[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6670159,"mediaKeyId","2172929-c97dd0aae034ad5e08a327a127eda6b4","parentId",2172929,"title","New London council approves five-year management contract for community center amid affordability and hiring questions; appointments pass","audioSeconds",3080,"startMs",3328000,"endMs",6408000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2172929-c97dd0aae034ad5e08a327a127eda6b4&start=3328&end=6408","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2172929-c97dd0aae034ad5e08a327a127eda6b4/thumbnail_3328000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6670159/New-London/New-London-County/Connecticut/New-London-council-approves-five-year-management-contract-for-community-center-amid-affordability-and-hiring-questions-appointments-pass","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6670159-3e6e2139da31e95f6865fd9eca074ab0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773578727&Signature=D20bY-6Sm68-kSzVd4KY~exyUwQsyWOz0EEkUQI2kOskirA39lNl1JreUqQo3tjFKXwkbIuLYYpUaVH0D7DPkkZZLlm6m82MCxE20-AYor~QGpolaZFOJWqbxoRgtPzWu3mInQRxHcpc4nRjvMuxs8oUD44PeX3abN-2pyvMBRV3-cYirxmWennU6rj3jC8r3Zb0OHTP0k579XUmn3a3MMiwWX3AAWy7jz81IEX1Wg~c93EqwjL9GL55jCVh8OGzM-XDypjsaASA9z71-w9XwRCOk6uSP6YheqWsfDb~pFJZmeJfu71yg4tF4sxOKo7~2oYj6VLwqEEgCuNgEmGjUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New London","date","2025-01-28T05:54:43.93Z","article","The New London City Council voted Jan. 21 to approve a five-year management contract with Power Wellness Management LLC to operate the new New London Community Center, following public comment and multiple council questions about pricing, local hiring and information confidentiality.

The contract, authorized under the council’s procedural order cited in meeting materials as “section 2-69,” passed after debate and procedural votes; the council’s final approval of the contract was recorded as 6–1. The council also approved a package of appointments to city boards and commissions; a separate effort to add Frieda Berrigan to the Pedestrian Advisory Committee during the meeting failed when the motion to add the item to the agenda did not reach the two-thirds threshold.

What the contract says and how operations will work
Power Wellness will operate the city-owned facility under a manager-as-agent model: the manager “will plan the operation of the facility, manage the facility, including the employment and management of facility staff, and provide services to develop and operate the facility,” language the city attorney and staff said is standard for outsourced facility management. The city’s presentation and staff answers clarified the partnership and some guardrails:
- Rates and oversight: The city will set resident and nonresident rate structures and work through the regular budget calendar to finalize fees; staff told the council that rates will be reviewed during the spring budget process and that the city intends to maintain reduced resident and scholarship rates to address affordability.
- Cash flow and bookkeeping: User revenues will be received by the city and the facility will be operated using an enterprise-style fund. The manager will submit reconciliations and be reimbursed for approved operating expenses; the City Finance Director will receive monthly reports.
- Local hiring and programming: City staff and Power Wellness told the council they intend to prioritize local hiring and to coordinate programming in a shared master schedule with the Recreation Department. Councilors and the mayor repeatedly said the city intends to make hiring and scholarship access a priority for New London residents.
- Terms: The contract carried a five-year initial term (the contract material in meeting backup states a five-year manager engagement) and contemplates professional marketing, membership development and sponsorships to improve financial sustainability.

Public comment and council concerns
Several members of the public urged the council to include stronger, enforceable language on affordability and local hiring.
- Alicia McEvay, a New London resident, told the council she had reviewed the contract and asked the council to “hold off on approving this contract until such language can be added” guaranteeing affordable membership levels and preferential hiring for city residents. McEvay also asked whether a nondisparagement/non-disclosure clause could inhibit public discussion about management concerns.
- Lee McGrady, another resident, urged the council to consider tax relief or ordinances for deed-restricted properties to avoid overtaxing long-term affordable owners.

Council discussion and staff answers
Mayor Michael Paso (acting as presenter) and Director Reyes explained the city’s rationale: the facility is a municipally owned, capital asset requiring professional management to be maintained and financially viable. Mayor Paso said the goal is twofold: protect the $40 million asset and operate it sustainably so the city can provide access “for everybody in our community regardless of economic status.”

