Water
Do New Britain Residents Really Need the Proposed “Storage Reservoir”?
Publicly available information may call into question the conclusions in the recently released report done for the city administration of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart by Lenard Engineering, Inc., that justifies the strip mining of protected drinking watershed land by saying that increased demand for water over the next forty years would necessitate a new “storage reservoir” created […]
Study Commissioned by City on Strip Mining Watershed Land Submitted to State
Lenard Engineering, Inc. has completed its report, done for the city administration of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart, as part of a process for the city to request that it be permitted to allow strip mining on New Britain’s protected watershed lands by the Tilcon company. The study was presented to the state Water Planning Council and Council […]
Ward 1 City Council Candidates
The City Council election in New Britain’s Ward 1 is between two incumbent Republicans and two Democratic challengers. Democrats Veronica T. DeLandro and Molly McGuire are taking on Ald. Jamie Giantonio (R-1) and Ald. Wilfredo Pabon (R-1), two of the city’s longest-serving Council members. Ten of the fifteen members of the City Council are elected from […]
The Web of Watershed Mining
Records show that key players in the proposal by Republican Mayor Erin Stewart to allow the Tilcon company to strip-mine New Britain drinking watershed land are tied together, behind the scenes, in a network of business and other relationships. Tilcon, the company that is seeking a long-term deal, in which it would be permitted to […]
Ald. Sanchez Advocates Against Stewart Water Rate Increase
Democratic Ald. Manny Sanchez (D-3) is pressing Republican Mayor Erin Stewart and the Republican dominated City Council to not to increase water rates. “As locally elected officials, we have a duty to act in a fiscally responsible manner,” Sanchez said in a letter to Stewart. “This includes ensuring that our constituents do not incur unnecessary […]
Increases in Water and Sewer Charges Planned
The Republican-dominated City Council will consider two separate plans on May 24th, submitted by the administration of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart, to increase the amount city residents will pay in water and sewer fees. The proposal for water charges would increase the fee for city water from $27.82 per thousand cubic foot of water used in […]
Amid Growing Questions and a Democratic Resolution, Stewart and Council Republicans Abandon Patton Brook Sale
In the wake of mounting questions about why Republican Mayor Erin Stewart sold the Patton Brook Well while the city knew it was facing significant drought conditions, and a City Council resolution, originally offered by the three Democratic Council members, to revoke the sale, the Republican mayor and the Council’s Republicans are abandoning her plan to sell […]
Alderman Questions Stewart on Well Sale in Light of Water Supply Alert
By Emmanuel (Manny) Sanchez In both a press release and an NBC interview roughly two weeks ago, Mayor Erin Stewart stated we are in a “first water alert”. But all facts and statistics show that we’ve been in one since May. I was also informed that the City was at 39.72% capacity when that press release […]
Stewart Admits to Water Supply Alert
Press pool story Just one day after the New Britain Independent broke the news that New Britain is in a “water supply alert” due to low capacity in the city’s reservoirs, Erin Stewart, the city’s mayor, has admitted to the alert condition. As the Independent reported, New Britain Deputy Public Works Director for Utilities, Gil Bligh […]
Common Council Votes to Sell Well Despite Protests
By Larry Clark Copy Editor On Wednesday, August 10, the New Britain Common Council voted to allow the Mayor to go into negotiations for the sale of the Patton Brook Well, despite the protest outside Town Hall before the Common Council meeting and multiple town members who spoke against selling the water asset. The vote […]