Council OKs $40,000 in state planning grants

Town Council · Meeting of October 13, 2026

Newington Town Council weighed pausing expansion of Flock Safety license plate cameras pending a data-access review. Majority Leader Matthew Plourd said members have "real concerns about these systems and the way that they're used and who has access to the data." The council also approved $4,349.15 in property tax refunds and voted 8-0, with Minority Leader Gail Budrejko absent, to accept two $20,000 state planning grants for the animal control shelter and library renovation. A $61,650 proposal to hire TLB Architects on the Chapman Street firehouse restoration, part of a $475,971 estimated project, was discussed but not voted on; two design options were narrowed for further review.

Councilors also tabled a proposed Open Space Protection & Ordinance Development Subcommittee and entered executive session on the town manager search.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,022 words

Source: the Town Council meeting of October 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Proclamation for Talk to the Mayor host

A proclamation honoring Steve Parker for 35 years hosting the town's "Talk to the Mayor" program was on the agenda but was tabled by Mayor Jon Trister so that Parker could be present and "properly celebrated." Trister said the council expects to take it up at the first meeting in November. No other action occurred on this item.

Public participation: a longtime property dispute and a question about Chapman Street's future tenant

Two residents spoke during public comment. Antonio "Tony" Pizziferato, who the mayor later addressed as "Mr. Pizziferato," described a decades-long history with his property, including a 1987 land purchase, drainage problems he solved by digging a trench and building a pond, and more recent frustration over a tax assessment he said had risen sharply, telling the council "if I have to pay the tax and 373 and change... now you have to put there another 30 percent." He said he had met with a town staffer, whom he referred to by a name the transcript rendered as "Daniel De Paulino," about the assessment. Councilor Matthew Plourd told Pizziferato afterward that staff would follow up on a separate, long-outstanding sidewalk project in his neighborhood.

Donald Brown, who identified himself by his address at 67 Stafford Avenue, urged the council to fund construction drawings for the Chapman Street firehouse renovation later on the agenda. Brown, who Trister identified as a member of the Permanent Municipal Building Commission (PMBC), asked whether the fire department would be the building's next occupant, saying "the committee doesn't know" and that clarity on a future tenant "would help the committee very much in the next steps." Plourd thanked Brown for his work on the commission.

Flock camera moratorium: councilors weigh a pause without a vote

Background and stakes: The topic arose from a resident's complaint raised at an earlier meeting about Flock Safety automated license-plate readers. It was not a scheduled agenda item but came up during councilors' remarks following public participation.

The question before the body: Whether to formally restrict further expansion of the camera network and whether to form a subcommittee to review data access and policy questions.

Substantive content: Mayor Trister opened the discussion, saying he had spent weeks researching the issue and now believed "we ought to consider a moratorium on expanding any additional flock cameras at this point in time," while stopping short of removing existing units. Councilor Kathy Gonzalez agreed, clarifying the proposal was "putting a hold on it" rather than stopping the program outright. Plourd said concerns "have been in the news quite a bit" and that residents have asked who has access to the data the cameras collect.

The deliberation: Councilor A.J. Tiniakos (attribution based on context; the transcript does not clearly name this speaker) raised the idea of letting residents weigh in directly. Councilor Nancy Cappello said she had heard concerns from multiple towns that have begun removing their own camera systems, and suggested the simplest path might be inviting the police chief to answer questions rather than creating another subcommittee: "I don't know about another subcommittee, come on, you don't have enough space." Trister responded by joking the council would "get rid of three, we'll add two," before agreeing the conversation was timely. One additional unnamed councilor said they were "just not a huge fan of flock as a company," citing a lack of "a certain type of integrity" expected from a vendor handling this kind of data, and said the newness of the technology meant there was "not a lot of legislation behind it to kind of put some guardrails up."

Procedural steps and outcome: No motion was made and no vote was taken. The council reached informal consensus to pause new camera expansion pending further review, with several members open to either a police chief briefing or a subcommittee.

Implications and what is next: Any formal moratorium or ordinance would require a future vote; residents should expect this to return as a discussion item, possibly alongside a police department briefing.

