Town Council Greenlights Grant Application for More Firefighters

FD Lt. Andrew Rennie makes the case for Assistant Fire Chief hire. PETER PROHASKA PHOTO

Southington Fire Department officials raised concerns about under-staffing in the wake of a recent blaze at Chuck and Eddie’s Used Auto Parts. On Monday night, June 8, Chief Scott Lee came before the Town Council to ask again for additional support for the Department.

The case was made in a power point presentation put together by Captain Daniel Comen, who Lee described as the department’s go-to man for his grant-writing skill. That skill will be put to the test again as grant applications were approved by the Council.

The primary grant in question is the federal SAFER (Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) program, run through FEMA. Connecticut communities have mostly been excluded from the money in recent years. In 2023, for example, zero dollars went to Connecticut communities. Mansfield, West Haven and Middletown got grants for FY 2024. Southington received grants for hiring in 2015 and 2021.

Should FEMA award a SAFER grant to Southington, the plan is to hire 12 firefighters, bringing the department to what proponents say are minimum safety levels. Comen suggested that reducing the need for overtime pay would offer some cost savings, but the main thrust of his plea was that the safety of firefighters as well as the community was at stake.

Board of Fire Commissioners Chairman Tim Wilk described Department members as “discouraged and beleagured,” and suggested more staff would aid morale while meeting national safety standards and reducing response times, especially as the number of simultaneous calls grows. Lee said there were five or six such incidents on Monday alone.

A request made earlier this year for three additional firefighting hires was rejected by the Board of Finance and the Town Council in the course of its budget decision-making.

Comen said that, while there has been some improvement in response times, the department would like to halve those times, particularly in Southington’s south end. Relying on mutual aid to fill in gaps in coverage is not sustainable, he added, since every surrounding communities face similar staff shortfalls and their first duty is to their own towns.

Volunteers firefighters, the traditional backstop for many Connecticut communities like Southington, have dwindled in number in recent years. Lee said that volunteers who work full-time jobs and have families and other obligations aren’t always available as needed.

The question of whether to authorize the SAFER application led to a debate among Town Council members. Tony Morrison, a Republican, and Chris Palmieri, a Democrat, found common ground in concerns about how the Town, already facing difficult budget decisions, would be able to fund the roles once the grant runs out. Palmieri also asked whether it was appropriate to effectively overrule the Board of Finance’s decision, a move which generally requires six votes.

Several other Council members spoke of the need to fund public safety and supported the proposal. The Council eventually voted 7-2 to allow for the SAFER application, with Morrison and Councillor Jim Morelli voting against the motion.

One stipulation was added to the approval, that the hires would begin in July 2027, when state law regarding municipal employee retirement benefits changes. Town Manager Alex Ricciardone called the new law a “game-changer” for its potential to save the town money and strongly recommended holding off on new hires until it takes effect.

The Council could also, per the discussion, refuse the grant money if it believed it could not meet the financial requirements for the positions.

Other First Responder Actions

 

In a related discussion, the Council voted unanimously to approve an application for a Federal Department of Transportation grant for equipment that can help reduce emergency response times and provide better real-time information. The grant would be $440,000, with a 20% cost share for the Town, divided between Police and Fire.

Chief Lee also made his own case for hiring an Assistant Fire Chief. In his testimony he cited a range of administrative tasks he has no choice but to take on himself, some of which would ordinarily be the purview of a subordinate. He mentioned in passing that he has not had a day off since October due to the scope of his current duties.

Lee’s ask was supported by Andrew Rennie, a Lieutenant with Engine Company 1, who passionately described Lee’s care for his department members and the community he serves as he argued for funding the Assistant role.

The Council voted to table the issue on a 5-4 vote.

The Council also formally asked Ricciardone to seek ways to facilitate cooperation between the Police and Fire Departments, as well as the Information Technology office, in order to reduce costs and find efficiencies where possible.

Additional Developments

In other events, a public hearing on adding definitions to the sewer code opened and closed with no public comment. The new definitions are meant to remove hardships for residents who may have to hook up to the municipal sewer system in the event of a septic failure, and to encourage new buildings to use the system.

