City Council

PUBLIC HEARING City Council Committee Meeting as a Whole DANBURY CITY COUNCIL Bond for Water Pollution Control Plant ($102,600,000) August 20, 2018 Honorable Mayor Mark D. Boughton Members of the City Council Mr. Cavo called the Committee meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Roll Call: COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Philip Curran, Colleen Stanley, Warren Levy, Robert Taborsak, Andrew Wetmore, Irving Fox, John Priola, Vinny DiGilio, Joe Cavo, Fred Visconti, Chris Arconti, John Esposito, Duane Perkins, and Joe Scozzafava. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilman Chianese is attending to a personal matter; Councilman Saadi has a military obligation; and Councilwoman Cammisa and Councilmen Palma, Rotello, and Mike Esposito may be arriving shortly. PRESENT: 14, ABSENT: 6, VACANCY: 1 ALSO PRESENT: Robert J. Yamin, Corporation Counsel; Les Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel; David St. Hilaire, Director of Finance; and Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant. Bond for Water Pollution Control Plant ($102,600,000) Mr. Pinter provided a brief presentation on the wastewater treatment plant upgrades and renovations and other improvements is brought forward through correspondence from the Mayor dated July 25, 2018 with a request to consider an ordinance and resolution authorizing a borrowing of $102,600,000. The funding is needed in order to have the monies available at the beginning of the project in order to comply with State mandates. Both the State and federal government have mandated this project to protect State navigatable waterways; the last update was in 1993. He outlined the timeline needed, including a 2/3 vote of the City Council, to get this item on the November ballot. Bond Counsel will be present at the September Council meeting. Public Works Director Iadarola discussed design, engineering reviews for value engineering, meetings with the State, and deadlines to meet a 50% grant from the State for specific portions of the project. The design consultant was also present. Mr. Pinter responded to Mr. Scozzafava noting that the residents will be voting on this, and the users will be paying for it. In response to Mr. Arconti, he commented on the ramifications on what would happen if the voters turned this down. Mr. Iadarola responded to questions from Mr. John Esposito regarding deadlines and potential penalties for non-compliance. Mr. DiGilio received answers regarding debt servicing rate increases here and in the surrounding communities. Mr. Iadarola responded to Mr. Perkins regarding details of the funding, the rates for the surrounding communities, and methane gas power from fats, oils, and grease digesters. He also responded to Mr. Arconti with regard to the potential bidders, to Mr. Taborsak regarding estimates, and to Mr. Visconti as to how the numbers are determined. Mr. St. Hilaire responded to Mr. Curran regarding who would be responsible for potential penalties. A motion was made by Vinny DiGilio, seconded by Fred Visconti, to recommend that the City Council, acting as the Water Pollution Control Authority, approve an Ordinance appropriating $102,600,000 for the construction, re-construction, upgrades, replacement, and rehabilitation to the water pollution control plant and facility system, and authorizing the issuance of $102,600,000 in bonds of the City to meet said appropriation and pending the issuance thereof, the making of temporary borrowings for such purpose, together with the adoption of a resolution providing for a special City meeting of the electors on November 6, 2018. The motion carried 13-1, Duane Perkins voting no. Adjournment There being no further business before the Committee, a motion was made by Warren Levy, and seconded by Fred Visconti, to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting ended at 8:02 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Lori Goor Recording Secretary Attest, Mark D. Boughton, Mayor