Danbury officials this week authorized a public hearing to be held about accepting $498,000 from the state for improvements to the War Memorial and to lease some of the interior space to the Connecticut Institute for Communities for three new HeadStart classrooms.  War Memorial Board of Trustees member Chick Volpe says this would be a financial aid to the organization, because they are operating at a deficit.

A date for the hearing has not yet been scheduled.

The facility is currently operated as a gym, emergency shelter and gathering space for veterans.  Director of the Office of Emergency Management for Danbury, Paul Estefan says the shelter would not be effected by the HeadStart proposal.  The shelter is run from the gym.  If more room is needed, they use space upstairs.

Estefan says this is the only building in Danbury that will withstand winds in excess of 100 mph.  The roof is all concrete, and the state just issued a grant to the War Memorial for repair work.