City Council

CITY COUNCIL March 05, 2013 Honorable Mayor, Mark D. Boughton, called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm in the Council Chambers. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER Mark Langlois led all in the Pledge of Alliance and Councilman Curran led all in prayer. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Council Members: Philip Curran, Michael Haddad Sr., Jack Knapp, Warren Levy, Gregg Seabury, Colleen Stanley, Donald Taylor, Phillip Colla, Shay Nagarsheth, Mike Halas, Joseph Cavo, Thomas Saadi, Fred Visconti, Andrew Wetmore, Elmer Palma, Peter Nero, Duane Perkins, Benjamin Chianese, Paul Rotello, Joseph Scozzafava, and Mary Teicholz. PRESENT: 21 ABSENT: 0 ALSO PRESENT: Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant; Robert Yamin, Corporation Council; and Les Pinter, Deputy Corporation Council. PUBLIC SPEAKING  Arthur Weiss, 7 Ridge Road, spoke in favor of Item #5.  Mike Cunningham, 101 West Redding Road and the Ives Trail Task Force, spoke on Item #13.  Chris Orifici, the owner of Westconn Aviation, spoke in favor of Item #10. MINUTES - Minutes of the City Council Meeting held February 5, 2013 A motion was made by Jack Knapp and seconded by Thomas Saadi to waive the reading and approve the minutes of the previous meeting as all members have copies and additional copies are on file in the Office of the Legislative Assistant. The motion carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR Councilman Seabury read the consent calendar. 2 - Receive the Communication and approve the appointment of Robert Chiocchio as an alternate member of the Planning Commission with a term to expire January 1, 2016. 3 - Receive the Communication and approve the appointment of Paul Valeri as a member of the Danbury Museum & Historical Society with a term to expire March 1, 2016. 4 - Receive the Communication and approve the appointment of David Lee and Robert Tamburri as members of the Aviation Commission with terms to expire July 1, 2016. 5 - Receive the Communication and approve the re-naming of Ridge Road to Red Ridge Road as requested by the residents of Ridge Road. 9 - Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution allowing the City of Danbury to accept radio equipment through the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) Grant Program. 11 - Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution allowing the City of Danbury Health and Human Services Department to submit a 'request for proposal' to the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health to request funding to expand services at the existing School Based Health Centers. This funding request is for $562,930.00 which if awarded, will be allocated from May 1, 2013 to June 30, 2016. 12 - Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution allowing the City of Danbury Department of Elderly Services to apply for and accept funding from the "Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation". This funding request, not to exceed $35,000.00, will allow the Director to expand services to the City's elderly clients through additional staffing and materials/equipment purchases. 14 - Receive the Communication and approve the time extension on the request for Sanitary Sewer and Water Main Approval - 12 Clapboard Ridge Rd. 15 - Receive the Report of Corporation Counsel and approve the conveyance of land for widening of Hospital Avenue as requested by the Danbury Hospital Expansion Project, together with sidewalk easements and Conveyance of a Sewer Main Extension. This project has, as requested by the City Council, received a positive recommendation from the Planning Commission dated December 5, 2012 and a Variance that was granted by the ZBA dated December 13, 2012. 16 - Receive the Report of the Ad-Hoc Committee and approve the Committees request to accept the Audit Report dated June 30, 2012. A motion was made by Jack Knapp and seconded by Benjamin Chianese to accept the consent calendar as presented. The motion carried unanimously. 1. COMMUNICATION-Solar Energy Councilman Nagarsheth requested that the item be referred to an Ad Hoc Committee with Corporation Counsel, Representative from the Mayor's office, Director of Finance, and Director of Public Works. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed Council Members Wetmore, Taylor, and Chianese. 2. COMMUNICATION-Alternate to the Planning Commission The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 3. COMMUNICATION-Appointment to Danbury Museum and Historical Society Authority The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 4. COMMUNICATION-Appointments to the Aviation Commission The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 5. COMMUNICATION-Proposed Re-naming of Ridge Road to Red Ridge Road The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 6. COMMUNICATION-Still River Alliance A motion was made by Mary Teicholz and seconded by Duane Perkins to receive the communication and adopt the resolution to recognize the Danbury Still River Alliance as a City based entity performing essential functions related to nature, conservancy and community outreach in a variety of capacities on behalf of city departments and citizens. The motion carried unanimously. Councilman Saadi stated that it is important to protect volunteers when they are performing public service, and he is in support of the committee. However, he would ask that Mayor establish an Ad Hoc to establish this as more formal board, authority or commission unless there is a reason otherwise. Mayor Boughton had no objections and would pursue at a future City Council meeting. 