City Council

CITY COUNCIL MEETING OCTOBER 1, 2024 - 7:30 PM Honorable Mayor, Roberto Alves, called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Sean Hatch. Councilman William McAllister led all in prayer. ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Hawley, Rickert, Simone, Gartner, Salvatore, Peter Buzaid, Emile Buzaid, LaPine, Wallace-Smith, Dennis Perkins, Fox, Robinson, Britton, McAllister, Duane Perkins, Chianese, Rotello, Giordano, Tomchik, Coelho, and Palma. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: PRESENT: 21, ABSENT: 0 ALSO PRESENT: Les Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel; Dan Casagrande, Corporation Counsel; and Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant, PUBLIC INPUT Geoff Herald, Resident, spoke on upcoming events. MINUTES - Minutes of the Council Meeting held September 5, 2024 A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, and was seconded by Councilman Duane Perkins, to receive the minutes from the September 5th regular meeting and waive the reading of the minutes, as all Members have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant's Office, and approve them as presented. The motion carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR 6. RESOLUTION - School Construction Grant Application for Ellsworth Avenue School Roof Replacement I move to receive the communication and authorize the Board of Education of the City of Danbury, through the Superintendent of Schools, to file a grant application(s) with related documents, with and to the State Department of Administrative Services and to accept a grant for State reimbursement funding for the Ellsworth Avenue School Roof Replacement project; and establish the School Building Committee listed in the resolution. 7. RESOLUTION - School Construction Grant Application for Hayestown Avenue School Elevator Addition I move to receive the communication and authorize the Board of Education of the City of Danbury, through the Superintendent of Schools, to file a grant application(s) with related documents, with and to the State Department of Administrative Services and to accept a grant for State reimbursement funding for the Hayestown Avenue School Elevator Addition project; and establish the School Building Committee listed in the resolution. 8. RESOLUTION - US DOJ JAG Grant - Police Department I move to receive the communication and authorize Roberto L Alves, Mayor or Patrick Ridenhour, Chief of Police as his designee to apply for and accept funding not to exceed $18,920 from the US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs for the funding period of 10/1/2023—9/30/2024 with no local matching funds and the Mayor is authorized to sign any contracts/documents to effectuate the purposes thereof. 9. REPORTS - Engineering & Planning: Renewal of Sewer & Water Ext. - Great Plain Rd. & Great Meadow Rd. I move to receive the reports from the Director of Public Works/City Engineer and Planning Commission and adopt their positive recommendations for the time extensions for the sanitary sewer and water extensions. The approval is subject to meeting all of the recommendations and conditions attached to the original sanitary sewer extension approval as approved at the July 1, 2014, City Council meeting (Agenda Item #8) and meeting all the recommendations and conditions of the original water extension approval as approved at the June 6, 2017, City Council Meeting (Agenda Item #17). 10. REPORT - Audit Committee (2022) I move to waive the reading of the report as all members have copies and copies are on file with the Legislative Assistant’s Office, as well as accept the reports as presented and approve the recommendation that the 2022 Ad Hoc Audit committee be closed. 11. REPORT - Ad Hoc: Master Municipal Agreement for Construction Projects I move to waive the reading of the report as all members have copies and copies are on file with the Legislative Assistant’s Office, as well as accept the reports as presented and approve the ten-year master municipal agreement for construction projects with the Connecticut Department of Transportation for projects with state funding. A motion was made by Councilwoman Gartner, and was seconded by Councilman Chianese, to accept the Consent Calendar as presented. The motion carried unanimously. AGENDA 1. COMMUNICATION - Appointments of Certified Police Officers A motion was made by Councilman Rickert, seconded by Councilman Duane Perkins, to receive the communication and approve the appointments of Ryan Murphy, Crystal Manuele, Nicholas Esteves, and John Ferraraa, as Certified Police Officers within the Danbury Police Department. The motion carried unanimously. 2. COMMUNICATION - Appointments of Police Officers A motion was made by Councilwoman LaPine, seconded by Councilman Chianese, to receive the communication and approve the appointments of Terrence Williams and Gabriel Campos, as entry-level Police Officers within the Danbury Police Department. The motion carried unanimously. 3. COMMUNICATION - Sewer Extension Easement - 2 DePalma Lane A motion was made by Councilwoman Robinson, to receive the communication and refer this to the Planning Commission and the City Engineer. So ordered. 4. RESOLUTION - State Acquisition of City Parcel: Route 53 at Triangle St. & Coal Pit Hill Rd. A motion was made by Councilman McAllister, to refer to Engineering, Planning and the Tax Assessor for the reports in the time for a Public Hearing and Committee Of The Whole, for recommendations and adoption of an appropriate resolution of transfer. So ordered. 