City Council

CITY COUNCIL MEETING December 6, 2016 Honorable Mayor, Mark D. Boughton, called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER State Representative and Town Clerk Jan Giegler led all in the Pledge of Allegiance. Chief Philip Curran led all in prayer. ROLL CALL: COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Philip Curran, Christina Chieffalo, Mike Esposito, Warren Levy, Gregg Seabury, Andrew Wetmore, Irving Fox, John Priola, Vinny DiGilio, Joseph Cavo, Thomas Saadi, Elmer Palma, Christopher Arconti, John Esposito, Duane Perkins, Ben Chianese, Paul Rotello, and Nancy Cammisa. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Colleen Stanley is attending a family event; Fred Visconti is ill; and Joseph Scozzafava is having car issues. PRESENT: 18, ABSENT: 3 ALSO PRESENT: Robert J. Yamin, Corporation Counsel; Les Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel; David St. Hilaire, Director of Finance; and Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant. PUBLIC SPEAKING  David Fine, Danbury, discussed Item 11. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Boughton made the announcements for the month of December. MINUTES - Minutes of the Council Meeting held November 2, 2016 A motion was made by Councilman Cavo and was seconded by Councilman Perkins, to waive the reading and accept the minutes, as all members have copies and copies are available in the office of the Legislative Assistant. The motion carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR Councilman Seabury read the Consent Calendar as follows: 4. COMMUNICATION - Certification of Funds - Historic Document Reserve Funds Receive the communication and approve the request from Town Clerk Janice R. Giegler and transfer of $127,500.00 from the Historic Documents Reserve Account to the Town Clerk’s Office Equipment and Outside Services Accounts for purchases to store historic materials and update the land record system. 10. RESOLUTION - Revised Preventive Health & Human Services Block Grant - Year 2 Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mark D. Boughton, Mayor of the City of Danbury, or Scott T. Leroy, Director of Health as his designee, to apply for and accept the increase in funding of $943.00 as communicated by the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health as related to the existing contract for the State’s Preventative Health Block Grant (PHBG). A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio seconded by Councilman Perkins, to accept the Consent Calendar as presented. The motion carried unanimously. 1. COMMUNICATION - Promotion - Fire Department - Fire Lieutenant A motion was made by Councilman Mike Esposito, seconded by Councilman Perkins, to receive the communications and confirm the appointment of Fire Fighter Nicholas Velotti to the position of Fire Lieutenant in the Danbury Fire Department. The motion carried unanimously. 2. COMMUNICATION - Appointment - Police Department A motion was made by Councilman Arconti, seconded by Councilman Saadi, to receive the communication and confirm the appointment of Frederick Bauer to the position of Police Officer in the Danbury Police Department. The motion carried unanimously. 3. COMMUNICATION - Sewer Ordinance Revisions - Section 16-32 A motion was made by Councilman Cavo to refer to an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of Corporation Counsel, Superintendent of Public Utilities, and possibly the Director of Finance. Hearing no objections, Mayor Boughton ordered the Ad Hoc Committee with the following Councilmembers - Curran as Chair, Priola, and Chianese. 4. COMMUNICATION - Certification of Funds - Historic Document Reserve Funds *CONSENTED - Receive the communication and approve the request from Town Clerk Janice R. Giegler and transfer of $127,500.00 from the Historic Documents Reserve Account to the Town Clerk’s Office Equipment and Outside Services Accounts for purchases to store historic materials and update the land record system. 5. COMMUNICATION - Library Cafe A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio to refer to an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of Corporation Counsel, City Business Advocate, and the Director of the Library. Hearing no objections, Mayor Boughton ordered the Ad Hoc Committee with the following Councilmembers - DiGilio as Chair, Levy, and John Esposito. 6. COMMUNICATION - Sewer Extension - 67 Newtown Road - Berkshire Shopping Center A motion was made by Councilman Curran to refer to City Engineering and Planning for a report. Hearing no objections, Mayor Boughton so ordered. 