Councilors asked several detailed questions about how confidentiality and proprietary information would be handled under the contract and whether financial and satisfaction data would be subject to public record. City legal counsel explained the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) framework: some operational information may be treated as proprietary by the manager but disclosure can be requested and, if disputed, resolved through FOIA procedures. The law director said that if the city and the manager agree information should be public, it can be released; if parties disagree, the Freedom of Information Commission can be asked to rule.

Votes and procedure
- Contract approval: After debate, the council moved to end debate (a motion to “move the question”) and then voted on the contract award. The council recorded the final vote on the contract approval as 6 in favor, 1 opposed. The meeting transcript records a roll-call earlier that shows councilors present: Efrain Dominguez (council president), Rhianna Dice, Pro Tempore Akhil Peck, Jeff Hart, Rosario, Satti and Nattartez; the explicit per‑member vote labeling was not read aloud in the transcript, so the official minute shows the tally 6–1.
- Appointments: The council approved the slate of appointments forwarded from the administrative committee (item 7.1). A separate motion to add Frieda Berrigan to the Pedestrian Advisory Committee during the meeting failed because it did not receive the two-thirds vote required to add an item to the agenda during the meeting.

Next steps and oversight
Staff and the mayor said the city will present detailed proposed fees (resident rates, nonresident rates and scholarship criteria) during the upcoming budget process starting in April. City staff also said job descriptions and hiring plans will be posted, Human Resources will review position descriptions, and the city expects to post openings for facility positions in the coming weeks. The Finance Department will set up a dedicated enterprise fund and receive weekly reconciliations from the manager for reimbursement of verified operating costs.

What the council decided
The City Council approved the Power Wellness Management LLC contract and authorized the mayor to execute the agreement and any necessary ancillary documents; the council also confirmed the administrative committee’s recommended appointments. A motion to add a specific appointment for the Pedestrian Advisory Committee failed for lack of the two-thirds majority required to amend the evening’s agenda.

Votes at a glance
- Contract with Power Wellness Management LLC to operate New London Community Center — Outcome: approved; tally reported in the meeting transcript: 6 yes, 1 no. Contract term (as listed in backup): five years. Motion text in meeting materials: “City council hereby approves a contract with Power Wellness Management LLC to provide managerial services at the New London Community Center and further authorizes the mayor to sign the contract and any other documents necessary and incidental to effectuating said contract.”
- Appointments to boards and commissions (administrative committee packet, item 7.1) — Outcome: approved; motion carried (vote recorded in transcript as carried).
- Motion to add Frieda Berrigan to the Pedestrian Advisory Committee during the meeting (motion to add item to agenda) — Outcome: failed to reach required two-thirds; motion failed.

The council authorized the mayor to sign the contract and directed staff to bring detailed fee recommendations and hiring plans through the standard budget and personnel processes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","01-21-2025 City Council","oneSentenceSummary","The New London City Council voted Jan. 21 to approve a five-year contract with Power Wellness Management LLC to operate the new New London Community Center, after public comment and council questions about affordability, local hiring and confidentiality.","taxTitle","New London, New London County, Connecticut","taxId",70139,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6670163,"Regional housing study: Eastern Connecticut has fewer homes for smaller households, CHEO director tells New London council",1084,1093000,2177000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2172929-c97dd0aae034ad5e08a327a127eda6b4&start=1093&end=2177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2172929-c97dd0aae034ad5e08a327a127eda6b4/thumbnail_1093000.jpg","/articles/6670163/New-London/New-London-County/Connecticut/Regional-housing-study-Eastern-Connecticut-has-fewer-homes-for-smaller-households-CHEO-director-tells-New-London-council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6670163-27f226efa2c97d5c2f4ad57dfd9c9c57/orig.mp4?Expires=1773578727&Signature=YNlRD4NmbxYZWTcp944I710dkZfDmw-2Y7MDzPZ1~UtcdHKdnw3nwLfcJS5W58zA61QHII77qMCrgHHlW8~LNdpiblIT1yJYmqKrJUDD~m7MjQdriCmP-SYBvjHlqxn0EINAG5CAYCVa8DOi5x9EQyikhmZKveRrKxv-s5vFEyibtqZbRhxHU~3rm5hBqTct0rXaZtIIpJ5ZmB7hMVIAVHQwhXs3cl89oWwJdyxASzAFbohOJ4q37CxMQ6Tb3iqC66aOXzvW7BC03rTGMBzxtBxpOZgMxc~Zrz3EUh2i6zGHsCuYif6YuFXLBV5W8jhL3i6Iv2s4yvmjUYohRKEgdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Beth Sebelia, director of the Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity in Eastern Connecticut, told the New London City Council on Jan. 21 that the eastern third of Connecticut faces a long-running mismatch between household types and available housing, and that the region must diversify housing types and preserve existing affordable units to prevent displacement.