7. COMMUNICATION-Conveyance of Future Installation of Traffic Light, Devices - Sugar Hollow Associates - Sugar Hollow and Backus Avenue Councilwoman Stanley requested referral to Corporation Counsel, City Engineering and Planning Commission for reports. Mayor Boughton so ordered. 8. RES0LUTION-Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - FCI Danbury A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Shay Nagarsheth to receive the communication and authorize the Police Chief or his designee to enter into the MOU with the Danbury FCI for the limited purposes of using the firing range on the FCI property. The motion carried unanimously. 9. RES0LUTION-DEMHS Transreceiver The resolution was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 10. RES0LUTION-FAA Grant - Master Plan A motion was made by Jack Knapp and seconded by Shay Nagarsheth to receive and adopt the resolution that will allow the City Of Danbury to apply for and accept funds from the FAA and the State of CT totaling $500,000 to conduct an Airport Master Plan update, the FAA will fund 90%, the state funding 7.5%, and the remaining portion will be matched through in kind service of the Airport Administration. The motion carried unanimously. A brief discussion regarding the application process, public participation, the current plan which was completed 1992, and the components of the plan to be completed took place. 11. RES0LUTION-SBHC Expansion RFP The resolution was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 12. RES0LUTION-PCLB Foundation Grant - Elderly Services The resolution was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 13. RES0LUTION-Open Space/Ives Trail Acquisition - Jackson Pond Property A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Thomas Saadi to move this item to the end of the agenda and go into Executive Session. The motion carried unanimously. 14. REPORTS-Sewer and Water Extension - 12 Clapboard Ridge Road The report was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 15. REPORTS-Conveyance of Land and Sidewalk Easements - Danbury Hospital The report was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 16. AD HOC REPORT-Audit Committee The report was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 17. AD HOC REPORT-CACD Progress Report A motion was made by Gregg Seabury to waive the reading of the report. The motion passed unanimously. A motion was made by Gregg Seabury and seconded by Shay Nagarsheth to receive the communication from the committee and adopt the recommendations and motions within. The motion carried unanimously. 18. DEPARTMENT REPORTS-Police, Fire, Health-Housing & Welfare, Dream Homes, Public Works, Permit, Unit, Elderly Services, Library. A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Duane Perkins to waive reading of Department Reports as all members have copies and copies are available in the Legislative Assistants Office. The motion carried unanimously. Councilman Knapp asked for an update on pot holes from the Director of Public Works. Mr. Iadarola discussed his department’s efforts and challenges in repairing pot holes on the City's road. Councilman Knapp thanked Mr. Iadarola and the staff for doing a great job during the last big storm. Mayor Boughton reminded the public to use the 311 system to report pot holes. Mayor Boughton commended Rich Antose and Shawn Stillman from the UNIT getting a group of individuals to do litter control today. 19. RESOLUTION-Airport sequestration cuts that effect Danbury Airport. A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Paul Rotello to add Item #19 to this agenda in regards to a resolution concerning the airport tower. The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Paul Rotello to receive the communication and adopt the resolution that the City Council of Danbury, Connecticut, and its Mayor, Mark D. Boughton, do hereby resolve and state that it is in the highest and best interests of the City of Danbury, Connecticut, that its Danbury Municipal Airport be spared cuts by sequestration of federal dollars in such manner and may continue safe, efficient and federally authorized flight and business activity at DXR through the continued and vital operation and use of its Traffic Control Tower, and as required pursuant to standard federal operational and safety needs and mandates. The motion carried unanimously. 13. RES0LUTION-Open Space/Ives Trail Acquisition - Jackson Pond Property A motion was made by Thomas Saadi and seconded by Joseph Cavo to go in to Executive Session. The motion carried unanimously. The City Council went into executive session at 8:35 pm. The City Council came out of Executive Session at 9:00 pm. (Due to an operator error, the video recording did not resume immediately.) A motion was made by Joseph Cavo and seconded by Thomas Saadi to receive the Resolution and initiate a letter of intent to negotiate the purchase of the property near Jackson Pond for the continuation of the Ives trails using the Open Space Fund. The motion carried unanimously. There being no further business to come before the City Council a motion was made at 9:03 pm by Warren Levy and seconded by Donald Taylor for the meeting to be adjourned. The motion passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Shani Burke Specht Recording Secretary Attest, Mark D. Boughton, Mayor