City Council

CITY COUNCIL MEETING AUGUST 5, 2025 - 7:30 PM Honorable Mayor, Roberto Alves, called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Sean Hatch. Councilman Salvatore led all in prayer. ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Hawley, Rickert, Gartner, Salvatore, Peter Buzaid, Emile Buzaid, LaPine, Wallace-Smith, Fox, McAllister, Duane Perkins, Chianese, Rotello, Tomchik, Coelho, Dennis Perkins*, Robinson, Britton, and Giordano. COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Simone and Palma (*Dennis Perkins arrived at 7:32 pm). PRESENT: 19, ABSENT: 2 ALSO PRESENT: Dan Casagrande, Corporation Counsel; Taylor O’Brien, Chief of Staff to the Mayor; and Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant. PUBLIC INPUT MINUTES - Minutes of the Council Meeting held July 1, 2025 A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, and was seconded by Councilman (unknown), to receive the minutes from the July 1st meeting and waive a reading of the minutes, as all Members have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant's Office, and approve those minutes as they're presented. The motion carried unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR 2. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to Other Post Employment Board (OPEB) - Gray *Removed from Consent 3. ORDINANCE & REPORT - Public Hearing - Ordinances Sec. 2-203 thru 2-207 & 2-211 - Changes to Purchasing Threshold I move to waive the reading of the public hearing minutes as all members have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant’s Office and to receive the communication and adopt the recommendation of the ad hoc committee to approve the amendments to Sections 2-203 through 2-207 and 2-211 of the code of ordinances. 8. COMMUNICATION - Disposal of Surplus Vehicles & Equipment - Purchasing I move to receive the communication and approve the request as required by Section 2-211 for the purchasing agent to dispose the items listed via an online public auction. 9. COMMUNICATION - Monetary Donation from Michael Scherer for Copsicle Truck - Police Department I move to receive the communication from the Chief of the Police Department regarding the donation of $1,000 from Michael Scherer for the DPD/CCU Ice Cream Truck and approve the acceptance of the donation and ask that a note of thanks be sent on behalf of the City of Danbury. 10. COMMUNICATION - Monetary Donation from Ventura & Ribeiro, LLC for Copsicle Truck - Police Department I move to receive the communication from the Chief of the Police Department regarding the donation of $1,000 from Ventura & Ribeiro, LLC. for the DPD/CCU Ice Cream Truck and approve the acceptance of the donation and ask that a note of thanks be sent on behalf of the City of Danbury 11. COMMUNICATION - Appropriation of Funds - Town Clerk I move to receive the communication and authorize the allocation of $4,205.00 from the Historic Document Reserve Account to complete the indexing project with Cott Systems. 15. RESOLUTION - CT DPH Cardiovascular Learning Grant - Health & Human Services I move to receive the communication and authorize Mayor Roberto L. Alves or Ryan Boggan, Acting Director of Health and Human Services, as his designee, to submit reimbursement request, accept funds not to exceed $4,500, and to execute all contracts, agreements and other required documents and to take all necessary actions to effectuate the purposes of this grant application. 16. RESOLUTION - Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program *Removed from Consent. 17. RESOLUTION - Connecticut Education Network- Community Wi-Fi Grant I move to accept the communication and authorize Roberto L. Alves, Mayor of the City of Danbury and/or Kara Prunty, Assistant Director of Finance (Budget & Grants), as his designee, to apply for and accept funding of $763,856 with no city match through the Congressional Directed Spending and to execute all contracts, agreements and any and all other documents necessary to effectuate the purposes thereof, and to ratify all previous, and future, actions taken in the furtherance thereof. A motion was made by Councilwoman Gartner, and was seconded by Councilman Duane Perkins, to accept the Consent Calendar as presented. The motion was amended. A motion was made by Councilman Fox, and was seconded by Councilman E. Buzaid, to remove items 2 and 16 from the Consent Calendar. The motion carried unanimously. AGENDA 1. COMMUNICATION - Appointment of Assistant Corporation Counsel - Gruse A motion was made by Councilman McAllister, seconded by Councilman Duane Perkins, to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Attorney Kaitlin Gruse to the position of Assistant Corporation Counsel. The motion carried unanimously. 2. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to Other Post Employment Board (OPEB) - Gray A motion was made by Councilwoman Gartner, seconded by Councilman Tomchik, to receive the communication and approve the reappointment of Andrea J. Gray to serve on the City of Danbury Other Post Employment Benefit Board for a term that will expire on July 1, 2030. The motion carried unanimously. Councilman Fox noted that he is not against the appointment of this individual, however, he questioned why individuals who are not residents of Danbury are being appointed. Mayor Alves spoke in support of the reappointment due to the individual’s extensive knowledge and experience. 3. ORDINANCE & REPORT - Public Hearing - Ordinances Sec. 2-203 thru 2-207 & 2-211 - Changes to Purchasing Threshold *CONSENTED - as received. 4. COMMUNICATION - Lease Renewal - 36 Mountainville Road (Happy Trails) A motion was made by Councilman Duane Perkins, seconded by Councilwoman Gartner, to receive the communication and move that this item be sent to an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of Corporation Counsel and the Mayor's Office. So ordered. The Mayor appointed Councilman Hawley in the chair, along with Councilmen Duane Perkins and Palma. 5. COMMUNICATION - Lease Renewal - Red Lobster Restaurants, LLC (34 Backus Avenue) A motion was made by Councilman Rotello, seconded by Councilman Chianese, to receive the communication and move that this item be sent to an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of Corporation Counsel, Planning, Airport Administrator, and the Mayor's Office. So ordered. The Mayor appointed Councilman Chianese in the chair, along with Councilwoman Wallace-Smith and Councilman Palma 6. COMMUNICATION - Emergency Management Services Agreement Renewal - 2025 A motion was made by Councilman Tomchik, to send this to an Ad Hoc consisting of Corporation Counsel, the Emergency Management Director, Fire Chief, Police Chief, Finance, and the Mayor's Office. So ordered. The Mayor appointed Councilman P. Buzaid in the chair, along with Councilmen Rickert and Fox. 7. COMMUNICATION - Amendment (Correction) to Ord. Sec. 32-75: Payments to surviving spouse, surviving children, dependents A motion was made by Councilwoman LaPine, seconded by Councilwoman Gartner, to receive the communication and send this to a public hearing. So ordered. 8. COMMUNICATION - Disposal of Surplus Vehicles & Equipment - Purchasing *CONSENTED - as received. 9. COMMUNICATION - Monetary Donation from Michael Scherer for Copsicle Truck - Police Department *CONSENTED - as received. 10. COMMUNICATION - Monetary Donation from Ventura & Ribeiro, LLC for Copsicle Truck - Police Department *CONSENTED - as received. 11. COMMUNICATION - Appropriation of Funds - Town Clerk *CONSENTED - as received. 12. COMMUNICATION - Application for Water Main Extension - 55 Newtown Road A motion was made by Councilwoman Wallace-Smith, to receive the communication and refer this to the Planning Commission and City Engineer for reports back. So ordered. 13. RESOLUTION - Donation from Eversource & Approval for Procurement and Installation of Traffic Signal Video Detection Equipment - Engineering A motion was made by Councilwoman Robinson, seconded by Councilman Salvatore, to receive the communication and accept the gift of funding in the amount of $179,905, from Eversource, for the purchase and installation of video detection equipment, furthermore, we authorize Mayor Roberto Alves, or his designee, Antonio Iadarola, City Engineer and Director of Public Works, to execute and deliver any and all documents on behalf of the City of Danbury, and to do and perform all acts and things necessary to appropriately carry out the terms of such documents necessary to effectuate the purposes thereof. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Iadarola confirmed for Councilman Rotello that the on-call electrical contractor is Shock Electric. Councilman Duane Perkins asked Mr. Iadarola for confirmation that the cameras are to monitor traffic; Mr. Iadarola confirmed. 14. RESOLUTION - Environmental Land Use Restrictions for 89 Rose Hill Avenue A motion was made by Councilman Dennis Perkins, to receive the communication and refer this to an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of Corporation Counsel, Planning Department, and the Mayor's Office. So ordered. The Mayor appointed Councilman Salvatore in the chair, along with Councilwoman Robinson and Councilman Fox. 15. RESOLUTION - CT DPH Cardiovascular Learning Grant - Health & Human Services *CONSENTED - as received. 