Chair John Church told the Norwalk Fair Rent Commission on Sept. 3 that he will not stand for re-election as chair when officers are nominated in October, but said he will remain a commissioner.
The announcement came during the commission’s regular meeting, when Church said, “It is my intention not to stand for the role of chair this coming year.” He added that he “does intend to continue as a commissioner.”
The commission’s nut graf: the statement sets the schedule for officer selection at the commission’s annual meeting in October and prompted the commission to form a nominating committee to prepare a slate of candidates.
Commissioners Fran Collier Clemens, Hansen Guest and Johnny May Weldon agreed to serve on the nominating committee and were asked to meet with staff to prepare a slate for the commission’s next meeting. Chair Church said the commission’s bylaws guide the nominating committee’s considerations and that anyone not nominated may still run at the October vote.
Members also agreed to move the commission’s October meeting from Oct. 1 to Oct. 8 because Oct. 1 falls on the evening of Yom Kippur. Church asked staff to post that change; staff confirmed the calendar update would be made.
The commission discussed succession, with several commissioners urging colleagues to consider serving as chair. Fran Collier Clemens, who served as vice chair, and the other nominated committee members accepted the assignment during the meeting.
No formal vote on the chair’s future candidacy took place; Church’s announcement and the nominating-committee appointments were recorded as the meeting’s direction to staff and commissioners.
The commission will take formal nominations and vote on chair and vice chair at its next meeting, when the nominating committee presents its slate.