City Council

CITY COUNCIL MEETING February 3, 2026 - 7 PM Honorable Mayor, Roberto Alves, called the meeting to order at 7p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & PRAYER The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Sean Hatch. Council member McAllister led all in prayer. ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Coelho, Flanagan, Hawley, LaPine, Salvatore, Buzaid, Gartner, Fay, Henry, Wallace-Smith, Spain-Reichl, Giordano, Jabbour, Rotello, Chianese, Duane Perkins, Britton, McAllister, Robinson, Laughinghouse, Dennis Perkins COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Flanagan, Britton PRESENT: 19 ABSENT: 2 ALSO PRESENT: Dan Casagrande, Corporation Counsel; Robin Edwards, Deputy Corporation Counsel; Taylor O’Brien, Chief of Staff to the Mayor; and Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant. PUBLIC INPUT Geoff Herald, Resident, 18 Foster St. – Spoke in favor of Items #2, 3 & 6 MINUTES Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting held January 6, 2026. A motion was made by Council member Buzaid, and was seconded by Council member Duane Perkins, to receive the council minutes from the Regular City Council Meeting held January 6th, waive the reading of these minutes, as all members have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistants Office, and approve them as presented. Motion Carried Unanimously. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. COMMUNICATION - Appointment of Constable I move to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Michael Safranek as a Constable. 2. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to the Environmental Impact Commission - Dufel I move to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Gary A. Dufel as a full member of the Environmental Impact commission for a term to expire February 1, 2029. 3. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to the Environmental Impact Commission - Rose I move to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Matthew N. Rose to serve as a member of the Environmental Impact Commission for a term to expire February 1, 2029. 4. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to Board of Assessment Appeals – Cooney  I move to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Scott T Cooney to serve as a member of the Board of Assessment Appeals for a term to expire February 1, 2031. 5. COMMUNICATION - Appointments to the Zoning Board of Appeals - Williams & Rebeiro I move to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Jacob Williams to serve as a full member and Anthony Rebeiro to serve as an Alternate Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals for terms to expire February 1, 2029. 6. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to the Danbury Museum & Historical Society - Sautner I move to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Lorraine Sautner to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Danbury Museum and Historical Society for a term of three (3) years to begin in February 2026. 7. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to the Zoning Commission — Nejame I move to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Thomas Nejame to serve as an alternate member of the Zoning Commission. 12. REPORTS - Reports: Engineering & Planning - Water Main Ext. Application – 68 Morgan Ave. I move to receive the communication and based on the positive reports from the City Engineer and Planning Commission approve the water main extension application for 68 Morgan Ave, subject to the City’s standard eight (8) steps/conditions. 13. REPORTS - Reports: Engineering & Planning - Application for Sewer Extension Renewal - 5 Forest Avenue I move to receive the communication and based on the positive reports from the City Engineer and Planning Commission approve an 18-month time extension to the sanitary sewer extension application for 5 Forest Ave, subject to the City’s standard eight (8) steps/conditions and conditions of the original June 4, 2024, City Council approval. Council Member Coelho asked to remove Item #1 from consent. A motion was made by Council member Gartner, and was seconded by Council member Duane Perkins, to accept the Consent Calendar with Item #1 removed. Motion Carried Unanimously. AGENDA 1. COMMUNICATION - Appointment of Constable A motion was made by Council member Salvatore, seconded by member Gartner, to receive the communication and approve the appointment of Michael Safranek as a Constable. Motion superseded by request to send the item to an ad hoc. Council member Coelho explained his concern with the process of this recommendation and asked to send the item to an ad hoc. Mayor Alves appointed Council member Buzaid, Chair; Council members Gartner and Fay. 2. