COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT
May 5, 2026 at 6:30 PM
The Chairman calls the meeting to order.
The Clerk calls the roll.
Present: Aldermen Burkush, Vincent, Barry, Goonan, Terrio
Messrs.: C. Dobbins, D. Muller, N. Viviers
- Amending Resolution and Budget Authorization providing for the acceptance and expenditure of funds in the amount of $20,000 for CIP C410021626 School Based Dental Program - Medicaid.
On motion of Alderman Barry, duly seconded by Alderman Terrio, it was voted to approve.
- Amending Resolution and Budget Authorization providing for the acceptance and expenditure of funds in the amount of $943,894 for CIP C410022126 Public Health Preparedness.
On motion of Alderman Goonan, duly seconded by Alderman Barry, it was voted to approve.
- Amending Resolution and Budget Authorization providing for the acceptance and expenditure of funds in the amount of $32,000 for CIP C650050126 Parks Deferred Maintenance.
On motion of Alderman Barry, duly seconded by Alderman Goonan, it was voted to approve.
- Communication from Denise van Zanten, Library Director, requesting an extension of CIP 712424 Carpenter Library Interior Abatement & Painting to June 30, 2027.
On motion of Alderman Barry, duly seconded by Alderman Vincent, it was voted to approve.
- Communication from Jodie Nazaka, Economic Development Director, requesting an extension for CIP 810425 Facade Improvement Program to June 30, 2027.
On motion of Alderman Barry, duly seconded by Alderman Goonan, it was voted to approve.
- Communication from Anna Thomas, Public Health Director, requesting extensions for various CIP projects.
On motion of Alderman Terrio, duly seconded by Alderman Goonan, it was voted to approve.
- Communication from Robert Robinson, Chief Engineer, requesting extensions and closeouts for various CIP projects.
On motion of Alderman Barry, duly seconded by Alderman Vincent, it was voted to approve.
- Communication from Whitney Dade, Police Grant Coordinator, requesting permission to apply for funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance FY26 Public Safety and Mental Health Initiative Program.
On motion of Alderman Vincent, duly seconded by Alderman Goonan, it was voted to approve.
- Communication from the Police Grant Coordinator requesting an amendment to CIP 411025 ARPA - MPD Bonuses/Hiring to transfer $45,000 from the Salaries and Wages category to the Other category.
On motion of Alderman Terrio, duly seconded by Alderman Vincent, it was voted to approve.
- Communication from the Police Grant Coordinator, requesting an extension of CIP 411624 Smart Policing Initiative to September 30, 2027.
On motion of Alderman Barry, duly seconded by Alderman Vincent, it was voted to approve.
- Petition to discontinue Caron Street turn-around.
(Note: Communication from the Department of Public Works is attached.)
Alderman Terrio: Do we own the land?
Caleb Dobbins, Highway Chief Engineer: We have an easement. There was an easement for that turnaround. We never constructed the easement, but we would like the property owner to provide, we still need somewhere to turn around. Basically, we're turning around currently in a driveway. We'd like to formalize that before we end up actually losing the ability to have a formal turn around.
Alderman Terrio: Just to clarify, they own the property, but we have an easement to use their property.
C. Dobbins: Correct.
On motion of Alderman Terrio, duly seconded by Alderman Goonan, it was voted that the petition be referred to a road hearing to be scheduled by the City Clerk.
- Petition to discontinue a portion of North Church Street.
(Note: Communication from the Department of Public Works is attached.)
Alderman Terrio: I think the DPW is against this.
Chairman Burkush: I was going to suggest that we table this item until we can get more information, because the DPW is not understanding or there is some disagreement on what was in the letter.
C. Dobbins: There's been some changes to that development as to what they initially asked. And we initially had some conversations with them and expressed the concerns that we had. Now from other discussions, we're under the belief and it was honestly just tonight that we found that they would still perhaps allow DPW to access that street. We need to have more conversations because if we can still drive down it, anyone can still drive down it. So, what's the need to discontinue it then?
Chairman Burkush: Is an applicant here for that? Would you like to come up and maybe add some clarification?
Alderman Terrio: So, the proposal right now is DPW can use it or the city, but private traffic can't use it.
C. Dobbins: That was actually news to me. The original plan when we originally had some discussions on this was there was actually going to be a building physically where that street is now, but the plans have changed since then.
Daniel Muller, Cronin, Bisson & Zalinsky: With me is Norris Viviers, who is the principal of the applicant here. We are looking to discontinue this. This runs through two parking areas that are owned by 1361 Elm Street, LLC. In terms of some of the preliminary discussions, there apparently has been some confusion because what we were going to present, and Mr. Viviers has had discussions with one of the neighbors, if you look on the plan sort of diagonally across on Myrtle Street South Back, there is a property there he has discussed getting an easement for them to help with the turning, which is what we understand is one of the big issues in terms of the discontinuance, the ability to turn trucks including fire trucks. And my understanding, the easement is going to be sufficient. They've looked at if you wanted to turn a bus down that way, it would be able to accommodate that. We're looking, as I indicated in the letter, we have had discussions with that abutter about gaining easement to address their concerns. We don't have a problem providing an easement to DPW prior to any road hearings so they can review it. And if it's sufficient to address their concerns, obviously that will eliminate the objection. And if it's not, then they can continue to raise the objection and we'll address it as such.
