City Council

~CITY OF DANBURY CITY COUNCIL~ Meeting Minutes Tuesday, August 6, 2013 Hon. Mark D. Boughton, Mayor City Council Members Mayor Mark D. Boughton called the City Council Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6, 2013. Present were Council members: Michael Haddad, Jack Knapp, Warren Levy, Greg Seabury, Colleen Stanley, Donald Taylor, Jr., Phillip Colla, Shailesh Nagarsheth, Michael Halas, Joseph Cavo, Thomas Saadi, Fred Visconti, Elmer Palma, Andrew Wetmore, Peter Nero, Benjamin Chianese, Paul Rotello and Mary Teicholz. Absent: Philip Curran (out of the country), Duane Perkins (work commitment) and Joseph Scozzafava (family commitment). PRESENT: 18, ABSENT: 3 Also present were Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant; Robert J. Yamin, Corporation Counsel; Laszlo L. Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel; David St. Hilaire, Finance Director. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG & A PRAYER: Sean Stillman led everyone in the room in the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilwoman Teicholz lead everyone in the room in a prayer. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: Lynn Waller, 83 Highland Avenue, pointed out Highland Avenue parking situation and asked for the park to remain open until dusk to help with overcrowding of cars on the road. Addressed Item #16 and voiced her concerns with regard to the length of the contract and other aspects she did not agree with. She asked that the contract not be approved as she felt it was one-sided favoring Mr. Winters. Addressed Item #3. Henry Spenik, 25 Old Neversink Road, addressed Item #2, pointed out his taxes went up 33% and with his fixed income and age, he is finding it very difficult to survive with such an increase and feels this increase will only result in forcing older people to relocate out of Danbury. Ken Guker, 89 Padanaram Road, addressed Item #3, while he favored developing the area, he expressed the need for additional information regarding the plans for development and impact on traffic, did not agree with tax abatement. Maryanne Howe, 20 Lake Road, addressed Item #2, pointed out her taxes went up $3,000 this year without being offered a phase-in plan, 60% of Danbury residents were not impacted, asked that the matter be reviewed. Margaret Mitchell, Main and Park Place, addressed Item #16, in general agreed with Ms. Waller’s statements. With respect to Item #3, she would like to see the tax advantage create jobs, but did not feel the proposed tax incentive was favorable to housing. As no other member of the public wished to speak, Public Participation was closed at 7:55 p.m. Mayor Boughton read the announcements for the month of August. MINUTES: A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Taylor that the City Council approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of July 2, 2013 as presented and to waive the reading of same as the Council have copies of the Minutes and are available in the Office of Legislative Assistant. The motion carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR: Councilman Seabury presented the following items for the Consent Calendar: 4. Receive the communication and approve the reappointments of Edward Prybylski, Jr. (D) and Linda L. Murray (U) as Members of the Conservation Commission with terms to expire July 1, 2016. 5. Receive the communication and approve the appointment of Laurie Lee Weinstein (D) as a Member of the Danbury Museum and Historical Society Authority. 7. Receive the communication and approve the “Memorandum of Understanding—Mutual Assistance FCI Danbury” between the Federal Correction Institution Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Danbury Police Department. 8. Receive the communication and approve the funding to the Danbury Housing Partnership/Project Homeless Connect for the program to be held on December 13, 2013. These funds are not to exceed $4,000.00. 9. Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing the Health and Human Services Department to enter into collaboration with Western Connecticut State University thus authorizing the Student Education Affiliation Agreement allowing WCSU’s students access to work with clients at the homeless shelter for the purposes of clinical work experience as part of their education. 10. Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing the Health and Human Services Department to apply for and accept funding from the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health for a Lead Poisoning prevention program. This funding, not to exceed $42,667.00 is for the period of 7/1/2013 to 6/30/2014. 11. Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Mark D. Boughton to apply for and accept funding through the State of Connecticut LoCIP program for HVAC upgrades/gas conversion at the Tarrywile Mansion. This funding is not to exceed $43,400.00. 12. Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Mark D. Boughton to approve and submit the City’s 2013-2018 Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant Program Year 39 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Available Funding for the time period 8/1/2013 to 7/31/2014 totals $526,230.00 with no local match required. 13. Receive the reports of the Planning Commission and City Engineer and approve the request for Extension of Time for Sanitary Sewer Extension Approval at 4 Cedar Crest Drive. The approval is subject to submission of all plans and documents as required by the Engineering Department and the Office of Corporation Counsel. 