Common Council Meeting Tonight: On-line and Active

Update from Bobbye Knoll-Peterson, Chief of Staff to Mayor Florsheim:  There will be public comment on the appropriation ... and on any other agenda item can be submitted to Linda.Reed@middletownct.gov

The Common Council will be meeting virtually for its April meeting, tonight at 7:PM. The meeting will be accessible to the public by one of two ways:

• Through WebEx, a free application available on the internet. Join meeting 712 278 503, and use the password Middletown.
• By the telephone.  Phone 1.408.418.9388, and use the access code 712 278 503.

The meeting agenda is otherwise typical: there will be approval of minutes, legal notices of appropriations, budget transfers, grants, payment of bills and then a series of resolutions and ordinances. These include a change in park fees, a deferral of tax and utility payments, and a vote on DOT Main Street work.

The council will consider raising the cost of reserving a picnic area in city parks, the fee for residents would rise from $25 to $75, and the fee for non-residents would rise from $25 to $150. Picnic areas like the Arline Rich pavilion in Smith Park are used by families for large birthday celebrations, as well as by local organizations like the Westfield Residents Association.

The council will vote on whether to allow residents to defer all property taxes and utility charges for 90 days. This opportunity was made possible by Governor Lamont's executive order, but it needs to be adopted by the City.

The council will vote on a resolution to ask the State to suspend all work on St. John's Square, until traffic and pedestrian studies have been completed, and the Department of Transportation has met with City leaders and considered alternatives (previous Eye article).