Charter Reopened: Council Split Along Party Lines as Vote Passes

There are significant disagreements remaining between parties in the proposed direction of a charter revision, but efforts will move forward following a 6-3 vote along party lines Monday night to reopen the Town Charter for potential changes.

Democrats on the Southington Town Council remained focused on concerns Monday that the timetable for a revision simply does not allow enough time for a proper review and could lead to the eventual elimination of the police commission altogether, but Republicans said any direction is simply designed to provide a starting point for those appointed to the five member panel.

“People have asked me over the last several weeks why we have suggested a revision and I’ve told them, it’s because it is the right things to do,” said Council Chairman John Dobbins.

“We aren’t presenting an agenda or telling them what changes to make. We were trying to give them some direction, that’s part of business and efficiency,” he said. “In the end, it goes back to the people to decide and that’s the way it should be.”

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Democrat John Barry said he understands what Dobbins is trying to do in setting direction, saying its his right as council chairman, but expressed concerns that not only would the direction provide too much of a narrow focus and eliminate open discussion, but could ultimately lead to the proposed elimination of the police commission altogether due to state statutes.

Under Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 104, Sec. 7-276, municipalities have the right to establish a police commission for oversight of the local police departments. However, in towns with a commission, these boards must retain the rights to management of equipment and powers of hiring, firing and suspensions, among other responsibilities.

Barry said after talking with state officials, he was left with concerns that any efforts to eliminate direct oversight of the commission could result in the forced decommissioning of the board altogether and therefore take public participation out of the process in favor of oversight from the Southington town manager.

“If we want to get rid of the commission, that’s a sad day for community,” Barry said. “Public safety is one of the most important things to our community. I’m strongly opposed to a commission being established based on this dictation. There are five members, I would like more and this has a very limited agenda. I certainly hope those on the commission say ‘ this is going to take more than three months’.”

Christopher Palmieri, minority leader on the council, said the last commission – which was established in 2008 following requests and petition from residents in the community – took more than a year to deliberate and said he also believes three months is rushed and just not enough time to properly conduct an efficient review.

But Republicans defended their decision and timetable, with Louis Martocchio and Cheryl Lounsbury each saying now is the time to consider changes that would help the town provide a more effective, efficient, transparent and accountable government to the people.

“I think at this time in state government, the state is one the worst states as a place to live,” Lounsbury said. “We have the highest taxes, the largest number of government employees and things that duplicate services all over place. We can’t do anything with state except talk to our representatives. On town level, we can make sure that doesn’t happen.”

The newly formed Charter Revision Commission will begin their review on April 3 and discussions will take place each week through April and May, with commissioners charged to make a recommendation to the council on June 10. The Council would then hold a public hearing in late June with a goal of going to referendum in November 2013.

Dobbins said the goal of getting it to referendum this fall is simply to get a higher level of participation from the public as special referendums lead to a much lower turnout.

Appointed to the commission Monday were Republicans Brian Callahan, Andrew Meade and William DellaVecchia. Former State Rep. Bruce “Zeke” Zalaski and Dennis Conroy will represent the Democrats, rounding out the five-member panel.

Callahan, currently the Southington Republican Town Committee Chairman, has previously served as a member of the charter revision commission in 2008 while Meade and William DellVecchia have each served for extended periods on the Southington Town Council.

Conroy is a longtime public official and has served on numerous committees and boards in the past, including most recently on the Housing Authority. Zalaski spent ten years as representative of Southington’s 81st Assembly District before retiring from his role as a state official in November 2012.

Where do you stand on the charter revision? Now that it has been reopened, what changes would you like to see?

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