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Enfield residents urge recording, clearer voter materials during charter revision hearing
Summary
At a March 23 public hearing, Enfield residents urged the Charter Revision Commission to record deliberations, post working drafts online, and separate minor housekeeping changes from consequential items on the ballot; the town manager offered staff research and the hearing remained open to written comments until midnight.
ENFIELD, Conn. — Residents who spoke at a March 23 public hearing urged the Enfield Charter Revision Commission to increase transparency and to help voters understand proposed changes before any referendum.
Christina Lang of 90 South Road told commissioners they should routinely record deliberations and publish working drafts of any amendments. "Don't wait to be pushed into video recording your deliberations," Lang said, adding that posting an amended version of the charter online, clearly dated and labeled as a working copy, would let voters review changes more than a few days before a ballot decision.
The warning followed a recounting of the last charter process, which Lang said involved many meetings and volunteer hours but ended with a referendum vote that the public rejected. She suggested the commission package minor, procedural updates into a separate "Group A" for a single vote and place more politically sensitive items in a separate "Group B" so the entire slate would not fail over a few contested provisions.
Town Manager Matt Koplar introduced himself to the commission and offered staff assistance. "I'm the town manager ... I will be attending the meetings from here on out as well, to help guide you through this in any way I can," Koplar said, offering to provide research and comparative data if commissioners request it.
Patrick Thibodeau of 20 Coral Street urged the commission to seek that staff research before making decisions. He recommended officials consider modest stipends for council members (he suggested $2,000–$3,000 annually), require that vacancies be filled by members of the same party, formalize a minority leader position and remove certain education requirements for some town posts. "I personally think that's not a bad idea," Thibodeau said of stipends.
The commission's public notice—read at the start of the meeting—stated the hearing had been published in the Journal Inquirer on March 17 and 18, that the commission would meet at 6:30 p.m. in the Enfield Town Hall Council Chambers and that the meeting would be streamed live on YouTube. The notice also said electors or taxpayers unable to attend could submit written testimony, stating name and address, to "p h charter revision comments at enfield.org" by midnight on March 23.
Chair remarks made clear the forum was for public input, not debate, and the commission said it would leave the hearing open to receive written comments through the stated deadline. With no further in-person commentators, a motion to adjourn was made and seconded and the meeting ended by consensus.
The commission did not take formal votes on charter language at the session. Next steps for the commission include reviewing submitted written testimony and any staff research requested by commissioners; the commission has not announced a timeline for drafting or scheduling items for referral to a referendum.