Sebelia said the regional housing needs assessment, overseen by the four councils of governments in the CHEO region and produced with data partners, shows the region has lost population since 2010 while the number of households has grown. She said roughly 56 percent of households in the region are one- or two-person households but only about 40 percent of the region’s housing is designed for smaller households. “We believe that equitable access to housing that is safe, affordable, and connected to resources is a human right,” Sebelia said. She identified the study’s core strategic partners as the Housing Collective, Partnership for Strong Communities and LISC Connecticut.

Why it matters: Councilors pressed CHEO for practical next steps after the presentation. Council members said New London needs both preservation programs for low-income residents and a broader pipeline of new units sized and priced for smaller households, seniors and working families.

Details from the presentation and council exchange
- Sebelia said the Eastern Connecticut housing needs assessment pools American Community Survey, state labor data and local real-estate sales data collected under oversight by the Regional Plan Association. She said the report and its underlying datasets will be released on CHEO’s website for use by towns and nonprofits.
- Regional headlines Sebelia cited included a net population decline of about 10,000 people across the three counties in her study period and an increase of nearly 6,000 households during the same timeframe. She said about 56,000 residents in the eastern part of the state earn at or below 80% of area median income, while the region has roughly 25,000 units considered affordable to that population.
- Sebelia said fewer than 5% of homes built since 2000 in the region are two- to four-unit buildings (duplexes, triplexes), housing types that can be more affordable and “right-sized” for households of one to two people.
- On New London specifically, Sebelia noted the city’s housing mix is skewed toward multifamily structures: about 41% of housing in New London is owner-occupied and 59% renter-occupied; roughly one-third of residents live in single-family detached homes and about one-third live in buildings with more than five units. She said New London has both an above-average share of residents age 65 and older and a relatively large share of residents aged 20–29.

Council questions and CHEO responses
- Councilor Rhianna Dice asked whether tools such as community land trusts, shared-equity models and down-payment assistance are being considered; Sebelia responded, “Yes — community land trusts, shared equity, deed-restricted affordable homes, tenant supports, down-payment programs — yes to all of it.”
- Councilor Jeff Hart asked whether accessory dwelling units (ADUs) should be revisited. Sebelia said ADUs can be helpful but face financing and construction costs; she recommended revisiting ADU policy while addressing local financing and permitting barriers.
- Councilor Nattartez and others asked about data sources; Sebelia said datasets include the American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor statistics, and Eastern Connecticut Board of Realtors sales data, with the Regional Plan Association serving as the data contractor.

What CHEO said it will do next
Sebelia said CHEO provides technical assistance to towns on implementing affordable housing plans, convenes peer-learning opportunities, and will support nonprofit developers to close capacity and financing gaps. She noted CHEO will seek private philanthropic support to expand preservation and rehabilitation programs beyond municipal programs funded by Community Development Block Grant dollars.

Context and next steps
Councilors and staff mentioned existing preservation efforts in New London, including planned renovation of Gordon Court as an opportunity to add deeply affordable units. Councilors also discussed municipal tools such as preservation programs funded by CDBG and urged combining local actions with regional coordination. Sebelia left committee contacts and said CHEO staff — including project manager Nicole McCormack and regional planner Caroline Wells — are available to support grant applications and project development.

CHEO’s report and the underlying datasets will be posted on CHEO’s website; Sebelia said the organization will circulate the link to the full report and datasets for use by the council and local nonprofits.","Beth Sebelia, director of the Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity in Eastern Connecticut, presented regional housing data showing a mismatch between unit types and household sizes and urged diversified housing production and preservation strategies for New London and the region.","actionData","errors"]

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New London council approves five-year management contract for community center amid affordability and hiring questions; appointments pass

Regional housing study: Eastern Connecticut has fewer homes for smaller households, CHEO director tells New London council