Speaker delivers State of the City address, flags cyberattack, fiscal probe and Allen Street flood funding

At the March 11 meeting of the Common Council of New Britain, the presiding speaker delivered a wide-ranging State of the City-style address that identified a recent cyberattack, staffing shortfalls and an ongoing independent investigation into alleged past fiscal misconduct as top challenges for the city.

"We saw a clear example of that vulnerability in the recent cyber attack on our city systems," the speaker said, adding that outdated systems and insufficient safeguards had left New Britain "more vulnerable than it should have been." The speaker said an independent investigation was launched when concerns about prior fiscal misconduct surfaced and that the review is ongoing: "I expect that additional information will come to light in the weeks and months ahead."

The speaker said the administration is conducting a disciplined review of spending in preparation for the upcoming budget and noted that New Britain's debt has increased "by tens of millions of dollars" over the past decade. On infrastructure, the speaker said the administration has identified a "clear path forward to secure the millions in funding necessary to move the Allen Street flood control project ahead," calling the work a long-overdue commitment to residents affected by repeated flooding.

Public safety measures and homelessness responses were also highlighted: the speaker said the administration is working to put more officers into neighborhoods, pursue community policing, install automated speed and red-light enforcement, and expand shelter capacity and warming centers during winter months. The address closed with a call for transparency, accountability and collaboration with the common council and state partners.

The speaker did not identify a formal timetable for the fiscal investigation in the remarks presented at the March 11 meeting.