Charter Revision Commission Meeting
Special Meeting
Thursday, January 3, 2008

Present: Joseph Amend, Carl Fitzgibbons, Susan Malecky, Richard Murphy (chair), Sharon Scaramella
Absent: Dorothy, DiPiro, Brian Gouin
Others Present: Attorney Steven Mednick

1. Chairman Call Meeting to Order

Chairman Murphy called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm. There was a motion by Joseph Amend, seconded by Susan Malecky to accept the agenda. Vote unanimous, motion carried.

2. Discuss Charter Recommendations of the Board of Selectmen

The commission members discussed Charter recommendations of the Board of Selectmen and approved the following changes to the proposed Charter revision:

• Section 5-5(a) changed to read as follows:
  a) No purchase shall be made by any Department, Board or officer of the Town, excluding, including, the Board of Education, except through the First Selectman or the Director of Finance acting as the Purchasing Agent. The First Selectman or the Director of Finance shall record the amount of authorized purchases and contracts for future purchases as encumbrances against the appropriation from which they are to be paid.
  
• Section 5-6(a) changed to read as follows:
  a) The First Selectman or the Director of Finance, as may be designated by the First Selectman, shall contract for and purchase all supplies, materials, equipment and other commodities and services required by any Department or Board, excluding including the Board of Education, on requisition signed by the Department Director or a responsible representative appointed by such Director, pursuant to the provisions of this section.
  
• Section 6-4 changed to read as follows: (table removed)
  The maximum number of members from any single political party on any elective or appointive board, commission, committee or similar body of the Town shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of C.G.S. as amended.
• Section 8-8(g) is changed to read as follows:
  a) shall approve rules and regulations relating to purchasing and bidding requirements for all Town Boards and Departments including with the exception of the Board of Education. The First Selectman will propose such rules and regulations which shall become effective when approved by the Board of Selectmen;
  This change is made to make this provision consistent with current charter language pertaining to purchasing resurrected by the commission at this meeting (Section 5-5).
• Section 9-2(d) is changed to read as follows:
  d) The First Selectman shall be responsible for contracting all services and the purchases of supplies, equipment, and other commodities required by any Department, Board or Commission , subject to such other limitations as set forth in C.G.S. as amended, under the purchasing provisions of this Charter and as set forth in Sections 2-2, 5-6 and 8-8(g) herein.
  This change is made to make this provision consistent with current charter language pertaining to purchasing resurrected by the commission at this meeting (Section 5-5).
• Section 13-4 (f) changed to read as follows:
  (f) such other powers and duties as may be required by ordinance or resolution of the Board of Selectmen.
  Accounts shall be kept by the Department of Finance showing the financial transactions for all Departments and Boards of the Town, including the Sewer and Water enterprises, but excluding and the Board of Education.

The Department of Finance may consist of a Director of Finance, Collector of Revenues, Assessor and other assigned personnel.

• Section 13-4.2(b)(2): changed to read as follows:
  2) be responsible for keeping and maintaining all accounts showing financial transactions for all Departments and Boards of the Town, including sewer and water enterprises, but excluding including the Board of Education;
  
• Section 13-4.2 (b)(11) is changed to read as follows:
  11)cause to be purchased, subject to such rules and regulations as shall be approved by the Board of Selectmen, all supplies, materials, equipment and other commodities required by any Department or Board of the Town, excluding including the Board of Education;
• Section 15-1(b)(4) add the word 'and' after colon
• Commission members decided that in every instance where there is reference to "special town meeting", it will be changed to "town meeting".
• Commission members added section 4-3.2 which will read as follows:
  Section 4-3.2: Contents of the sewer services fund and water fund
  Included in the presentation of the general fund budget shall be the content of the budgets for the Sewer Services fund and the Water fund which shall be prepared and adopted pursuant to Section 5-10 of this Charter.
  
• Section 5.2(a) add word dollars under (a)
  
• Revised wording under #2 bullet: refunding of bonds as permitted by C.G.S, as amended.
• Section 11-1 changed to read as follows:
  Section 11-1 Appointments
  a) All appointments to offices hereinafter stated, and all appointments to regional boards or commissions in which the Town may wish to participate, shall be made by the Board of Selectmen by an affirmative vote of four (4) or more. All appointees shall serve without compensation, except for reimbursement of expenses, as authorized by the Board of Selectmen and as provided for in the General Fund Budget.

3. Adjourn

There was a motion to adjourn by Carl Fitzgibbons, seconded by Joseph Amend. Vote unanimous, motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

Laura Siena, Board Clerk