The Danbury City Council has approved $62 million in borrowing, and is now taking public comment on the matter.  The COVID-19 pandemic has turned many things upside down, and having residents voice their opinions through a vote on government spending is no different. 

First term Councilman Frank Salvatore Jr questioned at Tuesday's virtual monthly meeting what constituents will think about them voting first and taking their comments second.  Some council members asked if the vote could be delayed until after public comment was received.  But they ultimately approved the bond package. 

The city will accept public comment for 10 days on the borrowing plan.  An ad hoc committee will examine the responses. 

Danbury officials initially scheduled the vote for April, to coincide with the presidential primary.  When the state moved the primary to June, the City also moved the bond vote.  Now that the primary has been delayed again, this time to August, Mayor Mark Boughton says they can't wait.  He notes that there's a June 30th deadline for a state grant for the school projects. 

Classrooms will be added to a district-owned building near Ellsworth Avenue Elementary School to accommodate rising enrollment.  In response to questions about whether Danbury residents can afford this given the financial impact of COVID-19, Boughton said the city still needs to pave its roads and address growing enrollment, noting that problem doesn’t change with COVID-19. 

While Boughton has has finished his budget proposal, he is waiting to present it to the City Council until he is certain the governor does not cut funding to the city.  Some in smaller towns have expressed concern that Boards of Finance were authorized by the Governor's Executive Order to be the voting body.  In Danbury, the City Council always voted on the annual budget, not taxpayers.