Danbury Mayor on Schools Expanding In Person Learning + More

There's always a lot of things happening in the City of Danbury and every week the Mayor fills us in on what's going on.

This week, Mayor Joe Cavo talks about the latest on the COVID-19 vaccine, in person learning returning to Danbury Schools, Catalytic Converter thefts, and we continue to petition for a statue in his honor.

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We got another phase of the COVID-19 vaccine starting up this week so there looks like a light at the end of the tunnel.

"That's right, the state opened up the vaccines to those 55 and older, school teachers, and day care workers and I'm excited about that. You know we tried to get teachers and day care workers moved to the front of the list back in December when I first took over as Mayor with no success, but now here we are in the beginning of March and finally teachers and day care workers will be able to be inoculated."

So now that COVID-19 cases have been declining a bit and the vaccine is out there, what can you tell us about the Danbury schools expanding in-person learning?

"The school board met last Wednesday night and they had some discussion about how to get schools back to in-person learning and what it might look like. It's not going to happen immediately, but the conversation has started about going in that direction. It would start with the younger grades first and working our way up to the older group. It's a positive step and they are definitely moving in a positive direction."

Before you became Mayor, you were a fantastic mechanic at the Danbury Fire Department. Now we're seeing a rash of catalytic converters being stolen from cars in the area. What can you tell us about this?

"This has been an issue on and off for years. It rears up, then calms down, but now we're seeing it again. We get these groups that go around and steal these catalytic converters because they think that they are worth a lot of money due to the metals that can be inside of them that make the converters function. Seems like the thought process is that if they get enough of them they can oil them down, remove these precious metals and make money. As a mechanic, I don't see it. But it has been an issue on and off for the past decade."

There are reports out that the metals in these catalytic converters could be worth up to if not more than $250.

"You have to figure out how to separate these specific metals from inside the catalytic converter, I don't think it's that easy. It puzzles me why people think this would be a great money maker. It seems like a lot of work for very little money."

As you know, I am a big proponent in having a statue erected in your honor and I think I've found the perfect place right in front of city hall, between a tree and the electric sign, what do you think of that Joe?

(Laugh)...."We already are well represented at Town Hall with some of the monuments representing some of immigrant communities that are here in what we call Heritage Plaza. We also have the Danbury Hatter statue, besides I don't think Danbury is ready for that just yet. The one thing I do love is you're always advocating for me, you're a great friend."