City Council

CITY COUNCIL MEETING October 4, 2012 Mayor Mark D. Boughton called the City Council Meeting to order at 7:30pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Present were Council members: Philip Curran, Michael Haddad, Warren Levy, Gregg Seabury, Donald Taylor, Michael Halas, Shay Nagarsheth, Phil Colla, Joseph Cavo, Thomas Saadi, Andrew Wetmore, Steven Darcy, Peter Nero, Duane Perkins, Benjamin Chianese, Paul Rotello, Mary Teicholz PRESENT: 17 ABSENT : 4 Council members Stanley, Scozzafava and Visconti were not feeling well and council member Knapp was out of town on business. Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, Robert J. Yamin, Corporation Counsel; and Laszlo Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel were also present. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG & PRAYER William Nicol led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. Council member Wetmore led everyone in a prayer. PUBLIC SPEAKING There were no members of the public wishing to speak. Public speaking ended at 7:35PM. Mayor Boughton read the announcements for the month. MINUTES - Minutes of the Council Meeting held on September 5, 2012 Council member Cavo moved to waive the reading of the minutes of the September 5, 2012 as all members have copies and additional copies are on file in the Office of the Legislative Assistant, seconded by council member Taylor . Motion passed by unanimous vote. Council member Seabury read the Consent Calendar. 4 – Receive the Communication and authorize the transfer of $18,000.00 from the Contingency Account to a new Special Revenue account for the purpose of a Storm Water Management Plan for the Airport as specified by the DEEP. 7 – Receive the Communication and approve the Easement/Rights to Drain to be granted to the City of Danbury at 41 Grand Street, subject to a favorable recommendation from the Planning Commission. 8 – Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution to reauthorize the City of Danbury to acquire the property interests as necessary to complete the Long Ridge Road – Bridge reconstruction. 9 – Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution that will allow the City of Danbury Department of Health and Human Services to apply for and accept funding from the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services. The funding, not to exceed $90,277.00 will cover operational costs at the City’s Homeless Shelter for the period 10-1-12 to 06-13-13. No local match is required. 10 – Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution to allow the City of Danbury to apply to the State of Connecticut Office of Policy Management through the LOCIP program for funding of $40,000.00 for energy conservation improvements and renovations to Citizens Hose Company, a city firehouse. 1 11 - Receive the Communication and adopt the Resolution that will allow the City of Danbury Department of Health and Human Services to apply for and accept funding from FEMA through the United Way totaling $3,000.00 to be used for Homeless Shelter operations. The Funding covers the period of 1-1-12 to 12-31- 12. No local match is required. 12 – Receive the Communication and approve the water and fire hydrant easements as requested by Ingersoll Auto of Danbury. These easements (as required by the Planning Departments site plan approval process) are subject to favorable reports from the City Engineer and Planning Commission and are subject to the completion of all necessary documentation in a form acceptable to the Office of Corporation Counsel. 14 – Receive the Communication and approve the Sidewalk Easements from Union Savings Bank to the City of Danbury at 116 Main Street and 6 Boughton Street. 15 – Receive the Committee Report and refer to a Public Hearing. Council member Teicholz moved to accept the Consent as presented, seconded by council member Perkins. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 1 - COMMUNICATION - Promotions - Fire Department Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant read the communication. Council member Colla moved to receive the communication and confirm the promotion of Lt. Lounsbury to the position of Fire Captain, seconded by council member Perkins. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, read the communication. Council member Halas moved to receive the communication and confirm the promotion of Fire Fighter Silk to the position of Fire Lieutenant, seconded by council member Chianese. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, read the communication. Council member Curran moved to receive the communication and confirm the promotion of Fire Fighter Ryan to the position of Fire Lieutenant, seconded by council member Taylor. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 2 - COMMUNICATION - Donation to Parks and Recreation Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant read the communication. Council member Nagarsheth moved to receive the communication and accept the donation of $4,200 and deposit the funds in account 1000.4654 and send an appropriate letter of thanks, seconded by council member Teicholz. