Advisory committee approves two consultant invoices and authorizes advertising to promote trail survey

Holly Robinson, chair of the Marjorie Reservoir Trail advisory committee, opened the Feb. meeting and the panel approved two consultant invoices and authorized limited paid advertising to promote the public survey.

Antonio Aruba, the City of Danbury public works director and New Fairfield town engineer, moved to approve invoice #10726 (dated Jan. 20, 2025) for the committee's design consultant; the committee then approved the payment. The committee also approved invoice #10336 (dated Dec. 4, 2024) for the same design services. Committee members said both invoices will be paid from the grant fund and that Patty, the New Fairfield purchasing agent, will process payment once the meeting minutes are finalized.

The committee discussed options to promote the public survey posted on the consultant's concept website. Members compared print placements in the Town Tribune and the Danbury News-Times and digital advertising options. The purchasing agent was authorized to place an ad in the Town Tribune not to exceed $230. The committee also approved a combined digital placement and a Sunday print placement in the Danbury News-Times not to exceed $1,100 total.

Robinson said the advertising push is timed to increase public participation before the survey deadline noted on the site; committee members emphasized cost-effectiveness when weighing print versus digital placements. No formal roll-call vote listing individual member votes was recorded in the transcript; the chair noted the motions carried.

The meeting record shows the committee also voted to waive the reading and approve the Dec. 14, 2024 minutes (one member recused), and later adjourned after setting the next meeting date.