NDTC Monthly Meeting

RSVP on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/409069469479568

AGENDA
Roll Call
Approval of Minutes
(see April 24 Report below)
Reports
Treasurer – Chair
Legislature – Common Council
Board of Education – District Updates
Mayor’s Progress Report
**************************************

District Fundraising for the DTC
*************************************

2017 Municipal Elections
Norwalk will be electing a Mayor,
Common Council and
Board of Education
We need to plan NOW to
make sure they are all Democrats!
*************************************

Progress on February fundraising event(s)
*************************************

Old Business — New Business
**************************************

UPCOMING EVENTS
*************************************************************

Sunday, May 21, 2017 2-4 PM
Senator Chris Murphy re-election Campaign
Fight Back CT Launch:
50 Hunt Street, Rowayton, CT 06853
https://chrismurphy.com/fightbackct
*************************************************************

Saturday, June 10th
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) will be Keynote speaker
for Annual Democratic Fundraiser
Connecticut Convention Center
1000 Columbus Blvd.g
Hartford, CT 06103

*************************************************************

MINUTES
Norwalk Democratic Town Committee, Monday, April 24, 2017, 7:30 PM
South Norwalk Community Center, 98 South Main Street, Norwalk, CT 06854
Call to Order Chairman Ed Camacho called the meeting to order at 7:40 PM.
Roll Call
Recording Secretary Elsa Peterson Obuchowski called the roll.
District A: Nicol Ayers, Julie Corbett, Andy Garfunkel, Laoise King, Eloisa Melendez, Elsa Peterson Obuchowski, Joseph Perella, Broderick Sawyer , Jalin Sead, Steve Serasis, Chris Yerinides.
District B: Olivia Dardy, Raymond Dunlap, Michael Geake, Manny Langella, Mike Mushak, Sonja Oliver, Migdalia Rivas (proxy Daisy Franklin), Sharon Stewart, Howard White, Michael Witherspoon (proxy Darlene Young), Martha Wooten-Dumas.
District C: David Brown, John Hauter, John Kydes, Linda Langston, Lisa Nuzzo, Pamela Parkington (proxy Doug Stern), Brenda Penn-Williams, Kevin Poruban, Johnnie Weldon, Beth Siegelbaum, Samuel Pride.
District D: Kay Anderson, Robert Hard, Robert Keyes, Bruce Kimmel, Diane Lauricella, Patricia Marshock, Warren Peña, Marilyn Robinson, Nicholas Sacchinelli, Crystal Santiago, Joseph Tamburri.
District E: Michael Barbis, John Igneri, Nora King, Ronald Kowalski, Thomas Livingston, Francis Nash, Naomi Oppmann, Lucia Rilling, Kathleen Tepper, Patricia Tinto, Galen Wells.
*Boldface strikeout = absent
Several new people also attended. A sign-in sheet was passed around for those wanting to be on the DTC email contact list.
Approval of Minutes (March 27, 2017)
Corrections: Sharon Stewart and Sonja Oliver were present (arrived late) for the March 27 meeting Linda Langston clarified that for the February 27 meeting it should be noted that people could not attend even though they came on time because they couldn’t park. Absences for that meeting should not really be considered absences because the people made the effort to come.
Moved, seconded, approved by voice vote with the above corrections.
REPORTS
Treasurer Treasurer Laoise King was not present, but Chair Ed Camacho reported that we have not raised nor spent any money since the March meeting. He noted the upcoming events: State Central campaign training 4/29 and also a campaign school at Wesleyan 4/29.
Chair Ed Camacho reported that we’re going to need to nominate the best possible candidates and also raise $$ to help those candidates.
Diane Lauricella asked about our monthly meetings being on the 4th Monday of the month. We will try to reset it to the 3rd Monday so as not to conflict with caucus meetings and CNNA.
CT State Legislature
The Chair recognized Rep. Bruce Morris, who reported that the state budget is the main concern. Those committees have finished their work but the reports will be out at the end of this week.
Max Cisneros asked about the bill for recreational marijuana. It doesn’t look like it will come up.
Rep. Morris said highway tolls might happen in a year and a half, or 3 to 5 years. There seems to be a strong feeling in the General Assembly that tolls will be implemented.
