City Council

CITY OF DANBURY COUNCIL MEETING July 1, 2014 The meeting was called to order at 7:34 P.M. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER PUBLIC SPEAKING No members of the public wished to address the Council. Announcements Mayor Boughton read the announcements into the record. ROLL CALL Present Council Members: Curran, Haddad, Knapp, Levy, Stanley, Wetmore, Priola, DiGilio, Cavo, Saadi, Visconti, Palma, Arconti, Nero, Perkins, Chianese, Rotello, and Scozzafava. Absent: Seabury, Fox, and Loyola. Councilman Fox arrived at the meeting after the roll call. Minutes of the Council Meeting held June 3, 2014 A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Perkins to waive the reading of 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 A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Wetmore to approve the consent calendar as Councilman Knapp read it into the record. The motion carried unanimously. 1 - COMMUNICATION Proposed Property Purchase Councilman Cavo moved to refer this item to an ad hoc committee comprised of Corporation Counsel, a representative from the Mayor's Office, the Finance Director and a report from the Planning Commission. Mayor Boughton assigned Councilman Fox, Councilman Arconti and Councilman Visconti to the ad hoc committee. 2 - COMMUNICATION Danbury Housing Partnership/Project Homeless Connect The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 3 - COMMUNICATION Conveyance of Land - 145-149 Brushy Hill Road A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio and seconded by Councilman Visconti to receive the communication and approve the private subdivision at 145-149 Brushy Hill Road consisting of four parcels, subject to the final review of completed documents of conveyance as per the communication. The motion carried unanimously. Councilman Rotello inquired about the acreage of the lots, why the subdivision is necessary, and what will happen to the current bordering stone walls. 4 - COMMUNICATION Transfer of Road Rights - Cannonball Drive/Sycamore Trails Councilman Arconti moved to refer this item with full reports from the following individuals: the Director of Public Works, the City Engineer, Corporation Counsel and Planning Commission. 5 - COMMUNICATION Request to Purchase Land from City - (Peterson Farm) Councilman Scozzafava moved to refer this item to an ad hoc committee consisting of Corporation Counsel, and a report from the Planning Commission. Mayor Boughton assigned Councilmen Priola and Nero to the ad hoc committee, with Councilman Scozzafava as the chairman. 6 - RESOLUTION Community Block Grant Program - Program Year 40 The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 7 - RESOLUTION LOCIP 2014 Applications The communication was received on the Consent Calendar and approved. 8 - AD HOC REPORT Request for Sewer - Great Plain Road and Great Meadow Road A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Saadi to waive the reading of the report. The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Councilman Knapp and seconded by Councilwoman Stanley to approve the request subject to meeting all the Engineering Department requests outlined in the report of June 16, 2014 and all stipulations of the Planning Commission report dated June 16, 2014 and absent any impact on the City's utility system. The motion carried by the following vote: AYES: Curran, Haddad, Knapp, Levy, Stanley, Fox, Priola, DiGilio, Cavo, Saadi, Visconti, Palma, Arconti, Nero, Perkins, Chianese, Rotello, and Scozzafava. NAYS: Wetmore. ABSENT: Seabury, and Loyola. 9 - AD HOC REPORT Request to Waive Water and Sewer Fees - War Memorial A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Priola to waive the reading of the report. The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Councilman Levy and seconded by Councilwoman Stanley to recommend that the Council waive the sewer and water fees consistent with the committee's report. The motion carried unanimously. 10 - DEPARTMENT REPORTS Police, Fire, Health-Housing & Welfare, Dream Homes, Public Works, Permit Center, UNIT. Elderly, Library, Statement of Condition (Fire Department) A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Perkins to waive the reading of the departmental reports as all members have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant's office. The motion carried unanimously. Councilwoman Stanley requested that Chief Baker ask the Police Activity League to provide monthly reports to the City Council. Councilman Cavo thanked three individuals for the fabulous job they did beautifying Kennedy Park. Councilman Curran commented that in his seven years on the Council he had never received as many calls as he did in prior weeks regarding disorderly activity on Main Street after the sporting event, and asserted that the Council should do more to protect the citizens of Danbury. 12 - Add on - COMMUNICATION Donation to Parks and Recreation Department A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Saadi to add on item number 12 to the agenda which is the letter from the Veteran Council of Danbury requesting the installation of a meditation bench adjacent to the Korean War monument, next to Veterans' Memorial Walkway. The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Perkins to receive the communication and approve the installation of the meditation bench adjacent to the Korean War monument, next to the Veterans' Memorial Walkway under the supervision of the Director of Public Works. The motion carried unanimously. Remove from the table - Item 4 from June, 2014 agenda - Donation from Danbury Dominican Softball League A motion was made by Councilman Visconti and seconded by Councilman Saadi to remove from the table Item 4 from the June, 2014 agenda, the donation from the Danbury Dominican Softball League of a fence in Rogers Park, and have a discussion at this time. The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Councilman Visconti and seconded by Councilman Haddad to Approve a donation from the Danbury Dominican Softball League of $4,500 for a fence along the brook on field #1, which will cover the labor and material. The motion carried unanimously. Councilman Perkins asked if the City Council had issues with allowing non-city residents to perform labor on city property, and whether donated maintenance is acceptable. Councilman Chianese questioned, and was assured that the construction would meet the City's standards for fence safety, that the installation of the fence would be monitored, that the fence would be maintained by the City and that the fence style will be chain link. EXECUTIVE SESSION A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Wetmore to enter into executive session with selected department heads. The motion carried unanimously. Return to Open Session COMMUNICATION Ratification of Recent Tax Appeal Settlement A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and seconded by Councilman Saadi to Approve and authorize the Corporation Counsel's office to take the necessary action on the three properties as listed during executive session and execute all documents as necessary regarding tax appeals. The motion carried unanimously. Mayor Boughton extended all committees and entertained a motion to adjourn at __:__ P.M. A motion was made by Councilman Saadi and seconded by Councilman Curran to Adjourn. The motion carried unanimously. Draft minutes submitted by Rachel Labruzzo July 3, 2014