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Citizen urges council to "take back" powers from mayor; council and mayor spar over authority
Summary
At the public comment period, resident Mike Winkler urged the council to "take back its authority" under the town charter; councilors and the mayor later disputed whether the council can direct mayoral staff to forward applications within a set time frame.
Mike Winkler, a Vernon resident, used the public comment period to press the Town Council to assert powers he said belong to the council under the town charter.
"If you exert your full authority under the Charter, the readings will be longer," Winkler said, and urged the council to "take back its authority," citing the council's power to investigate town departments and to issue subpoenas.
The exchange touched off a broader discussion later in the meeting about the council's ability to require mayoral staff to act. Council member Phyllis moved that applications for boards and commissions received in the council office be submitted to the mayor within two weeks; council members characterized the motion as a request to staff for timelier handling of applicant materials.
Mayor (unnamed in the transcript) pushed back, saying the council cannot direct the mayor's employees. "I run my office. The council does not run my office," the mayor said, adding that she evaluates applications and decides which nominations to forward to the council. The mayor also said she would look into any applications that had not reached her office.
Council members said delays had left qualified residents waiting. One council member said an application submitted Oct. 15 had not been acted on and asked that the nominee be considered at the next meeting; another asked whether the application had been received and whether the town maintains tracking for submissions.
Why it matters: The exchange frames an administrative tension between the council and the mayor's office over who controls appointments and staff timelines. Councilors seeking expedited handling of applications argued the delay undermines recruitment for boards and commissions; the mayor stressed her executive prerogative and the need to vet applicants for balance on commissions.
What's next: The mayor said she would check on the specific application in question and the council indicated it would pursue clearer procedures and possibly receive more documentation at a future meeting.