The Educational Cost Sharing formula change is in bills that are moving through committee. All legislators want to change ECS and Norwalk argued effectively that our Grand List should not be the determining factor. The new formula is 50% Grand List and 50% median income. Unclear if this will pass.
Barbara Meyer-Mitchell asked about a bill regarding school building, but Rep. Morris was not familiar with this.
Diane Lauricella asked about the bottle deposit bill. Rep. Morris said any change is not a big revenue item. What legislators are looking at are the big revenue items.
Common Council
John Igneri said this is the first year the Council has had to budget without knowing how much $ will be coming from the state. The GGP “SoNo Collection” mall is up for a change in the Land Disposition Agreement.
Diane Lauricella asked about the Main Ave. (former BJ’s, Elinco) site for the big box store and the Grasso Paving contract. She said she is worried about how this makes us look as Democrats in a municipal election year. John Igneri said the Grasso company legally is a separate entity that could not be held accountable for what the other Grasso company did. Lawyers added language to make that stricter so we have a right to take the contract away if he violates. We are pursuing the father’s company even though zoning found no fault.
Rep. Morris asked about the GGP mall and what is the rationale for how the $3.5 million justifies the loss of what the taxes would have been over the lifespan of the hotel. John Igneri said tomorrow’s vote would just be yes/no on the process of changing the LDA. If we don’t get started by a certain date, we lose one of the anchor stores. If we don’t go through with construction now, we could be looking at that hole in the ground for another 20 years. The $3.5 million will be spent wisely in the area to make it more attractive.
Board of Education
Mike Barbis spoke about the health insurance switch, which the teachers union has come out against. There is publicity on the consultant hired to improve school food service.
The health insurance we currently have is self-insured and it’s very volatile, so they want to switch to the state 2.0 plan, which several Fairfield County towns have switched to. The teachers’ union said they would not switch unless they would get certain contract provisions, similar to what Greenwich & Darien teachers got. The BOE does not have the $ to stay with the self-insured plan so the only other option is layoffs.
Regarding the capital plan for school construction & repairs, the BOE received Common Council approval.
Martha Dumas asked about when & where the Ed Spec Committee meetings will be held. Mike said they should be posted on the BOE website.
District Updates
District A: Chris Yerinides reported the district will have a cleanup on Saturday, May 13. Meet at Freese Park 8:30 AM. Working on donations of tools & refreshments, advertising.
District B: Bruce Morris reported the district did an Earth Day cleanup on Saturday. Next meeting May 1. Developers from GGP will speak.
District C: John Kydes said the district’s Facebook page is up and they have several new people.
District D: Joe Tamburri reported the district is gearing up for November and fielding their candidates and who wants to run.
District E: Nora King reported their next meeting is this Thursday. They had a cleanup in Rowayton last Saturday and a Unity Community event on Sunday.
Mayor’s Report
Mayor Harry Rilling reported that Common Council will vote on how to move forward on the GGP LDA and we are optimistic that it will go forward. It will bring in jobs during construction and also jobs when it is open. They will draw their foundation permit about May 9. They’ve paid the $550K for the Circulator. They have to pay $1 million at the time of the foundation permit. October 2019 opening is planned. The $3.5 million needs to be dedicated to the greatest good.
He and other Democratic mayors met yesterday with Martin Looney, state senate. $9 million teachers’ retirement system may not happen. If it gets shifted to the city, we’ll have to tax the hospital to cover it. Discussed property taxes in state of CT and how regressive it is. An elderly person on a fixed income or a person who’s lost their job can’t afford to pay their property tax. Legislative session ends in June. If it’s not decided by then, the legislature can be called back in October.
