Report by Paula Antolini, January 9, 2020, 3:50PM EDT
Letter to Bethel Board of Selectmen from Charter Revision Commission:
Town of Bethel
Charter Revision Commission
December 23, 2019
Board of Selectmen
Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center
1 School Street
Bethel, CT 06801
First Selectman Knickerbocker, Selectman Straiton, and Szatkowski,
The Charter Revision Commission herewith submits its Final Report in compliance with Chapter 99 of the Connecticut General Statutes §7-187 et seq. Our Final Report consists of this letter responding to the twelve proposed modifications of October 3, 2018, joint meeting of the Board of Selectman and Charter Revision Committee and Legal Counsel’s twenty-one proposed amendments to the Town of Bethel Charter last revised and adopted on November 4, 2014 (enclosed herewith). The Commission’s Final Report Narrative, Tracking Document and Legal Counsel’s Summary of Charter Changes provided to you on November 5, 2019, as part of our
Draft Report remain part of our Final Report with the addition of three new revisions, XIX, XX, XXI following the public hearing on December 18, 2019.
Changes adopted by the Charter Revision Committee:
I. Allow the use of purchasing cooperatives
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C8-13C4(i)
II. Prohibition on BOF serving on other boards
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C2-5
III. Raise Referendum trigger for capital utility projects to $2M
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C6-8
IV. Change PUC to a seven-member board
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C7-11
V. Remove references to water & sewer from Public Works Department/ clarify duties
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C8-9
VI. Change references to “Comptroller” to “Finance Director”
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: Table of Contents; C8-1, C8-13 A., C8-13 B (1), (2), C8-13 C. (1), (3)
(4ii), D, E, F & G
VII. Terms in office/ Technical change from his by adding or her
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C3-2
VIII. Change “Data Processing Department” to “Information Technology Department”
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C8-13 E
IX. Allow for meetings to be held at CJH Center or town-owned building accessible to the public
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C11-11
X. References to Newspaper Publication – Added “or another medium consistent with the requirements of the Connecticut General Statutes.”
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Sections Revised: C4-4 B., D., C4-5 A., C8-13 C-4ii, C10-2 G., & C10-4 A.
XI. Add section covering resignations and removals of appointed board members
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C7-1 & Formerly Reserved C7-5
XII. Correct proceeding with preceding
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C10-9
XIII. Add “Just Right” to non-binding advisory question
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C6-3 B (3)
XIV. Add that the BOF shall hold a public hearing “not less than seven days or more than” 14 days before Annual Town Budget Meeting
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C10-2 E
XV. Add new section for Department of Public Utilities and the Director of Public Utilities
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: Added to the Table of Contents; C8-1; New Section C8-14
XVI. Have complete construction plans prior to Referendum
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: New Section C6-8 B
XVII. Change Director of Civil Preparedness to Emergency Management Director
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: Change TOC; C8-5
XVIII. Add Overlapping Terms to BOE & Insurance & Pension Commission
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C3-6, C7-15
XIX. Town Budget Meeting Held During the First 14 Days of April
• Status: Unanimous Commission Approval; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C6-3 A. (1)
XX. Budget Referendum Held 10 to 15 Business Days After Budget Meeting
• Status: Approved by Commission, 1 Abstention; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C6-3 B. (1)
XXI. Special Referendum by Petition Held 10 to 15 Business Days After Certification
• Approved by Commission, 1 Abstention; Language Drafted
• Section Revised: C6-5 E.
Please do not hesitate to contact myself me or Nicholas Vitti, Counsel to the Commission, should you have any questions or concerns.
Respectfully,
Nick Hoffman, Chairman
Charter Revision Commission
*****
View documents here:
Final Report of the
Charter Revision Commission to the Board of Selectmen
December 23, 2019
https://www.bethel-ct.gov/filestorage/1190/136/148/CRC_-_BOS_-_Final_Draft_Report.pdf
*****
Town of Bethel, CT
Chapter C. CHARTER
[HISTORY: Adopted 11-6-1973; amended 11-4-1975. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
41 pages
###