001There we go. All right. Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the February 23rd town council special meeting. I appreciate everybody's flexibility with not only having a special meeting, but also doing it on Zoom this evening. Um, and before we get started, I just wanted to um thank our entire public works department who I know has been working tirelessly today to try and clear the roads. And I'm sure we'll be at it again tomorrow. And I know we have snow call being called for multiple other days this week. So just wanted to say thank you to all of them. Um before we get going, we will begin with a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance. All right. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for
002which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Margaret, would you call the role, please? >> Mike Buzzwell, >> here. >> Mary Isaac, >> here. >> Steven Spelain >> here. >> Bill Mecca >> here. >> Ann Serther >> here. Jennifer Winshaw >> here. >> Christine L. Aris >> I'm here. >> Richard Wolf >> here. >> Jason Marsh >> here. >> Anthony Dorsy. >> Ashley Gardiano >> here. >> Carl Misaro >> here. >> John Foreman >> here. >> Thomas Broadick >> here. >> Matt Dunn >> here. >> Joy Cologne >> here. >> Brian Walsh >> here. >> Kelly Malazi >> here. Tony Sinto, I saw him earlier. Tony >> here. >> Thank you. Jared Ferrari >> here. >> Nicole Satin >> here. >> Thanks, Margaret. All right, we will start
003with public comment this evening. If anybody is interested in making a public comment, they can raise their hand and Bill will pull you in. All right. Anyone for public comment? No takers. All right. We will continue on. Bill, it looks like uh Rey is in as an attendee and at some point will need to be pulled over. >> Yeah, I um asked so >> they have to click accept detail. Okay. All right. So, um, the resolution this evening is available to the public on the town's website. It was considered and acted upon by the board of finance at its February 12th, 2026 meeting and is before the town council tonight for review and action. Um, is there a motion in a second to read the title of the bond resolution in its entirety and to
004wave the reading of the remainder of the resolution incorporating its full text into the minutes of this meeting? >> So moved. Thank you, Carl. And a second. >> Just remember, um, because we're on Zoom, please come off mute and say your name when you're speaking this evening. Margaret, did you get the second? >> Sorry, I keep forgetting to take myself off mute. Uh, Jennifer. >> Okay, perfect. All right. Um, can we pass that by unanimous consent? >> No objection. No objection. >> Thank you. That passes. Um, Councilman Marsh, would you read the resolution this evening? >> Certainly. Resolution TC31-26, resolution appropriating $710,000 for the planning, design, demolition, construction, renovation, equipping, and furnishing of a new Trumbull Veterans and First Responder Center and authorizing the issuance of $710,000 bonds of the town to meet said appropriation
005and pending the issuance thereof, the making of temporary borrowings for such purpose. Full resolution attached. Thank you. And do I have a motion and a second that the resolution be adopted as introduced? >> Need a motion. Nicole Satin. >> Thank you. And a second. >> Second, Joy Cologne. >> Thank you very much. Now we can begin discussion on this. And um again, I see Ray, I see you in as an attendee. Bill should have sent you a request that you'll need to accept in order to be moved over to speak. So, I'll put that out. We'll see if we can get Mr. Baldwin moved over and then in the meantime we can start certainly with any questions or if anyone who is on the panelist side from the veterans um center committee if anybody would
006like to offer any comments about this resolution and if everybody could just use the raise hand function today it'll help make this a little smoother. Um, Ray, I see that you've raised your hand on iPad 2. Looks like Bill is is moving things over. Hang on one second. >> I think I'm in now. >> Yes, we can hear you now. >> Okay. >> Sorry, I hit the wrong button. >> Oh, no. >> Technology, we're a little out of uh practice at using Zoom. >> Oh, I do this every night. No, the rest of us, Bill, not you. >> All right, here we go. >> Take two. >> Hey, Ray, can you hear us? >> Yeah, I can. I have you now. I got you now. >> How are you, Ray? >> I'm well. How are
007you? >> Good. Would you like to offer any comments before we jump into questions? Uh I I I think everybody's familiar with the project, but why don't we just go to questions and then uh I know that Dan Sacko is on and the uh the team that we have, our architect, George Wilds, uh Jeff Anderson, and others on the committee that are on. So, >> sounds good. We'll jump into discussion. Um does anybody on the council have questions? Councilman Satin. >> Hi. Hi, Ray. Thank you. Um, I'd like to know a little bit more about the regional commitments. Um, I know we're talking a lot about other surrounding towns using this building. Um, and that's been a kind of a big a big piece of discussion here. So I I I I'm not really understand
