Fair Haven Community Management Team
Thursday, October 5, 2023 | 6:00 PM
IN PERSON at Fair Haven Library / Biblioteca de Fair Haven
AND VIRTUAL Meeting via Zoom
fairhavencmt@gmail.com | fhcmt.org
facebook.com/FairHavenCMT | instagram.com/FairHavenCMT
House Rules: Focused, no-fault problem-solving. | Step forward, step back.
Open, honest, safe space. | Listen with open minds, believe in everyone’s best intentions.
Action-oriented. Decide what we want, when we want it, and plan for its happening.
Fair Haven-centered collaboration! | Start, proceed, and end on time, honor the agenda.
1. Introductions / Introducciones (4 min)
- Zoom Instructions: Muting microphones, using the chat box, starting the recording (Lee Cruz)
- Meeting called to order: 6:07
- Roll Call of Board (Liz–present, Gina–absent, Abbie–present, Adam–present, Lee–present, Christina–present)
- Introductions (Chat box) from all attendees
- Establish Quorum of Voting Members - yes at 6:51
- Adjourned at
2. Approval of Meeting Minutes / Aprobación del acta de la última reunión (2 min)
Click HERE to access the October 2023 minutes. - Joyce Alton, Maryann
3. Financial Report, Treasurer Gina Toppins/ Informe Financiero (5 min)
Click Here for September 2023 Financial Statement.
Click HERE for October 2023 Financial Statement.
4. New Haven Police Department, FH DM Lieutenant Michael Fumiatti (MVFumiatti@newhavenct.gov) (10-20 min) (Cell: 475-331-3180 - please text w/ name first) NH PD Non Emergency Number: (203) 946-6316
203-946-6304 (Detective division)
- Reached out to State partners to crack down on folks selling tobacco to underaged people
- Two vehicles were seized full of untaxed products (cigarettes and tobacco)
- Old Chioco’s was checked. Found was - marijuana, mushrooms, THC oils, loaded firearm
- 89 Grand Ave- science fentanyl, heroine, crack-cocaine
- More walking beats in the area to tamper the violence
- 30-50% decrease in robberies, assault, etc. within the last 28 days
- Y to D 150% in homicides… 5 homicides this year
Velma George - Coordinator for Homelessness
- Mobile shower service comes once a week to Fair Haven
- Outreach workers try to connect them to services
- Working with COMPASS
Questions:
5. Livable City Initiative, Carmen Mendez (cmendez@newhavenct.gov / 203-410-6527 ) / Iniciativa de la ciudad habitable (5-10 min)
- 10/13 1:30-4:30 Popup event
- It's a remote office at the corner of Ferry and Grand at the parking lot. LCI members will take concerns, questions, complaints, etc
- Will be discussing several programs to assist the community
- People are doing cleanups in Fair Haven (thank you!)
- Inspection process - finished the Lombard/Ferry st area.
Questions:
- What are we doing about abandoned buildings?
- Send letters, fines, etc.
6. REMINDER OF QUARTERLY PRESENTATION: Civilian Review Board, Jayuan Carter (jayuan.carter@gmail.com)
7. Economic Development Update, Kathleen Krolak (kkrolak@newhavenct.gov ) (5-10 min)
8. Our Vision in Action
- Responsive/Transparent Government, Economic/Community Development:
- Steve Fontana—Bigelow Boiler redevelopment—request to present City of New Haven’s plan for the building on River St. (5 min.)
- City and Bigelow Square -new legal arrangement
- Clean up Parcel C to make it up to par with industrial standards
- Build a new 10,000 sq ft commercial building
- Parking Lot
- Construct a storage area
- Chris O, landscape architect - support him in this effort
- Madeline Romero, Healthy Homes Community Health Worker- Healthy Homes Program and Lead Abatement Program Grant (5 min.)
- Housing related health hazards
- Dry, clean, safe, well-ventilated, pest free, thermally controlled.
- Fire, tripping, falling dampness hazards and asthma triggers
- HUD - $10,000 per unit to remediate
- 5 year forgivable loan (20% comes off every year) after contract is signed
- Eligibility - is based on tenant’s income
- Applicant must fall below a certain amount
- Qualification - proof of income from tenants.
- Proof of ownership
- Application help
- Healthy home assessments
- Question - does qualification go off the tenants income? The tenants
- Alder Sarah Miller - Thanksgiving at Atwater Senior Center (5 min.)
