The Allen St. Problem-Project #2 Oak St. to Beacon St. Our 20th Presentation to New Britain Officials. June 26, 2024
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The Allen St. Problem-Project #2 Oak St. to Beacon St. Our 20th Presentation to New Britain Officials. June 26, 2024

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To: Ward 4 Constituents, Taxpayers, Property Owners, Flooding Victims and New Britain Officials

This updated record is being shared regarding the status of our neighborhoods’ storm-sewer systems and the Federal-State-City responses. Our concerns must be given the highest priority. Our quality of life is suffering and our property values have declined by 15%. When the contaminated flooding water recedes, we are forgotten by our city officials. Even though our critical neighborhood is not in a flood zone, the flooding continues… 6x’s in 2023. The tropical rainy season for 2024 is here. In fact our first neighborhood flooding event for 2024 happened 6-22-24.

In case you may have missed it, the Cardinal Engineering Final Plan for the Allen St. Project #2 should be completed shortly per the NBPW Design Schedule. (See attachment, below.) Our state legislators have noted their willingness to help us procure a state bond worth $10M for the nearly $15M Allen St. Project #2. As we understand it, the City of New Britain is obligated to make up the difference, which seems to be close to $5M… or 30% of the total cost.

Over the past 10 months, we have provided all of you with our narratives, articles and supporting documentation via e-mail and in hard copies. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions, constructive suggestions, etc. Remember, the current mayor wrote that she welcomes our criticisms and questions regarding her fiscal spending habits and her decision making.

1) Here is the current mayor’s description: “The Allen St. Project #2 is critical to resolving chronic issues including flooding due to storm-sewer failures, sanitary back-ups and breaks due to insufficient capacity and the system’s age. The Allen St. Problem is a hazard we need to mitigate. It is evident now more than ever, that we need to see this project come to fruition”. The current mayor reports that there are storm-sanitary cross connections on Allen St. further contributing to this public health emergency.

Over the years, the current mayor wrote in her memos to our state legislators: “THE ALLEN STREET PROJECT #2 IS OUR MOST PRESSING NEED“.

The current mayor noted in 2023 during an interview with NBC: Climate change is here; Be Prepared…We are the City is Not.

2) Last fall 2023, Public Works Director Moriarty spoke to the city council indicating that the Allen St. Project #2 is a costly, complex project. He indicated that the Cardinal Engineering Semi-Final Plan from 2013 was invalid, outdated and would need a complete revision in order to proceed with the Allen St. Storm-Sewer Upgrades. This would take an additional year of preparation. Thus, we are losing more valuable time.

We suspected that the current mayor had no real desire to move forward with this project, so we stepped up and made some loud noise. Since this project is truly the city’s most PRESSING infrastructure need, (as the current mayor described it), Why did she fail to prudently update the semi-final engineering plan and press for the proper funding years ago? Simply writing memos does not get the job done. Because of our efforts last fall, the city council voted to proceed with the needed final engineering plan. Funding remains the final obstacle to overcome.

3) As noted, our State Legislators will be working with New Britain officials to procure a $10M bonding initiative. New Britain’s obligation of nearly $5M remains unfunded!

WHERE IS THE MONEY?

  • Our state legislators report that millions of dollars have flowed into the City of New Britain. Since 2013, the current mayor has prioritized and allocated this money for many higher profile projects…Not ONE DOLLAR for the Allen St. Project #2…Our most pressing need!
  • We have discovered 60 million reasons for our ongoing disgust and distrust. Of the $60M in ARPA Infrastructure Funds that the City of New Britain has recently received from our federal and state partners, not ONE DOLLAR has been allocated for the Allen St. Project #2…Our most pressing infrastructure need!
    The current mayor’s indolent behavior has caused many avoidable delays. (See Attachments, below).
  • We, along with the other taxpayers in our neighborhood, have diligently paid our taxes for decades. We are demanding our fair share of money from Federal-State-City governments to fund our most pressing need, the Allen St. Project #2 Oak St. to Beacon St.