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to the Environmental Impact Commission - Dufel *CONSENTED - as received. 3. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to the Environmental Impact Commission - Rose *CONSENTED - as received. 4. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to Board of Assessment Appeals – Cooney *CONSENTED - as received. 5. COMMUNICATION - Appointments to the Zoning Board of Appeals - Williams & Rebeiro *CONSENTED - as received. 6. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to the Danbury Museum & Historical Society – Sautner *CONSENTED - as received. 7. COMMUNICATION - Appointment to the Zoning Commission — Nejame *CONSENTED - as received. 8. COMMUNICATION - Lease Renewal - Tango Yankee LLC / Business Aircraft Center (BAC) - Airport A motion was made by Council member Hawley, seconded by Gartner, to receive the communication and approve the lease agreement between Tango Yankee LLC and the City of Danbury for a term of twenty-five (25) years with the option for the Lessee to renew for one additional twenty-five (25) year term. Yes – 18, Abstention – 1 (Fay). Motion Carried. Council member Fay recused herself and exited the room during discussion. Council member Rotello spoke in favor of the lease, on the history of the company at the airport, and urged the administration to pursue a new restaurant for the site. 9. COMMUNICATION - Application for Renewal of Water Extension - 119 Franklin Street A motion was made by Council member Jabbour, seconded by Council member Laughinghouse, to receive the communication and refer this application for reports from the Engineering Department and Planning Commission. Motion Carried Unanimously. 10. RESOLUTION - Refunding of General Obligation Bonds A motion was made by Council member Laughinghouse, seconded by Council member Robinson, to receive the communication and adopt the resolution with respect to the authorization, issuance, and sale of not exceeding $55,000,000 City of Danbury, CT General Obligation Refunding Bonds. Motion Carried Unanimously. Council member Duane Perkins asked Mr. Garrick (Finance Director) about bond maturity dates; Mr. Garrick confirmed that this is a combination of outstanding bonds and that the limit is $55M. 11. RESOLUTION - CT DECD Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development Funding Amendment — 13 Barnum CT A motion was made by Council member Spain-Reichl, seconded by Council member Gartner, to receive the communication and adopt the update of the 2025 resolution to reflect the awarding of $200,000 for assessment and planning activities. Motion Carried Unanimously. 12. REPORTS - Engineering & Planning - Water Main Ext. Application – 68 Morgan Ave. *CONSENTED - as received. 13. REPORTS - Engineering & Planning - Application for Sewer Extension Renewal - 5 Forest Avenue *CONSENTED - as received. 14. REPORT - Planning - Lease Renewal - Danbury Duck Pin Bowling (7 East Hayestown Rd.) A motion was made by Council member Robinson, seconded by Council member LaPine, to receive the communication and based on a positive report from the planning commission, to approve the lease agreement as presented for a term of five (5) years, with a tenant option in writing to renew the lease for an additional five (5) years. Motion Carried Unanimously. 15. DEPARTMENT REPORTS – Police, Fire, Health & Human Services, Public Works, Permit Center, UNIT, Elderly Services, Public Library A motion was made by Council member P. Buzaid, seconded by Council member Rotello, to waive a reading of the reports, as all Members have copies and copies are on file in the Legislative Assistant's Office, as well as accept the reports as they are presented. Motion Carried Unanimously. Mayor Alves thanked the Public Works team for their hard work during the last snowstorm; Mr. Iadarola (Public Works Director) explained the challenges that staff faced including broken equipment, low temperatures, rapid snow fall amounts. He confirmed that the city still has salt supplies and reserves for additional storms for Council member Gartner; and he discussed the possibility of needing a re-appropriation of funds to cover storm costs with Council member Coelho. Ms. Carvalho (Health Director) provided information regarding open warming shelters; and Council member McAllister thanked the Fire Department for their continued dedication to clearing fire hydrants after the storm. COMMITTEES The Mayor Extended All Committees. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Council member Rotello, seconded by Council member Salvatore, to adjourn. Motion Carried Unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:04p.m. Copies of Agenda Items are available in the Legislative Assistant’s Office and on the City’s website. Respectfully submitted, Elisa Etcheto, Legislative Assistant