City Council

CITY COUNCIL MEETING March 3, 2020 Honorable Mayor, Mark D. Boughton, called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Sean Hatch. Councilman DiGilio led all in prayer. ROLL CALL: Alves, Buzaid, M. Esposito, Levy, Salvatore, Stanley, Taborsak, Fox, Priola, DiGilio, Cavo, Rotello, Visconti, Palma, COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Roberto Alves, Emile Buzaid, Mike Esposito, Warren Levy, Frank Salvatore, Robert Taborsak, Irving Fox, John Priola, Vinny DiGilio, Joseph Cavo, Paul Rotello, Elmer Palma, John Esposito, Farley Santos, Duane Perkins, Fred Visconti, Ben Chianese, Nancy Cammisa, Richard Molinaro. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilwoman Stanley may be arriving late. PRESENT: 19, ABSENT: 1, VACANT: 1 ALSO PRESENT: Robert J. Yamin, Corporation Counsel; Les Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel; David St. Hilaire, Finance Director; and Jean Natale, Legislative Assistant. PUBLIC SPEAKING: None. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Boughton made the announcements for the month of March. MINUTES - Minutes of the Council Meeting held February 4, 2020 A motion was made by Councilman Cavo, and was seconded by Councilman Perkins, with corrections noted above, to waive the reading of the Minutes, as all members have copies and copies are on file for review in the office of the Legislative Assistant. The motion carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR 3. COMMUNICATION – Appointment to the Commission on Aging (Lias) Receive the communication and confirm the appointment of David Lias to serve as a member of the Commission on Aging. 4. COMMUNICATION – Appointment to the Commission on Aging (Keilty) Receive the communication and confirm the appointment of Nancy Keilty to serve as a member of the Commission on Aging. 12. RESOLUTION – DOJ – Community Policing Grant Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Mark D. Boughton, or Chief Patrick Ridenhour, as his designee, to apply for and accept funding from the US Department of Justice through its "Community Policing Development Micro Grant" program, this funding not to exceed $100,000.00 will be used in the Danbury Police Department for officer health and wellness initiatives, no local match is required. 13. RESOLUTION – Distracted Driving Grant – Police Department Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Mark D. Boughton, or Chief Patrick Ridenhour, as his designee, to apply for and accept funding from the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation through its "FY 2020 Distracted Driving High Visibility Enforcement (DDHVE)" program, this funding not to exceed $60,000.00 will be used in the Danbury Police Departments continued efforts of distracted driving enforcement activities in April 2020 and August 2020, no local match is required. 14. RESOLUTION – PCLB Foundation Grant – Health Department Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Mark D. Boughton or Lisa Michelle Morrissey, Director of Health, as his designee, to apply for and accept funding from the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck (PCLB) Foundation, this funding not to exceed $25,000.00 will be used to assist in addressing the needs of the homeless population in Danbury, no local match is required. 15. RESOLUTION – Ezra Jack Keats Mini Grant - Library Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Mark D. Boughton, or Katie Pearson, Library Director, as his designee, to apply for and accept funding made available from the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Mini Grant program, this funding not to exceed $500.00 will be used to implement a Sensory Story Time program to help develop activities to facilitate experiences for children, no local match is required. A motion was made by Councilman Fox, and was seconded, to adopt the Consent Calendar as presented. The motion carried unanimously. 1. COMMUNICATION – Appointment to the City Council A motion was made by Councilman Cavo, and was seconded by Councilman Rotello, to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Jack Knapp as a Third Ward City Councilmember. The motion carried unanimously. Corporation Counsel Yamin swore in newly appointed Councilman Knapp, who then joined the dais. 2 . COMMUNICATION – UNIT - Support Team for Tax Assessor A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio, to send to an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of a representative of the Mayor's Office, a representative UNIT, a representative from the Tax Assessor's Office, and Corporation Counsel, with Mr. Hearty from the Zoning Enforcement Office as suggested by Mayor Boughton. Hearing no objections, Mayor Boughton ordered the Committee with the following Councilmembers: DiGilio as Chair, Cavo, and Visconti. 3. COMMUNICATION – Appointment to the Commission on Aging (Lias) *CONSENTED - as received. 4. COMMUNICATION – Appointment to the Commission on Aging (Keilty) *CONSENTED - as received. 