From Mayor Alves Facebook page:

Since I took office in December, one of my goals has been not just to deliver on my promises, but to work to address the challenges our city faces whether they are big, small, or long-standing. Today was one of those days.

Since 2005 the City of Danbury has needed to renovate and upgrade the science labs at Danbury High School. This persistent issue has put the high school's accreditation at risk and has added to the complicated challenges our students and schools face.

I'm so happy to announce that today I signed a contract to finally address this 17-year-long problem, and infuse $13 million into Danbury High School for these long overdue upgrades and renovations to be made this summer and conclude the summer of 2025.

Now, 18 science labs and associated prep and storage rooms, and offices will have floors, sinks, plumbing, piping, lighting, ceilings, lab stations, and more replaced. New equipment and furniture will be installed including fume hoods, lab tables, chairs, marker boards, tack boards, and more.

In June 2023, voters approved the Danbury Career Academy Bond (proposed by Mayor Esposito and approved for referendum by the City Council). As outlined and detailed in the bond's text, the allocation of 43.9 million dollars for school repairs included upgrades to the science labs at Danbury High School.

A portion of the allocation for the upgrades comes from a transfer of funds from the SNAPP 2020 bond that voters approved under the Boughton administration.

Of the 21-member City Council, only three members voted against the forwarding the SNAPP 2020 Bond to referendum for public approval. Then At-Large City Councilman Roberto Alves (current Mayor)

Then At-Large City Councilman Frank Salvatore (current Majority Leader)

Fourth Ward City Councilman Farley Santos (current adviser to the Mayor).

Text of the Career Academy Bond that pertains to repairs and upgrades to the science lab is below:

Question 2: District-Wide Facility Improvements Bond $43,900,000 RESOLVED:

AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $43,900,000 FOR THE PLANNING, DESIGN, ACQUISITION, RENOVATION, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPPING AND FURNISHING OF VARIOUS UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS AT DANBURY HIGH SCHOOL, HAYESTOWN AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND KING STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL, AND CREATING IMPROVED CLASSROOM SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE DISTRICTWIDE OVERCROWDING AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $43,900,000 BONDS OF THE CITY TO MEET SAID APPROPRIATION AND PENDING THE ISSUANCE THEREOF THE MAKING OF TEMPORARY BORROWINGS FOR SUCH PURPOSE RESOLVED:

Section 1. The sum of $43,900,000 ($6,600,000 of which shall be transferred from the SNAPP 2020 School Ordinance and $1,400,000 of which shall be transferred from the Danbury Career Academy Ordinance (which included a $2,400,000 transferred allocation from the SNAPP 2020 School Ordinance), as more particularly set forth in Sections 2(a)-(b), respectively, below) is appropriated for the planning, design, acquisition, renovation, construction, equipping and furnishing of various school updates, renovation and improvement projects to schools within the City of Danbury, Connecticut (the “City”), including but not limited to: (i) the performance of Danbury High School accreditation work, all as more fully set forth in the report prepared by New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc.’s Commission on Public Schools, dated September 15, 2021, as amended from time to time, including, but not limited to, updates, renovations and code compliance improvements to science laboratories, nurse suite, and bathrooms, and HVAC equipment & duct evaluation and related renovation and improvements, supply and condensate pipe abatement & evaluation and related renovation and improvements; (ii) ADA compliance work at Hayestown Avenue Elementary School, including, but not limited to, the installation of a new elevator and other related work at the school; (iii) improvements to ADA accessible routes to the stadium bleachers at Danbury High School; (iv) the repair and replacement of the King Street Primary School roof; and (v) the creation and/or modification of classroom space to accommodate districtwide overcrowding, as determined by the Board of Education and the City of Danbury; and related engineering, architect, permitting, advisory, technical support services, construction administration services, and governmental fees and expenses and printing, legal and financing costs related thereto (collectively, the “Project”). Said appropriation for the Project to be inclusive of any and all State and Federal grants-in-aid thereof.

It's one thing for Mayor Alves, his campaign staff, and his loyalists to talk about transparency, it's another thing to actually be transparent and forthcoming about amtters of importance as opposed to purposely misleading the public for a political sound bite.

Last week, I sat down with City Councilman and popular African-American entrepreneur Dennis Perkins to discuss his first ward primary campaign to keep his seat on the Democratic Town Committee.

Recently, Perkins and his primary slate members, Andrea Ramos and NAACP member Charlotte Abraham, have vigorously pushed back against toxic allegations against the freshman City Councilman by party loyalists who have accused Perkins and some Democrats of disloyalty to Mayor Alves and his initiatives.

Perkins was the town committee's only abstention vote against the town committee's resolution in support of Mayor Alves' unconventional approach to modifying the city's charter; critics of DDTC leadership believe the town committee's resolution was a means of placing pressure on Democrats on the City Council who are skeptical of the mayor's approach to revising the charter.

Perkins believed that any member of the City Council who also sits on the town committee acted inappropriately by taking a position on the charter while the matter was in front of the City Council.

The primary has caught the attention of area and state Democrats who are weary of the divisiveness and toxicity that has plagued the party for years, and gained significant attention as the party gained a foothold at City Hall.

My interview with Councilman Perkins and the DDTC's first ward slate is here.