008I guess first what commitments have been made to date and what we're waiting on from other towns to kind of add to the discussion here. >> Okay. Well, f first of all, we've made no commitments to other any other communities in terms of usage of the building. All right. What what has happened over the last oh year or two is that the VFW uh post in Shelton, Monroe, Easton, and Reading have merged with the Trumble Post. So, in that respect, there are uh five uh towns that are or five VFW posts that are going to be part of the Trumble Post. Um and the commitment to the rest of the community will come from whatever programs RVFW decides to run in conjunction with the VA with um uh you know of various organizations uh the
009for the purposes of helping veterans re-enter into the uh community. So we we have made no written or oral commitments of any other towns. I have been in discussions with elected officials from Trumbull and Monroe about making a contribution to the center, but those are just conversations we have had. Um, both of them have said that, you know, they'd be interested in a, you know, more robust discuss discussion once they know the project is real and we're going forward through it. >> Thank you. additional questions, comments. Uh, we'll go Counciloman Misaro, then Councilman Marsh. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, so I'm I'm happy to see that full funding finally will will happen for the veteran center, which I've supported from first moment it was proposed. um a little little disappointed that the town had to
010put money in for its construction cuz it was originally presented that it wouldn't uh cost any trouble taxpayer dollars to build this nor to make to run it in the future. Um my question is about the future once it's built. Uh I want to be clear that um this is town property and uh I don't know that the relationship between the town and the veterans organizations has been cemented uh once the project is completed. Do we have any uh update on that? >> Uh there have been some discussions. Nothing has been finalized. I will say that Dan Sacko, who's the uh the vice chairman of the the committee, has done a remarkable job of selling sponsorships for the building and so forth. So, he's built a reserve of $28,000 $28,000 uh that's going to be
011used for operating expenses once the the building is completed and opened. Um the expectation is that the uh building will be self-sufficient and that rentals from the building will be used for the purposes of um operating the building much like it's done at Tashanol's golf course. We'll set fees for the um for the rental of the building. Uh but uh Dan was prudent enough a year or two ago to recognize that we wouldn't have any funds to do that when we we began the uh when we opened the building. So he's begun to put together a pretty good fund of 208 and the expectation is he will add more to that uh during the course of construction. >> Are those donations to uh the veterans the VFW post or is it to the project? >>
012Well, they were to the plaques. say, you know, in other words, people bought plaques or sponsorships for um for for the they to put a name plate or something up in the lobby of the of the building. Uh also sponsorships for various rooms to get a naming right on a room and so forth. But um you know, the uh the thought was among the committee was that we we needed money to operate the building again once it was open and we didn't want to go back to the town for operating expenses. So you the answer is it's really under the control of the post. >> Uh Dan I think Dan Sackle may be on this uh I'm sure he's on the call. If he able to uh to speak to this that would be you
013know >> Yeah. Carl, this is nothing that should be a surprise um to the council. We presented a couple of times to the council where we said we wanted to raise funds from the outset to say different from what was being raised for the building from the state and federal government to say how do we what could we do to raise some funds so that when the building opens we don't have to come back to anybody and say how are we going to pay this bill and so we created programs that weren't in existence weren't in existence and building the building called naming rights and plaques putting the walls of honor up for the uh veterans and first responders others and anybody who gave donations and so we created programs to go do that. >>
014I'm sorry. >> Okay. Large tables. >> Chief Lombardo, I believe you're not muted. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Um so, Carl, um the the goal the goal we had was to raise my personal goal was to raise $500,000 and we've raised over $200 and something,000, but we've donated some of that back to the building to go fund back the building. So the largest part of that is the gathering room is $100,000. We gave that money back to to the team to say go help pay for the building. And so anything we do now, my personal assumption working with the team working with me was that if we have $200,000 when we open that building, we'll be able to pay the bills and get it going through Reynolds. And if we sell more naming rights, and there
