City Council

CITY COUNCIL MEETING July 6, 2022 - 7:30 P.M. Honorable Mayor, Dean Esposito, called the meeting to order at 7:36 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Sean Hatch. Councilman DiGilio led all in prayer. ROLL CALL: COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Buzaid, Cavo, Eriquez, Knapp, Levy, DiGilio, Rotello, Esposito, Esposito III, Fox, Masi, Henry, Britton, Perkins, Chianese, Cammisa and Molinaro. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Visconti, Halas, Palma and Santos PRESENT: 17, ABSENT: 4 ALSO PRESENT: Robert J. Yamin, Corporation Counsel; Les Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel; and Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant. PUBLIC INPUT Jim Maloney, Resident, 15 Wooster Heights, spoke in support of item #7. Ken Gucker, Resident, 89 Padanaram Road, spoke on Department Reports, expressed constituent concerns with the timely removal of trees and waterlines from Margerie Trail. MINUTES - Minutes of the Council Meeting held June 7, 2022 A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio, and was seconded by Councilman Perkins, to waive the reading of the Minutes as all members of the Council have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant's Office. The motion carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR 2. COMMUNICATION – Appointments to Government Entities: A. Environmental Impact Commission B. Commission on Persons with DisAbilities Receive the communication and confirm the appointments of Ms. Elizabeth Falk to serve on the Environmental Impact Commission as an alternate and Mr. Jeffrey Doyle to serve on the Commission on Persons with Disabilities with terms to expire on 7/7/2024. 4. COMMUNICATION – Donation – The Ridgefield & Leir Charitable Foundations, Inc. – Police Dept. Receive the communication and approve accepting the generous donation of $5,000 to the Danbury Police Department from The Ridgefield & Leir Charitable Foundations, Inc. in memory of Henry J. and Erna D. Leir with a letter of thanks to be sent. 8. RESOLUTION – Speed and Aggressive Driving Enforcement Grant – Police Dept. Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Dean Esposito or Chief Patrick Ridenhour, as his designee, to accept the grant funds from the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation, Highway Safety Office’s 2022 Speed and Aggressive Driving Enforcement program as presented. The anticipated project period is July 1, 2022 through September 5, 2022 and the amount is not to exceed $50,000 with the State covering 100% of the costs of the program. 10. RESOLUTION – DPH Per Capita FY 2023 Grant – Health & Human Services Dept. Receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Dean Esposito or Kara Marie Prunty, Director of Health, as his designee, to apply for and accept the grant funding made available from the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health’s per capita funding available for the 2022- 2023 fiscal year as presented. The grant award application is in the amount of $167,080.10 for funding available from July 1, 2022 through July 10, 2023 with no local match required. A motion was made by Councilman Knapp, and was seconded by Councilman Perkins, to accept the Consent Calendar as presented. The motion carried unanimously. 1. COMMUNICATION – Police Department Promotion – Mark Williams to Police Captain A motion was made by Councilman Henry, seconded by Councilman Cavo, to receive the communication and confirm the appointment of Police Lieutenant Mark Williams to the position of Police Captain to the Danbury Police Department. Motion carried unanimously. 2. COMMUNICATION - Appointments to Government Entities: A. Environmental Impact Commission B. Commission on Persons with DisAbilities *CONSENTED - as received. 3. COMMUNICATION – Sidewalk Easement for 32 Miry Brook Road A motion was made by Councilman Knapp, to refer this to the City Engineer, Planning Commission and Planning Departments for reports. So Ordered by the Mayor. 4. COMMUNICATION - Donation – The Ridgefield & Leir Charitable Foundations, Inc. – Police Dept. *CONSENTED - as received. 5. COMMUNICATION – Annual Statement of Condition & Property – Fire Dept. A motion was made by Councilman Esposito, seconded by Councilman Cavo, to receive the correspondence from the Danbury Fire Department regarding listings of property and general statement of conditions and affairs of the Danbury Fire Department, in accordance with Section 14-46c of the City Charter. Motion carried unanimously. Fire Chief Thode gave a brief overview of the report and discussed the plans for consolidation including eliminating older volunteer firehouses, and he is waiting on a consultant’s report regarding career fire stations and a new fire headquarters. 6. COMMUNICATION – Application for Tax Deferral – Clancy Relocation & Logistics / Armagh Storage Group LLC – Planning & Zoning Dept.  A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio, to refer this item to an Ad Hoc consisting of Corporation Counsel, Director of Planning, Tax Assessor, the Director of Finance, A representative from the Mayor’s Office and a representative from the Petitioner. So Ordered by the Mayor. The Mayor appointed Councilman DiGilio in the Chair, Councilwoman Cammisa, and Councilman Rotello; and requested attendance from Corporation Counsel, Tax Assessor, a representative from Finance, Planning, and the Mayor’s Office. 