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01/24/2018 08:22 AMLast year’s ill-fated charter revision proposal may have dramatically failed at referendum, with even its supporters urging a “No” vote in November, but a consensus remains that some of the ideas put forward may have merit. With that in mind, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) has convened a new Charter Revision Commission (CRC).
At its Jan. 17 meeting, the BOS appointed three Demo`crats, three Republicans, and one Green Party member to the new CRC. The members are Democrats Art Kuever, Lise Gazzillo, and Mary Jo Phelps; Republicans Mike Knudsen, Mike Hornyak, and Dennis Donovan; and Green Party member Eric Bergman. Bergman, Kuever, and Donovan were on the last commission, which was formed in March 2016, before disbanding in summer 2017.
Selectman Carol Walter (R) said she’d be interested in having the BOS meet with the CRC and tell it the kinds of items the BOS would like to see in the new charter.
“I have no doubt that there will be a lot more communication between the entire board and the commission than happened last time. There are new opinions and ideas to be included. Also, I, personally, have a few additional changes that have come up since the last proposed revision,” Walter said. “While I have always been in support of the idea of a town manager, the last revision that the BOS saw included the town manager and elimination of the Board of Finance. I need to take another look at what that would mean to the town.”
The 2017 charter revision proposal called for, among other recommendations, a change to a town manager style of government, which would employ a professional as CEO to be overseen by the elected BOS. The previous BOS voted not to send the proposed charter change to the ballot, citing concerns about the lack of oversight of the new town manager.
In response, the Clinton Charter Reform Coalition was formed and over the summer undertook a successful petition drive that forced the town to have a referendum on the proposed changes. However, due to an oversight in which the proposed charter didn’t name a date by which it would go into effect, if the town voted for the creation of a town manager position, the town would need to make that switch within 30 days of the vote. That condition led to the coalition encouraging voters to vote “No” on charter-related changes in the November election.
One item that was in the last CRC-proposed charter that the town may adopt is a full-time town planner position.
The new CRC can use the sections of the previously proposed charter, and then address issues that some had, such as the elimination of the Board of Finance.