16. RESOLUTION - Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program A motion was made by Councilman Salvatore, seconded by Councilwoman LaPine, to accept the communication and authorize Roberto L. Alves, Mayor of the City of Danbury, to approve and submit the City's annual action plan for program year 51 and make application on behalf of the City of Danbury to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to accept grant funds in the amount of $590,036, for the Community Development Block Grant Program year commencing August 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026, for the 51st funding in accordance with all pertinent laws and regulations and the statement of community development objectives and projected use of funds proposed by the Mayor's Community Development Block Grant Policy Committee, furthermore, Roberto L. Alves, Mayor of the City of Danbury, is hereby authorized to execute all contracts and agreements and other required documents and to take all necessary actions to effectuate the purposes of this grant application. The motion carried unanimously. Councilman Fox asked for more information regarding the allocation of funds, and asked why this was presented so close to the deadline. Ms. Prunty (Asst. Finance Director) clarified the process which includes multiple departments who need to review and approve the information; a public hearing requirement; and a small window between the grant notification and the allocation of funds to applicants (which are fewer than other years). Councilman Fox asked that the application be presented in July annually to allow for time to review; Ms. Prunty noted notification requirements for Public Hearings. Councilman Rotello asked Ms. Prunty if she presented the application as soon as he could have; Ms. Prunty confirmed. 17. RESOLUTION - Connecticut Education Network- Community Wi-Fi Grant *CONSENTED - as received. 18. REPORTS - Ad Hoc: NEW Ordinance Sec. 44-71: Tax Abatement for Volunteer Firefighters A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, seconded by Councilman Rotello, to waive a reading of the Ad Hoc minutes, as all Members have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant's Office. The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Councilman Britton, to accept the Ad Hoc minutes and refer this to a public hearing. So ordered. 19. REPORTS - Ad Hoc: Illegal Apartments - Review of Ordinances, Regulations, Codes, Statutes & Penalties A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, seconded by Councilman Chianese, to waive a reading of the Ad Hoc minutes, as all Members have copies and copies are on file at the Legislative Assistant's Office. The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Councilman Rickert, seconded by Councilman Chianese, to accept the Ad Hoc minutes and table this motion until the September 4, 2025 meeting, to allow Corporation Counsel to draft the ordinance as directed by the Ad Hoc. The motion carried unanimously. 20. 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 Rotello, to waive a reading of the reports, as all Members have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant's Office, and accept the reports as they're presented. The motion carried unanimously. 21. EXECUTIVE SESSION - Litigation regarding Tax Appeals for Lowes Home Centers, Inc. & NREA Caper LLC Trustee A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, seconded by Councilman Chianese, to enter Executive Session for the purposes of discussing the pending legal matters involving property tax appeals litigation for Lowes Home Centers Inc., and NREA Capper LLC, Trustee, and the following individuals are directed to remain in the session: Dan Garrick, Director of Finance; Donna Murphy, Tax Assessor; Taylor O'Brien, and members of the Corporation Counsel's Office, as well as any outside litigation Counsel. The motion carried unanimously. Entered: 8:13pm Exited: 8:32pm Returned to Order: 8:34pm A motion was made by Councilman P. Buzaid, seconded by Councilman Rotello, to authorize the resolution of the pending legal matters in accordance with the discussion, together with the certification of funding as provided. The motion carried unanimously. COMMITTEES Mayor Extended All Committees ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Councilman Chianese, seconded by Councilwoman Gartner, to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m. Copies of Agenda Items are available in the Legislative Assistant’s Office and on the City’s website. Respectfully submitted, Christina Dior Recording Secretary Attest, Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant