Danbury Charter Revision Commission Public Hearing

Date: April 30, 2026, 7:00 PM

The Danbury Charter Revision Commission held a public hearing to receive comments on potential revisions to the City of Danbury Charter. Over a dozen residents and elected officials spoke, offering a wide range of perspectives on term lengths, council structure, bonding limits, ethics provisions, and modernization of the charter.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Karen Polanzo (27 Middle River Road): Noted the charter lacks an ethics section and recommended adding one. Criticized the use of double negatives ("not inconsistent"), a 93-word run-on sentence describing council powers, the quorum definition allowing a majority of members present, and the lack of residency requirements for many key positions. Also suggested more than five days for the public to review the final budget.
• Lynn Waller (83 Highland Avenue): Opposed shrinking the city council from 21 members. Opposed raising the bonding limit to $5 million without public referendum, arguing a longer mayoral term combined with higher bonding would reduce public input. Questioned the rush of the charter revision process and lack of TV coverage of meetings. Expressed concern that commission members are too close to the mayor.
• John Cook (152 South King Street): Supported extending the mayor's term to four years to reduce constant campaigning and allow for longer-term planning. Suggested adjusting the distribution of at-large seats to avoid multiple council members from the same ward.
• Jackie Wrightsis (6 Dartmouth Lane): Supported a four-year mayoral term for better team building, relationship building, and long-range planning.
• Duane Robinson (Councilwoman, 2nd Ward): Advocated for allowing standing committees (currently only ad hocs are allowed), updating dollar values for donations and bonding (noting $1,000 in 1990 is worth more today), modernizing the charter for technology (digital publication, hybrid meetings, digital petitioning), and adding ethics and conflict of interest provisions.
• Benjamin Chenaze (Councilman, 6th Ward, over 20 years on council): Opposed changing the 21-member council. Called for reforming the reapportionment process to avoid costly impasses. Recommended making the town clerk an appointed civil service position to ensure qualifications. Supported raising the bonding limit but with a cap on total outstanding debt. Agreed to increase the donation acceptance limit. Urged consistent department head descriptions and an ethics provision.
• Gary Simone (5 Dogwood Drive, former Councilman): Supported four-year terms for mayor and council, citing the steep learning curve and the need for continuity. Shared a personal story about winning the popular vote but losing the seat due to charter rules, asking the commission to ensure votes count.
• Paul Rotello (Councilman, 6th Ward, 13 Linden Place): Warned against sweeping changes, arguing Danbury is the best-run city in Connecticut. Defended two-year terms as ensuring accountability. Opposed standing committees as potentially creating powerful fiefdoms. Urged the commission to slow down and aim for a 2028 referendum, taking 12–18 months like previous revisions.
• Luisa Britton (14 Fairfield Avenue, Board of Education): Supported extending terms from two to four years and allowing standing committees, citing her positive experience on the Board of Education.
• Bill McAllister (6 South Street, Councilman, King Street Volunteer Fire Chief): Supported four-year terms. Urged no changes to charter sections governing the fire department (career and volunteer).
• Frank Salvatore (1903 Revere Road, Councilman): Supported four-year terms and keeping council size. Suggested alternative mechanisms for appointing a fifth member to the reapportionment committee if it deadlocks. Recommended updating public notice requirements to include digital options, establishing standing audit committees, retaining residency requirements for police and fire chiefs, and adjusting the bonding limit for inflation.
• Al Robinson (7 Melrose Avenue): Opposed four-year terms, arguing past proposals were political power grabs. Favored keeping the bonding limit and requiring public referendums. Supported making the city clerk a civil service position to depoliticize it. Strongly defended ward representation. Criticized the current town clerk for politicization. Questioned the legality of the commission's makeup.
• Mayor (speaker not named, but identified as mayor): Supported four-year terms for all elected officials for stability and better recruitment. Asked the commission to adjust the bonding limit from $3 million to approximately $5 million (inflation-adjusted) to handle emergencies like the school roof repair. Opposed changing council size. Urged the commission to let voters decide on these issues.
• Taylor (Chief of Staff): Presented technical revisions: update public notice requirements to comply with state statutes and allow digital publication (city spent over $100,000 on newspaper notices in the last year); raise the donation acceptance limit; add a Department of Technology Services; rename departments (e.g., Emergency Management, Aging Services); adjust confirmation process for entry-level police/fire hires to avoid academy delays; clarify deputy corporation counsel role; change superintendent of highways to public services; remove outdated budget submission dates; allow flexibility in emergency appropriations; update accounting provisions; and make the charter gender-neutral.
• Michael Coello (Councilman at-large, 47 East Lake Road): Opposed reducing the 21-member council, stressing the importance of ward representation. Urged the commission to take its time and not rush the process.

Key Outcomes

• The commission voted unanimously to close the public hearing (moved by Commissioner Sefranic, seconded by Commissioner Jowdy).
• The commission then voted unanimously to adjourn (moved by Commissioner Sefranic, seconded by Commissioner Putnam).
• No substantive votes on charter changes were taken; the commission will now deliberate and prepare recommendations for the city council and potentially the voters.