015are a lot more naming rights to sell, and I've asked for help from I talked to the board of finance, I'd ask you guys to help me sell the naming rights to the bunch of things that are out there like the kitchen, the generator, the uh there's a whole bunch of things. If we could sell those naming rights, we'll put that money against that 700,000 to reduce that 700,000 costs. We feel comfortable opening the building with 200,000 and beginning a rental program to pay it back. So, I want to use the rest of that money to come to reduce the cost to the town. >> I'm I'm well aware of the fundraising efforts and I appreciate that very much. I just ask you to define who we is. When you say we, is it the
016better VFW? Okay. The VFW has the funds in a fund called a building fund, a checking account and a savings account. >> Okay. >> Um, one's a money market, one's a checking account. We keep $1,000 in the checking account because that gives us free checking and then we move anything that comes in into the uh into the money market. So, it's in the it's it's under our name right now. Yeah. And >> Okay. >> And the town as to do that in the beginning. The town >> Yes, that's really what I was asking. >> Yeah. The town as us to do that. >> And Carl, just so you know, we're not going to stop doing fundraising. In fact, the commitment has been uh among the committee to now more aggressively fund raise because the uh
017the money we hopefully will get approved tonight is going to be uh used on the back end of this project. We have enough money to start construction, but in order for us to go to contract uh with the low bidder, uh we have to have a a commitment for the full amount of the uh of the funding. And so 300,000 of that 703,000 that we asked for uh is actually contingency. So um things go well, we can reduce that the amount that we uh that the uh the town is actually lending to us is down to, you know, 400 and some odd thousand. But that doesn't mean we're stopping working. Like I said, there are there are potential donors out there who um are willing to come forward and make a donation, but before they
018did, they wanted to make sure that this project was real. It's been almost two years since we broke ground, had the foundation and septic system installed. Uh all of that site work or 95% of the site work is done. We value engineered the project with the low bidder down another $436,000 roughly. Uh this committee uh with the the extraordinary help of Reena Balar has raised over $5 million in state federal money and also private donations and uh Trumbull Rotary Club has donated $50,000. The Dinardo Foundation donated 100,000. There's more money out there that we're going to go after. >> Thank you very much. Hey Carl, I wanted to put up a toll gig. They wouldn't let me do it. They come into the They wouldn't let me do it. Councilman Marsh and then Councilman Satin.
019>> Great. Thanks. Hi Ray. Hi Mr. How you doing? >> Good. Um just first off again thank you guys obviously for your service but continuing to work on the the building committee. Having been on building committees before I understand what a what a chore that is and oftentimes a thankless proposition. So thank you uh on behalf of the council. Um I am happy that Mr. Mr. Msaro made his comments because I feel similarly um happy that the project is going forward disappointed that um the town is being asked to contribute. I'm happy that we are able to contribute, but I think with that I would like to see um you know uh in particular that uh the seniors in our community perhaps you know be given uh the opportunity to utilize some of that space
020when it's not being utilized by the uh the veterans committee. Um, and I would hope that the your organization would reach out to Michelle Jacob to see if there's any opportunities uh to satisfy some of the continuing needs of the seniors um who are, as we all know, in a in a building that is uh in dire need of renovation and they don't have the space they need for programmatic uh for their programmatic needs. So, I'm just hoping that there's uh an opportunity there. And the last comment would be uh I was unaware that the uh VFW posts of the other towns surrounding towns merge with Trumbull which I think is good for the organization overall but if the other towns are going to be utilizing the facility I think there should be a push
021for those towns to contribute to the financial cost of it. I I've gotten verbal uh uh confirmation from both uh Mayor Loretti and First Lechman uh Rooney and Monroe to make a a pretty substantial contribution to the project recognizing that their two communities are involved. Um and there was one what was you had a point there in the middle a question about the funding. Uh like I said, we're going to continue to fund raise for the project. Uh, but one of the one of the reasons we we had to come back, frankly, is that Jason, I believe you were on the the town council when the committee was first approved and literally was approved two weeks before the pandemic hit the the country. So, for two years, we had to meet remotely and obviously fundraising
022and and aspects of this project that would normally uh be able to be done in a relatively short period of time were kind of hamstrung. And then when we came out of the pandemic and uh you know George Wilds, our architect and Jeffrey Anderson can uh attest to this that the the cost of construction went up pretty significantly uh from the time this was first uh conceived to the time that uh we actually went out to bid and and so forth. So yes, that we did I personally made that commitment to the council and the town that we would not be using any town money and um my hope is that we don't have to use um the whole 703,000 if any at all. But you know again there were circumstances that interveneed that this
