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Commissioner questions district letter seeking $3.88 million from city, says full board wasn’t notified
Summary
At a Finance and Operations Committee meeting, Commissioner Gantonia read a district letter asking the city to restore $3,875,411 allegedly withheld in FY22–24 and called it a legal threat; other commissioners disputed whether the full board had been informed before the letter was sent.
Commissioner Gantonia raised concerns during public comment at the Finance and Operations Committee meeting that a letter sent to the city by district staff requested the city restore $3,875,411 in alleged withheld appropriations for fiscal years 2022–24.
The letter, read into the record by a commenter, said, “Accordingly, the board formally requests the city restore the appropriations that were improperly withheld in fiscal years 22, 23, and 24 totaling $3,875,411. The board expects a written response by November 1.” The same excerpt warned that “should the city fail to provide an adequate response or corrective action by that date, the board will have no alternative but to seek legal relief, including but not limited to a complaint under section 10.4B of the Connecticut General Statutes.”
Commissioner Gantonia told the committee the problem is not the content of the demand but the process: she said board employees sent the letter without informing or securing a vote of the full board and characterized the document as a “legal threat letter.” She said that, in her view, anyone acting on the board’s behalf in that way should have brought the matter to a full-board vote.
The committee’s chair responded that, under the district’s bylaws, the superintendent and the chair may communicate with legal counsel and that attorneys often advise whether civil litigation should proceed. The chair and other members said the letter represented a last effort, done with legal advice, to seek a resolution without filing formal paperwork, and that the city’s new administration has since indicated a willingness to collaborate on a remedy.
Committee members asked staff to report back with the current status of the letter and any follow-up, including what the city has proposed and whether the board at large needs to be notified or hold an executive-session briefing from counsel. The chair said she would work with staff and with Chair Ponds to determine whether and how to disseminate additional information to the full board.
Why it matters: The letter ties a multi‑million‑dollar claim to the district’s operating budget and could lead to formal legal action if the city and district do not resolve the dispute. Commissioners expressed concern about internal governance and communication when potential litigation is discussed.
What happens next: Committee members asked staff to report back with the status of communications with the city and any recommended next steps for the full board. No formal action or vote occurred at the meeting because the committee lacked a quorum.