Chairman Burkush: Is this time sensitive?
Norris Viviers, 1361 Elm Street, LLC: I mean, if it is a couple of years, yes. I guess it depends on the range of time you're talking about. But it's not something imminent that needs to happen in the next few months.
Chairman Burkush: We just want to clear up the confusion. Mr. Vivian. So, I think once we clear the confusion, I would assume it would go right through the committee. If you can wait, if you can work with DPW to solve the issues and come back, then we'll go forward.
Alderman Terrio: Caleb, have we done any traffic counts or a traffic study on that portion of the street?
C. Dobbins: No. And as I said, we had some very preliminary discussions beforehand. So again, DPW would want to be able to look at what the easement was relative to it. They indicated they'd already actually done some layouts relative to turning movements. We'd want to get copies of those things. These are all things that I'm not aware of that we've actually been presented yet. So that was what our main concern was, is the fact that we still need to be able to access and be able to drive down that section of roadway because trash gets picked up through the alleys and everything.
Chairman Burkush: Are you all set with that, Mr. Viviers?
N. Viviers: Actually, no, and I'm surprised that you didn't get the drawing that we had proposed. Basically, the reason for cutting that off is, first of all, it's not maintained. I've owned that property since 2000. That alleyway is not maintained. It's terrible. There's a lot of nefarious activity that goes on in that back alleyway and so forth. So, my thinking was with a brand-new development with new residents to cut that traffic out. And I own the Bedford block and we have a lot of people walking through there. It's posted as private, no trespassing, but people do anyway. And they walk through that whole back alley. So, my thinking was to change that whole scenario for the new residents coming into there. But the biggest objection, my understanding was, and I had preliminary discussions with somebody at the Fire Department, they said we need to be able to get around that corner. And same thing with the Highway Department. So basically, I spoke with Andy next door and said that parking spot is not legal. I'll give you parking on my site in exchange for being able to have a turning radius suitable to the needs of the Fire Department and the Highway Department. So that's where that all came from. The idea is to put up a fence along that, to keep the foot traffic in that back alley with the Pearl Street lot being developed. I'm not sure if that alleyway has been discontinued as part of that or not, but it's my feeling it's part of the whole overall redevelopment of that little section.
Chairman Burkush: So, let's just work together and come back and we'll just table it for now.
Alderman Terrio: I'd move to table.
D. Muller: Can I get a little clarification? When would the committee next meet so we can try to push this through as quickly as possible?
Chairman Burkush: CIP meets the first meeting of the month. It'll be June.
N. Viviers: And what needs to happen between now and then?
D. Muller: We need to show them the plans.
C. Dobbins: And easements.
Chairman Burkush: So, you have not seen that plan?
C. Dobbins: I have not. The only thing I have is from an email from months ago.
N. Viviers: I sent it to his office and asked him to get it forwarded.
C. Dobbins: I haven't actually seen the final plans yet.
Matthew Normand, City Clerk: We wouldn't have that road hearing scheduled until June at the very earliest, probably early August. So, if the committee wants to keep this process going for expediency, that gives at least a month or more to work this out between Public Works and the requester. And then if it doesn't get worked out, we can hold off on scheduling that.
Chairman Burkush: So, we would need a motion to approve it.
M. Normand: We'll get it to the Board on May 19th and we'll schedule the road hearing at that point.
Chairman Burkush: And then that would take a subsequent vote.
M. Normand: Correct. It'll at least get into June, if not into, like I said, August, and that would be subject to this working out with the terms being agreed upon by the DPW.
On motion of Alderman Goonan, duly seconded by Alderman Vincent, it was voted that the petition be referred to a road hearing to be scheduled by the City Clerk, and that the petition be subject to the terms of the Department of Public Works being agreed upon by the petitioner.
M. Normand: You have one item of new business in front of you from the Health Department. This is a request to transfer $15,000 from CIP 212322 CHW to CIP 212122 Healthy Food Access Strategic Plan to partially fund MTA Pilot Bus Route Project.
Amending Resolution and Budget Authorizations providing for the transfer and expenditure of funds in the amount of $22,800 for CIP 212122 ARPA – Healthy Food Access Strategic Plan & Implementation.
On motion of Alderman Goonan, duly seconded by Alderman Barry, it was voted unanimously to approve and expedite the committee's report to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen this evening.
TABLED ITEM
- Communication from the Planning and Community Development Director regarding a request from the Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Services that its lease at 434 Lake Avenue be reduced from $2,023.50 to $1,423.50 per month from January to June 2026.
On motion of Alderman Vincent, duly seconded by Alderman Goonan, it was voted to remove agenda item 13 from the table.
Alderman Vincent: I think it's best now to just receive and file this until we hear more. I don't know how much longer we're going to sit on this one particular item. I know it's out there and I know it'll come back up again.
On motion of Alderman Vincent, duly seconded by Alderman Terrio, it was voted to receive and file.
There being no further business, on motion of Alderman Vincent, duly seconded by Alderman Terrio, it was voted to adjourn.
A True Record. Attest.
Clerk of Committee
Meeting Start Time: 6:30PM
Meeting End Time: 6:42PM
Minutes Prepared By: Michael Intranuovo