023committee had no no control over. >> I I completely understand what you're saying Ry and my comments about being disappointed aren't directed at you or the committee or Mr. Sacko uh understanding that you guys are working very hard to to make this project happen and the world just doesn't you know cooperate sometimes still you know the world hasn't cooperated with a lot of things in Trumbull and uh you know a $710,000 ask is you know worthwhile but it's still you know still hurts to to have to make that commitment. Happy to do it but uh you know wish we didn't have to. Well, de to your other point, I just re remember what you just said. This is first and foremost a veteran center. Secondly, for our first responders, but the third aspect of that,
024this is for the Trumbull community. This is for Trumble rentals and usage for boards, commissions. If the seniors want to use it for some activities, you know, we'll make accommodation for them as well. But, you know, this is a town of Trumbull project. Uh we've made that pretty clear right from the beginning. In fact, the funding we got from the state and federal government pretty much uh was was given to us because uh we had uh told them that we would make it available to the community at large. So yes, to your point, yeah, the seniors certainly can uh you know have activities there. >> Great. Thank you very much, Ray. I appreciate your comments. >> Sorry about that, Jason. Councilman Satin. Yeah. Did Dan want to respond to Jason first there? I see Dan's
025hand up. Yeah, actually I did. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Um Jason, a couple things. One is um the use of the building. I believe that this is going to be the most used building in the town of Trumbull because it's going to be wide open to everybody. The veterans use it just to have their meetings on a regular basis, but we I I want this building to be used all the time for I think we talked about at the town council a few times, any party, any business meeting, anything wants to do. We want this to be the most used building in the town. and it should be because of where it's located and what it brings to the party. So that's first. Second, there is one group that's only in trouble. That's the
026American Legion, which is a large organization. They're only Trumble with the VFW. The only reason that the V the other towns have merged with the VFW was because we were so successful in leadership and the things that we're doing. I I don't want to get that deep in details, but there's a there's a program called All-American that only 5% of the post 6,000 posts across the world achieve. we've done it four years in a row. The reason they're joining us is because we're driving that and so we're going to bring more stuff to the to the party. So, it's not like, okay, they're they're coming here for nothing. They're coming here to do something. But again, the bottom line is I think it'll be the most youth building in the town. And I hope like
027parties u when somebody graduates college or has a program or has a any kind of party going on, I think this place is the place to have the party and we want we want that to happen. So, that that's that's all. One other one other point to to to Dan uh Jason and and the rest of you is that every single member of the building committee uh has made a personal substantial personal donation to the veteran center. Uh you know, I've been involved in building committees and and town activities for over 40 years, uh schools and the like. I've never seen a committee that's stayed together as faithfully as this group has has been as diligent in their participation, not only attending meetings but also being involved in the other activities involved and then personally
028committing their own funds to this project. So I think it's been embraced by the community at whole. You know, you don't raise the kind of money that Dan was able to do with uh with donations and with uh plaques and so forth. Uh we we got pretty much an overwhelming response from people that wanted to be a part of this building. So um it's been embraced uh I think very vigorously by the town. >> I'm very happy to hear that. And and Dan, to your point, uh any place that Ray Baldwin shows up is a party. So >> Well, that's one of the things we're putting limits on. >> I'm gonna move I'm gonna move us along and through some more questions. Both Councilman Sat and Councilman Isaac have their hands up. >> Okay. >>
029Yes. And I do want to make clear that I am a supporter of this project. Um I spent many an evening at a VFW with my godfather and uncles. So those are stories for another time. But um I am supportive and but I there is one area that I think has been a concern of mine since the last time we met and that's the operating budget. Um I I I've yet to see something out there that that tells us, you know, how how is this ultimately going to be run once we are up and running and in there? Um you know, and I want to piggy back off of Jason's comments regarding the seniors. If we were able to get them some programming in there here and there, who who would we go to? Who
