoming events, um, shred day, very popular, uh, November 8th, 9 to noon, and we are asking that residents limit themselves to three bankers boxes or equivalent- sized bags. Uh, last spring we had um, two vehicles show up, literally filled, and the the problem with that is you the truck fills faster and it, you know, then other residents get turned away. residents got turned away for the first time in a couple years actually because of that. Uh we will remind um the departments at 3:30 park that we have this limitation because the reason we got from people who showed up was oh I called 330 Park and they said there was no limit. Um and there was. So we just really need to reinforce it and make sure the public

understands it. But Bloomfield High School, thank you very much um again for partnering with the town and um that's basically the update. Thank you. Thank you. Quick question for you. Sure. Um and you said that um the move was brought to governance in a request for the resolution for the Highlands region uh region destination and it was improved approved in July and this is to give us the federal designation as what or a part of? we would be added to the Highlands region, which is a federal designation. Okay? And what I did include in the report, but I won't um belabor it.

Um the second page of the report I provided um repeats what was provided last July, it gives you more of an overview of what the designation is about and what the benefits are.

Okay. So um but yeah the the the purpose of it it's about um basically land protection and resource protection for areas that are kind of critical in terms to in terms of water quality and just making sure you know um really making sure our resources are protected. the highlands, the ridges are actually very special, significant kind of places. Um, very ecologically sensitive and significant. And so, uh, you know, making sure you're kind of looking at it holistically is very important. So, um, our neighboring towns are getting it and, um, the fact that we're getting support, um, from this nonprofit and that's working with DEP is really nice because again, um, it's one less thing for our very busy, um, director, Mr. Coleman, to do. So,

thank you. Thank you for the clarification, Council Mahan.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I just had a quick question. Um, it's kind of separate from what was reported on today, but I had uh someone reach out via email um regarding uh possibly lifting or creating ordinances around our leaves and how important they are to uh to butterfly populations. Um I I don't want to spring this on you right now, but is this something that you can speak on in uh in further in a future meeting?

Sure. If you could share the question, that would be great. Um I'll just make kind of an off-the- cuff comment, which sometimes is a dangerous thing to do, but I'll wing it anyway. Um it's very fallen leaves are like very critical in terms of insect health. Yes. Um there's a lot of very beneficial insects that over winter under the leaf cover. And so we all love our pristine lawns, but sometimes by raking those things up or blowing them in particular

um you really are kind of damaging natural habitat for things that um birds and wildlife depend on. particularly in the spring. So, I'll leave it at that, but Council Mahan, if you could uh send it our way, we would we would definitely take a look at that. That's very relevant to the work we do. Yes. Yep. Thank you, Council Mahan. You going to forward that email to her?

Definitely. I'll I'll definitely I'll send it over to you. Um as soon as I got the email, I couldn't wait for this meeting because I knew that this is something that we'd be able to have a bit more of a discussion about. Um, and you know, I don't I'm def definitely not an expert in that field, but I'm always open to learning more. So, thank you for taking the time and um looking forward to hearing more in the following meeting. Great. Thank you for bringing it up.

Yeah, absolutely. And I did actually read that that email as well and found it quite intriguing and raised my hand that I'm guilty of wanting that pristine yard. And in some communities, they actually allow you to bag or pile up on the side of the road and they come and vacuum it up and your yard is all nice and you got your pumpkins and stuff out there. But it really does disrupt um a significant part of the ecosystem. Um so that was like really interesting reading. So please do send that to the chair, councelor Mahan. And thank you gentlemen from the fire department for accommodating her. I know you may have to step out. Five minutes.

Okay, great. Thank you. And if no other questions, seeing none, we'll move on to the fire department updates. And Chief Barnard, good evening. Thank you.

So for the month of September, uh we responded to uh 45 calls total. Uh 23 of which were fire alarms. We had six that were power line and electrical equipment um related issues. uh seven of which were hazmat or fluid spills, seven motor vehicle accidents, and two lockouts. Um we had one significant incident on uh September 26th at 147 Oliver Way, which was a uh major gas leak after a construction crew ruptured a gas line in the street. Uh crew started an evacuation of the entire neighborhood and contacted Eversource who responded and shut shut off the power to the entire development to mitigate any ignition sources. The Blue Hills Fire Department responded with one engine for assistance and the Windsor Fire Department responded with one engine to provide station coverage at our headquarters. Um, as far as uh maintenance at our company one headquarters, um, we replaced and painted a bunch of rotten trim on the outside of the building. Um, we are continuing the upgrade of our HVAC system. It's definitely an ongoing process. Um, we found out recently that our fire alarm panel is very outdated and needs to be replaced. And we recently completed the service and maintenance on our breathing air compressor system. And we also had our annual ladder testing done recently at our Company 2 firehouse on Duncaster Road. We replaced um some older windows which in turn found some rotten wood that they took care of as well. And in the near future, that fire alarm panel is also going to have to get replaced. Um, as far as community outreach, um, on September 1st, we took our tower truck to the JCC Swim Club on Duncaster Road, and they did a, uh, a golf ball drop for

