Date: Fri 28-Feb-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

charter-revision-P&Z

Full Text:

Charter Panel Leaves P&Z Intact

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Any chance of splitting the Planning & Zoning Commission came to an end

Tuesday night when the Charter Revision Commission voted to keep the board

intact.

Commission member Mae Schmidle made a motion to split the two commissions,

saying the town's plan of development has an enormous effect on the quality of

life in Newtown. However, she was defeated 5-4.

Commission members Jim Smith, Mike Snyder, Barbara O'Connor, Stan Karpacz and

Greg Bunger all voted to keep the P with the Z. Voting for the split were

commission members Ruby Johnson, Greg Winuker, Jim Smith and Mrs Schmidle.

Eight ~`yes' votes are required for the commission to approve a charter

change.

The charter revision panel also voted to continue presenting one budget to the

taxpayers. There had been talk of splitting the school and town budgets so

that if a proposal is defeated, Legislative Council members would have a

better understanding of which part of the budget needs to be cut.

Mr Snyder made a motion to split the budget in to two parts, but Mr Chipman,

Mr Karpacz, Mr Winuker and Mr Smith voted against the idea.

Also, Mrs Schmidle proposed that the Planning & Zoning Commission be given the

authority to hire its own attorney. However, that motion was also defeated,

5-4.

The commission was scheduled to meet Thursday night, at which time commission

member Jim Smith was expected to discuss his idea of increasing the number of

Board of Selectmen members to five.

According to him, with a three-member board, there are fewer opportunities for

dialogue because two of the three members have a tendency to side with each

other, forcing the third selectman to fight a losing battle.

"With three members the Democratic process is almost thwarted," Mrs Schmidle

said.

In most cases, the first selectman has a fellow party member he can count on,

but during the first term of Jack Rosenthal, the former first selectman was

the lone Democrat, going head-to-head with two Republicans.

The Charter Revision Commission has just three meetings left until its March

11 public hearing on its preliminary draft report on charter changes. Copies

of the draft will be on file for public inspection in the town clerk's office

after March 6.