2026 public hearing to order at approximately 6.04 p.m.

Uh be we're going to start uh tonight's public hearing with a pledge of allegiance and I'll ask Councilman Flanagan to lead us.

Please stand.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

This time I'm going to call the role.

Councilman Coelho.

Councilman Flanagan.

Councilman Hawley.

Councilwoman LePine.

Councilman Salvatore.

He is out of town.

Councilman Peter Bizade present.

Councilman Gardner.

Councilwoman Faye.

Councilman Henry.

Councilwoman Wallace Smith.

Councilwoman Spain Reichel.

Councilman Giordano.

Councilwoman Jabbar, she is not able to attend.

And she contacted me.

Councilman Rotello.

Councilman Chinese said he would probably not make it.

Councilman Dwayne Perkins is unable to make it.

He is not present.

Councilman Britton is not here.

He is away, I think having military training.

Councilman McAllister.

Councilwoman Robinson.

Councilman Laughinghouse contacted me.

He is not able to make it.

Councilman Dennis Perkins contacted me.

He is not able to make it.

One, two, three, four.

Okay.

We have 11 council people present.

10 not present.

Councilman Hawley will be here at 615.

Fine.

I'll change his marking when he when he attends when he makes it.

This is tonight we're holding a public hearing.

Uh and I will at this point read the public notice.

There's a public hearing tonight, Wednesday, February the 25th at 6 p.m.

in the council chambers at City Hall.

The purpose of this public hearing, it regards a resolution regarding series 2026 bonds for the Danbury Proton Project.

A resolution of the City of Danbury authorizing the issuance and sale not to exceed 130 million dollars of City of Danbury, Connecticut revenue bonds for the Danbury Proton Therapy Center project.

Series 2026 and the execution and delivery of an indenture, loan agreements, and certain other instruments and agreements, documents and certificates in Connecticut therewith.

So this meeting is specifically for the public to comment on this particular resolution regarding these conduit bonds.

So I would uh please keep your concerns and comments when if you come forward to speak on that agenda item only.

I will now formally open the public speaking uh portion of this, and I will ask if there is anybody present who wishes to speak on this topic.

Is there anybody present?

Sir.

Please state your name and your uh address.

Good evening.

My name is Jeff Harold.

I live on Foster Street around the corner.

No, I didn't walk.

I drove my car.

Um the sidewalks are still a little sketchy.

Um I've had some personal issues, concerns about this project.

Um I am now on the side that I I think you're doing the right thing if you agree to this and let this go forward.

It's been a slog for me for a number of different reasons.

And in my talking with a number of other people in Danbury, I I've come up with two things that I'd like to advise you of.

It seems to me that there's been a uh a bit of uh uh a lack of good communication to the public.

I know you put out notices, and I know you've had the ad hocs, and there's been some stuff there, but a lot of people don't really quite understand what this is all about.

And I had some trouble.

I had to look up proton therapy, did some reading on it.

Um as you know, I'd like to probably do more homework than I need to, but I do do this.

And in the process, I found a couple of things that were interesting to me.

Um proton therapy is it's a wonder when it works.

And apparently it in many cases it does work.

A lot of information out there though shows that it doesn't work for all cancers, and there's a few that really it it just is not in other words, people were thinking this is gonna be a win-all for everybody with cancer.

It's not.

Um and I just wanted to get that on there.

Um and in that process in talking to some of the people, um, they really were concerned that we're taking on a hundred million, a hundred and thirty million dollars, and they're worried about that.

As you know, I now know, I've learned, you've you've all taught me at these ad hocs, that the city is not liable for any of this in the end.

And that's good.

Um but there's still a lack of education or a lack of understanding, not education.

You've probably done your fair share of it, but there's a lack of real understanding out there of what all this entails in my uh discussions.

So that's one thing.

The second thing is I I'm really sad to see that big chunk of property up there get used for something like this from a perspective of you know, it's a huge piece of open land that Danbury Danbarians use for to see the sunset, for example.

And and just uh see that farmland up there.

I like open country.

Um I think that this is a good bargain on the city's part in the end, finding a good use for the property that meets the FAA regulations and is going to be below the approach zone, and it's gonna be actually I kind of think of an attractive building if it looks like that rendering.

You know, it's gonna be uh very efficient, very um uh you know, involved in the landscape.

Kind of looks like a Hobbit House to me, you know, with the grass on top and all that.

Um Lord of the Rings it isn't, but I like that uh analogy.

Um so from that perspective, I I think that uh in the end it's a bargain that I think we had to make to find good use for the property, um, even though it's it's not going to be tax paying, it is gonna be bringing in some income.

Um I I'm expecting of that.

I have friends that run a hotel in town.

They're looking to forward to seeing some people staying at their hotel going for treatment.

And I think the restaurants will benefit too.

Um the other thing is the the stream of therapies for the people that are gonna come here.

My only last concern is that people are going to be some people will not be able to afford it because it's still expensive even with insurance, and I know some of that you you've tried to address some of that, and I get that.

Um sometimes there just is a dichotomy and who can and who can't uh get here for the travel and do that.

It's not gonna be a panacea.

I think it's a good bargain in the end.

I think you've made the best of a not so great situation.

Um I would recommend we do a little bit better on our education on some of this, and that's all I have to say.

Thank you for your attention.

Thank you very much, Chief Harold.

Is there anyone else who wishes to address the council?

Yes.

Good evening for the record, Robert Miller one Lois Street, Danberry Connecticut.

I know I'm a broken record, and I know I've sat in your seat and heard the broken record.

I apologize, but I just want to go one more time because we're dealing with the actual bond resolution now.

Um you know my concern pre prior was the fact that it supersedes the charter, not sending a bond to resolution.

I mean to refer to referendum.

I do know that the resolution um does allow it to go to referendum while it doesn't mandate it.

My biggest concern is a future precedence.

While I realize the city won't be liable for it, I'd hate for some council a few years or multiple or 10 or more years down the road say, well, back in 2026 they sent a bond to um they approved a bond and center it out without re sending it to referendum and that to be the be the press moving forward.

So that's my biggest concern, so I would respectfully request that you since you do have the opportunity to that you would send it to a referendum.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Muller.

Is there anyone else present who would like to address the council with their concerns regarding this?

I will recognize uh Councilman Hawley, who's now in the room and now in attendance.

Is there anyone else present who would like to address the council regarding this topic, the conduit bond for proton?

No.

Hearing none and having called out um three times, um I'm gonna call for a motion uh to close the public hearing.

Councilwoman Gartner Thank you, Councilman Saint.

Um I make a motion to close the public hearing.

Thank you.

Seconded by uh Councilman Giordano.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Are there any opposed?

No.

Um do I have uh I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

Thank you.

We are adjourned.

Thank you all for coming tonight.

And and thank you for your comments.