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Councilman remains concerned about homeless shelter operations

A Danbury City Council member continues to be concerned about the City's homeless shelter not operating a full capacity amid reports of people being turned away.  The Mayor and the Director of Health and Human Services have denied the allegations by Councilman Bob Taborsak, saying no one has been denied a bed. 

Taborsak says every bed is used at the overflow shelter.  He volunteers at Dorothy Day and say every bed there is also full.  According to the latest report filed with the City Council, the City Shelter was only 80 percent full. 

Mayor Mark Boughton says he would like Dorothy Day to come to the table and implement the same intake protocol used by the City Shelter.  But he cautioned that he's hesitant to meet with Dorothy Day while the City is under litigation with the facility, noting that anything they say can and will be used against the City.  He added that Danbury can't condone Dorothy Day violating zoning regulations, but using the state as a mediator has been a good practice for working with the organization. 

Health Director Lisa Morrissey says they've discussed better coordination of services.  She says it's not unusual during the holidays to have empty beds because people were staying with relatives for several days at the end of the month. 

If there are no beds available, Boughton says they will be provided a bed somewhere in the region and the City provides transportation so no one is left out in the cold.

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Brian Kilmeade

Local Headlines