NORWICH — The City of Norwich Common Council met Tuesday, July 20, for their monthly meeting and discussed a wide array of topics.

Most notably, council members voted not to appoint Mayor Shawn Sastri as Youth Bureau Director. This comes just weeks after the mayor resigned from his position in order to apply, then later rescinded his resignation after council members tabled their decision to hire him.

"The mayor has withdrawn his application for the position, and therefore to pass the resolution to appoint him to the position really doesn't make any sense," said Alderman Matthew Caldwell during the meeting. "So, I'm going to make a motion for the sake of moving this, moving past this, to appoint Shawn Sastri as Youth Bureau Director. We need a second, and then we vote 'nay,' and it's gone."

Council members all voted against hiring Sastri as Youth Bureau Director. The Youth Bureau is now accepting new applications for the position.

During the meeting, council members also voted to approve the purchasing of three Ferno stretchers and an AutoPulse for the Norwich Fire Department. The cost of the stretchers totaled $64,040.44, and the AutoPulse cost $13,140, according to the city.

Ferno stretchers are electric stretchers that have charging bases fitted into the ambulance. Firefighter Gerald Parry said they electrically raise and lower, which helps prevent injuries to EMS workers.

"It's an electric lift system, so it kind of assists with preventative measures of back injuries," Parry explained.