Open Space Protection & Ordinance Development Subcommittee: tabled for further work

Background and stakes: Acting Town Manager Lauren Rhines's October 1 memo noted the draft resolution creating this subcommittee was first presented September 22 and was back on the agenda under Old Business for potential action. The resolution would create a three-member council subcommittee (two Democratic seats, one Republican seat, left unfilled in the agenda packet) plus the mayor as ex-officio, tasked with developing ordinance changes, new funding mechanisms for the Land Acquisition Fund, and identifying parcels for conservation easements or purchase of development rights.

The question before the body: Whether to adopt the resolution and appoint subcommittee members.

Substantive content: Gonzalez, who serves on the town's existing Open Space Committee, told the council that body's current charge "really doesn't give the open space committee the ability to do much," and said a recent committee meeting produced "a lot of discussion and positive things." Plourd, who said he listened in on that same committee meeting, agreed the existing Open Space Committee lacks the kind of statutory authority that bodies like Planning and Zoning or Conservation have, calling it "really shocking" that the group has operated for years without more agency.

The deliberation: Radda said she wanted more input before voting, framing the goal as reaching something "concise" and "useful" for the community "in the long run." Trister asked whether the intent was to eventually grant the existing Open Space Committee more independent authority rather than maintain two separate bodies; Gonzalez and Plourd agreed that was the direction but cautioned it likely requires amending the underlying resolution, since the Open Space Committee was itself created by resolution rather than ordinance. Trister noted the council has its own role to play independent of the committee, citing the town's Land Acquisition Fund, which receives "some regular payments," as an area where the council could pursue new funding policy without waiting on committee recommendations. Gonzalez said she did not want "one, two, three all doing the same things," but believed the subcommittee, the Open Space Committee and the council could pursue the same goal through different channels.

Procedural steps and outcome: Trister said explicitly, "I don't think we're taking a vote tonight." No motion was made; the item remains on a future agenda for continued work, with no appointments made to the proposed D1, D2 or R1 seats listed in the resolution.

Implications and what is next: Any ordinance or charter changes affecting the Open Space Committee's authority would require further council action; councilors indicated they want to avoid creating a redundant body before that larger question is resolved.

Tax refunds

The council voted 8-0, with Budrejko absent, to approve $4,349.15 in property tax refunds to 15 individuals and companies, ranging from $18.62 to $1,524.75, certified by the revenue collector. The resolution was read and moved, seconded by Cappello, with no discussion.

Minutes of previous meetings

DeHaas and Radda presented a joint set of line-by-line wording corrections to the September 22 regular meeting minutes and reported no changes needed to the September 29 special meeting minutes. Corrections included punctuation fixes, deleting duplicate words, and one substantive clarification changing a reference to "committee" to "the open space committee" on page five. The council voted 8-0 to approve both sets of minutes with the proposed changes.

DECD planning grants for Animal Control Shelter and Library renovation

Background and stakes: Rhines's October 1 memo explained the town received a Connecticut General Assembly planning grant administered by the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) in fiscal year 2025-26 for four projects: a pool facility, Fire Department #4, an animal control shelter, and a library renovation. The town spent its allocation on the first two projects and sought to carry over the remaining $40,000 into fiscal year 2026-27. The state's process this year required a certified council resolution to accept the funds, along with a rules waiver since the item required same-night action.

The question before the body: Whether to waive council rules and authorize Rhines to execute grant documents for each of the two remaining projects.

Substantive content: Rhines told the council the $20,000 per project will fund planning work intended to bring the animal control shelter and library renovation projects "to referendum."

The deliberation: Plourd read each resolution aloud. Discussion was minimal; one lengthy, partly garbled remark referencing "the school district" and the town's "duty to enforce this policy" was made during the public participation window on the library grant item, but no specific speaker name was discernible in the transcript, and Trister responded only by thanking commissioners for securing grant funding.

Procedural steps and outcome: Four separate votes were taken, each 8-0 with Budrejko absent: waiving the rules and authorizing execution of grant documents for the Animal Control Shelter planning grant, and the same two-step process for the Library renovation planning grant.

