Report by Paula Antolini, April 7, 2020, 7:41AM EDT
4/6/2020 – RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN GOVERNING THE ADOPTION OF THE FY 2020-2021 TOWN OF BETHEL BUDGET
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, the Governor of the State of Connecticut (“Governor”) declared a public health emergency and civil preparedness emergency for the State of Connecticut, pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Sections 19a-131 and 28-9, in response to the global pandemic of COVID-19 disease associated with a novel coronavirus that is currently affecting multiple countries and states; and
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WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States (“President”) declared a national emergency to combat the coronavirus that is currently infecting the population of the United States; and
WHEREAS, the effects the transmission of COVID-19 has resulted in the spread of infections in Connecticut and throughout the country, as well as resulting in shortages of personal protective equipment and other supplies that could jeopardize public safety and civil preparedness; and
WHEREAS, in response to the issuance of declarations of a public health emergency and civil preparedness emergency by the Governor he has issued a series of Executive Orders setting for the law governing the conduct of the business of state and municipal government during the period of the emergency;
WHEREAS, on March 14, 2020, the Governor issued Executive Order No. 7B (“EO 7B”), paragraph 1 of which suspends all statutes, charter provisions, ordinances and regulations mandating open meetings in order “…to permit any public agency to meet and take such actions authorized by the law without permitting or requiring in-person, public access to such meetings, and to hold such meetings or proceedings remotely by conference call, videoconference orothertechnology” (‘Electronic Meetings”); and,
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WHEREAS, EO 7B sets forth the following requirements for Electronic Meetings:
• the public has the ability to view or listen to each meeting or proceeding in real time, by telephone, video, or other technology;
• any such meeting or proceeding is recorded or transcribed, and such recording or transcript shall be posted on the agency’s website within seven
(7) days of the meeting or proceeding, and made available within a reasonable time in the agency’s office;
• the required notice and agenda for each meeting or proceeding is posted on the agency’s website and shall include information about how the meeting will be conducted and how the public can access it;
• any materials relevant to matters on the agenda, including but not limited to materials related to specific applications, if applicable, shall be submitted to the agency a minimum of twenty four (24) hours prior and posted to the agency’s website for public inspection prior to, during, and after the meeting, and any exhibits to be submitted by members of the public shall, to the extent feasible, also been submitted to the agency a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting and posted to the agency’s website for public inspection prior to, during, and after the meeting; and
• all speakers taking part in any such meeting or proceeding shall clearly state their name and title, if applicable, before speaking on each occasion that they speak; and,
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2020 the Governor issued Executive Order No. 7C, paragraph 5 (“EO 7C”) of which extended “all budget deadlines for the preparation of the municipal budget” for the FY 2020-2021 “that falls on any date prior to and including May 15, 2020 are extended by thirty (30) days”;
WHEREAS, EO 7C (5) permits the Board of Selectmen to alter or modify the schedules and deadlines pertaining to the preparation and submission of a proposed budget and the deliberation or actions on said budget including any required public hearing(s), publication, referendum or final budget adoption: and,
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WHEREAS, EO 7C postpones all submission dates as set forth in Chapters C6-3 and C10-2 of the Charter of the Town of Bethel until such time as the Board of Selectmen approves said modified scheduled and deadline consistent with the thirty (30) day extension; and,
WHEREAS, on March 21, 2020, the Governor issued Executive Order No. 7I, paragraph 13 (“EO 7I”) of which dispenses with any in-person voting requirements (including referenda and town meetings requiring in-person votes) for purposes of adopting 2020-2021 fiscal year municipal budgets and setting the mill rate; and directs the Board of Selectmen to confer final responsibility on the budget-making authority of the town to adopt a budget and set a mill rate, which roles are allocated by the Charter to the budget
authority; and,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED pursuant to paragraph 5 of Executive Order 7C and paragraph 13 of Executive Order 7I, the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Bethel hereby directs and authorizes the Board of Finance (“the budget authority”) to take all necessary and reasonable steps as described in Executive Order 7B(1) and 7I(13) to publicize a draft of the proposed municipal budget, receive public comments, and to create and approve a budget for the Town of Bethel for FY 2020-2021, and further sets
forth the date of May 8, 2020 as the deadline for the submission, deliberation and adoption of said budget, exclusive of setting the mill rate, which shall be governed by Chapter C10- 3 of the Town Charter.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED pursuant to paragraph 13 of Executive Order 7I, the provisions of Charter Chapters C6-3-A(1), C6-3-B(1) and C10-2-E are hereby suspended for adoption of the Town budget for FY 2020-2021.
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