7. RESOLUTION - CT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND GRANT APPLICATION – 71 MAIN STREET A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio, to refer this item to an Ad Hoc consisting of Corporation Counsel, the Director of Public Works, Superintendent of Buildings, a representative from the Mayor’s Office and a representative from CCFDC. So Ordered by the Mayor. 8. RESOLUTION – Speed and Aggressive Driving Enforcement Grant – Police Dept. *CONSENTED - as received. 9. RESOLUTION - Hazard Mitigation Grant – Emergency Management A motion was made by Councilman Masi, seconded by Councilman Rotello, to receive the communication and adopt the Resolution authorizing Mayor Dean Esposito to apply for and accept funding under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program through the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Services to fund the replacement and addition of emergency standby generators in the city. Motion carried unanimously. City Engineer, Antonio Iadarola, confirmed to Councilman Rotello that a large amount of the application work is already done and the department does have enough time to submit the grant application. He discussed an existing reserve set aside for emergency generators that this grant will significantly impact if received. Emergency Management Director, Matthew Cassavechia explained to Councilman DiGilio that this grant will help get the City storm ready for any vulnerabilities. 10. RESOLUTION – DPH Per Capita FY 2023 Grant – Health & Human Services Dept. *CONSENTED - as received. 11. RESOLUTION – Acquisition of Drainage Easements (Eden Drive & Plumtrees Road) – Public Utilities A motion was made by Councilwoman Cammisa, seconded by Councilman Esposito, to accept the communication to adopt the Resolution to acquire either by negotiation with the property owners or by eminent domain the drainage easement from Putnam Properties LLC and from the City Housing Authority. Motion carried unanimously. Deputy Corporation Counsel, Les Pinter, explained to Councilman Chianese that a value will be calculated through appraisals and that the Finance Dept. will be consulted when funds are needed. He explained to Councilman Levy that the funds could come out of the grant money that was approved for sanitary sewer upgrades. 12. REPORT & ORDIANNCE – ATVs on City Property: Ordinance 46-3 A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio, and was seconded by Councilman Rotello, to waive the reading of the report as all Members have copies and copies are on file with the Legislative Assistant's Office. Motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Councilman Cavo, and was seconded by Councilman DiGilio, to receive the communication from the Ad Hoc Committee and adopt the recommended changes to 46-3 Code of Ordinances subject to a Public Hearing. Councilman Perkins expressed his support and confidence in the Ordinance. Councilman Fox thanked Corporation Counsel and the Police Department for their work on crafting the Ordinance. Councilman Cavo expressed his support of the Ordinance, and thanked the Police Department and Corporation Counsel for their work throughout the process. Councilman Rotello explained the need for this Ordinance to provide preventative action for the community’s safety. 13. RESOLUTION – License Agreement for Use of City Property – Old Sherman Turnpike A motion was made by Councilman Knapp, and was seconded by Councilwoman Cammisa, to table this item for the August 2nd Meeting. Motion carried unanimously. DEPARTMENT REPORTS - Police, Fire, Health & Human Services, Public Works, Permit Center, U.N.I.T., Elderly Services, Public Library A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio, and was seconded by Councilman Perkins, to waive the reading of the reports as all Members have copies and copies are on file with the Legislative Assistant's Office, as well as accept them as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Councilman Fox thanked the Police and Department and Fire Marshall for their outreach and proactive meeting with the King Street community that resulted in safer fireworks activity. Police Chief Ridenhour gave Councilman Chianese and update on staffing. Councilman Perkins thanked the Public Works Department for their hard work downtown and asked for a drainage update at Park Place and Center Street. City Engineer Antonio Iadarola, discussed the plans for work by the state to address this flooding issue. Councilman Chianese also thanked the Public Works Department for the new Basketball Courts at Rogers Park. The Mayor Extended all Committees. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Councilman DiGilio, and was seconded by Councilman Rotello to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Copies of Agenda Items are available in the Legislative Assistant’s Office. Respectfully submitted, Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant Attest, Vinny DiGilio, City Council President