The possibility of a new industrial development at 682 Curtiss Street hit a road bump when it emerged that the landowner was unwilling to contribute toward the costs of a new road project. Preliminary engineering studies done by Town staff estimated a cost of $450,000. While the cost could potentially be offset by a STEAP grant, the Council opted to table the matter for now. Another possible developer is also interested, according to Councillor Mike DelSanto, who suggested that future tax revenue from development in the industrially-zoned area could cover the Town’s initial outlay.

Finally, a proclamation honoring Donald A. Dorman, the decorated Southington Airman who perished and disappeared during World War II, was read into the record by Council Chair Paul Chaplinsky. Events honoring Dorman’s life, service and sacrifice will be ongoing at locations around town on June 22 and 23.

BOE Celebrates Achievements of Top Students

Valedictorian Ethan Hoffman and Bronze Scholar David Chmura PHILIP THIBODEAU PHOTOS

The Board of Education at its meeting last Thursday recognized the top graduates of the 2025-26 Southington High School class as part of its Celebration of Excellence.

Bronze Scholar David Chmura, Salutatorian Andrew Nero, and Valedictorian Ethan Hoffman were introduced by Board Chairperson Zaya Oshana, who read a short passage about each before Chmura and Hoffman stepped to the front of the room to receive a Certificate of Excellence.

“David Chmura doesn’t just love STEM, he lives it,” began Oshana. “Thriving on challenge and discovery, blazing through his math curriculum two years ahead of schedule, advancing through Project Lead the Way and leading three demanding teams – Science Bowl, Math Team, and the CyberKnights robotics team – David brings focus, curiosity and determination to everything he does. In robotics especially he had distinguished himself, not just as a programmer, but as a leader who elevates his team, spending countless hours designing, building, programming, and refining systems… And beyond his own pursuits, he is dedicated to supporting others, mentoring younger students in robotics, leading coding workshops, and volunteering in his community throughout all four years of high school.”

Chmura will be attending Northeastern University this fall, with a planned major in mechanical engineering and computer science.

Speaking of Andrew Nero, who was not able to attend the ceremony, Oshana said “he is a kind and considerate young man who consistently goes out of his way to support others and contribute positively to the Southington community. Earlier this year he volunteered to show a new student around, helping them feel welcome and adjust to high school life… He has developed a strong interest in computer engineering and has taken meaningful steps towards this goal. As a member of Southington High School’s Project Lead The Way, Andrew assumed a leadership role, demonstrating initiative and the ability to collaborate effectively with his peers… He also participated in the swim team and works with the SHS technology help desk where he assists students with technical issues.”

Nero is headed to UConn this fall where he plans to major in engineering.

Finally, Oshana addressed Ethan Hoffman: “Ethan is a dedicated student leader who has made a lasting impact both in and out of the classroom at Southington High School. He is also the Class President, Student Representative to the Board of Education, as well as the captain of the Cross Country Team… One of Ethan’s greatest passions is his service to the community. Ethan has demonstrated this through his Eagle Scout project, which was to create a permanent garden stand outside of DePaolo Middle School. Ethan spent countless hours planning and designing the permanent structure and working with town officials to provide a lasting resource for DePaolo’s Garden Club. When asked, Ethan said that service to my community and making it a better place is really important to me.”

Hoffman will be attending Cornell University this fall, where he plans to major in computer science.

New BOE Student Representatives

The Celebration of Excellence continued, with the two graduating Student Representatives to the Board of Education being honored for their contributions during their terms. Hoffman and Samrath Singh were asked to come down to the front of the room, where Oshana said a few words about the impact they had on every member of the Board of Education during their time and thanked them for their service.

“They come and they give us good news and they give us tough news,” Oshana said. “They challenge us on certain things. Some things that we do, they say, ‘Why are you doing that?’ And that's why this position is so important to the board and to us, for learning and getting better and making the district a better place.”

Both received a Certificate of Excellence before speaking briefly about their experience as Student Representatives.

