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West Haven council narrows charter-revision timeline, schedules June meetings ahead of November ballot
Summary
Council members were briefed on work by the Charter Revision Commission and agreed to an accelerated review schedule: council review in mid-June, public hearing June 17 and a final vote June 24 to allow transmission to the secretary of state for the November ballot.
The West Haven City Council received an update May 11 on the Charter Revision Commission's work and agreed on a compressed timeline intended to get proposed charter changes before voters in November.
Attorney Terry Cassini, outside counsel assisting the commission, told the council the commission has been "workshopping and approved the definition section" and is finalizing language on contracts, notice and vacancies. Cassini outlined a schedule that calls for the commission's draft to be posted mid-May, council review meetings on June 10 and 11, a public hearing June 17 and a final council vote on June 24 so the packet can be sent to the secretary of state for the November ballot.
The timeline will shorten the statutory review period usually allowed for the commission. Cassini cautioned that "by law they do [have 30 days], but by the timeline we are on, they do not have 30 days," and urged the council to use the interim weeks to concentrate on the handful of issues expected to require the most discussion.
Councilman Ron Quagliani said the commission has focused its recent sessions on wordsmithing, approval of the definition section and changes to make language gender neutral. He urged council members to review the draft as soon as it is posted so the council can use the dedicated June meetings productively.
Members also discussed ballot mechanics. Cassini explained the council will decide whether each proposed change becomes a separate referendum question or is bundled into grouped questions and warned that many separate items could raise printing and outreach costs. "If there are 28 different questions that you want, the newspaper is going to ask for a big chunk of change for that," Cassini said.
What happens next: the CRC's draft is expected to be made public in mid-May. Council members tentatively agreed to meet June 10 and 11, hold a public hearing June 17 and reconvene for a final vote on June 24. Once the council finalizes language and submits it on time, the questions will appear on the November ballot.
