Source: By Hanna Snyder Gambini Republican-American

Date: January 9, 2022  

WATERBURY - A hearing on an ordinance to establish a city land bank continues tonight, with a proposed board of directors listed.

The hearing was first held in December but postponed due to technical difficulties during the virtual session.

Residents who wish to comment on the land bank can call in after 6 p.m. to get added to the queue of speakers. The hearing starts at 6:30 p.m. with the regular Board of Aldermen meeting following at 7. Both will be virtual.

Land banks are quasi-governmental or nonprofit organizations authorized to acquire, stabilize and transfer properties using an established, strategic approach. A land bank has access to funding that might not be available to other agencies, including state and federal grants, private donations, banks, municipal funds or corporations or nonprofit foundations.

If aldermen vote to establish the land bank during their regular meeting tonight, it could be up and running and acquiring properties within six to nine months.

The proposed ordinance states that a seven-member board of directors will consist of four representatives appointed by the mayor; one representative appointed by Democratic aldermen; one appointed by Republican aldermen; and one appointed by agreement of the Democratic and Republican members of the Board of Aldermen.

The initial board of directors includes Mayor Neil M. O'Leary's selections of Capt. Daniel Lauer of the Waterbury Police Department; Joel Becker from TorrCo; Robert Polito from the Harold Webster Smith Foundation as treasurer; and Mark Malaspina of Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey as secretary.

Democratic aldermen chose Gawdys Grullon from New Opportunities, Inc.

Republican aldermen selected Frederick Luedke, retired minority leader of the Board of Aldermen, as chair.

The agreed-upon member is Dr. James Gatling, Ph.D., retired president and CEO of New Opportunities, Inc., as vice chair.

The meeting will be broadcast live on the city of Waterbury's Government Access Channel (Comcast Channel 96; Frontier Channel 6096) and the city's You Tube Channel youtu.be/C8jVC2mu1Yk

Those wishing to speak should call 203-597-3477 after 6 p.m.