5. RESOLUTION - ARPA Reallocations A motion was made by Councilman Tomchik, seconded by Councilwoman Gartner, to receive the communication and authorize Roberto L. Alves, Mayor, or his designee, to take all actions necessary to effectuate the reallocation of $543,553.21, documented in exhibit 1-A-N of this resolution. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Garrick (Finance Director) clarified the need for the allocation of ARPA funds for audit support, and the audit process, with Councilman Fox. Ms. Prunty (Assistant Finance Director) confirmed an auditorium project is being funded by State ARPA funding. Councilman Chianese asked about funding in the regular department budget for vehicles for public buildings. Councilman Coelho asked Mr. Garrick for further clarification of the audit support funding request. Mr. Garrick noted that the new funding is for the 2023 Audit. Councilwoman Robinson asked about the timeline for the consultant costs; Mayor Alves confirmed the funds can be used through 2026. Councilman P. Buzaid spoke on the importance of performing timely audits to prevent financial reporting delays. Councilman Rotello spoke in favor of the funding so that the audits can get done. 6. RESOLUTION - School Construction Grant Application for Ellsworth Avenue School Roof Replacement *CONSENTED - as received. 7. RESOLUTION - School Construction Grant Application for Hayestown Avenue School Elevator Addition *CONSENTED - as received. 8. RESOLUTION - US DOJ JAG Grant - Police Department *CONSENTED - as received. 9. REPORTS - Engineering & Planning: Renewal of Sewer & Water Ext. - Great Plain Rd. & Great Meadow Rd. *CONSENTED - as received. 10. REPORT - Audit Committee (2022) *CONSENTED - as received. 11. REPORT - Ad Hoc: Master Municipal Agreement for Construction Projects *CONSENTED - as received. 12. DEPARTMENT REPORTS - Police, Fire, Health & Human Services, Public Works, Permit Center, U.N.I.T., Elderly Services, Public Library, Tax Assessor A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, seconded by Councilman Duane Perkins, to waive the reading of the minutes, as all Members have copies, and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant's Office as well, and we accept the reports as they are presented. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Iadarola (Public Works Director and City Engineer) addressed Councilman Coelho’s questions regarding the new pavilion at Danbury High School and its funding source. Mayor Alves thanked the Public Works staff for getting the pavilion project done. Councilman Fox noted the need for the Council to receive regular reports of open bonds so that the Council can be updated on projects and the use of those funds. Councilwoman Robinson recognized the Police Department for their hard work with traffic enforcement. Councilman Duane Perkins thanked Matthew Cassavechia for his work with FEMA regarding the storm and flooding; he asked Mr. Iadarola about future work on South Street and the state acquisition of the intersection (Item # 4) in that area. Councilman Rotello asked Mr. Iadarola about reservoir levels. Ms. Carvalho (Director of Health & Human Services) provided a tuberculosis update for Councilwoman Gartner. Councilman Salvatore asked Mr. Iadarola to provide an overview of the Beaver Street basketball courts project, and discussed the history of the repair work that has been done at the courts over the last sixteen years. Councilmen Duane Perkins and Simone thanked Mr. Iadarola for improving the courts and for addressing the safety issues at the court. EXECUTIVE SESSION - Tax Appeals A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, seconded by Councilman Rotello, to enter into Executive Session for the purposes of discussing the pending legal matters involving property tax appeals in the matters of C.T.L. Prop Co versus the City of Danbury, Danbury Commons versus the City of Danbury, Danpar Associates versus the City of Danbury, the following individuals will be directed to remain in the room for the session, Dan Garrick, Director of Finance, Donna Murphy, Tax assessor, Taylor O’Brien, and members of the Corporation Counsel Office, as well as outside litigation counsel. The motion carried unanimously. Entered into Executive Session at 8:37pm. Attendees: Donna Murphy, Tax Assessor; Dan Garrick, Finance Director; Dan Casagrande, Corporation Counsel; Les Pinter, Deputy Corporation Counsel; Patrick Finn, Outside Counsel (Secor, Cassidy & McPartland, PC); Taylor O’Brien, Chief of Staff, Mayor’s Office Exited Executive Session at 9:05pm. Meeting reconvened at 9:10pm. A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, seconded by Councilwoman Gartner, to authorize the resolution of the pending legal matter, in accordance with the discussion, together with the certification of funding as provided. The motion carried unanimously. COMMITTEES Mayor Alves appointed: Happy Trails Acquisition Ad Hoc – Frank Salvatore, Chair; Gartner; E. Buzaid Mayor Extended All Other Committees ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Councilman Salvatore, seconded by Councilman Rickert, to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:12 p.m. Copies of Agenda Items are available in the Legislative Assistant’s Office and on the City’s website. Respectfully submitted, Christina Martinez Recording Secretary Attest, Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant