West Haven charter commission approves definition and procedure changes, sets May 21 public hearing

The West Haven Charter Revision Commission on Tuesday approved a series of definition and procedural changes to the draft charter, agreed to technical statutory updates and board-governance language, and set a public hearing for May 21 to solicit public input on the full draft.

Steve, the commission’s legal adviser, said Action Item 1 would fix typographical issues and clarify the multi-year contract definition, adding a reference to an existing three-year ordinance so the charter “does not in any way shape or form inhibit or restrict the current provision of law.” He also said the definition package would explicitly list the board of education among elected and appointed officials. “There are a couple little changes…one is a typo in definition Q,” he said. The commission moved and approved the definition changes without recorded opposition.

Commissioners also approved amendments across the draft that staff summarized as follows: council composition language (clarifying the council is a 13-member body and defining the president pro tempore for meeting continuity); mayoral chapter edits (including removing a rarely used requirement that the mayor transmit a summary annual report and audited statements); contract-approval clarifications (council review required only where transfers, additional appropriations, or multi-year contracts exceed ordinance thresholds); and standardized language for boards and commissions covering duties, attendance expectations and removal processes.

On departmental organization, the commission approved renaming Chapter 12 to "Health and Human Services," replacing some program labels (for example, using "senior services" rather than "elderly services") and removing a reference to "child and adult daycare centers" so only "child daycare centers" remain in that section, subject to final HUD/agency checks for the CDA placement.

Votes at a glance: - Action Item 1 (Definitions, Chapter 1): approved (motion by Member Gilbert; second by Lani Perry). - Action Item 3 (Mayor chapter revisions and repeal of annual-report clause): approved. - Action Item 4 (Council composition; regionalization language; contract-approval clauses): approved. - Action Item 5 (Elected officials wording and registrar language): approved. - Action Item 6 (Boards and commissions standards; attendance/removal language): approved subject to minor edits. - Action Item 9 (Health and Human Services department wording): approved with discussed changes. - Action Item 10 (Public safety chapter statute updates): approved. (Action Item 2 — elections and officer succession — was held for later discussion; Action Item 7 was deferred to Thursday.)

The commission directed staff to post the May 14 draft on the city website, make a physical copy available at the clerk’s office, and publicize the May 21 public hearing. Staff said it will also prepare a short list of the items included in the draft for the chair and will circulate any clarifying ordinance citations referenced in the definition changes.

What comes next: the commission will deliver its report and draft to the city council on May 29. Staff explained the council then has up to 45–60 days to hold a public hearing and may return recommendations; that return triggers a 30-day conferral period for the commission to respond before finalizing the package for any ballot explanatory language and Secretary of State filing if items go to referendum.

The commission adjourned at 7:33 p.m.