030would that contact be? um and how how is that going to be set up within the operating um system? So, has there been, you know, is there a plan there? Is there pen to paper on on the numbers that you're projecting? Um you know, obviously we're putting we are putting a lot of money uh from the town side there uh to help to help get you through this point. Um, so I I'd really like to see a little bit more when it comes to what are we expecting, you know, once this is up and running. >> Well, you know, one of the requirements of the building committee was to do exactly what you just suggested that there be a a business plan and an operating budget. Uh and we had a committee with Bruce Silverstone,
031Dan Sacko and uh Steve Le Moy who met with George Estrada and they did put together an operating budget and a business plan which um George Estrada was very helpful with. It's a little bit dated now because we did it I think a couple of years ago. It needs to be updated. Um but as Dan said, primarily the the revenues generated from from this building will be from the rentals of this building. So, um, in fact, Dan and I have met several times. We're meeting again with the folks from, uh, Fairfield who run the Penfield Pavilion, uh, because that building is rented out for like two, three years, uh, in advance. And so, meeting with them, we'll we'll tweak it a little bit. We did submit a proposal for a committee, a commission much like
032the golf course, the Tasha Nolles Golf Commission, uh, to do the actual operation of this building. And uh I think that will probably be the next step of this council is to vet that uh that proposal that we made. But yes, we we we been on top of this for at least the last year and a half, two years. >> Yeah. Hey, let me add one thing. So we did we did submit some uh preliminary budget that was called Trumbull operating budget which we built when we thought we had the funds a couple years ago and we did submit it to the council and had a copy. As Ray said, it's it's obviously outdated now, but the numbers remain true. the the the line items remain true. What has to be adjusted is what the
033costs are cuz costs have increased and what has to be adjusted on the other side is what the rentals are. So that all comes back in. So um starting this Thursday we're going back down to the pen pavilion to say okay let's look at things updated now and we'll submit that. This has to run in a way that it's it's got profitable. when we submitted to you guys originally at the council and some some of you were there, we thought at the end of the first year that it would be running profitably and that we'd actually make money in the first year if we timed if we knew when the building was going to open when the timing was there. At the board of finance, um I think his name was Mr. Tinker. Mr. Tinker
034said, "Hey, I do 12 to 24 programs a year with places I want to rent the place." We we've called them said, "Give us the dates you want because if this council approves it, then we know we know a year from now that building is up. Let's we'll start booking out the dates." >> Yeah, we've already gotten calls from >> We understand that completely. >> Yeah, we've gotten calls from people already wanting to book this and we keep keep putting them off obviously because we don't have we didn't have an end date in mind. But now that we do, um, this what this commission that's formed is going to have to be very aggressive in getting, uh, you know, getting themselves lined up for for rentals going forward, >> strictly booked time, Ray or Dan,
035are are we looking at strictly booked time or is there going to be an open door for our veterans, first responders to come and go throughout the day? Well, there's going to be there's going to be uh the the two commanders are going to have offices right there in the building itself. Okay. So, there'll be people on site most all the time. Um the uh first responders primarily our police department uh is going to be using it for for training. Across the street is Indian Lodge where they have the shooting range and that kind of dovetales with their some of their training. They'll do that in the building. At one time um that pond at Kat's pond was used for water rescue training by the police and fire department. If at some point in the
036future uh the town gets to uh to dredge that pond and make it serviceable again, it literally will be a site for for active training by uh by our first responders um and to use it by the uh by seniors if they have a specific program. But remember that the the revenue generating portion of this has to come from rentals. So, we're going to have to block out. You know, we'll have to be very judicious as we the time we block out for everybody else and make sure we have enough to maintain the uh the cost of operating the building. >> Councilman Isaac. >> Um, yes. Basically, basically just kind of reiterating what's already been said. Um, but I just want to in case people don't know, Ry has kindly sponsored the bar. So, that's
