MINUTES -- PUBLIC HEARING
CITY COUNCIL & WPC AUTHORITY
MARCH 18, 2013
A PUBLIC HEARING of the City Council & WPC Authority was held in the City Hall Auditorium on Monday, March 18, 2013 to discuss the Fiscal Year 2012 Community Development Block Grant program and to solicit citizen input.
Those in attendance included Mayor Ryan Bingham, Corporation Counsel Raymond Rigat, City Councilors Drake Waldron, Paul Samele, Gerald Zordan, Elinor Carbone, and Gregg Cogswell, Comptroller Alice Proulx, City Clerk Joseph Quartiero, and Mayoral Aide Timothy Waldron, along with Board of Finance members Laurene Pesce and Bill Lamoin and Community Development Block Grant Program Consultant Larry Wagner. City Councilor Marie Soliani was absent.
Mayor Bingham called the public hearing to order at 6:00 p.m.
City Clerk Joseph Quartiero read the legal notice.
Mr. Wagner noted that this program originates at the federal level in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, providing funds to cities and towns for a wide variety of projects. He said Torrington has participated in this program since 1978 with the construction of the Senior Center. The most recent project, he said, was for housing rehabilitation and they are closing out the $300,000 grant that completed about 15 units.
Mr. Wagner explained the eligibility requirements for housing rehabilitation loans and said the deferred repayments have been dwindling in recent years as property transfers decrease, leaving very little in the program account right now. He said the need is still out there and the program does create jobs for small contractors.
Mayor Bingham said there has been a lot of positive response and applications received. He noted that there was no one present from the public who wished to speak.
Mayor Bingham closed the public hearing at 6:07 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC
CITY CLERK
Respectfully Submitted,
Carol L. Anderson, CCTC
Asst. City Clerk
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