Civility emerges as dominant theme at first meeting under new administration

MILFORD — Mayor Richard Smith's first Board of Aldermen meeting Monday night was marked by calls for bipartisanship and civility from multiple speakers, even as a contentious 9-6 vote on a Milford Power Plant settlement exposed lingering partisan divisions.

The December 1st meeting opened on a celebratory note, with Smith presenting a proclamation to the Foran High School girls soccer team, which captured the Class M state championship with a 3-2 victory over Northwest Catholic — the program's first tournament appearance in nearly a decade.

"The greatest determinant of success isn't what you might think," Smith told the young athletes. "The number one determinant is grit."

A Call for Common Ground

That message of determination extended to the political realm, as multiple speakers urged the newly constituted board to move past the acrimony that characterized recent election cycles.

Democratic Town Committee member Damon Ralph, who lost his bid for Planning and Zoning in the first district, drew applause with remarks describing unexpected friendships forged at the polls on Election Day.

"If you believe everything you saw on social media, you would have to assume that we broke out into a mosh pit of political acrimony," Ralph said. "The reality was for the first several hours we were mostly doubled over in laughter with Republican candidates."

Ralph recounted visiting the Republican election party to congratulate former Mayor Tony Giannattasio, and later having lunch with newly elected Republican aldermen to discuss promoting bipartisanship.

"Milford isn't two parties. It's one community, one family," Ralph said. "And within families, we don't always agree, but we keep coming back to the table."

Board Chairman Phil Vetro reinforced the theme, noting that derogatory or offensive statements would no longer be tolerated during public comment — a reference to a previous meeting where a speaker called board members "bootlicking Nazis" and issued threats of physical violence.

New Faces at City Hall

The meeting marked several transitions in city leadership. Holly Mulrenan, formerly an alderman representing the third district, was introduced as Smith's new chief of staff.

"She was demoted from the Board of Aldermen to join me here at the table," Smith joked.

Sonia Bannon was unanimously approved to fill Mulrenan's vacant seat, with Alderman Mike Casey noting he hoped the appointment signaled a "turning point" after "vile and dangerous accusations" were leveled during past vacancy debates.

Power Plant Settlement Sparks Sharp Exchange

The evening's most contentious moment came during a vote on a settlement agreement with the Milford Power Plant regarding payments in lieu of taxes.

The agreement, which would secure $4.7 million annually for four years, passed 9-6 along largely partisan lines, but not before a sharp exchange about budget politics from the previous term.

Alderman Winthrop Smith III accused the Democratic majority of playing "political games" during the last budget cycle by rejecting an amendment that would have anticipated higher power plant revenue — a move he suggested was designed to prevent then-Mayor Giannattasio from keeping taxes flat.

"I may be young, but I'm certainly old enough to remember the political games that were played during the budgeting cycle," Smith said, referencing the "Taxin' Tony G" moniker used against the former mayor.

Alderman Robert Pacelli pushed back, arguing the board had simply declined to add "an imaginary number" to the budget. Alderman Jen Federico called the current vote "exactly consistent" with what was approved in the budget.

"There was political strategy then," Smith III maintained. "There's no political game now."

The exchange grew heated enough that Chairman Vetro called a brief recess before the final vote.

Residents Raise Concerns Over Short-Term Rentals

Grant Street resident Bob Dickinson urged the board to consider regulations on short-term rentals, citing a 59% year-over-year increase in Airbnbs and VRBOs in Milford.

"Short-term rentals erode the availability of housing in a housing shortage and generate nuisance activity for those that live here such as noise, parties, and parking problems," Dickinson said.

He described a neighboring property purchased by an LLC and advertised as "perfect for entertaining" with seating for 20 and a fire pit "for the party to last late into the evening."

Dickinson provided copies of East Haven's recently passed short-term rental ordinance as a potential model for Milford.

State Housing Bill Draws Opposition

Governor's Avenue resident Joe Swansonik warned about the implications of HB2, a state housing bill he said would allow developers to bypass local planning and zoning controls in transit-oriented zones within a half-mile of train stations.

"It gives developers as of right ability to tear down what's in these areas and build housing," Swansonik said. "You don't have to have any hearings, you don't have to have any public input. It just happens."

He urged aldermen to participate in upcoming hearings to protect historic downtown neighborhoods.

Other Business

The board unanimously approved a new ordinance requiring vendors to obtain authorization before selling at school-sponsored events, a measure Director of School Safety Jeff Nielsen said was designed to enhance security.

A four-year electricity supply contract with Constellation New Energy also passed unanimously, though not before Alderman Winthrop Smith Jr. questioned whether the agreement should have gone through a formal RFP process rather than the alternative bid procedure used.

The contract locks in a rate of 10.8 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to UI's upcoming rate of 13.63 cents, with city consultant John Abella noting Milford has saved over $3.2 million since 2012 by using third-party energy suppliers.

The next Board of Aldermen meeting has not yet been scheduled.