“I’m Rich Townshend. We have lived in town since 1986, so that’s I guess almost 30 years. My background is a business background, but I’ve been an engineer for five years and I worked for IBM for a long time. And I’ve worked for a couple of other people and I have worked in town, now, for six years. My son and I have a small private investment partnership.”—From the Sept. 30, 2015 meeting of the Charter Review Commission, held in the Town Hall Meeting Room. Credit: Michael Dinan
“Dave Hunt. We moved here in 1976. I worked as an actuary all my life, retired a number of years ago and have a variety of different things I get involved in in town.”—From the Sept. 30, 2015 meeting of the Charter Review Commission, held in the Town Hall Meeting Room. Credit: Michael Dinan
“My name is Mike Franco. I live on Valley Road. I have lived there for 30 years. I was actually born here, moved away in the ‘70s, moved back in 1990 with my wife, bought a house here and we are still there. I have a law practice downtown on Elm Street.”—From the Sept. 30, 2015 meeting of the Charter Review Commission, held in the Town Hall Meeting Room. Credit: Michael Dinan
“John Hetherington. We’ve lived here for about 30 years. I live on Valley Road right opposite Mike Franco. I have served on the Town Council a long time ago and [served as a representative in the state legislature].”—From the Sept. 30, 2015 meeting of the Charter Review Commission, held in the Town Hall Meeting Room. Credit: Michael Dinan
“I’m Penny Young. I’ve lived in town since 1975 and I’ve been very active in things in the community, particularly focused on our older population in town, involved in the Lapham Community Center and served on the [Town] Council for five years now.”—From the Sept. 30, 2015 meeting of the Charter Review Commission, held in the Town Hall Meeting Room. Credit: Michael Dinan
“I’m a newcomer to New Canaan, relatively speaking. We have been here since 2007. I’m Kate Hurlock and I am a former president of the League of Women Voters, and involved in a few other charities and boards and so forth in town, and I used to work for NBC News.”—From the Sept. 30, 2015 meeting of the Charter Review Commission, held in the Town Hall Meeting Room. Credit: Michael Dinan
“Sally Hines and moved from Philadelphia with my husband and daughter in 1988 and we’ve lived in New Canaan since then. Twelve years on the Board of Ed, four years on the Board of Selectmen, three years on the Board of Finance, so I’m signing up for the Charter Revision [Commission].”—From the Sept. 30, 2015 meeting of the Charter Review Commission, held in the Town Hall Meeting Room. Credit: Michael Dinan
“Russell Kimes. Came here in the ‘50s. ‘53, I think. Was on the [Town] Council for 13 years and judge of probate for 10. I’m happy to be here—I think,” Kimes added with a smile. “We’ll see.”—From the Sept. 30, 2015 meeting of the Charter Review Commission, held in the Town Hall Meeting Room. Credit: Michael Dinan
Members of a newly formed commission charged with studying the governing document of New Canaan—with an eye on recommending updates for a town-wide vote on Election Day 2016—on Wednesday voted a former delegate to the state legislature as their chairman.
John Hetherington of Valley Road will serve as chairman of the Charter Revision Commission, following a unanimous vote at the group’s first meeting, held at Town Hall.
See the gallery above for some background on each of the commission’s 10 members, as they introduced themselves in turn at the meeting.
After commissioners been sworn in by Town Clerk Claudia Weber, Town Council Vice Chair addressed the group. Asked during an interview after the meeting about the importance of the task before them, Karl said: “The importance is that these folks who know New Canaan like the back of their hand are going to look at the Charter, the DNA of the town, and review anything that should be changed or revised, and it hasn’t been done in 10 years.”
Commissioners agreed to set a schedule whereby they would meet twice per month with an eye on getting a draft proposal to the Town Council next April. They planned an Oct. 7 meeting ahead of a public hearing on Oct. 21. Ultimately, any updates recommended to the Charter will be made following multiple public hearings and reports, as required by state law—on would appear on the ballot for the November 2016 general elections.
Among changes that the group might study as a starting point—as recommended by a committee of the Town Council five years ago, following interviews with the heads of town departments and municipal boards and commissions (see pages 185-188 of this council meeting’s public packet) are finding a more cost-effective way to post certain public notices (than the current practice), whether to increase the size of the Board of Selectmen from three to give, whether finance board members should be elected or appointed and whether a “public safety officer” should be hired to coordinate services among police, fire and EMS.
One thought on “Meet the New Canaan Charter Revision Commission”
Looks like an outstanding group to handle this important task. Thank you all for volunteering and giving the Town your time
Looks like an outstanding group to handle this important task. Thank you all for volunteering and giving the Town your time