037a a spot that we know we know he'll he'll do well in. But, um anyway, just on that, I know the 700,000 is hopefully going to be asked for at the end of the project. That that's going to be the last portion to be used. I'm sorry, my dog is attacking me. Please stop. And uh so, in in that way, there's 225 that you said was hopefully coming in once pen went to paper and contracts were signed. Uh I know the goal throughout there had been discussions on the corporate sponsorships and naming rights and um the amount kind of that had been floated around was about 900,000. So my only hope is that going forward Dan and team has done a great job on bringing in plaques and some of the sponsorships. Rotary did a
038great job. But if um sorry, but if um we could have perhaps Rey and Dan uh coordinate with the first Lechman's office and Reena and the town council chair and kind of go ongoing to I know you can't do it in public, but of who you could try to hit up or um speak with to kindly sponsor, donate, corporations, other organizations that that may be interested. Um, I know the police union was discussed at at one point as well, but I just think if we have a formal plan, it's been discussed on and off over the years from your minutes, that would be a great start and then other people can jump in to help, you know, other parts of the committee, you know, other organizations. So, that that would be my hope so that
039we don't need the 700 and we can still bank on the generator and more in the kitchen and the AV, things like that that that are also still a little bit light. So that that would just be my my request or question >> certainly. >> All right, Dan. >> Okay. So listen, Mary, thank you for the kind words, but I I beg anybody on this call who could help us to talk to any corporation, any person, any individual. We have individuals who have donated. We will I'm willing to talk to anybody, any place, any time to talk to them about what's available and what the building will bring and how we put their name on the wall and recognize them and make it happen. So I am we're wide open to anybody. I'm asking for
040help up to now all the plaques basically the best have gone out and done them and the naming rights we've done it among ourselves by pushing out. I will take any assistance any place and go to any meeting at any time and do anything you want to do presentation to explain to people what's available and what it means and what kind of impact it could have. So, if you could help us, wide open. If the town can help us, we've asked if u the first selectman can even sit when she does one of the voice things to do something like that. But they said that's not what the voice thing is for. We've asked if any mailings can go out when you go out to the business and they said that's not what that's for.
041If there's a way to communicate any of this to anybody, I am wide open and I'll be there and I'll do anything and I'll do all all I'll do more than my share from our side. I promise you that. So, I'll take any help we can get. I I promise you we won't quit doing anything, but I'm asking if you could help help me do it. >> Thanks, Dan. >> Mary, in ter Mary, in terms of dollar cents, too, you know, you're the the building itself, the projects are going to be run about 5.75.8 million. The town's contribution in total because you gave us $200,000 in seed money at the very beginning will be less than a million dollars, which represents a um you know, a percentage about 16% of the building is being funded
042by the town. And the expectation is the town is going to use this a lot. So I I think if you if you had to justify it from your end and I've sat in council seats in board of finance, you got to justify it from dollars and cents for for about 16% investment you're getting a building for the town that's going to be around for next 50 some odd years and it's going to be as Dan said one of the most used and occupied and soughtafter buildings in the town. Councilman Cologne and then Councilman Wolf. >> Hi everyone. Um just kind of echoing what I'm hearing. Um and then this is directed at our wonderful VFW members. Um I know that you're governed by national bylaws when you have uh VFW posts. Is it your
043intention to include in your um community and individual post customization some of the language that you're describing tonight in terms of the town's usage of the facility? I'm not quite understanding the question. Could you >> Are you gonna Are you going to put in writing that Tremble gets to use it? >> Oh, well, you know, by virtue of the fact that we received grant money from the state and federal government, we have to make it available to everyone that the Reena just get sent me a text. Maybe Reena can speak to it more if she's able to. I know she's on the meeting. she's on the this call, but I know she's she may or may not want to weigh in on this, but um yeah, there are because it's state and federal money, we
044have to make it available in some aspects to um uh you know, other members of the community. >> I'm here, Ray. >> Thank you for clarifying. I was hoping to make it uh public for all the public that's listening. Go ahead, Reena. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, I I just wanted to say that the building when the grant funding came through, it's for a multi-purpose building, certainly serving the veterans, as we've described, our first responders in the community. And that's a broad discussion that's in all the grant applications about how we would serve the community. and certainly the senior center use if if Michelle's group wants to use that that falls into everything that we wrote about in the grants um civic groups uh rentals for the broader community it's all been written about
