Minutes of the Charter Revision Commission Meeting held on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 in the Old Court Room at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, Newtown, CT
Chairman Al Cramer called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
PRESENT: Al Cramer, Carolyn Signorelli, LeReine Frampton, Joseph Hemingway, one member of the press, one member of the public Absent: Guy Howard, Joan Plouffe
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: Upon motion of Ms. Signorelli, the minutes of the regular meeting of 12/5/06 were unanimously accepted as presented.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
None
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
4. Should some or all of the Legislative Council members be elected at large?
Chairman Cramer explained the different ramifications of changing the amount of districts. With 3 districts, each party can nominate 3 candidates for a total of 6 candidates running. 4 members would be seated for a percentage of 66 ?%. With 2 districts, each party would nominate 4 candidates for a total of 8 candidates. 6 members would be seated for a percentage of 75.8%. With 1 district, each party would nominate 7 candidates for a total of 14 candidates. 12 would be seated for a percentage of 85.7%.
· Ms. Signorelli questioned whether the town would benefit from a smaller council.
· Mr. Hemingway feels a larger council with 12 members is better.
· Mr. Cramer feels 12 is a good number to approve a vote.
· Ms. Signorelli expressed concern that unaffiliated voters do not have an option to run with the current system.
· Ms. Frampton stated that unaffiliated voters can run. There is a separate line for unaffiliated voters who wish to run. The State Statute does require one (1) from each party.
· Ms. Signorelli feels that more than 3 districts doesn’t fit Newtown’s system.
· Mr. Cramer feels “at large” candidates would create too many (22).
· Mr. Hemingway stated the more candidates that run the harder it is to campaign.
· Ms. Frampton stated that some districts have a hard time finding candidates to run.
· Mr. Hemingway agreed that the Town Committees do have a hard time filling spots.
Ms. Signorelli moved the Legislative Council remain as is with 3 districts and 4 members per district. Motion failed by a roll call vote YES (Mr.Cramer, Mr. Hemingway, Ms. Signorelli). NO (Ms. Frampton).
5. Should the term of office for each member of the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance be 2 or 4 years ?
Board of Selectmen:
· Mr. Hemingway feels the terms should be the same as the Legislative Council. They need to run in the same years to get the vote out.
· Ms. Frampton stated that if they did not run in the same years the voters could concentrate on each election better.
· Mr. Cramer feels that the terms should remain at 2 years. It would be too difficult to remove a problem person if he was elected for 4 years.
· Ms. Frampton would favor a 4 year term for the First Selectman and 2 year terms for the other 2 Board of Selectmen members. She feels the First Selectman does not have that much power. He needs approvals from the various boards. You would get more people to run if it was for 4 years.
· Mr. Hemingway does not like the other 2 members of the Board of Selectmen running separately.
· Ms. Signorelli stated she would like the separation of votes for the Board of Selectmen and the First Selectman.
Mr. Hemingway moved to maintain the terms of office for the Board of Selectmen at two (2) years. The vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion carried. Commissioners Plouffe and Howard were absent.
Board of Finance:
· Mr. Cramer feels a 4 year term would give them too much power.
Mr. Hemingway moved to maintain the terms of office for the Board of Finance at two (2) year terms. The vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion carried. Commissioners Plouffe and Howard were absent.
7. Should the membership of the Board of Education be increased? Should minority representation for Board membership be enacted?
· Mr. Cramer explained that with 6 board members having 4 year terms, 3 are elected at each election. It affects the balance of power for the political parties. With more members, there is a better chance to change the board.
Mr. Hemingway moved to increase the number of members on the Board of Education to nine (9); and the three (3) districts used for electing the members to the Legislative Council will be used to each elect three (3) members to the Board of Education; and the number of members of any one political party who may be elected to serve on the Board of Education from each district shall not exceed two (2) of the three (3) members. The vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion carried. Commissioners Plouffe and Howard were absent.
Ms. Signorelli moved to reconsider the Legislative Council membership vote. The vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion carried. Commissioners Plouffe and Howard were absent.
Ms. Signorelli moved to maintain the current three (3) district structure of electing members to the Legislative Council and no more than three (3) members of the same political party shall be elected from that district. The vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion carried. Commissioners Plouffe and Howard were absent.
6. Should some or all Town Meetings be eliminated? Should the $150,000 limit be increased for Legislative Council authority?
· Mr. Cramer feels the amount of money the Council can enact on for appropriations should be increased. He feels special appropriations in excess of one (1) mil should go to a Town Meeting. Capital projects should be voted on separately.
· Mr. Hemingway feels if all capital projects went to a referendum, the voters would be confused.
· Ms. Signorelli feels that projects over $10 million impact the direction of the Town. They should go to a referendum.
· Mr. Cramer stated the CIP is over $100 million. Better planning is being done. Capital projects must be sent by a certain date to the Board of Finance or they will not be considered for that year. Town Meeting should be held for the acceptance of property and easements. Referendums should be held for all capital projects.
Mr. Hemingway moved to permit the Legislative Council to approve appropriations not in excess of $500,000 for any one (1) item during a fiscal year. The total of special and emergency appropriations made during the fiscal year shall not exceed an amount equal to one (1) mil on the most recent completed grand list. The vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion carried. Commissioners Plouffe and Howard were absent.
Ms. Signorelli moved to require that any special or emergency appropriation of $10,000,000 or more must go to referendum for approval. The vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed. Motion carried. Commissioners Plouffe and Howard were absent.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Ms. Frampton informed the Commission that all meetings, minutes and agendas are posted on the Town web site for the public to view electronically.
Mr. Cramer informed the Commission the Community Development Director, Elizabeth Stocker and the First Selectman will be attending a commission meeting in January to discuss the role of a Town Planner.
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. in the Mary Hawley Room at Edmond Town Hall.
ADJOURNMENT:
Ms. Signorelli moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion unanimously carried. Having no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Mary Kelley, Clerk Pro Tem
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