City Council

~AD HOC REPORT~ Budget Ad Hoc: Government I Monday, April 8, 2024 Chair Joseph Britton called the meeting to order at 5:06 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024. Present were Committee Members & Council members: Diane LaPine, Duane Perkins and Elmer Palma, Absent was Ryan Hawley. From the City were Kara Prunty, Assistant Finance Director (Budgets & Grants) and Joanne Stark, Assistant Finance Director (Operations); Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant; Dan Casagrande, Corporation Counsel and Les Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel, and Robin Edwards, Assistant Corporation Counsel; Laurie Esposito, Town Clerk; Jennifer Emminger, Acting Planning Director; Sean Hearty, Permit Coordinator; Joan Bielizna, Registrar of Voters; Katharine Chung, Assistant Library Director; Joe DaSilva, Judge, Probate Court; Jorge Sousa, Economic Development Director; Martin O’Connor, Chair, and Chris Robinson, Candlewood Lake Authority; Kim Botelho, Chair, Conservation Commission; From the City were Roberto Alves, Mayor; Taylor O’Brien, Chief of Staff, Mayor’s Office; Francesca Capodilupo, Government Affairs & Communications Advisor, Mayor’s Office; Farley Santos, Community Relations & Constituent Services Advisor. Ex Officio Members present were: Frank Salvatore, Paul Rotello, Ben Chianese, Andrea Gartner, Peter Buzaid. Present from the public were Tom Brown and one unidentified individual. Chair Britton provided an overview of the ad hoc process. Member LaPine asked about a decrease to the City Council budget; Ms. Etcheto confirmed that savings came from discontinuing wireless service to all City issued iPads for Council members. Member LaPine asked about the staff salary summary; Ms. O’Brien noted an amendment to the office salaries in the current fiscal year budget and were carried over with one change of $10,000 added to the Executive Aide salary. Member Duane Perkins asked about ordinance documents; Ms. Etcheto explained that all ordinances are available online and a hard copy Ordinances book is available in the office, she also confirmed that supplements to the book with newly enacted ordinances is up to date to December of 2023. Mr. Chianese asked for more detail regarding the use of these fund; Ms. Etcheto clarified that the majority of these funds are for legal publications of ordinances in the newspaper, with a small portion being used for ordinance supplements (about $2,000). Mr. Chianese asked for clarification on the legal requirements of publication in the newspaper; Mayor Alves confirmed that this is required by the Charter and that Charter Revision would allow the city to consider other forms of distribution; Mr. Pinter confirmed that the City Charter requires printing in a local publication. Member LaPine asked for clarification on the Probate Court; Mr. DaSilva noted that the Court is under the jurisdiction of the State and the municipality is obligated to cover office space and supplies for the office, he noted an increase in funding needs for conversion of hard copies to electrical files. Ms. Gartner asked about postage increases; Mr. DaSilva noted a significant increase to matters and applications including petitions and name changes that require more mailing of notices. Member Duane Perkins asked if the Registrar of Voters budget includes expenses for early voting; Ms. Bielizna identified several days of early voting for primaries and elections, and noted that there is an uncertainty to costs that may arise as early voting is just being implemented. Ms. Gartner asked for clarification of Outside Services; Ms. Bielizna identified additional printing and postage needs. Mr. Rotello noted that the department budget increase is about 25%, he asked if early voting is expected to impact the budget by that percentage; Ms. Bielizna explained that there are several areas that will need additional funds for early voting needs. She also noted that the state did give an addition $10,000 to assist with this mandate but that it is not enough. Member LaPine asked about the increase to Corporation Counsel aside from the new Assistant position; Mr. Pinter identified outside services, legal publication costs and inflation as factors; Mr. Casagrande noted the growing city and growing needs with the same small staff for decades. He compared cities that have much larger legal departments and some with attorneys focused on the needs of specific departments like Health and Public Works. Member Duane Perkins asked about savings in contracting help versus increasing inhouse staff; Mr. Casagrande explained his preference to having inhouse attorneys with institutional knowledge; Mr. Pinter noted the importance of having sufficient resources and staffing. Mayor Alves compared an entry level attorney working at $60 per hour versus outsourcing an attorney for $310 per hour, he discussed the plan to slowly build up staffing depending on how well efficient the initial increase to staffing goes, and he noted that office spacing will not constrain staffing needs. Chair Britton expressed his support for the much-needed addition to Corporation Counsel. Mr. Chianese discussed his long-term support of adding inhouse staff and asked about a timeline for the new hire; Mr. Casagrande and Mayor Alves confirmed that they are looking to hire as soon as possible. Member LaPine asked about the addition of an Assistant Zoning Enforcement Officer; Mr. Hearty identified one new hire and one transfer from the Planning Department. Member LaPine asked for confirmation that the decrease to Planning if for the transfer of the Assistant Zoning Enforcement Officer; Ms. Emminger confirmed. Member Duane Perkins asked about the consolidation of the Conservation Commission with similar commissions; Ms. Botelho confirmed that they are discussing a consolidation; Mr. Farley confirmed that they are looking for greater efficiency with the commission working together. Mr. Chianese asked about the added funding in Economic Development for Travel and Mileage; Mr. Sousa noted that many seminars are throughout the state and that this is an estimated cost that was added while the overall department budget still decreased. Mr. Chianese asked why the postage costs in the Fair Rent Commission budget doesn’t come from the Health and Human Services Department; Ms. Prunty noted that the Commission falls under the umbrella of that department but expenses are kept separate. Mr. Rotello asked for clarification on the City Membership budget and noted his support for the services that WestCOG provides; Mayor Alves listed memberships with CCM, WestCOG, and the US Conference of Mayors, Francesca Capodilupo noted significant projects and funding from WestCOG that benefit the City. Mr. Peter Buzaid asked if all communities that are part of the Candlewood Lake Authority pay their dues; Mr. O’Connor confirmed that they do, and he provided Member Duane Perkins with an update on carp in the lake with targeted removals planned. Mr. Rotello asked about past concerns between the Authority and lake communities; Mr. Robinson confirmed that new staff have been hired and finances are in now in order. Member LaPine asked about the Lake Authority’s expense breakdown; Ms. Prunty explained that the authorities are only asked to provide an expense breakdown of the city funds that they receive. Member LaPine asked increases to the Danbury Public Library; Mayor Alves noted contractual staffing requirements and discussed staffing needs to address increased customers. Ms. Chung confirmed contractual salary requirements and the compilation of metrics of visitors and services. Mr. Rotello asked about the roll of the library in five years and expressed his support of the increase to their budget; Ms. Chung explained that in- person lending and online services are expected to remain equal due to the lack of in-person and free venues for people to use, and she noted new programs that are consistently being added to address modern topics and interests. Mr. Peter Buzaid commented on the evolution of the library and thanked the staff for continuing to serve the changing needs of our community. Mayor Alves spoke on the changing needs of public libraries and the drastic increase of program attendance. Mr. Chianese asked about future plans for the Café area; Mayor Alves noted that the space can one day be used for cooking programs. Member Duane Perkins asked about the increase to the Long Ridge Library; Mayor Alves confirmed the increase reflects the average needs. A motion made by Member LaPine, and seconded by Member Palma, to recommend that the City Council adopt the Government I Budget as presented by the Mayor for the Fiscal Year 2024-2025. The motion carried unanimously. A motion made by Member Duane Perkins, and seconded by Member LaPine, to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6p.m. Respectfully submitted, Joseph Britton, Chair Diane LaPine Duane Perkins Elmer Palma