045you know it has to be scheduled and so forth but I think I think there's plenty of room to work around the meeting schedules and things like that and any kind of uh bitzvas or other things that could happen birthday parties or whatever within the center So um we we definitely uh intend and have always intended the funding absolutely ties to a broader use of the center. It is economic and community development funding under HUD that is part of what what funded this. So under the economic and community development category of HUD housing and urban development. >> Madame chair, can I uh speak uh make a statement? >> Hey Chief Lombardo. Sure. Go ahead. >> Oh, thank you. Um I just wanted to say that I can tell you um from this request was not
046taken lightly by the committee. Uh there was much debate on the on the uh request. Um, and I I can tell you from my perspective, um, obviously the center has been envisioned as a shared space that honors our veterans and the practical needs of our first responders. And from the police standpoint, um, our present facility um does provide a a smaller area for training, but it doesn't really adequately um allow for uh larger training groups. And I think um Mr. Baldwin had mentioned it earlier that it the proximity to our outdoor shooting range. And when we do the shooting range, we also do um um training on use of force and so forth. And I have spoken with area chiefs and I have letters from some of them that they think that this project would
047be a good idea for even regional classrooms. um you know it will allow us to hold in town training sessions, regional courses, joint exercises with neighboring agencies in a in a very professional setting but in a larger in larger for more people. Um it you know obviously that will improve our preparedness, reduces our travel time, training costs and ultimately enhances the services to the to the town of Trumble to our community. And I think that it's equally important that we that the uh dedicated gathering place u for our veterans is is extremely important. Um it'll serve locations for them for support services, ceremonies, social events, um to recognize their service and keep them connected with the community. Um, you know, in some of the things that I've read, it is extremely difficult for these men
048and women to come back to their communities and acclimate themselves back into society. And um there's a tremendous amount of mental health issues with uh men and women who have been um in very difficult situations and um who have sacrificed and seen their brothers and sisters sacrifice. So, um it it could be used for a variety of settings to help the veterans and to u help the town. And I can speak from the police perspective. Um the committee's worked very hard to raise money, manage expenses, and just constant discussion about well, can we cut this, can we cut that, and how's it going to affect us? How's it going to affect the services that we bring to the facility? So, um you know, it's a lasting it really is a lasting asset for the town.
049It'll support our training, strengthening partnerships between first responders, a home for our veterans. Um, and it's not like the we're asking the building to be started. It's already there. So, we just need this money to get to the finish line. So, thank you to everybody. >> Thank you, Lombardo. I appreciate that. >> Councilman Wolf. >> Hi. Um, I just wanted just a quick comment. Um, I because I've been part of the committee for about five weeks. very humbling to be with this this group because Rey Dan and the team completely passionate about this and I have no doubt in my mind that this will be successful and u generate revenue specifically because um we have you know other towns have now merged with our VFW. It's also an opportunity to bring in business revenue from
050other towns into Trumbull. So I I love that aspect of it. Thank you, Rich and Councilman Winchell. >> Yes. Thank you. I have two questions, I guess. One, what are you going to do with the parking issue? Because it doesn't seem as though there's a lot of parking around that building. And two, once it turns a profit, where does that money go? >> Okay. As to your first question, the uh allocated parking for the square footage of that building complies with the town zoning. Uh so there's there's issue there. there I and I feel the same way you do that I think there is going to be some parking issues and we've uh explored some plans with George Estrada and others for for possibly parking on um on Whitney Avenue and eventually eventually uh building
051some type of a scare staircase down to the uh down to the veterans veterans road. Um so that yeah that is a concern. I think there's enough parking spaces, but um by by code, but I think it's going to there'll be some problems and we're going to have to address those as they come along. I agree. What was your second question? I'm sorry. >> What do you do with the money? >> Well, that that's a that's a discussion. That's a discussion that we are going to have to have with the uh with the town with the administration and it's going to be uh first of all first and foremost we have to set up the the the commission to manage this building. Our charge as a building committee is just to uh get this building
