New Britain
Election of Chair, Revised Rules On Agenda At Special Fair Rent Commission Meeting, April 4
By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The city’s Fair Rent Commission, a largely dormant city board, will hold a hastily-called special meeting Tuesday, April 4th to elect a Chairperson and revise its rules and regulations. The Commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 P.M. in Room 201 at New Britain City Hall, 27 West […]
Matt Ritter’s Batterson Park Redux
State Park Status Can Bring Abandoned Recreation Area On Farmington-New Britain Line Back To Life By John McNamara Will Batterson Park, the abandoned recreation area and pond shared by New Britain and Farmington and owned by the City of Hartford, become Connecticut’s 91st state park? Last week State House Speaker Matt Ritter of Hartford picked up the […]
NB Progressive Seeks Nominees For Community Advisory Committee
Local news project seeks volunteers for feedback on news coverage and content The New Britain Progressive, a publication of New Britain Independent Newspaper, Inc. published online by volunteers since 2016, invites nominations for a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) that is forming this spring.. CAC members will serve as an advisory group to: Advisory committee members […]
Senate Bill For Clear Language On Municipal Charter Referendums Advances
By John McNamara HARTFORD – Legislation sponsored by New Britain lawmakers to require clear language on city charter and other municipal ballot questions received a joint favorable (JF) report from the General Assembly’s Government Administration and Elections Committee March 22nd. The Committee approved advancing the bill for possible floor action 14 to 5 on a […]
Legislation On Clarity Of Local Ballot Questions Gets Hearing
GAE Committee Will Consider Changes Endorsed By NB League of Women Voters Staff Reports HARTFORD – Legislation to bring “clarity and simplicity” to municipal referendum questions will be the subject of a public hearing on Friday March 10th at the State Capitol. The Legislature’s Government Administration and Elections Committee will hear testimony in Room 2A […]
Far Right Student Group’s Anti-BLM Film Disrupted At CCSU Campus
Protestors Call ‘The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and The Rise of The BLM’ “Hate Speech” By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – Dozens of Central CT State University (CCSU) students disrupted the showing of the controversial film The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and The Rise Of The BLM Thursday (March 2) at […]
Data Shows Large Rent Increases in New Britain
Staff Reports Data from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) points to hefty increases in rental housing in New Britain. HUD data appears to show rent levels in New Britain growing dramatically in the past few years, confirming anecdotal accounts of rent increases that people are experiencing. According to one New Britain […]
Ed Vargas Is New Public Policy Chair At CCSU
Former Hartford State Rep, Union Leader Succeeds New Britain’s DeFronzo By John McNamara Former State Representative Ed Vargas, Jr. is the new holder of the Governor William A. O’Neill Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Practical Politics at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) succeeding Don DeFronzo, a former New Britain Mayor, State Senator and state […]
Remote Public Participation Resumes At Common Council Meetings 2/22
Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The opportunity for residents to raise issues at the start of Common Council meetings remotely resumes at the regular bi-monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 22nd. City Hall Watch Remote participation was available at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but was ended by city officials for both Council members and […]
“Formal Changes” Coming To Fair Rent Commission’s Rules And Regs
Common Council Petition Seeks Answers To Commission’s Compliance With The Law In Handling Landlord and Tenant Rent Increase Disputes By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The Mayor’s Office “will be seeking formal changes to the rules and regulations of the Fair Rent Commission” to clarify the roles of housing and human rights and opportunities employees […]
Deadline Is Friday, Feb. 17 To Appeal Property Assessments
Common Council Adds Two Temporary Members For Board Hearings In March Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The Common Council has approved two special appointments to the Board of Assessment Appeal to hear property owner appeals of new assessments that took effect last October following the required revaluation of real estate in the city. The additions […]
Mount Pleasant Slated for Demolition and Redevelopment In Revised NBHA Plan
Staff Reports | News Analysis A March 7th hearing will be held at the New Britain Housing Authority (NBHA) on “significant amendments” to the Authority’s 2023 annual plan that include the demolition and redevelopment of the aging Mount Pleasant family housing complex on Myrtle Street. With an approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) this […]
Free Fashion Series Starts Saturday (1/28) For Students 10-18 At S.U.R.E.
NEW BRITAIN – S.U.R.E. (Safety Usually Resolves Everything), a non-profit youth development program, begins a series of Saturday educational sessions January 28th for students ages 10 to 18 on the fashion industry and careers. The Fashion Group organized by SURE Founder Candyce Scott, MA, LPC, “helps children improve self-esteem, social and vocational skills.” The program […]
‘Strengthening Local Journalism’ Is Topic at Community Meeting On January 28
New Britain Progressive invites participation to strengthen local coverage NEW BRITAIN – The New Britain Progressive’s Board of Directors will host a 2023 Kick Off meeting January 28th focusing on strengthening local journalism at the online, volunteer community newspaper now in its seventh year of publishing. Residents are invited to the meeting on Saturday 1/28 […]
City Charter Question Sparks Bill For “Clarity” In Wording Of Local Referendums
Local And State LWV Backs Proposed Legislation At GAE Committee By John McNamara HARTFORD -Legislation to ensure specific wording on local referendum questions has been proposed by New Britain lawmakers in the 2023 Connecticut General Assembly. Proposed Bill 862 “to increase the clarity and simplicity of the language presented to voters in municipal referendum questions” […]
CPOA To Donate To Police K-9s For Its Last Act
Conservative Taxpayer Group Is Dissolving After 90 Years By John McNamara (Update: The resolution concerning the dissolution of the CPOA and its donation was withdrawn at the meeting) NEW BRITAIN – The Citizen Property Owners Association (CPOA), a conservative taxpayer group and one of the city’s oldest citizen organizations, is dissolving and plan to donate […]
Lawmakers Will Discuss Legislative Issues, Priorities For 2023 Session
NB League of Women Voters Hosts Public Forum at Library January 21 Staff Reports NEW BRITAIN – The New Britain area League of Women Voters (NB-LWV) invite the public to ask questions and hear from local lawmakers at “2023 Legislative Conversations” on Saturday, January 21st, at 10 a.m. The forum will be held at the […]
Marlo Greponne Of HRA To Keynote MLK Day Observances
NB Museum of American Art To Hold Free Community Day To Mark Dr. King’s Birthday Staff reports NEW BRITAIN – Marlo Greponne, Ph.D, Executive Director of the Human Resources Agency (HRA), will be the keynote speaker at the Human Rights and Opportunities Commission’s observance of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) national holiday. The […]
Council Committee Agrees To Compromise On Tax Break For Myrtle Street Housing Development
Incentive Drops From 26 To 13 Years In Amended Resolution That Goes To Common Council For Approval By John McNamara NEW BRITAIN- The Common Council’s Committee on Administration, Finance and Law (AFL) unanimously approved a “compromise” tax break at a January 4th meeting for Avon Towers LLC to develop 119 housing units at 480 Myrtle […]
Atty. Rivera Is Sworn In As Judge Of Probate
Democrat Begins First Term After Taking Oath At CCSU Ceremony by John McNamara NEW BRITAIN – The office of Judge of Probate for Berlin and New Britain changed hands for a third time in two years on January 3rd when Attorney Bill Rivera was sworn in to a four-year term. Rivera, an attorney in New […]