City Council

Mayor Mark D. Boughton called the City Council Meeting to order at 7:30pm on Tuesday, December 6, 2011. Present were Council Members: Philip Curran, Michael Haddad, Jack Knapp, Warren Levy, Gregg Seabury, Colleen Stanley, Don Taylor, Philip Colla, Shay Nagarsheth, Michael Halas, Joseph Cavo, Thomas Saadi, Fred Visconti, Andrew Wetmore, Duane Perkins, Benjamin Chianese, Paul Rotello and Joseph Scozzafava PRESENT: 18 ABSENT : 3 Council Members Trombetta and Teicholz were ill and Council Member Nero had a family emergency. Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant; Laszlo Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel and Corporation Counsel Robert Yamin were also present. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG & PRAYER: Christian Pacelli from Boy Scout Troop #6 led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. Council Member Phil Curran led everyone in a prayer. PUBLIC SPEAKING Brendan Sniffin, 5 Shepard Road and President of the Korean War Assoc., spoke on Item 4. Ken Gucker, 89 Padanaram Road, spoke on the website’s agenda. Mark Nolan, 16 Southern Boulevard spoke on items 6, 7 and 8. Charles Setaro, 27 Deer Hill Avenue, spoke on Department Reports. Public speaking closed at 7:50pm. Mayor Boughton welcomed Boy Scout Troop #6 and read the announcements for the month. MINUTES - Minutes of the Council Meetings held November 1, 2011 and November 15, 2011 Council Member Cavo moved to waive the reading of the minutes as all members have copies and additional copies are on file in the Office of the Legislative Assistant, seconded by council member Perkins. Motion passed by unanimous vote. CONSENT CALENDAR Council Member Seabury read the Consent Calendar. 3 – Receive the Communication and confirm the appointment of Council Members Phil Curran, Colleen Stanley and Paul Rotello to serve on the Government Entities Review Committee. Also confirm the reappointment of Allan T. Boyce (R) and Mark S. Chory (D) to the Committee. 6 – Receive the Communication and approve the $11,500 request for expenses associated with Project Homeless Connect as requested by the Danbury Housing Partnership. 7 - Receive the Communication and approve the request to accept all funding into the DBYHOUSEPART account for expenses associated with Project Homeless Connect as requested by the Danbury Housing Partnership. The expenses are estimated at approximately $2,500. 10 - Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution to restate the Danbury 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan as Proposed. 11 - Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution that will allow the City of Danbury to apply for and accept funding from the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management through its Local Capital Improvement Program. This funding of $30,000 will be used to purchase and install a generator for Fire Department Engine 24 station. 1 14 – Receive the Report and take no action on Sanitary Sewer extension for Karen Road project 11-08. 15 – Receive the Planning Commission and City Engineers reports and approve the relocation of Sanitary Sewer at the WCSU Westside Campus subject to the completion of the standard 8 conditions as outlined by the City Engineer. 16 - Receive the Planning Commission and City Engineers reports and approve the Renewal of application for the Sanitary Sewer and Water Main Extension for 25 Reynolds Rd. ( #H08108 ) as previously approved subject to the completion of the standard 8 conditions plus a 9 th condition as outlined by the City Engineer. Council Member Knapp moved to accept the Consent Calendar as presented, seconded by Council Member Chianese. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 1. COMMUNICATION – Police Contract Council Member Colla recused himself from discussion, participation and voting. Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, read the communication. Council Member Knapp moved to approve the funds necessary to implement the 2011-2015 collective bargaining agreement between the City of Danbury Police Union and to approve the provisions of the agreement which modifies existing term of ordinance provisions , seconded by Council Member Taylor. Discussion followed regarding the health care plan/benefit, retiree benefits, salary increases and language changes. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 2. COMMUNICATION – 2020 Task Force Council Member Curran moved to refer item to an ad hoc with the Director of Finance, Director of Public Works, Chairperson of the 2020 Task Force, a representative from the Office of the Mayor, Superintendent of Schools and Board of Ed Chairperson. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed Council Members Cavo, Seabury, Knapp, Saadi and Visconti to the committee. 3. COMMUNICATION – Appointments to Governmental Entities The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and the appointments confirmed. 4. COMMUNICATION - ‘Lone Sailor’ Statue Veterans Council Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, read the communication. Council Member Cavo moved to receive the communication and authorize the Veterans Council to proceed with the placement of the “Lone Sailor Monument along the Veterans Memorial Walkway, seconded by Council Member Curran. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 5. COMMUNICATION – Offer of Sale of Land to City - Broad Street Council Member Taylor moved to refer the item to an ad hoc with Corporation Counsel, Director of Planning, Director of Public Works and Tax Assessor.and Planning Report. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed Council Members Taylor, Haddad and Perkins to the committee. 6. COMMUNICATION – Danbury Housing Partnership ($11,500) The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and the request approved. 7. COMMUNICATION - Danbury Housing Partnership ($2,500) The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and the request approved. 