Implications and what is next: Both projects now have state planning dollars available for design work that will lead toward a future bond referendum, though no referendum date was set at this meeting.

Permanent Municipal Building Commission recommendation on Chapman Street Firehouse #3

Background and stakes: The Chapman Street Firehouse #3 restoration project has been reviewed by the PMBC since January, following a joint Town Council/PMBC meeting. Codes officials determined months ago that the fire department's apparatus had to be pulled from the building because it was no longer safe. At its October 1 meeting, the PMBC unanimously recommended hiring TLB Architects, one of the town's three on-call architecture firms, to produce construction documents and perform bid administration.

The question before the body: Whether to approve a $61,650 fee to TLB Architects and appropriate that amount from existing capital funds.

Substantive content: TLB Architecture's proposal, signed by principal Michael Fortuna, totals $61,650 for construction documents and bid/construction administration, funded from money already set aside in the capital improvement plan (CIP). The firm's separate opinion of probable cost estimates the full restoration project at $475,971, built up from $410,890 in estimated construction costs across civil, hazardous-materials abatement, structural, architectural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work, plus markups for general conditions, overhead, insurance and bonds. Rhines's memo noted that after the $61,650 is spent, the CIP account will have roughly $230,000 remaining, "significantly less than the $475,000 project probable cost."

The deliberation: Plourd called it encouraging to see the PMBC ordinance "functioning as we intended," returning the project to the council for the next discrete funding step rather than a lump appropriation. He asked Fortuna why the proposal called for restoring historic windows rather than replacing them; Fortuna said restoring an original window in reasonably good condition costs about the same as a historically accurate replacement and preserves "the character of the original" in a building that contributes to the historic district. Radda asked about exclusions in the proposal for hazardous-materials remediation and soil contamination; Fortuna said asbestos and lead abatement would be handled separately from the architectural contract for cost efficiency, and that a phase-one environmental analysis found the site clean, so no phase-two soil study was recommended. DeHaas asked whether the town carries a separate contingency; Fortuna said owners typically carry 5 to 10 percent on a small, fully visible building like this one, on top of the $475,971 estimate. Cappello asked how the council could authorize design work without knowing which town department would ultimately occupy the building; Plourd responded that the PMBC had narrowed four layout options to two, both omitting a shared common hall and both configured for two tenants, to preserve flexibility for the fire department or other town uses without resolving the tenant question yet. Fortuna confirmed, in response to a question from Plourd, that the identity of the eventual tenant "makes no difference" to construction cost estimates as long as the use remains storage. Councilor Tiniakos asked about the purpose of a common space in one rejected design; Fortuna said the PMBC's near-term priority is "putting the envelope back together," with interior configuration, including the location of a toilet room, the main remaining design decision.

"I think having the flexibility and the options is the best for the town long term."

— Matthew Plourd, Majority Leader

Procedural steps and outcome: Despite a drafted resolution in the agenda packet authorizing the $61,650 appropriation, no motion was made and no vote occurred. Plourd said the council would "continue talking for the next couple weeks and then we'll see what we get to from there."

Implications and what is next: The council is expected to revisit formal approval of the $61,650 architectural fee at a future meeting. The larger funding question, how to cover the roughly $245,000 gap between remaining CIP funds and the $475,971 total estimated project cost, is not yet before the council and will require a future appropriation request, per Rhines's memo.

Town manager report

Acting Town Manager Lauren Rhines reported on a well-attended first Parks and Recreation Halloween event, Wednesday's bus driver appreciation day, the recent Candlewick Park ribbon cutting, an annual fall cemetery cleanup beginning November 2 at West Meadow Cemetery, the start of a new town planner, referred to only by her first name, Brittany, and a new animal control officer starting within the week. Rhines said a retirement proclamation for Building Official Doug Jordan is planned for the October 27 meeting.

