Charter revision commission votes to require Selectmen to fill appointed vacancies within 180 days

The New Canaan Charter Revision Commission met Tuesday and advanced its draft report to the town council while resolving several procedural changes to how appointments are handled.

Chair (speaker 3) opened the session and walked members through Draft Report v9, which the commission plans to submit to the town council by May 4. The commission discussed historical charter provisions and the statutory timetable the town council must follow after the report is submitted.

Members spent extensive time debating proposed charter changes including a 12-year consecutive term limit for appointed members and whether the Board of Finance should continue to require appointees to own taxable real property. One commissioner argued allowing renters to serve would be more inclusive; another said property ownership shows fiscal commitment. The chair summarized the group’s thinking: “I don’t think it’s necessary to bring it up 10 years later because it was voted down,” and said several items would be held until absent members could join for votes.

After a separate discussion on improving transparency in appointments, commissioners agreed to clearer posting and application procedures for vacancies. Commissioner Russ (speaker 11) proposed language requiring vacancies be posted to the town website and that key boards be subject to confirmation; that version failed and later amended versions were debated. The meeting closed a persistent procedural gap by adopting a mandatory timetable: the Board of Selectmen “shall fill any appointed position within 180 days.” The motion to require a 180-day fill period passed unanimously.

Why it matters: the change ensures a predictable replacement process for dozens of appointed boards and commissions, addressing situations where vacancies have delayed quorum formation or stalled subcommittees. Commissioners said clarifying the appointments process should reduce administrative friction and help maintain continuity across volunteer bodies.

What’s next: the commission will incorporate the agreed wording into Draft Report v10 and expects to invite the town council to present the report and answer questions after submission on May 4. The commission also flagged recall/removal language for further legal review before deciding whether to recommend it for the charter.