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Record of Proceedings

Danbury Charter Revision Commission Approves Draft Charter Report on June 25, 2026

Meeting Portal — Thursday, June 25, 2026
BodyDanbury, Connecticut
SessionMeeting Portal
DateThursday, June 25, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 34:37

Original source
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0:00

Good evening again, everybody.

0:05

Thank you.

0:06

I'm gonna call the meet regular meeting of the Charter Revision Commission to order.

0:12

It is 8 57 p.m.

0:15

here on June 25th, 2026.

0:19

Um, Madam Secretary, if you can do the roll call again, please.

0:32

I am present.

0:33

Commissioner Armstrong.

0:36

Commissioner Hernandez, Commissioner Jowdy.

0:40

Commissioner McCarry.

0:42

Commissioner Putnam.

0:44

And Commissioner Rivero.

0:45

Here.

0:46

Thank you.

0:48

Okay.

0:48

Thank you very much, Madam Secretary.

0:50

So first item on our agenda is the acceptance of the minutes from the June 17th regular meeting.

0:58

They're included in the packet.

1:00

Does anybody have any questions or comments on the minutes as they're presented?

1:05

I have one.

1:07

Pardon me.

1:08

I have a spelling correction for uh Board of Edmember Kate Canada.

1:14

Her last name is misspelled.

1:17

So noted, say again.

1:22

We'll do we'll do the motion as amended.

1:24

So we'll say the original motion will cover it.

1:27

Okay.

1:27

So so noted on the name correction for board member Canetta.

1:32

Any other comments on the draft minutes before we make a motion.

1:39

Okay.

1:40

Is there a motion to accept the minutes as amended?

1:43

Mr.

1:43

Chairman would like to make a motion to accept the minutes as amended that copies will be distributed to all members and the public.

1:49

Motion has been made.

1:49

Is there a second?

1:51

Motion is made and seconded.

1:52

Is there any discussion on the motion to accept the minutes?

1:57

Seeing none, I will try your minds.

1:59

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

2:01

Aye.

2:02

Any opposed, say nay.

2:04

Any abstentions?

2:06

The ayes have it.

2:07

And the motion carries.

2:08

Say again.

2:09

One abstention, Commissioner Armstrong.

2:12

Motion carries.

2:16

So roadmap for tonight.

2:18

Um the question before the commission this evening is to accept the draft report just as a matter of housekeeping, so the commission is aware of what happens from this point.

2:31

We are approving a draft report.

2:34

So this is think of it as step one in a two-part process.

2:38

We've completed the first part of our job, which is to recommend initial changes in a draft report.

2:45

After we act on it tonight, that draft will then get submitted to the town clerk who will transmit it to the city council.

2:52

And then the city council will then act on the draft report.

2:56

They will meet at their leisure on the draft report.

3:01

Any recommendations they have will come back to us where we will look at it again, and then it'll go back to the city council for a final report, which is where they will vote to either approve or disapprove and to put on the ballot or not put on the ballot.

3:15

But we are basically handing the ball to the city council tonight with the draft recommendations that we have in our report this evening.

3:23

I did also want to take just a moment of personal privilege just to go over some concerns that were addressed during the public comment as far as public participation and noticing and involvement in the process.

3:39

I just want to be clear that the commission has met nine times, regular meetings.

3:45

There's been two public hearings.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████66%
Charter Revision█████████████████25%
Fiscal Sustainability███5%
Public Engagement███4%
Summary of Proceedings

Danbury Charter Revision Commission Approves Draft Charter Report on June 25, 2026

The Danbury Charter Revision Commission held its regular meeting on June 25, 2026, at 8:57 PM. The primary agenda item was the approval of the draft charter report for submission to the City Council. The commission discussed public comments from the earlier public hearing, debated the bond borrowing limit, and voted to approve the draft report. The meeting adjourned at 9:31 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The minutes from the June 17, 2026, regular meeting were accepted with a spelling correction for Board of Education member Kate Canetta's last name. The motion passed with one abstention (Commissioner Armstrong).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Public comments were heard earlier in the meeting (referenced but not transcribed). Comments addressed concerns about public participation, noticing, and the process. The Chair noted that the commission had held nine regular meetings, two public hearings, and two City Council meetings, with additional opportunities for public input upcoming, including a Council-led public hearing and a potential ballot vote in November.

Discussion Items

  • Draft Report Approval: The main motion to approve the draft report and authorize its submission to the Town Clerk for transmittal to the City Council was made and seconded. Commissioners expressed varying views: some wanted more time to consider public comments, while others noted that the commission had thoroughly discussed all raised issues in prior meetings and that the Council could make changes before the final report. Corporation Counsel clarified that the commission would have another opportunity to review and amend the report after the Council sends back its recommendations.
  • Bond Borrowing Limit: Commissioner Jowdy raised a question about the proposed increase in the mayor's bond borrowing authority from $3 million to $5 million without Council approval per transaction. Corporation Counsel confirmed that the process remains unchanged—the Council must approve any borrowing by a two-thirds vote via ordinance. The increase was justified by inflation and emergency needs (e.g., school roof repairs). The prior increase was from $500,000 to $3 million.
  • Elected vs. Appointed Town Clerk, Board of Education terms, City Council composition, and four-year terms were also noted as topics on which the commission had previously deliberated and which were raised in public comments.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote on Draft Report: The commission voted 6-0 in favor of approving the draft report, with two abstentions (Commissioners Armstrong and Svenick). The report will be submitted to the Town Clerk for transmittal to the City Council.
  • Next Steps: The City Council will hold a public hearing and may propose changes. The commission will then hold a joint meeting with the Council and issue a final report. A meeting in late July is anticipated to review Council feedback and finalize the report for potential inclusion on the November ballot.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening again, everybody. Thank you. I'm gonna call the meet regular meeting of the Charter Revision Commission to order. It is 8 57 p.m. here on June 25th, 2026. Um, Madam Secretary, if you can do the roll call again, please. I am present. Commissioner Armstrong. Commissioner Hernandez, Commissioner Jowdy. Commissioner McCarry. Commissioner Putnam. And Commissioner Rivero. Here. Thank you. Okay. Thank you very much, Madam Secretary. So first item on our agenda is the acceptance of the minutes from the June 17th regular meeting. They're included in the packet. Does anybody have any questions or comments on the minutes as they're presented? I have one. Pardon me. I have a spelling correction for uh Board of Edmember Kate Canada. Her last name is misspelled. So noted, say again. We'll do we'll do the motion as amended. So we'll say the original motion will cover it. Okay. So so noted on the name correction for board member Canetta. Any other comments on the draft minutes before we make a motion. Okay. Is there a motion to accept the minutes as amended? Mr. Chairman would like to make a motion to accept the minutes as amended that copies will be distributed to all members and the public. Motion has been made. Is there a second? Motion is made and seconded. Is there any discussion on the motion to accept the minutes? Seeing none, I will try your minds. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay. Any abstentions? The ayes have it. And the motion carries. Say again. One abstention, Commissioner Armstrong. Motion carries. So roadmap for tonight. Um the question before the commission this evening is to accept the draft report just as a matter of housekeeping, so the commission is aware of what happens from this point. We are approving a draft report.

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