City Council

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING January 3, 2013 Honorable Mayor, Mark D. Boughton, called the Special meeting to order at 5:07 pm on Thursday, January 3, 2013 in the Council Chambers. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER Corporation Counsel, Robert Yamin, led the pledge of allegiance and Councilman Curran led all in prayer. PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBERS: Philip Curran , Michael J. Haddad Sr., Jack Knapp, Warren Levy, Gregg Seabury, Colleen Stanley, Phillip Colla, Shay Nagarsheth, Joseph Cavo, Thomas Saadi, Fred Visconti, Andrew Wetmore, Peter Nero, Duane Perkins, Benjamin Chianese, Paul T. Rotello, and Mary Teicholz. Absent: Don Taylor, Michael Halas, and Joseph Scozzafava. Councilman Taylor was out of town. Councilman Halas was working. Councilman Scozzafava is sick. There is one vacancy as Mr. Darcy resigned during the month of December. PRESENT: 17 ABSENT: 3 VACANCY: 1 ALSO PRESENT: Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, Robert J. Yamin, Corporation Counsel; Laszlo Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel and David St. Hilaire, Director of Finance. NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Gregg Seabury that all members have received their return to service and have been duly notified of this meeting. The motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC SPEAKING There were no members of the public wishing to speak. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Boughton read the announcements for the month including a moment of silence for the victims of the December 14th tragedy in Newtown. MINUTES - Minutes of the City Council Meeting held December 19, 2012 A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Duane Perkins to waive the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting as all members 1  have copies and additional copies are on file in the Office of the Legislative Assistant. The motion carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR Councilman Seabury read consent Calendar 2 – Receive the Communication and approve the Certification of Funds of the Historical Document Reserve Account and transfer the sum of $3,825.00 to account 1160.5701 as requested by Danbury Town Clerk for the preservation and management of historic documents. 8 - Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing the abatement of taxes, not to exceed $10,000.00, under Section 8-125 of the Connecticut General Statutes on the Property owned by Beaver Street Apartments, Inc. located at Beaver Street and Rose Street in Danbury. This abatement is for the Grand List of October 1, 2011. 9 - Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing the City of Danbury to appropriate from the Open Space Bond fund the sum of $500.00 for the surveyor’s fees to revise the easement, and $100.00 to compensate the property owner, Robert Ruscoe, for the additional easement area – Tax Assessor’s Lot No. J24004. This is a modification of a previous easement granted of said Lot on January 18, 2012. A motion was made by Jack Knapp and seconded by Thomas Saadi to accept the consent calendar as presented. The motion carried unanimously. 1 - COMMUNICATION - Ordinance Recodification Councilwoman Teicholz requested referral to an Ad Hoc Committee with Corporation Counsel, and a representative from the Office of the Mayor. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed Council Members Seabury, Stanley, and Nero to the committee. 2 -COMMUNICATION - Certification of Funds-Historic Documents Reserve The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 3 - COMMUNICATION - Donation to the Fire Department A motion was made by Andrew Wetmore and seconded by Fred Visconti to receive the communication and accept the donation to the Fire Department and send an appropriate letter of thanks. The motion carried unanimously. 4 - COMMUNICATION - Donation to the Health Department A motion was made by Colleen Stanley and seconded by Benjamin Chianese to receive the communication and accept the donation from Pittney Bowes for the Still River Greenway Stewardship program and send an appropriate letter of thanks. The motion carried unanimously. 2 5 - COMMUNICATION - Sidewalk Easement - Wallingford Road Councilman Knapp requested that the matter be referred to Corporation Counsel, City Engineer, and Planning Commission for reports. Mayor Boughton so ordered. 6 - COMMUNICATION - Easement to City of Danbury - 14 Ironwood Drive Councilman Nagarsheth requested that the matter be referred to Corporation Counsel, City Engineer, and Planning Commissions for reports. Mayor Boughton so ordered. 7 - RES0LUTION - FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant A motion was made by Phillip Colla and seconded by Shay Nagarsheth to accept the communication and adopt the resolution allowing Mayor Boughton or Chief Herald, as designee, to apply for and accept the funding from FEMA and to do all things necessary to effectuate the purposes there of. The motion carried unanimously. A brief discussion regarding the matching requirements, exact uses of funding, and the time frame took place. 8 - RES0LUTION - State of Connecticut Real Estate Tax Abatement - Beaver Street Apartments The communication and Resolution were received on the Consent Calendar and the Resolution adopted. 9 - RES0LUTION - Open Space Bond Acquisition - Ives Trail Greenway - Modification of Easement on Land of Robert Ruscoe The communication and Resolution were received on the Consent Calendar and the Resolution adopted. 10 - RES0LUTION - Woman’s Club of Danbury-New Fairfield Grant A motion was made by Gregg Seabury and seconded by Colleen Stanley to accept the resolution to allow the Danbury Library to apply for and accept funding from the Women's Club of Danbury-New Fairfield but not to exceed $2000. The motion carried unanimously. A discussion regarding the purchase to be made with the funding took place. 11-DEPARTMENT REPORTS A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Duane Perkins 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. The motion carried unanimously. Mayor Boughton thanked Fire Chief Herald and Police Chief Baker for assisting Newtown and providing additional security for the Danbury Schools. 3 Adjourn A motion was made by Duane Perkins and seconded by Shay Nagarsheth to Adjourn. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting ended at 5:31 pm. Respectfully submitted, Shani Burke Specht Recording Secretary Attest, Mark D. Boughton, Mayor 4