“Thank you for being there for us, giving us the opportunity to actually support this community in a way that you guys have supported us,” Singh said. “Being allowed to present the issues that we challenged you guys with, that was very personal to me. I know I enjoyed it thoroughly during my time on the board of education.”

BOE Student Representative Samrath Singh and Ethan Hoffman

The third current Student Representative, rising Senior Arshi Roy, then introduced the two new student representatives for the coming school year.

Sophomore Alexa Noacowski, who is tri-lingual (Polish, English, French), is the president of the French and Polish clubs. Junior Murad Alcatib is the advocacy officer for DECA and the secretary of Students for Progress,which is  focused on representing diverse student perspectives.

Noacowski and Alcatib both introduced themselves and stated what they plan to accomplish in the upcoming school year. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with students from different backgrounds, lead different initiatives and advocate for issues that matter in the school community,” Alcatib said. “As a student representative, I hope to create a bridge between students and the Board and ensure that all student perspectives are considered.”

BOE Approves Staff Cuts, Pay-to-Play Athletics Fee, to Bridge Budget Gap

District administrators and the Board of Education at their May 28 meeting. TOWN OF SOUTHINGTON VIDEO SCREENSHOT

The Board of Education met this past Thursday evening to decide which personnel and services would be cut from the district’s budget in order to accommodate a $1.6 million reduction recently approved by Town Council. The Board voted - with just one modification - to approve a set of reductions drawn up by Superintendent Steve Madancy and presented at the reallocation meeting by Director of Business & Finance Jennifer Mellitt. (A complete recording of the meeting can be found here.)

The lion’s share of the reduction – just over $1.5 million – would come from the elimination, either through layoffs or retirements, of 22 existing teaching and staff positions, as well as four new lines that the Board had sought to add. All told, ten paraeducators, nine teachers, three math and literacy specialists, two custodial staff, and 1.5 administrative assistant lines would be eliminated from the budget plan that originally passed. Currently the district has 1,189 staff, which means that the cut would amount to about a 2% reduction in all personnel.

A bit more than $100,000 in savings would also accrue from the cancellation of certain educational software subscriptions, and the trimming of PSAT testing supplies. A $63,307 line item for student Chromebook insurance would also be cut.

Another portion of the budget gap will be made up through the imposition of a new fee for students who participate in sports. According to Madancy, the fee would be $125 per sport per season for high school athletes, with a cap of $500 for a family. For middle school competitors, the fee would be $50 per season, with a $200 family cap. Several neighboring towns already have a ‘pay-to-play’ fee in place to cover the costs of transportation to and from athletic events. The Superintendent said that students who qualify for free and reduced lunch will be exempt from the charge.

The main change the Board made to the Superintendent’s proposed plan was to keep the number of Special Education administrators at four, rather than reduce it to three. Several members of the Board drew a line in the sand when the proposal was floated, saying that while all the cuts were hard to accept, this one would go too far, putting the work of the Special Education department at great risk.

“The administrators are so overwhelmed with PPT’s and case loads that I cannot accept that cut,” said Board member Terri Carmody. Her colleagues Sean Carson and Cecil Whitehead argued at length that the line should be restored. Various Board members also cited the crisis which the Special Education department experienced during the years of the COVID pandemic, and ongoing efforts to recover from it, as a reason why the position should be kept in place.

After a back-and-forth with Madancy and Mellitt, the Board fixed on the allocation for substitute teachers as an area where a commensurate cut could be made that would allow the fourth Special Ed coordinator to remain while still meeting the $1.6 million targeted reduction.

A final trim to the budget of $833,934 that the Board voted to approve was in effect an accounting maneuver, one that should not affect the staffing or operations of the District in any meaningful way.

In May, the State Legislature passed a bill that would direct millions in additional Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funds to municipalities across the state, with Southington due to receive $833,934. In its final budget, the Town Council voted to reduce the school system’s budget by that same amount, thus in effect converting the ECS payment into a general budget subsidy designed to reduce the burden on local taxpayers. The District now plans to take this sum out of its self-insurance fund, and replenish it once the check from the state arrives.