TOWN OF SIMSBURY
CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION
AMENDED SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 18, 2004
The Meeting of the Charter Revision Commission was held in Room 106 of the Simsbury Town Offices. Members in attendance: Chairman Charles Howard; members Anita Mielert, Linda Schofield, John Ritson, William Ethier, and Eileen Zaldonis. Also in attendance were Town Attorney Bob DeCrescenzo, Selectman John Hampton, and Sam T. Kohn.
CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Howard called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mr. Ethier made motion to approve the minutes of October 4, 2004. Mr. Ritson seconded the motion. Mr. Howard had some changes and corrections. The changes will be made. All were in favor of the motion and the motion passed.
DISCUSSION AND ADOPTION OF RULES
Mr. Howard said the Board of Selectmen gave the Commission a copy of Rules of Procedure.
Mr. Howard said number 5 was a good idea. Mr. Ritson and Mr. Ethier said they didn’t feel there should be public input at every meeting. They feel that people from other committees would be invited as necessary. The public should speak at the Public Hearing as there is a lot of work to be done here.
Attorney DeCrescenzo said if Public Audience is on the agenda then the audience needs to be heard from. Ms. Mielert said it could be limited to 3 minutes per person with a 15 minute limit in public audience.
After further discussion, Mr. Ethier made motion to adopt Robert’s Rules with a 3 minute/15 minute limit on Public Audience. Mr. Zaldonis seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed.
PUBLIC AUDIENCE
Mr. Sam Kohn, 47 Longview Drive, said he had several concerns, but he is most interested in the automatic budget referendum, which does not have a constituency. The referendum used to have three votes, in 1993, but now the rules have changed. There are no longer budget referendums in each of the polling places in Town. He would like the Commission to consider restoring the four polling places with ample advertising in each precinct to revive the budget referendum.
TOWN OF SIMSBURY
CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION
AMENDED SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 18, 2004
Page 2:
Mr. Howard reminded Mr. Kohn that there will be a Public Hearing on November 10, 2004 at 7:30. He also noted that the public can send a letter to the Commission also.
Ms. Mielert asked that the Registrar of Voters do a report on the automatic budget referendum since 1993, the numbers of people who voted and the percentage of eligible voters and when there were four polling places and when it went to one polling place. Ms. Mielert made motion for this report. Mr. Ethier seconded the motion.
Mr. Ritson feels the Commission is getting ahead of itself. This could be done after the Public Hearing, if necessary.
After discussion, five were in favor of the motion and one was against.
REPORT FROM BOARD OF SELECTMEN SUB-COMMITTEE
Mr. Hampton said he was here to offer his support and input. He will check with the Board for input on the Public Hearing and November 29th meeting.
The report of the Selectmen was postponed.
REPORT FROM TOWN ATTORNEY
Attorney DeCrescenzo said the Commission had asked him to check on Section 603 and he had a letter of transmittal from the Board of Selectmen. It outlines a series of recommendations for the Commission. Attorney DeCrescenzo said Section 603 has to do with the power of the First Selectmen’s appointments. You can’t terminate a term of employment if it’s a covered position in a collective bargaining agreement because that supercedes the appointment, unless there is a process for termination. If it is not an officer in the collective bargaining agreement and it’s not an officer specifically listed in Section 801, then you can hire someone for a definite term.
Attorney DeCrescenzo doesn’t think the collective bargaining agreement necessarily makes this section obsolete for all positions. The idea is that the First Selectman should be able to bring in his/her own team in place and not encumber the successor. Attorney DeCrescenzo said Section 603 doesn’t need to be changed technically, but maybe policy matters need to be changed.
Attorney DeCrescenzo said he looked in to Section 506 which deals with the Annual Budget Hearing. The voters vote on the budget and it can be lower but not higher than what is approved.
Attorney DeCrescenzo read Section 909 about the motion on the budget.
TOWN OF SIMSBURY
CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION
AMENDED SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 18, 2004
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Attorney DeCrescenzo handed out an “Overview of the Simsbury Town Charter” as attached. The Commission went through the overview.
Attorney DeCrescenzo said everyone should look at the items listed in the overview to help them with the revision process.
PUBLIC HEARING
Mr. Howard said the Hartford Courant will be notified of the Public Hearing on November 10th at 7:30 in the Main Meeting Room. The meeting has been posted and he will send a letter to the Boards and Commission chairmen. Ms. Mielert said the Simsbury Life should also be notified. Ms. Zaldonis will notify the public tv station.
It was decided to allow the audience to have 5 minutes per person to speak and the meeting will be only two hours long. Mr. Howard noted that the audience needs to come to the microphone and state their name and address before speaking. There will also be written communications that can be received.
MEETING DATES
It was decided that meetings would be held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:30 pm.
Mr. Howard said the agenda for the Nov. 29th meeting would include a report from the Board of Selectmen; discussion on the Public Hearing; discussion on Chapter IX, Attorney reports on publication of ordinances, Section 408, Section 403.
ADJOURNMENT
Ms. Mielert made motion to adjourn at 9:33 p.m. Mr. Ritson seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathi Radocchio
Clerk
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