DERBY – The city’s legislative body — the Derby Board of Aldermen & Alderwomen — met July 17 at Derby City Hall. The meeting was also held on Zoom, a video conferencing platform.
Here’s a rundown of what the elected officials are up to:
NARCAN
The board voted to use $10,000 in opioid settlement funds to buy NARCAN nasal sprays. The units can save people who are overdosing on drugs.
STERLING OPERA HOUSE COMMITTEE ORDINANCE
The Alders unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance that codifies the existence of the Sterling Opera House Committee. The committee was already around but, according to a legal interpretation of Derby Corporation Counsel Richard Buturla, technically only existed under former Mayor Rich Dziekan’s administration.
Click here for a previous story.
Creating an ordinance voted upon by the Alders gives the committee a permanent position in the city.
The current members are working with a consultant who also sits on the committee to come up with a plan to restore the Sterling Opera House on Elizabeth Street. A separate nonprofit group is being created to eventually collect money for the cause.
350TH ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE
The board voted to approve names submitted by Mayor Joseph DiMartino to serve on the city’s 350th Anniversary Committee.
Derby’s 350th birthday is in 2025. The committee will figure out how to celebrate.
The people appointed July 17 were:
Christine Boulay
Donna Doherty
Marc Garofalo
James Gildea
Michael Kelleher
Felicia Monaco
Randal Ritter
Robin Smith
John Walsh
Check the city’s website to find out when the group meets. Anyone who wants to get involved can attend a meeting or call the mayor’s office for more info. The phone number is 203 736 1450.
TAX BREAK APPROVED
The board unanimously approved a tax break that will help a downtown property owner convert an old office building into apartments.
The first floor will remain commercial.
Owner Joseph Voll received approvals for the conversion of 33 Elizabeth St. from the Derby Planning & Zoning Commission back in 2021. Click here for a previous story.
However, the project has been on hold as Voll waited for the economy to approve, according to a tax abatement request submitted to the Alders.
The conversion will cost $3.6 million and add millions to the property’s assessment, and therefore bolster Derby’s tax rolls, according to the submitted paperwork.
The Alders approved a five-year tax abatement plan that discounts taxes 50 percent the first year, 40 percent in year two, 30 percent in year three, 20 percent in year four, and 20 percent in year five.The discounts would stop in year six.
The paperwork points out that Derby will still be receiving more in taxes from the property with the abatement plan than it is receiving right now. The property is assessed at just $382,270, but the property owner estimates that number to increase to around $4 million when the project is complete.
Construction could start in August.
APPROVALS GRANTED
* The Board of Aldermen & Alderwomen unanimously approved the use of the Derby Green on Elizabeth Street for a “Back Pack Giveaway” on Aug. 24 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The event is aimed at Derby students. It is being sponsored by YellowBrick Real Estate.
* The Alders also approved an ice cream trailer off Roosevelt Drive next to the ‘Larry’s Landing’ food truck (across from Calvert Safe & Lock near the intersection of Roosevelt and E Street in west Derby).
* And they approved a food truck called ‘My Mixed Grill’ to set up shop on Factory Street amidst the Route 34 widening project. The truck had been near the train station, but had to move. They will be using city-owned land until the widening project is finished, so this approval has an end date.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The board met in executive session to discuss two items:
1. City of Derby vs 17 Crescent St. LLC
2. Trash, recycling and transfer station bid
Executive session meetings are not open to the public. They are allowed under specific circumstances in Connecticut. The 17 Crescent St. LLC was labeled “pending litigation,” while the bid is a contract the city is trying to negotiate.
17 Crescent St. is a long-blighted property that owes thousands in blight fines. The city is suing to get that money.
No action was taken on either item.
