Danbury Council Confirms Attorney Appointment, Reviews Leases, Approves Grants

DANBURY, CT — The Danbury City Council on Tuesday confirmed a new assistant corporation counsel, approved multiple grants, and referred several lease renewals to committees during its Aug. 5 meeting at City Hall.

The council unanimously approved Mayor Roberto Alves’ appointment of attorney Kaitlin Gruse as assistant corporation counsel. Gruse, an attorney with Gfeller Laurie LLP in West Hartford and the New York City Law Department’s Special Litigation Division, is admitted to the bar in Connecticut and New York.

Members also reappointed Andrea Gray to the city’s Other Post Employment Benefits Board through July 1, 2030, following discussion on residency requirements for board service.

Several matters were referred to ad hoc committees, including proposed lease renewals for Happy Trails Farm at 36 Mountainville Road and Red Lobster at 34 Backus Avenue, as well as the renewal of an emergency management services agreement with Western Connecticut Health Network affiliates.

The council voted to send a corrected ordinance definition for “surviving spouse” in the firefighters’ pension fund to a public hearing.

Grants approved included $179,905 from Eversource for traffic signal video detection equipment and $590,036 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding for program year 51. The city also authorized applying for $763,856 in congressional directed spending.

Other actions included referring an environmental land use restriction for 89 Rose Hill Avenue to committee, and accepting a resolution on tax abatement for volunteer firefighters for public hearing.

The meeting also featured announcements for August community events, including the San Gennaro Festival, Ecuadorian and Indian Independence Day flag raisings, and Overdose Awareness Day.

In executive session, the council discussed and later approved settlements in two property tax appeal cases involving Lowe’s Home Centers and NREA Casper LLC.