Danbury Commission for Persons with Disabilities Meeting - April 26, 2026

Note: The transcript indicates the meeting date as February 10, 2026, but the summary uses April 26, 2026 as instructed.

The Danbury Commission for Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid meeting on April 26, 2026 at 6:35 PM, chaired by [Chair]. Commissioners present included John, Rosemary, and Quentin (via Zoom). Guest Ryan Fucci from Puzzle 5K presented on an upcoming autism awareness event. The meeting covered committee updates, enforcement of handicapped parking, accessible transportation, bus shelter projects, and membership recruitment.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed; the Chair noted that AI-generated minutes from Zoom now reduce preparation time to 15 minutes. A motion to accept the minutes was made by John, seconded, and approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were received; no phone messages came in during the period.

Discussion Items

• Commissioner Updates: Chair reported that former commissioner Jeff has moved but remains an interested party. David Marchetti, who had expressed interest in joining the commission, passed away; the commission received notification from his family.
• Membership Recruitment: The commission has four regular and three alternate positions open.
• Social Media: The commission’s Facebook account remains inactive due to past issues with unauthorized sales. The city’s official Facebook page is still used.
• Handicapped Parking Enforcement: Chair noted that police previously were reluctant to issue $250 summons for illegal parking in handicapped spots. After working with Deputy Chief Stern, a study confirmed abuse, and now officers are more willing to issue summons rather than just moving violators along. The change aims to protect access for those who need the spots.
• Demand Transportation: The commission continues efforts to make wheelchair-accessible rides available at the same cost as regular taxi fares. Currently, private accessible vehicles cost $80–100 per ride, while HART bus service requires pre-scheduling. Chair stated the commission has worked on this issue for 30 years.
• Bus Shelters: The commission is collaborating with the state DOT and HART to install additional bus shelters in Danbury. Danbury is receiving five of seven shelters: two are refurbished existing shelters and three are new. The city must maintain the shelters once installed.
• Puzzle 5K Event: Guest Ryan Fucci presented the Puzzle 5K, a nonprofit autism awareness event scheduled for April 25, 2026 at Hatters Park. The event includes a 5K run/walk (3.1 miles) from Hatters Park to the Amber Room and back, five live bands from WestConn, 12 inflatables sponsored by CBD, over 30 vendors (including ABA businesses and schools), food trucks, and USA Track & Field sanctioning. Expected attendance: at least 200 runners and 600–700 total participants. Registration currently at 40. The event is free; proceeds will be split – half to an organization chosen by the race winner, half reinvested into future events. Ryan explained the organization’s name “Puzzles” originally used the puzzle piece symbol, but the community now favors the infinity sign; he aims to reframe the puzzle piece positively. Future plans include expanding to other disabilities. The commission committed to participate with a table in the vendor village; Chair will share resources from other disability organizations.

Key Outcomes

• The commission agreed to support the Puzzle 5K event by having a table at the vendor village and sharing contact information of relevant organizations.
• No other formal votes or decisions were recorded beyond acceptance of minutes.
• Meeting adjourned at 7:16 PM on a motion by John, seconded by Quentin.