14. Receive the reports of the Corporation Counsel, Planning Commission and City Engineer and approve the request of Oakview, LLC for the conveyance of Road Widening Strips at Chambers Road and King Street. The approval is subject to the petitioner completing all necessary documentation as required by the Engineering Department and the Office of Corporation Counsel. 15. Receive the report of the Committee of the Whole and approve the adoption of the amendments to Code of Ordinance Section 2-56.8 authorizing the designation of three alternate members to the Conservation Commission. A motion was made by Councilman Knapp and seconded by Councilman Taylor to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Mr. Cavo noted for the record a typographical error in Item #12, the timeframe should read 2013-2014. The motion carried unanimously. 1. COMMUNICATION—Proposed Lease—Head Start Building—37 Foster Street: Councilman Wetmore asked that this be referred to an Ad Hoc Committee along with Corporation Counsel, a representative from the Mayor’s Office, a representative from Connecticut Institute for Communities and a report from the Planning Commission. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed Council Members Teicholz (Chair), Levy and Visconti to the Committee. 2. COMMUNICATION—Tax Relief for Residential/Apartment Taxpayers: Councilwoman Stanley asked that this be referred to an Ad Hoc Committee along with Corporation Counsel, a representative from the Mayor’s Office, the Director of Finance and the Tax Assessor. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed Council Members Curran (Chair), Wetmore and Chianese to the Committee. 3. COMMUNICATION—Request for Ad Hoc—Kennedy Place: Councilman Knapp asked that this be referred to an Ad Hoc Committee along with Corporation Counsel, a representative from the Mayor’s Office, the Director of Planning and the Director of Economic Development. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed Council Members Stanley (Chair), Knapp and Visconti to the Committee. 4. COMMUNICATION—Reappointments to the Conservation Commission: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 5. COMMUNICATION—Appointment to the Danbury Museum & Historical Society: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 6. COMMUNICATION—Request for Ad Hoc—Volunteer Fire Departments: Councilwoman Teicholz asked that this be referred to an Ad Hoc Committee along with Corporation Counsel, a representative from the Mayor’s Office, Director of Finance, the Fire Chief and the President of the Volunteer Council. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed Council Members Seabury (Chair), Knapp and Saadi to the Committee. 7. COMMUNICATION—Memorandum of Understanding—FCI: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 8. COMMUNICATION—Danbury Housing Partnership/Project Homeless Connect: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 9. RESOLUTION—Student Affiliation Agreement with WCSU: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 10. RESOLUTION—DPH Grant—Lead Prevention: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 11. RESOLUTION—LOCIP 2013 Application: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 12. RESOLUTION—Community Development Block Grant Program—Year 39: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 13. REPORTS—Sanitary Sewer Extension—4 Cedar Crest Drive: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 14. REPORTS—Conveyance of Road Widening Strips—Oakview LLC Chambers Road/King Street: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 15. REPORTS AND ORDINANCE—Conservation Commission—Alternates Code of Ordinance Section 2-56.8: The communication was received on the consent calendar and approved. 16. REPORT AND ORDINANCE—Solid Waste and Recycling Authority Code of Ordinance, Section 2-56.18 and Host Community Benefit and Co-Operation Agreement (Winter Brothers): Councilman Cavo asked the Mayor to provide an update. Mayor Boughton pointed out that the Council made some requests regarding key issues they questioned. Discussions have taken place but more time is needed due to vacations, etc. The Clerk distributed a handout to the Council. A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Rotello to table Item #16. The motion carried unanimously. 17. AD HOC REPORT—DXR Holdings—Wallingford Road—Deed Restriction: A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Nagarsheth to waive the reading of the Committee’s report and recommit Item #17 back to an Ad Hoc. (Committee consists of: Knapp (Chair), Cavo and Rotello. The motion carried unanimously. 18. DEPARTMENT REPORTS—Police, Fire, Health-Housing & Welfare, Dream Homes, Public Works, Permit Center, UNIT, Elderly, Library: A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Nagarsheth to waive the reading of the Department Reports as the Council have copies of the Reports and are available in the Office of the Legislative Assistant. Nick Kaplanis reported on the issue raised regarding hours of operation for City parks and the parking concerns. Antonio Iadarola reported on the progress being made with the school renovations and City projects. The Council accepted the Department Reports as presented. The motion carried unanimously. Mayor Boughton extended all committees. A motion was made by Councilman Nagarsheth and seconded by Councilman Seabury that the City Council Meeting be adjourned. The motion carried unanimously at 8:42 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Amy LaValle Recording Secretary Attest, Mark D. Boughton, Mayor