Danbury City Council authorizes Department of Elderly Services to accept $80,000 Buck Foundation grant

Danbury City — The Danbury City Council voted to authorize the Department of Elderly Services to accept an $80,000 grant from the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation at an ad hoc meeting called to begin at 6:30 p.m., Council Chair John Laffinghaus said.

Laffinghaus told the council the award exceeded the amount the council had previously authorized the department to accept, and noted that formal council approval was required for any amendment. “The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation awarded $80,000,” he said, and reminded members that the earlier authorization allowed acceptance of a grant not to exceed $75,000.

Council members asked a brief procedural question about whether an explanation for exceeding the prior authorization was required; the chair indicated there were no further questions and put the motion back on the floor. A motion to authorize the Department of Elderly Services to accept the full $80,000 award was moved and seconded, according to the transcript. The chair called for the vote, members responded “Aye,” and the chair stated the motion passes. The transcript does not record the names of the motion’s mover or seconder or an exact roll-call tally.

The meeting record shows the purpose of the ad hoc session was limited to the grant acceptance. Following the vote, members moved and seconded to adjourn.

The council did not record further details in the transcript about how the department plans to use the money, required reporting, or any attached conditions. Those implementation details were not specified in the meeting record.