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Danbury Council adopts tax-abatement ordinance for volunteer firefighters after public testimony
Summary
After public testimony from volunteers and a brief council debate that included a scrivener’s correction, the Danbury City Council adopted an ordinance creating a tax-abatement program for volunteer firefighters (section 44-71) by roll call.
The Danbury City Council voted to adopt a tax-abatement ordinance for volunteer firefighters on Oct. 9, approving Section 44-71 to Chapter 44, Article 2 after public testimony from volunteer members of the fire department and a roll-call vote.
Volunteer leaders and firefighters urged the council to pass the ordinance during the public comment period. "This is a nice way to say thank you and help us recruit and retain members," Charlie Coakley, identified in the record as president of the Danbury Volunteer Firemen’s Council and chief of Volunteer Fire Battalion 31, told the council. Matt Hoffman, a firefighter with Battalion 19, described volunteers’ mutual-aid work, training burdens and community outreach and said the abatement would be a "small token of appreciation." Steve Flanagan, a resident who spoke on another agenda item, also urged the city to make the most of the open-space acquisitions referenced in the meeting.
Council members acknowledged the ordinance’s long history and the need to support volunteer recruitment and retention. Councilman Bridal identified a scrivener’s error in the ordinance’s effective-assessment date, noting the text read Oct. 1, 2026, and should read Oct. 1, 2025; the council proceeded with the correction during remarks. Several council members described the abatement as a recruitment and pipeline tool that complements other volunteer-support efforts.
The council adopted the ordinance by roll-call vote. The record shows 16 members voting in favor and one opposing vote; the mayor declared the motion carried. The ordinance, as presented, establishes point thresholds and a scaled abatement tied to years of service; qualifying volunteers must meet yearly thresholds to be eligible.
Next steps: with adoption of the ordinance, staff will publish implementing guidance and the council indicated it can revisit and amend the program if it proves insufficient to meet recruitment and retention goals.
Sources: Public testimony by Charlie Coakley; Matt Hoffman; council remarks recorded during the Oct. 9 council meeting; ordinance text (Section 44-71).