5. COMMUNICATION – Litigation - Supplemental Funding Request Finance Director St. Hilaire responded to questions from Council regarding the use of the funds and tax appeals. A motion was made by Councilman Priola, and was seconded by Councilman John Esposito, to receive the communication and approve and authorize the supplemental appropriation of $250,000.00 supported by the certification as to the availability of said appropriation from the Director of Finance for litigation and related costs/expenditures. The motion carried unanimously. 6. COMMUNICATION – Donation of Property – 12 Timber Crest Drive A motion was made by Councilman Mike Esposito, seconded by Councilman John Esposito, to accept the correspondence and accept the generous gift of land by the Payne Family, and refer to the Planning Commission for their approval. The motion was amended, as suggested by Mayor Boughton, to refer to an Ad Hoc Committee before accepting the donation. Hearing no objections, Mayor Boughton ordered the Ad Hoc Committee with the following Councilmembers: Mike Esposito as Chair, Fox, and John Esposito. 7. COMMUNICATION – Donation of Trees Staff responded to questions regarding tree types and where they would be planted. A motion was made by Councilman Palma, and was seconded by Councilman Santos, to accept the generous donation of 30 trees, and send an appropriate letter of thanks, and to coordinate and supervise by the Superintendent of Public Service. The motion carried unanimously. 8. COMMUNICATION – Donation to Emergency Homeless Shelter A motion was made by Councilwoman Cammisa, and was seconded, to accept the generous donation of $4,000.00 from the Olde Crabs Hockey League to the City of Danbury's Emergency Shelter, and send a thank you note in appreciation. The motion carried unanimously. 9. COMMUNICATION – Donation – Refurbish Basketball Backboards A motion was made by Councilman Fox, and was seconded by Councilman Taborsak, to receive the communication and accept the donation by South Street School PTO in conjunction with regional non-profit Full Court Peace, for materials, installation, and labor related to basketball backboards and hoops with an approximate value of $1,500.00 and to send the appropriate letter of thanks. The motion carried unanimously. 10. COMMUNICATION – Donation – Flooring – Police Department Gym A motion was made by Councilman Levy, and was seconded by Councilman Cavo, to accept the donation of approximately $13,000.00 from the Goodhouse Flooring and the Benicasa Family, in honor and memory of Sergeant William Benicasa for the replacement of the Police Headquarters gym floor and a letter of thanks be sent to the family. The motion carried unanimously. 11. COMMUNICATION – Extension of City Water – 7 Backus Avenue A motion was made by Councilman Buzaid, and was seconded by Councilman Taborsak, to refer to the City Engineer and Planning Commission for a report. Hearing no objections, Mayor Boughton so ordered. 12. RESOLUTION – DOJ – Community Policing Grant *CONSENTED - as received. 13. RESOLUTION – Distracted Driving Grant – Police Department *CONSENTED - as received. 14. RESOLUTION – PCLB Foundation Grant – Health Department *CONSENTED - as received. 15. RESOLUTION – Ezra Jack Keats Mini Grant - Library *CONSENTED - as received. 16. DEPARTMENT REPORTS – Police, Fire, Health-Housing & Welfare, Public Works, Permit Center, UNIT, Elderly, Library, Dream Homes Public Health Director Michelle-Morrissey provided an update on preparations being made regarding the corona virus and responded to Council questions. She, along with Mayor Boughton responded to Councilman Taborsak regarding the status of Elm Street applications and Housing Authority resources. Public Works Director Iadarola responded to Councilman Perkins questions regarding brush removal, drainage, and paving and to Councilman John Esposito's questions regarding street lights on Patriot Avenue. He also responded to Councilman Rotello regarding the robustness of the City's water and sewer system, and to Councilman Priola regarding the Ash Bore Beetle. He also commented on Westerners Field in response to Councilman Chianese. Councilman Rotello commended Police Chief Ridenhour on the declining crime numbers as noted in the latest, and the past few, crime reports. Mayor Boughton commended Library Director Pearson on the good job that the library is doing. A motion was made by Councilman Cavo, and was seconded, to waive the reading of the Departmental Reports, as all members have copies and copies are on file for review in the office of the Legislative Assistant. The motion carried unanimously. Mayor Boughton appointed the Education Budget Committee with the following Councilmembers: Levy as Chair, Fox, Stanley, Knapp, and Visconti. He extended all Committees. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Councilman Rotello, and was seconded by Councilman Cavo, to adjourn the City Council Meeting. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Lori Goor Recording Secretary Attest, Mark D. Boughton, Mayor