Milford City Council rejected a plan to upgrade its City Hall.
The project was estimated to cost the city $588 thousand. Even though it was already approved in this year’s Capital Improvement Plan, it did not win over Milford’s mayor or City Council.
Mayor Todd Culotta said the proposal was a bit extravagant and didn’t put residents first.
Among other things, the plans would have closed a road that goes through City Hall’s property.
“I like to think that we're a very transparent government, and putting more even physical things in the way to get to City Hall – which is the people's hall – was limiting, so I didn't agree with it.”
Culotta said City Hall could use some landscaping improvements, but overall he doesn’t see the building or the lot needing extensive upgrades.
Culotta said he would prefer the money go toward reimbursing residents who repaired their sidewalks. Currently, homeowners have to mind their sidewalks, but Culotta said he wants the city to take over the maintenance instead.
“We want to make Milford a better walkable city… I would like the city to take over the responsibility of the sidewalks and devote money each year to improving them.”
Milford has improved about two-thirds of the sidewalks in the city, according to Culotta. He wants to reimburse the homeowners who made that happen, totaling about $400 thousand.
Culotta added that the city of Milford can then prioritize which sidewalks need to be repaired and in what timeframe.
City Council would need to change the city’s charter for Milford to take over sidewalk maintenance and other responsibilities.
