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Ansonia mayor vows to block nearby contaminated-soil transfer, cites budget shortfall and hires financial consultant
Summary
Mayor Frank told the Board of Aldermen he will oppose any Burns Construction permit to stage or transfer contaminated soil near residential areas, said state law requires municipal notification, and outlined a consultant hire and more than $5 million in city debt needing corrective action.
Mayor Frank told the Board of Aldermen on Jan. 30 that he will not support the use of land near residential neighborhoods for a proposed waste-transfer or soil-staging operation at the Burns Construction Riverside Drive site. "I will not support the use of land near any residential neighborhood for waste disposal or transfer services," he said, adding that any applicant must follow the state's notification requirements before filing permit applications.
The mayor said a flyer circulated in town about a public informational session concerning the Burns site had caused understandable concern, but that the city had not received a permit application and had no supporting documentation on file. "If it's hard for us to comment on something, we have nothing," he said, urging patience while the statutory process runs through planning, inland-wetlands and other boards.
Mayor Frank also used the meeting to outline the city's broader fiscal situation, saying Ansonia faces "over $5,000,000" in debt carried over from prior years. He announced he had hired Tom Hamilton as a management consultant "to evaluate the city's financial policies, practices, and procedures in accordance with best municipal accounting practices" and said the administration is recruiting a qualified chief financial officer to strengthen budget oversight. "Appropriate corrective actions will be forthcoming," he said.
The mayor framed his stance on the soil-transfer proposal as both a legal and political one, saying he has objected to similar facilities in the past and will "go to Hartford" if necessary to protect residential areas. He reiterated that the city will insist on full permitting and state-required notifications before any activity moves forward.
Why it matters: The remarks link residents' health and neighborhood quality concerns to municipal permitting and budgeting priorities. The mayor's consultant hire and the pledge to recruit a chief financial officer signal the administration's immediate focus on addressing fiscal stress while the Burns Construction matter proceeds through state and local review.
What happens next: The mayor said he will ensure the city receives any permit notices required by state statute and will not allow siting decisions to move forward without review by the appropriate municipal boards. The board did not take formal action on the Burns site at the meeting.