4) We must factor in the bogus $4M transfer for the Allen St. Project #2. Here is the time line again for those that may have missed it:

  • 9-27-23 Resolution 36236: The former city council voted unanimously with no objections for this $4M transfer from the General Fund to the Public Works Account; signed by the current mayor, approving the transfer on 9-28-23 just weeks before the city wide election on 11-7-23… (See attachment, below).
Click to view.
  • 10-11-23 Resolution 36259: This is a request for information regarding the status of the money in the General Fund.
  • 10-25-23 Resolution 36259-1: Finance Director Perugini presented this response to the former city council and to the current mayor, clearly noting the status of the money in the General Fund… No money was available for this transfer as of 6-30-23. The General Fund had $6.6M assigned and earmarked for tax stabilization and BOE operating funds and $15.2M was mandated and unassigned for unanticipated expenditures… No money was available for this transfer. (See attachment 9262).
  • 10-25-23 Resolution 36258: A request to verify the $4M transfer.
  • 10-27-23 Resolution 36258-1: This response drafted by the chief of staff, and signed by the current mayor confirming the $4M transfer just days before the city wide election on 11-7-23. The transfer never happened! This resolution was signed by the current mayor 2 days after Perugini had informed the former city council and the current mayor about the status of the money in the General Fund. No money was available for this transfer. (See attachment).
Click to view.
  • At that time, the current mayor was in office for 10 years and her chief of staff had been in office since January 2020. As the mayor noted, when she promoted Justin Dorsey to Chief of Staff, he had been with her since 2013. She said, “No one knows the city better than he does. He is an expert on all things New Britain”. We find it concerning that these seasoned political operatives and experienced administrators failed to follow proper transfer protocols. They drafted and signed resolution 36258-1 confirming this $4M transfer…This transfer never happened. The money was not available for this transfer. We suspect that they were misleading the voters in Ward 4 just days before a city wide election. Apparently, we were collectively deceived by the current mayor and her chief of staff.
  • 4-20-24 Resolution 36453: Six months after the current mayor signed off approving and confirming this $4M transfer, this resolution was filed asking for the status of the $4M. Perugini responded with his list of resolution deficiencies. Transfer protocols were NOT followed by the current mayor and her chief of staff. The transfer never happened because the money was unavailable. (See attachment, below).

5) As we have detailed for you over the past 10 months, the evidence and the facts are revealing. Week to week, month to month, new information is provided to us and uncovered by our efforts. The reality is simple: The city has the funding sources to complete the Allen St. Project. Thus far, city officials have failed to obtain new funding from these sources and have prioritized available funds for other higher profile projects such as the Bee Hive Bridge, Stanley Reception Pavilion, Public Works Operations Center, Downtown Luxury Housing and many others.

After 30 years, the opaque funding shell game continues with shifting project priorities while our tax dollars are lost in the fiscal shuffle. Now we have a bogus money transfer to contend with facilitated by the current mayor and her chief of staff days before an election. Where is the required transparency and accountability from our city officials? Decades long infrastructure flooding issues must be prioritized, funded and corrected similar to educational concerns, gentrification displacements, housing, taxes, debt, budget relief, etc.

6) We have learned that the State Mandated Audit Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 is now nearly 6 months late. It was due December 31, 2023. The fiscal reporting delays continue which impacts our ability to better understand the actual fiscal position the city is in. We learned from the last audit which was 1 year late, that the city is in debt over $325M, surprising many of us. Looks like more budget relief tactics may be in play again.

Meanwhile, the contaminated flooding water from the compromised Allen St. Storm-Sewer System continues to threaten us with each passing weather event. Obviously, our skepticism, cynicism and suspicions are justified based on the current mayor’s failed efforts to prioritize and fund the Allen St. Project #2. Yes, the current mayor has been disingenuous with all of us in Ward 4.

7) Our neighborhood and block, (over 35 properties) resembles that of a third world country during these flooding events. We have an urgent public health emergency that has been concealed from us, downplayed, neglected and mismanaged for the past 30 years, including 10 years on this current mayor’s watch…In legal terms, it’s called dereliction of duty, gross negligence, nonfeasance, abuse of power.

The cause is undeniable…The effects will be catastrophic if the flooding is allowed to continue. Our engineers have verified all of this for all of us. There are many storm-sewer challenges in New Britain, however, none greater than the Allen St. Problem. Weston-Sampson Engineers wrote in 2023 that the Allen St. Project #2 must be a high priority because the infrastructure is at CRISIS levels!

Prioritize and Fund the Allen St. Project #2 Oak St. to Beacon St!

In closing, we will not sit in the council chambers and be targeted by disgruntled alderpersons trying to score political points with the mayor. We will not tolerate intentional political theatre directed at us. City officials are out of order harassing constituents, tax payers, property owners and flooding victims. It’s shameful and unacceptable. We are not living in the past. Our City Official’s, past and present and their documented behavior requires comprehensive oversight by the people…We are demanding TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY. We will gladly listen to constructive, truthful explanations.

“By recognizing and valuing our constituents, you can better address their concerns and ensure a harmonious relationship”.

Meanwhile, the contaminated flooding water continues to threaten our neighborhoods.

Thank you.

F&S Chase

               

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