the people there. And on 911, uh, we had a crew take our tower truck to the Bloomfield High School football game and they displayed the large American flag for that evening. Uh as far as training um over the past month on September 2nd we had a master streams um training which is uh basically essentially dealing with largecale uh water flow operations for larger fires. Um on September 9th we had our department and company meeting. Um on September 13th and 14th, we had members attend a rescue weekend in South Windsor, which is all different types of um rescues, vehicle rescues, um people trapped under trees, etc. Um on September 16th, we had a training on incidents at multifamily residences. Um, on September 23rd, we sent a group of our members over to Simsbury to utilize their training tower so that they could get their live burn in by the end of the season. Uh, on September 25th, we had members attend uh the task force 52 meeting in East Graanby. Um, and on September 30th, we had uh in-house flu shots for me members and their families, which was followed by a maintenance night. And the one thing that I did not add on to the report was on September 6th, we had our annual what we call an annual clam bake. It's basically a fire department picnic for um past and present firefighters and their families. Uh that was uh fortunately we had were able to utilize the new firehouse in the picnic area we have up there and that was attended by 100 people and and it was a great day had by all. That concludes the report for the center fire. Thank you.

Good evening everyone. Uh for the month of September, Blue Hills Fire Department answered 39 calls for service. Uh there were no major incidents uh in our district throughout that period. And as Chief Bart said, we did assist uh Bloomfield Center fire with a major natural gas leak on Highway. The vast majority of other cause were uh alarm unintentional activations, motor vehicle accidents with injuries or motor vehicle accidents with no injuries and just fluids. Uh once again, our roster for new applicants is continuing to grow. We had two new members have joined in the month of September and we're getting them ready for training. Uh our Monday night drill uh training schedule uh consists of uh ventilation a ventilation drill in September 8th. Uh we did a walkthrough at the Woodgroom Prattton Whitney building uh September 12th. September 15th we train with uh ropes and knots. And on the 22nd of September we trained with uh personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus. And on the 29th, we did a company operations, which is a a drill where we go over equipment, clean firehouses, uh check equipment, etc. for community outreach. Uh September 16th, we supported the senior expo that was held at the uh leader services and we donated two gifts for their

raffle giveaway. September 20th, uh we supported the Pillar Community Development First Step Health Fair and Walkathon at the uh First Cathedral Church. September 23rd, uh we supported Bloomfield Police Department uh with their uh safety car seat safety inspection which was a drive-thru event uh over at station one and uh the PD representative reported that they had uh 10 families go through the uh the drive-thru. September 24th, uh we were invited to a breakfast from the CRE Autism School and uh we showed off our equipment and uh answered questions for the community and for the students and teachers. And that pretty much concludes my report.

Thank you so much. Any questions online? Any questions in the room? Okay, seeing none. Thank you. We will go on to the EMS report. Lou Bloomfield, chair, how are you tonight? I'm fine, thank you. Good.

I also discovered as I was sitting here that apparently my report did not make it into the packet. Um, so I guess I will break with my usual summary and read the report. Um, it's not horribly long. So, um, the EMS committee met on September 29th. Uh, new BVA coordinator, uh, Sergeant Zachary Clomberg presented a very thorough and comprehensive report of BVA activities over the four months since the committee's last meeting, including ambulance run and income from BVA services statistics during that period. And since January 2025, um the ambulance has been busy and uh uh the income has been good. Um additional BVA activity details were provided by BVA coordinating committee chair Ted Rogers. Uh two reported items were of special interest to the committee. Uh, and we also received an update on the ambulance that is in order on order, excuse me, and probably still a year away. Problems resulting from the long lead time on ambulance purchases and the upcoming fund drive from the Bloomfield Volunteer Ambulance Fund. Uh, report was given by BVA Fund President Dan Rosenthal and our member uh, and BVA Fund member Pat Brown. uh from Sergeant Clownberg and CC Chair Rogers, we learned that an increased motivation for new BVA volunteer EMTs uh is to obtain experience needed by individuals intending to become uh PAs and MDs.