- Money is being provided by the Dept of Elderly services given to fund the Thanksgiving dinner
- Can the FHCMT donate up to $300
- The NHPD and firemen participate
- Alder Jose Crespo will spearhead the event and collaborate with other agencies
- The United Way is the fiduciary to receive the funds for the event
- Please let us know if you’d like to donate time or money
Environment and Immigration
Health, Housing and Public Safety
- Redenti’s Package Store–request for letter of support to remove liquor license (Ana, Erick, Frank)
- Erick - spoke with many residents and business owners- and there is a loitering issue. Letters have been written to support the removal of the liquor license, based on the issues that are happening
- Frank Redente - youth development coordinator for NHPS. NUmerous dealings with the property (cousins family business- disappointed that I am associated with the decline of the area because of the store). The trauma caused by living around the store is horrific. Businesses like this are dragging the neighborhood down. The families of Fair Haven have had enough..and deserve a better quality of life.
- Ana Juarez - on Atwater St. - always someone drunk sitting on the stoop as a child. Had to dash as a child to leave their home. I typically walk with my sister to J&J, and tell them to avoid eye contact so they are not sexually harassed. After talking with the community, they reported folks are urinating in their yards. Asking for support from the FHCMT to provide a letter of support to deny their liquor license. There is a direct correlation between store and issues of the complaints and loitering.
- Liquor commission has cited them many times (also cited by the NHPD) Grand Ace/Ferry near the Santander Bank
- Ask for a summary of the process to deny a business liquor license]
- Concerns should be brought to Alder Jose Crespo -Note***his info is at the end of this document
- Any issues with the location, reach out at juarez.anap@gmail.com
Arts, Culture, and Library:
- 10/14 - Elba Lanteen -singer- songs, dance, for all ages at 11am (bilingual)
- 10/14 info season from The Tortilla Samilia- in the food business under a cooperative model. Bilingual program (1pm)
- Still looking for volunteers needed for income tax assistance program - Nick Brundage
Executive Board Action Updates
9. Bylaws Update – Edits
- At least one co-chair of the FHCMT have to be present and two other officers at all meetings
- The Vice chair no longer has to Chair a meeting in the absence of a ch-chair
- The treasurer shall not issue any payments of which they are the direct beneficiary; such payments may only be issued by the corresponding secretary
- If the treasure needs to be reimbursed, the corresponding secretary is responsible
- New officers will take their positions in January
- Elected officers may be removed “for cause” –missing 3 consecutive meetings.. By an affirmative vote of ⅔ voted by quorum
- The petition to remove an officer, the reason shall be presented to all those present. Corresponding secretary will send a letter notify the removal of the officer,
- Edits will be made, and voting on new bylaws will be proposed.
Note** A voting document will be sent out to vote on bylaws, liquor license removal letter, and FHCMT Thanksgiving donation
10. Announcements
- Board elections
- Amanda Rivera, Yale Ph.D. student—seeking oral histories of Puerto Rican families of Fair Haven - hour interviews in the Library study rooms, will be publicly available. Info/flyers will be at the Library
- Frank Redente - 10/14 (11am- 1pm) Cleanup corner at Rowe/Peck (English St mall)
11. Alder Reports / Informes de los representantes (5 min): W8, W9, W10, W14, W15, W16
Contact Information for Fair Haven Alders:
Don’t know your ward/alder? Input your address here.
- Alder Ellen Cupo (Ward 8)
- Alder Claudia Herrera (Ward 9)
- Alder Anna Festa (Ward 10)
- Alder Sarah Miller (Ward 14)
- Alder Ernie Santiago (Ward 15) -
- Alder Jose Crespo (Ward 16)
12. Community Forum and Adjournment, questions about recent agenda or recommendations for future agenda items, announcements / Foro Comunitario y aplazamiento, preguntas sobre la agenda reciente o recomendaciones para futuros artículos de la agenda, anuncios (10 min)
REMINDER: TO FILE A COMPLAINT OF POLICE MISCONDUCT TO THE
NEW HAVEN CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD
OUR FAIR HAVEN REPRESENTATIVE IS JAYUAN CARTER: 203-589-3716; jayuan.carter@gmail.com
To submit a complaint about officer misconduct, complete the Civilian Complaint Form and submit through the online form, OR by email to internalaffairs@newhavenct.gov, OR to this address in person: Office of Internal Affairs, New Haven Department of Police Services, 1 Union Avenue, New Haven, CT 06519.
Alternatively, you can go in person to the Police Headquarters, located at 1 Union Avenue, New Haven, CT 06519 and request the form to fill out there and submit to the above office.
After the complaint is filed, it is forwarded to the board by email so they can review and discuss the matter at the next monthly meeting in order to assign the subcommittee.