8. COMMUNICATION – Downtown Revitalization Zone: Deferral of Assessment Increases Council Member Nagarsheth moved to refer item to a Public Hearing followed by a Committee of the Whole. Mayor Boughton so ordered. 2 9. RESOLUTION – Non Union Employee Benefits Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, read the communication. Council Member Colla moved to receive and adopt the Resolution as presented, seconded by Council Member Nagarsheth. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 10. RESOLUTION - City of Danbury 457 (b) Deferred Compensation Plan The communication and Resolution were received on the Consent Calendar and the Resolution adopted. 11. RESOLUTION – LOCIP Funding The communication and Resolution were received on the Consent Calendar and the Resolution adopted. 12. RESOLUTION – Long Ridge Road Bridge Easement Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, read the communication. Council Member Seabury moved to refer the item to Corporation Counsel to initiate the process to acquire the required easements, seconded by Council Member Nagarsheth. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 13. RESOLUTION – Safety Improvements – Intersection of Fifth Avenue and Osborne Mayor Boughton read the communication. Council Member Knapp moved to receive the communication and authorize Mayor Boughton to approve the Agreement for Safety Improvements at the Intersection of Fifth Avenue and Osborne Street , State Project No. 34-344, Federal Aid Project Nos. PE: 1034 (117) CN:1034 (118), City Project No. 10-31, seconded by Council Member Saadi. Antonio Iadarola, P.E., Director of Public Works advised that because of the amount of pedestrian traffic and number of accidents at the intersection, the project won approval. The traffic lights would be timed with other traffic lights in the immediate vicinity. There would also be some minor sidewalk modifications and gutter work associated with this project. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 14. REPORT – Sanitary Sewer Extension - Karen Road The report was received on the Consent Calendar and no action taken. 15. REPORTS - Sanitary Sewer Force Main Relocation – WCSU The reports were received on the Consent Calendar and the relocation approved subject to conditions. 16. REPORTS – Renewal – Sanitary Sewer and Water Extension – 25 Reynolds The reports were received on the Consent Calendar and the application approved subject to conditions. 17. REPORT – Restrict Private Businesses from Sewage Processing – Code of Ordinance, Section 16-1 and Section 16-14 Council Member Cavo moved to waive the reading of the REPORT as all members have copies and additional copies are on file in the Office of the Legislative Assistant. As there was no objection, Mayor Boughton so ordered. Council Member Levy moved to receive the report and adopt the amendments to Code of Ordinance Section 16-1 and Section 16-14 regarding restriction of private businesses from sewage processing, seconded by Council Member Seabury. Council Members Cavo and Saadi thanked and commended the Council Members and the Planning and Zoning Department for their thoughtful work on the issue which benefits the constituents and neighbors. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 3 18. REPORT – Downtown Municipal Sewer and Water Fees Code of Ordinance, Section 16-4 and Section 21-48 Council Member Cavo moved to waive the reading of the REPORT as all members have copies and additional copies are on file in the Office of the Legislative Assistant. As there was no objection, Mayor Boughton so ordered. Council Member Stanley moved to accept the Report and adopt the amendments to Code of Ordinance, Section 16-4 and Section 21-48 regarding Downtown Municipal Sewer and Water Fees, seconded by Council Member Chianese. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 19. – REPORT – Expansion of City Center District – Code of Ordinance, Section 19B-4 and Section 19B-10 Council Member Cavo moved to waive the reading of the REPORT as all members have copies and additional copies are on file in the Office of the Legislative Assistant. As there was no objection, Mayor Boughton so ordered. Council Member Wetmore moved to receive the Report and adopt the recommendation of the Committee of the Whole, seconded by Council Member Chianese. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 20 - DEPARTMENT REPORTS - Police, Fire, Health-Housing & Welfare, Dream Homes, Public Works, Permit Center, UNIT, Elderly Services, Library Council Member Cavo moved to waive the reading of the Department Reports as all Members have copies and additional copies are on file in the Office of the Legislative Assistant, seconded by Council Member Nagarsheth. Council Member Visconti thanked the UNIT for a job well done on Down Street. Council Member Levy thanked the Fire and Public Works Departments for the number of responses during the recent storm. Mayor Boughton recognized Duke Hart, Superintendent of Public Services, for his dedication and long hours of work resulting from Storm Alfred. Antonio Iadarola, P.E., Director of Public Works, gave a brief update on the debris clean-up effort. The debris clean-up is in the final stages with material exceeding the original projections. The next challenge would be to find a place that will accept the chipped material. The leaf pick-up program has been postponed and due to the volume of the storm debris, has not resumed. Department Reports were accepted by unanimous vote. Mayor Boughton extended all committees. There being no further business to come before the Council a motion was made at 8:45pm by Council Member Taylor to adjourn, seconded by Council Member Nagarsheth. Motion passed by unanimous vote to adjourn. Respectfully submitted, Dorathea A. Gulya-Stasny Recording Secretary Attest: Mark D. Boughton, Mayor 4