7. RESOLUTION - Tax Abatement Agreements - Ives Manor/Fairfield Ridge Mr. Saadi asked questions regarding applying for Federal improvement funds for Fairfield Ridge and the related timetable and received answers from Ms. Sistrunk, Executive Director of the Danbury Housing Authority. A motion was made by Councilwoman Cammisa, seconded by Councilman Cavo, to receive the communication and adopt the Resolutions and Tax Abatement Agreements related to Fairfield Ridge and the Ives Manor housing complexes. The motion carried unanimously. 8. RESOLUTION - Master Municipal Agreement for Right of Way Projects Mr. Iadarola and Mr. St. Hilaire responded to Mr. Rotello's questions regarding potential participation in any completions and subsequent billing thereof. A motion was made by Councilman Wetmore, seconded by Councilman Seabury, to receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing the honorable Mark D. Boughton to sign the agreement entitled, Master Municipal Agreement for Rights of Way Projects, and take any other actions that may be required to further such purposes thereof. The motion carried unanimously. 9. RESOLUTION - Request for Extension to Agreement - City of Danbury & Veolia Mr. Rotello requested after the initial five-year period, that the Mayor return to Council and let the Council know the extensions are coming up; Mr. Boughton responded. A motion was made by Councilman Levy, seconded by Councilman Seabury, that Mark D. Boughton be authorized to negotiate and enter into an extension Agreement with Veolia for a term of five years plus two (2) one-year extensions for operation maintenance of the wastewater treatment plant in accordance with such terms as may be in the best interests of the City of Danbury and the sewer customers, and to adopt the resolution. The motion carried unanimously. 10. RESOLUTION - Revised Preventive Health & Human Services Block Grant - Year 2 *CONSENTED - Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mark D. Boughton, Mayor of the City of Danbury, or Scott T. Leroy, Director of Health as his designee, to apply for and accept the increase in funding of $943.00 as communicated by the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health as related to the existing contract for the State’s Preventative Health Block Grant (PHBG). 11. REPORT AND ORDINANCE - Non Union Pension Amendments - Section 14 A motion was made by Councilman Cavo, seconded by Councilman DiGilio, to waive the reading of the report (as all members have copies and copies are on file for review in the Legislative Assistant's Office for review). The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Councilwoman Chieffalo, seconded by Councilman Fox, to receive the report and adopt the Non-Union Ordinances Amendments to Chapter 14, Article 1 as written and in accordance with the actuarial guidelines. The motion carried unanimously. 12. AD-HOC REPORT - Creation of Danbury/Putnam County Partnership A motion was made by Councilman Fox, seconded by Councilman Mike Esposito, to waive the reading of the Ad Hoc report (as all members have copies and copies are on file for review in the Legislative Assistant's Office for review). The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Chianese clarified that 'creating the inter-local wastewater treatment agreement' below is actually to 'create a negotiating committee' to go into that agreement. Mayor Boughton concurred. Mayor Boughton responded to Mr. Perkins' request and provided a general summary of the partnership and the benefits thereof. A motion was made by Councilman Fox, seconded by Councilman Wetmore, to accept the report and adopt the Committee's recommendation to create 1) (a negotiating committee to go into) an inter-local wastewater treatment agreement with Putman County and 2) a task force with Putnam County to look into recreational and other educational, law enforcement, and other matters. The motion carried unanimously. 13. DEPARTMENT REPORTS - Police, Fire, Health-Housing & Welfare, Dream Homes, Public Works, Permit Center, Unit, Elderly, Library Mr. Saadi praised all departments for leveraging resources and noted the uniform crime report indicates a 8.5- 9% drop in overall crime. Mr. Boughton commented on the efficiency of the local government which is operating at its peak, and he is open to ideas regarding the budget. A motion was made by Councilman Cavo, and was seconded by Councilman Perkins, to waive the reading of the Departmental Reports as all members have copies and copies are on file for review in the Legislative Assistant's Office for review. The motion carried unanimously. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Boughton extended all committees. A motion was made by Councilman Saadi, and was seconded by Councilman Levy, to adjourn the City Council Meeting. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:21 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Lori Goor Recording Secretary Attest, Mark D. Boughton, Mayor