Date: Fri 24-Oct-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

charter-questions-election

Full Text:

Charter Questions On The Ballot May Prove Confusing

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The November 4th municipal election is not just for choosing candidates to

lead the town. Voters will also be asked to read a handful of long, run-on

sentences that may appear to be more confusing than the charter revisions they

describe.

The proposed charter changes are the result of a review of the town's

governing document by the Charter Revision Commission. The proposals are more

adjustments to the way the town does business than profound changes. Voters

will now get the chance to decide if they agree with those changes.

Understanding the questions, especially after seeing them for the first time

in the voting booth, could be daunting to most voters, so consider the

following as a pre-Election Day warm-up:

1. Shall the Newtown Charter be amended to increase from $25,000 to $50,000

the authority of the Legislative Council to transfer unexpended and

unencumbered appropriations within the town budget from one line item to

another line item?

The Legislative Council acts as the town's board of finance. When funds in

excess of those budgeted are needed, the council may transfer unspent funds

budgeted for other reasons. The current limit on the council's authority to

transfer is $25,000. The above mentioned proposal would increase this limit to

$50,000. This increase, according to the Charter Revision Commission, takes

into account the growth of the grand list and the town budget.

2. Shall the Newtown Charter be amended to increase from $50,000 to $150,000

the authority of the Legislative Council to make special and emergency

appropriations?

A "special appropriation" is an appropriation of funds requested for a purpose

for which the annual budget does not establish funds. An "emergency

appropriation" is a special appropriation required for any purpose arising

from an unforeseen or unusual event such as destruction of public property by

fire, flood, etc, or from the necessity of repairing buildings, roads or

bridges or from any unusual demand made upon the town by the state. Currently,

the authority of the Legislative Council to make special or emergency

appropriations is limited to $50,000. This proposal would increase that limit

to $150,000.

3. Shall the Newtown Charter be amended to eliminate conflicting provisions

governing the removal of the finance director and to provide that the finance

director be removed, with or without cause, by the Board of Selectmen with the

approval of the Legislative Council after a hearing before the Council?

One provision of the current charter states that the town's financial director

may be removed from office with or without cause. A different provision of the

current charter states that the finance director may be removed for cause

only. These are two conflicting concepts. The proposal would state that the

finance director be removed, with or without cause, by the Board of Selectmen,

but only if such action has been approved by the Legislative Council after a

hearing before the council.

4. Shall the miscellaneous technical amendments to the Newtown Charter, as

approved by the Legislative Council on May 21, 1997, and published in The

Newtown Bee on June 13, 1997, except for those being voted upon separately, be

approved?

The technical changes would accomplish the following:

make the hearing timelines in the charter for the dismissal of the police

chief consistent with the timelines required by state law;

indicate that the Board of Police Commissioners acts as the traffic authority;

conform the language for the appointment and removal of the tax collector and

tax assessor;

require the Board of Selectmen to adopt a personnel policy setting forth the

due process procedures for removal of members of appointed boards, the tax

collector and tax assessor;

make the provision for the appointment of the building officials consistent

with state law;

delete the reference in the charter to the position of director of health

which is no longer a town position due to the formation of the health

district;

clarify the procedure for the discontinuance of roads;

make the charter provision establishing justices of the peace consistent with

state law;

provide for other corrections and clarifications as needed.

A copy of the charter revision questions can be picked up in the town clerk's

office.