We drew down on our Rainy Day fund. Fire & Police are inclined to go to the state 2.0 health insurance system. Being self-insured leaves us vulnerable to a catastrophic event. If teachers don’t go in on 2.0 we will not save as planned. In the long run 2.0 is a better program.
New construction at Head of the Harbor North, High Point. The former BJ’s property (Main Ave.) the city’s economic development office is trying to find a tenant other than a big box store. In 2013 candidate Rilling was opposed to BJ’s. As mayor he cannot speak for/against once a developer has filed an application. He has been speaking with the Neighborhood Assn. of Silvermine Homeowners.
Daisy Franklin asked about GGP which was supposed to have housing, then a hotel, she’s concerned. Mayor Rilling said it was never going to include housing. The hotel has now been declared infeasible. The $3.5 million could be used for housing for 35-65 income residents and Mayor Rilling hopes that will be the case.
Bob Hard asked whether the hotel space is going to be used for anything other than hotel. No, it just won’t be built. The footprint is the same but those upper floors will not be built. Office space was the other option but it is not profitable.
Joe Tamburri asked about the vendor in the back of the former BJ’s site. Why is it the city’s responsibility to find a tenant instead of the developer? Mayor Rilling said that is why we have an economic development director; it is her job to speak with people, keep an inventory of what’s available in Norwalk, and help attract businesses.
Ernie Dumas asked when South Norwalk sidewalk reconstruction is happening. He also asked about modular (portable buildings) on Chestnut Street where there is a building collapse and there needs to be a sign “Unsafe.” Mayor Rilling said sidewalk season is coming and several South Norwalk streets are on the list. He said he would follow up with Bill Ireland about the collapsed roof and would look at where the modulars are.
State Central Committee
Ron Kowalski reported that the Connecticut Democratic Progress Dinner will be held Saturday 6/10 at the Convention Center in Hartford. This is the Dem party’s major fund raiser of the year. They usually have a very high-profile speaker. Tickets are $185/person and it would be great if Norwalk could assemble a table of 10. RSVP http://action.ctdems.org/page/content/DCP2017
In other news, the state party Treasurer resigned so they will vote next month to fill that vacancy. The candidates are Dave Gioiello (Shelton Town Chair) and Michael Pohl (Manchester Town Chair).
Fund Raising Committee Report from 4/17/16
We met on 4/17, made plans for a series of events aimed to promote friendship as well as raising money.
SoNoCC party in May (based on the Valentine’s Day party canceled b/c snow)
Happy Hour at Oak Hills Restaurant in June
Party around July 4 on Thomas Hooker theme at Blind Rhino
Dinner & Silent Auction in September or October
Pre-Election brunch on the first Sunday in November
Platform Committee
Chris Yerinides reported that the ad hoc platform committee met last Thursday and refined the many ideas that were contributed at their March meeting.
***********************************************

Preparation for state DTC candidate endorsements (required by July 18-25).
All the districts need to come up with their in-district slate. Each district should nominate one candidate for the at-large seats.
*************************************

Old Business [none]
New Business
Elsa Peterson Obuchowski reported two opportunities for activism.
(1) Sister District Project has paired the CT 4th Congressional District with a sister district in Virginia; Virginia is one of the few states that have their state elections in odd-numbered years. (2) To elect a Democratic governor in 2018, several of us are working on a CT “listening/reasoning tour” project where a surrogate from Gov. Malloy’s administration will talk about the state budget, the decisions that are being made, and the future economic health of the state. Anyone interested in either of these opportunities should contact Elsa.
**************************************

NEXT DTC MEETING: TBD, either May 15th or May 22nd at 7:30 PM, South Norwalk Community Center
ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 PM. Respectfully submitted, Elsa Peterson Obuchowski, Recording Secretary
Respectfully submitted, Elsa Peterson Obuchowski, Recording Secretary