Uh this is beneficial to BVA operations, but it does mean that we are less likely to have some of these members long term uh versus EMTs who will serve for a while and then move on. And this will require continuing and varied recruitment efforts. Uh such efforts have been undertaken and are planned with a focus on young adults and especially college students. Uh in addition, we were told about an upgraded focus on retention of volunteers. Uh Sergeant Clamberg and CC Chair Rogers reported increased use of volunteers in operations, giving them a chance to be more involved. This seems to be working and along with social and educational activities. It's intended to enhance camaraderie and bu team building among the volunteers. And of course, as volunteers move on, very positive BVA experience should enhance word of mouth promotion of BVA and aid in recruiting. Uh the new business at the meeting was a lengthy discussion of the town's incentive payments to volunteer EMTs. The discussion focused on possible ways to enhance the incentive program to accommodate that incentive payments accommodate that incentive payments over $50 a month or taxable income. The committee explored the volunteers perspective to try to identify a way to make the incentive more effective. and the discussion revealed the situation is a bit complex with intersecting parts that require meshing for a viable recommendation. Uh thus after a lengthy discussion, a three-member subcommittee was appointed to work with assistance from Sergeant Clamberg to develop a proposal and supporting information to bring to the next EMS committee meeting on November

10th for consideration and if one is ready to make a recommendation to the council through this public health safety and environment subcommittee. Um that's the end of the report. Thank you. Thank you so much for that report. Any questions online? Any questions in the room? I just want to say thank you to the fire department as well as BVA and the EMS report. Thank you so much. And I do appreciate you bringing up the um the issue on the incentive pay. Um, I believe the fire department had crossed that bridge some time ago, but that it did recently come up for um, BVA, and I'm hoping that with this committee, you guys are able to come forward with um, some really healthy recommendations. $50 a month threshold for the public. If you don't know, after that that number has been met, I believe it's up to 600 a year. The first 600 is taxable. And so $50 a month is $600 a year. Um and and this would be incentive pay, not like hourly or anything like that. And so what's happening is there's taxes being taken out of this very modest um incentive that our volunteers are receiving. And so we're trying to work together to find a way to make them whole, if I understand correctly. Yes, Mr. Chair.

Um well, actually, not quite. Okay. Well, I'm hoping the the first $600 is not taxed. Not tax. Okay. after that and there are a number of people who already are getting over that that's taxed and we need to that's why it gets complicated. Thank you for the clarification. And the first $50 and then anything over that is predicated upon the number of hours that they work. Correct. So if you work a lot of hours, the first $50 is not taxed, but then subsequent monies are.

Yes. So, I I do hope that working with um the newly formed committee and Sergeant Clownberg that you guys will come up with um some recommendations that would be able to be utilized here so we can help to make them whole because they are as invaluable as our fire department is. So, we really need them and we want them to feel valued. So, thank you for bringing that up. This was brought up a few months ago and so I'm glad to see there has been some work on this and we look forward to an amenable resolution for everybody. Thank you so much. Um, I believe next we have the West Harford Bloomfield uh, health updates. I'm not sure. I do not see director Amy on here, Amy Krauss. No. Okay. I'm not opposed to doing a run over um, for counselors. This is um, available, but I will run over it for you and the public. Um, for the infectious disease update, this is dated October 2025. Flu and COVID 19 vaccinations are available. The health district will be offering seasonal flu and COVID 19 vaccinations this fall. Please call the office to schedule an appointment and that number is 860-5617900-561-7900. Recent community outreach events are multiple just like our awesome volunteers from the police department and BVA. They have an ongoing public health information at the table at food pantry every other week distributing a variety of resource materials ongoing weekly nursing services at the senior center every Tuesday September 10th sugar rush program which I was very curious what that meant and it is um education around diabetes pre- diabetes and those type of concerns um regarding health September 12th drop in nlloxxone training and tableabling events at Isaac's bagel September 16th senior Senior Expo provided flu vaccine and

wellness screening. September 21st, CHC Healthy Living Education Workshop. September 28th, overdose kit distribution at Bloomfield Sitco. September 30th, Winonberry Fire Department flu clinic. And thank you for continuing to distribute those overdose kits. There have been requests from the public. Um, Council Mahan brought it up a couple of months ago and I had also had inquiries. So, I'm happy to see that those uh overdose kit distributions are ongoing. Upcoming events, we have the senior center flu clinic October 7th, October 9th, mental health presentation for older adults being held at the senior center October 14th, Bloomfield BOE flu clinic 1:30 to 400 p.m. Again, October 14th. October 16th, Bloomfield Town Hall Flu Clinic, 9:30 a.m. to noon. And October 17th, the ever popular Bloomfield Trunk or Treat event. Again, if you are not able to make these clinics, you're welcome to call the Bloomfield West Harford Health District at 860-561-7900 to schedule an appointment for your flu and or COVID 19 vaccination. And that ends that report. Starting online. Do we have any other public safety concerns? Any other concerns online?

None, Madam Chair. Any in the room? Okay. Although I don't see any, I will call for any public comments. No one in the room. Any public comments? Anyone online? Okay. Seeing none, uh, approval of minutes September 10th, 2025. Do I have a motion? So move. Second. Thank you. Moved by councelor Oliver, seconded by councelor Mahan. All in favor? I I I. And the chair votes I. Motion carries. Are we ready for adjournment? Yes, ma'am. Okay. Motion to adjurnn.

Some moved. Second. Thank you. Motion to adjurnn. Everyone have a good night. Good night everyone. You as well.