West Haven council begins review of Charter Revision Commission recommendations

The West Haven City Council on June 9 began a chapter‑by‑chapter review of proposed charter revisions from the Charter Revision Commission, receiving a summary of the panel’s recommendations and starting deliberations on definitions and council powers.

R. Kelly, chair of the Charter Revision Commission, told the council the commission’s report recommended changes ranging from “terms of office for mayor, town, city clerk and council” and adopting gender‑neutral titles such as changing “chairman” to “chair,” to clarifying contract review and ethics standards. “Those are the main recommendations that are part of our report to you,” Kelly said in a brief presentation to the council.

The presentation outlined 17 headline items, including updated department provisions, incorporation of West Haven Fire Department language for Allingtown, designation of library and education functions, clearer council authority over multiyear agreements, a recommended prohibition of recalls consistent with Simons v. Canty, and allowing the mayor to approve a police chief following recommendation. Attorney Cassini and Attorney Mednick were credited by the commission for extensive drafting work.

Chairman Christopher Vargo said the council’s role at this session was to propose changes for the Charter Revision Commission to consider, not to adopt the draft verbatim: “The only thing that we are acting on is any changes that we want to recommend to the CRC,” he said. The council agreed to proceed by section and to limit detailed back‑and‑forth with the commission until a combined meeting scheduled for June 24.

Discussion during the presentation ranged from clarifying footnotes that indicate proposed language changes to concerns about downstream effects on city ordinances should the charter definitions be altered. Attorney Cassini pointed members to footnote markers in the redline that identify new language and stressed that many of the changes are intended to align charter language with current practice and state law.

The council did not make final decisions on the bulk of the commission’s recommendations but voted on several discrete drafting fixes and agreed to continue review at subsequent sessions. The council scheduled additional meetings to resolve longer policy items, including term‑length and succession questions.

The council’s review continues; the CRC and city attorneys will work to reconcile drafting questions and return recommended language for further council action.