Okay, six o'clock.

Um, I'm gonna call this meeting to order.

Uh, my name's Andrea Gardner, I'm a city councilwoman for the fifth ward, and I'm chairing this ad hoc.

Um, this meeting is um regarding uh an appointment to the Richter Park Authority of Robert Brea to serve as a full member and as the required liaison for the Richter Association for the Arts.

And at this meeting, members of the ad hoc include um Councilman Lou Jordano and Councilwoman Candice Fay.

And also present is Pete Susinski, the chairman of the Richter Park.

I was unsure about how to say that last name, Pete.

That's like me to South Green.

And Robert Brian.

Of course, I thought so.

And Corporation Council, um, Councillor Tracy Norris is here, and liaison community economic development director, Farley Santos.

Um, so I'm gonna start with some questions to Corporation Council, if I may, or perhaps um Pete, you can answer them as well.

So um it regarding the uh Richter Park Authority and the requirements of its um members.

I understand that's of nine member autonomous board whose members are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council, and that's why that was put in front of us uh two months ago.

Um the appointment terms and the appointment process, but um I didn't find anything that stated there needed to be a residential requirement, that there was a uh required residency.

And this isn't um always the case with the boards and other things because sometimes they do include residency requirements.

Um so I I feel that because it doesn't impose a residence require on some boards and not others, that it's fully within the purview, of course, of the mayor to appoint um Mr.

Brea to the board.

And um, so I just wanted to make to point that out.

So I don't really have any questions except to confirm that it's within the purview of how the structure of the park authority is that this appointment is.

Yes, we didn't find anything either that requires residence.

Okay, so I will turn over any questions to this isn't really a question, but it's it's more just uh a statement.

Um, you know, having uh joined the uh um Richter Park Authority in uh January, um I've seen uh how um this is a pretty close family here, and all these uh you know different groups um are uh working together, the Richter Arts Association, the musicals, the uh you know, the golfing and all of that stuff, and and there's a long history with a lot of people at the uh organ, you know, you know, in their contributions to this.

So I think uh Bobby was mentioning to me that he had been on and off uh since when 19.

1989, 1939, but as a really steady contributor since 2014.

And you know, when I when I joined and um uh you know, I was asked to uh be the R Slades, and because I was um uh replacing uh Judy uh uh Greamsman, who was the previous um arts liaison um you know I tr I sat in on one uh um board meeting of the Richter uh arts association and um realized there was uh um some uh misunderstandings and disagreements between them and the park authority that really went back way beyond what I knew, and that's why I didn't really feel like I was qualified to do that.

But then uh when I heard that Bobby was uh nominated by the mayor, I thought it was right in front of us the whole time.

This is the perfect person, you know, and uh so uh um you know I was I was kind of surprised that it got sent to ad hoc because it just seemed like it was um you know it it was an answer to uh you know uh to our prayers there.

So uh anyway, I just wanted to you know put that out there because that's kind of what I saw from uh from the inside.

Thank you, Kim.

Thank you, Counselor.

Um any questions, or maybe you can answer his question why it was brought to ad hoc.

Um I feel you called it to ad hoc.

Yeah, I did.

So I I mean, I was um not I I told Councilman Salvatore why I was going to send it to ad hoc.

It's not personal in any way to Mr.

Brea.

I've seen you at work at musicals at Richters.

I know how valuable you are to uh a gem in our city, really.

However, I do believe that in a city of 90 something thousand people, there are Danbury residents that would be suitable for this situation and for this position.

My understanding through corporation counsel discussions I've had with corporation council's office is that there was a residency requirement and that that was removed at some point.

But I don't know at what point that was removed.

Um perhaps, and I don't know why it was removed.

I wasn't involved at that at that juncture.

Um perhaps at some point it was difficult to find someone who would be suitable for this position.

I don't think that's the case in 2026.

We have a cultural commission, we have people who are really involved.

We have a number of students, parents, uh, dance teachers, art directors that are really involved with the musicals.

Um so that's basically why I wanted to go to ad hoc and have that discussion and honestly make it known and and heard that um it's not personal to you, Mr.

Brea, again, but that I do think in our great city there is someone else who would be suitable for this position.

Um I mean, I I I do have a question I wanted to ask is the musicals at Richter um a tenant of Richter Park authority.

They are not a tenant.

They they they do perform a show as a separate entity, and they do pay uh an annual amount of I wouldn't even call it ranch more of a user fee for utilities, uh et cetera, based on a head count.

So I guess it's not a tenancy, I guess, in the true meaning of the word, but they are occupying space for a fee through that.

I think that is also an inherent conflict having the executive director of uh for lack of a better word, a tenant um from the authority.

Um those are my reservations.

Um, and it's not personal in any way, Mr.

Brea.

I've interacted with you over at musicals.

My kids and I go there uh every year, and I have a number of um friends and uh students that do, you know, perform over there.