Council liaison and committee reports

A council member (not clearly named in the transcript) delivered a report from the October 9 Board of Fire Commissioners meeting, noting three firefighters achieved Firefighter Class I certification and three achieved Class II, Captain Ed Patz completed Fire Officer III training, exhaust-system upgrades remain outstanding only at Company 4, and the cadets' annual pancake breakfast fundraiser is scheduled for October 25. The same report noted interviews for an open assistant fire marshal position are scheduled for the following week, per Rhines, and that a Company 4 referendum fact sheet is available at the library, community center and town website; Rhines said it would also go out as a newsflash by Friday. The speaker asked, referencing "Firefighter Brown," whether informational materials could be placed at the library's weekend book sale; Rhines said she would look into it.

Councilor Gonzalez reported that the Open Space Committee met and discussed the proposed subcommittee positively. Councilor Tiniakos noted the library book sale runs Friday through Sunday and that Parks and Recreation's "Night of Lights" event is planned for December 4. Plourd reported that the Economic Development Commission, which he attended with Budrejko, confirmed an opening date is approaching for a Taco John's restaurant whose franchise owner is a Newington High School graduate; discussed the Blade and Bloom business reopening at the former Newington Meat Market site; noted a florist is planning to move into 50 Market Square; and said the Planning and Zoning Commission would receive a pre-application the next day for a potential redevelopment of the former Boston Market site. Plourd also described a ceremony honoring Sergeant William Genoust, the combat photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima flag-raising image, attended by descendants of Genoust, who remains listed as missing in action.

Executive session: town manager recruitment

The council voted 8-0 to enter executive session under Connecticut General Statutes §1-200(6)(A) to discuss town manager recruitment, inviting council members, the mayor and Jaime Trevethan. Following the session, Trister said results from a recent public input session on the search will be posted to the town website and attached to meeting minutes, that a public survey on the search remains open through October 30, and that the council hopes to complete the hiring process by the end of the year.

Jon Trister, Mayor, present Kim Radda, Deputy Mayor, present Matthew Plourd, Majority Leader, present Gail Budrejko, Minority Leader, absent (identified in transcript only by garbled renderings of her name; absence confirmed repeatedly after each vote) Nancy Cappello, Member, present Kelly deHaas, Member, present Kathy Gonzalez, Member, present Hilda Nieves, Member, present A.J. Tiniakos, Member, present Timothy Newton, BOE Liaison, not mentioned in transcript Lauren Rhines, Acting Town Manager, present and reporting Town Clerk referred to only as "Susan," conducted roll call, surname not given in any source Michael Fortuna, Principal, TLB Architecture, joined remotely for the Chapman Street item An unnamed PMBC chair referred to in transcript only as "Steve," present for the Chapman Street item Antonio "Tony" Pizziferato, resident, public participation, raised a property tax assessment dispute Donald Brown, resident of 67 Stafford Avenue and PMBC member, public participation, asked about Chapman Street's future tenant

Flock Safety — the license-plate camera vendor whose systems the council discussed pausing further expansion of, citing data access and company integrity concerns Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) — state agency administering the $40,000 in planning grants for the animal control shelter and library renovation Permanent Municipal Building Commission (PMBC) — town commission that reviewed the Chapman Street project since January and recommended hiring TLB Architects TLB Architecture, LLC — on-call architecture firm proposing $61,650 in construction-document and bid-administration services for Chapman Street, with a $475,971 total probable project cost estimate Open Space Committee — existing town advisory body whose limited charge prompted discussion of a new council subcommittee Board of Fire Commissioners — reported on firefighter training, equipment and the Company 4 referendum fact sheet Economic Development Commission — reported on Taco John's, Blade and Bloom, and a new Market Square florist Iwo Jima Memorial Foundation — hosted a ceremony honoring Sergeant William Genoust, attended by Councilor Gonzalez as a board member Rhines memorandum dated October 1, 2026, "Open Space Protection & Ordinance Development Subcommittee" — background for the Old Business item Rhines memorandum dated October 1, 2026, "Planning Grants – Connecticut General Assembly" — background for the DECD grant votes Rhines memorandum dated October 1, 2026, "PMBC – Recommendation of next steps for Chapman Street Project" — background for the architect engagement discussion TLB Architecture fee proposal dated September 10, 2026, and opinion of probable costs dated July 16, 2026 — cited extensively in the Chapman Street deliberation