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 3 - COMMUNICATION - Donation to the Danbury Library Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant read the communication. Council member Wetmore moved to receive the communication and accept the donation to the Danbury Library in the amount of $3,972.60 and send an appropriate letter of thanks, seconded by council member Taylor. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 4 - COMMUNICATION - Certification of Funds - Stormwater Management Plan Airport The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and the transfer approved. 5 - COMMUNICATION - Certification of Funds - Storm Alfred Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant, read the communication. Council member Cavo moved to receive the communication and authorize the funds in the amount of $1,485,126.92 to be transferred for the clean up of Storm Alfred from special revenue FEMA 1077, seconded by council member Nagarsheth. Mayor Boughton and Council members Saadi, Cavo and Taylor thanked David St. Hilaire, Director of Finance and Paul Estefan, Director of Civil Preparedness for their efforts performing the accounting and analyses for the reimbursement from FEMA, which is more than originally anticipated and for keeping the Council abreast of the proceedings. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 2 6 - COMMUNICATION - Deferral of Assessment Increases - Paul Mitchell Beauty School Council member Nagarsheth requested referral to an Ad Hoc with Corporation Counsel, Director of Economic Development, Director of Planning, Director of Finance and a representative from the Office of the Mayor. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed council members Colla, Levy and Rotello to the committee. 7 - COMMUNICATION - Easement/Rights to Drain - 41 Grand Street The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and the Easement/Right to Drain approved. 8 - RESOLUTION - Long Ridge Road - Bridge Reconstruction The communication and Resolution were received on the Consent Calendar and the Resolution adopted. 9 - RESOLUTION - DSS Shelter Funding The communication and Resolution were received on the Consent Calendar and the Resolution adopted. 10 - RESOLUTION - LOCIP 2012 Application The communication and Resolution were received on the Consent Calendar and the Resolution adopted. 11 - RESOLUTION - United Way Funding - Shelter The communication and Resolution were received on the Consent Calendar and the Resolution adopted. 12 - REPORTS - Acceptance of Easements - Ingersoll Auto of Danbury The reports were received on the Consent Calendar and the easements approved. 13 - REPORT - Reapportionment Advisory Commission Council member Cavo requested referral to an Ad- Hoc with Corporation Council. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed council members Cavo, Seabury, Knapp, Saadi and Visconti. 14 - REPORT - Sidewalk Easement - Union Savings Bank - 116 Main Street and 6 Boughton Street The report was received on the Consent Calendar and the easements approved. 15 - AD HOC REPORT - Downtown Incentive Package - Code of Ordinances, Sections 11-2, 6-02, 11-7 and 17-7 The report was received on the Consent Calendar and referred to a Public Hearing. 16 - DEPARTMENT REPORTS - Police, Fire, Health-Housing & Welfare, Dream Homes, Public Works, Permit, 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 Perkins. Council member Wetmore thanked the UNIT staff for their prompt response to some recent constituent matters. Council member Rotello thanked Richard Palanzo, Superintendent of Public Buildings for the new water fountains in City Hall. Council member Taylor commented that the library fountain is a beautiful addition to the area. Council member Levy commented that 1,800 fire hydrants have been tested to-date with only a minimum number out of service. He also noted that the Fire Fighter I Class had 15 out of 17 passing and providing a real benefit to the City. Council member Saadi commented that the crime report shows a significant decrease in crime in Danbury. Council member Curran thanked the Public Works Director, City Engineer and staff for their work on the Middle River Road Bridge repairs. 3 Council member Cavo moved to add item #17, Community Action Committee of Danbury to the agenda, seconded by council member Wetmore. Motion passed by unanimous vote. 17 – Community Action Committee of Danbury Council member Cavo requested referral to an Ad Hoc with Asst. Corporation Counsel, Director of Finance, a representative from the Office of the Mayor. Mayor Boughton so ordered and appointed council members Cavo, Seabury, Knapp, Saadi and Visconti to the committee. Mayor Boughton extended all committees. There being no further business to come before the Council, a motion was made at 8:08pm by council member Seabury, seconded by council member Taylor to adjourn. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Respectfully submitted, Dorathea A. Gulya-Stasny Recording Secretary Attest: Mark D. Boughton, Mayor 4