052built. This commission that's going to have to be formed or whatever organization is going to be operating this building is going to have to have discussions with the uh with the first selectman's office with the uh town attorneys and so forth. So >> I can answer that a little if you want. Um, so when we I if I was on the council, I would say I'd like you guys to come and do a report to us semiannual annually. Tell us what your what the bank account is. I think every dollar that comes out of profits goes into this uh bank account after all expenses are paid. So that when anything comes up at that building over time, there's money in that account to go pay for it. So the building takes care of itself and
053builds itself and goes and grows itself where it goes and that's where it goes. And as far as uses uh that um Councilman Cologne asked about, listen, we want this building to be used every day. If I I hope there's no perception that the veterans are saying we want this building and nobody can come in here. We want this building to be used. We want the town people to come there. I want them to come and buy more wall plaques and more stuff and more stuff happening. I want this to be the best place in town. I want to recognize it. Now, there's a cost involved. How do you clean it? How do you which is the things we have to work through. How do you get it clean? How do you make sure it's
054maintain it stuff? How do you get it set up? All everything has to be set up. So, there's some cost involved, but it's this I want this building to turn a profit in year one and that money should go into an account to go pay for it. And you guys should ask us for accounting and come to your council and tell you where we're at and where we're at. And I'm happy to do that because that's you deserve that and we deserve that. >> Again, you don't have to look very far to see the model here. The model is that Tasha Nolles. So Tashuan Nolles makes makes a a profit and that profit is put into a capital reserve because there's things they're going to break down in the building, things they're going to want
055to do in the golf course, sprinkler systems, sand traps, green improvements, all the maintenance that takes place at the golf course. You know, they set their fees in accordance to the budget that they want to have and we expect that we will be doing the same here. So when you say turn a profit, um it's going to be turned right back into the the building itself. And uh at least initially until we figure out, you know, what we need to uh operationwise and also, you know, this building once it's built, you know, three, four, five, 10 years from now, you're going to need roofs. You're going to need some type of maintenance on there. Where you going to get that money from except from the capital reserve? So again, the language that that was in
056the the committee that I had given to the council um probably two years ago, at least a year ago, I gave it to the uh the first selectman and the uh the town attorney is is nothing that I dreamed up. This is almost a language verbatim from the Tashuan Nolles Golf Commission with a modification to reflect this center. So, uh, yeah, there there's discussions that have to take place about the operating of the building for sure. >> Thank you, Ray. Yep. So, certainly on our list is uh a look at how this will operate, what uh what type of committee or commission this will be set up to be. Um, the town owns both the land and the building, and so this is ultimately something we need to help navigate and be responsible for. So,
057those will be discussions for after tonight. Um, but let's get through this motion and the approval of this $710,000 or the bond authorization. Are there any additional questions or discussion for tonight? Okay. >> Madam Chair, I have one just one quick. If if the vote is favorable for this funding uh for the veteran center, would it be possible make it emergency legislation so we can sign our contract? >> It's already on my list, Ray, assuming twothirds vote. Um I have it right here to ask for that as soon as this gets the first vote. >> Okay. So um I don't see any other discussion. Is this something we can pass by unanimous consent or do I need a roll call vote? >> No objection. No objection. >> No objection. No objection. >> No objection. >>
058Hearing none. >> This vote passes. Uh I declare the resolution adopted. And can I ask for a motion for emergency legislation so that they can sign their contract? >> So move. Kelly Malazi >> and a second. >> Tony Dorsy. >> Thank you. Can we pass? So close. >> Can we pass that by unanimous consent? >> Low machine. Yes. >> No objections. Wonderful. That passes as well. Thank you to everybody who joined us this evening. Um Rey, we will look forward to bringing you all back in the next month or so for further conversations. >> Forward to it. >> We will move right into our committee meetings this evening. So, if you are on those committees, feel free to hang out. Bill, we're using the same link, correct? >> Thanks to everyone. >> Thank you. >>
059Good night. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Have a good evening. Thank