Will This Be the Most Important Vote for Clinton Next Month?

PHOTO: Interior of Clinton Town Hall, portrait of William Stanton Andrews, who paid for the construction of Town Hall in 1936

CLINTON---On November 6, the most important vote on the ballot facing Clinton voters may not be for a candidate. Rather, voters will face referendum Questions 3 and 4 about how town government is managed.

By voting YES on Question 3, voters will choose to hire a Town Manager who will work with a Board of Selectmen expanded to 7. By voting YES on Question 4, voters will keep the current Board of Selectmen-only form of governance. Question 4 also does include some lesser changes to current operations.

Voters can only vote YES on one question. Voting YES on both questions cancels out both votes. Voting occurs from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Clinton Town Hall, as part of the midterm elections.

The Clinton Democratic Town Committee unanimously endorsed a YES vote on Question 3 at its monthly meeting tonight. “We have consistently supported a more efficient business model for managing our town government,” said Andrea Reu, DTC chair.

The Clinton Green Party has also endorsed a YES vote on Question 3. The Clinton Taxpayers Association has taken no position. Proponents of hiring a Town Manager argue that the town’s annual budget of $18 million requires the skills of a professional executive, and cannot be efficiently managed by residents who face re-election every two years.

Weighing in on the referendum questions, John Allen, chair of Clinton’s Economic Development Commission, notes that Clinton recruits, interviews and extensively vets new police and school hires, selecting the best professional, experienced people who have the skills to effectively manage and lead.

But hiring for the First Selectman is a different much narrower process, he explains, with the town’s two, 30 member political party committees choosing their candidate for the office every two years.

Once elected, Allen maintains, “It is unreasonable and unfair to expect that any elected First Selectman, no matter how well-intentioned,” without a strong background in town government, with strong pre-existing relationships with Hartford, Federal agencies, other towns, consultants, developers, Civic Associations and others, “Can as effectively and efficiently manage Clinton as a Town Manager.”

Opponents of the Town Manager form of government fear ceding citizen oversight to an outsider, adding another employee and are concerned the Clinton town charter isn’t strong enough to protect the town’s interests.

Public information sessions are being offered by the Charter Revision Reform Coalition to help voters decide how to vote. The 30 member Coalition is made up of Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated volunteers who came together to help Clinton government “become unstuck” and move into the future. The Coalition’s endorses the Town Manager option on its website, https://www.clintoncharterreform.org, claiming the model will bring better communication across departments, genuine accountability, greater transparency and less political partisanship.

At 6 p.m. October 25 the CRC will host Matt Hart, Town Manager of West Hartford, John Elsessor, Town Manager of Coventry and Courtney Hendricson, a member of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, (CERC).

At 7 p.m. November 4 the Coalition will welcome Bob Lee, Town Manager of Plainville and Hendricson of the CERC. All sessions will be held in the ground floor Green Room of Clinton Town Hall.

Earlier this month, Town Manager Matt Galligan of South Windsor, spoke of his 30 years as a successful manager at the Coalition’s first public information session.

Since February, the designated Charter Revision Commission worked on revisions to the Town Charter. Meeting an August deadline, the BOS and the Commission agreed on all the Commission’s proposed Charter changes, in order to put the questions on the November ballot.

ACTUAL REFERENDUM LANGUAGE FROM CLINTONCT.ORG

Clinton Charter Questions for the General Election on November 6, 2018 Clinton Charter Questions for the General Election on

November 6, 2018

On August 28 the Charter Revision Commission submitted two Charters to the Town Clerk’s Office. These Charters will be on the November 6, 2018 election ballot as two questions proposing amendments to the Town Charter on the future form of government for the Town of Clinton. They will be listed as “Question 3” and “Question 4” on the ballot.

THE QUESTIONS Electors have the choice of voting “Yes” or “No” on these questions. Question 3 proposes to change the form of government by eliminating the Board of Selectmen in favor of a seven member Town Council which will retain legislative authority. It also provides for the appointment of a professional Town Manager who would carry out the policies set by the Town Council. Other proposed amendments would eliminate the Board of Finance and place most of the administrative functions and general management of the town's affairs in the hands of the Town Manager including development of budgetary proposals, financial management and over sight of expenditures and contracts. The proposal also makes other technical amendments to conform to the new administration by the Town Manager. The Town Manager would be hired by the Town Council, by contract, for a period not to exceed three years.

Question 4 retains the current form of government headed by a five member Board of Selectmen. This proposed amended Charter makes a number of technical amendments to the existing Charter, clarifies terms of office for town offices, makes minor amendments to the appropriation and bidding processes for town expenditures and contracting and other similar changes to conform to current law, regulation and best practices.

VOTES NEEDED FOR PASSAGE For a Charter amendment to pass, a question must receive “Yes” votes totaling more than 50% of the number of voters voting on any of the Charter questions. If voters participating in the election do not vote on the Charter questions, they are not counted in the calculation of numbers of voters voting on the questions. Passage is not based on whichever question gets the most positive votes. If neither question receives votes in favor equaling a majority of the number of persons participating in voting on the Charter questions, then no question passes. Connecticut General Statutes, Section 7-191(f)

For example: 1. If 1,000 electors cast a vote on either of the questions, for or against a question, a question must receive at least 501 votes in favor of it in order to pass. 2. If 1,000 electors participate in the election but only 900 cast a vote for or against either of the questions, a question must receive 451 votes in favor of it in order to pass. 3. If 1,000 electors participate in the election but only 900 cast a vote for or against the questions, and one question receives 400 votes in favor, the other question receives 300 votes in favor, then neither of the questions will have been adopted as neither received a majority. It is important for electors to understand they should only choose “Yes” on one of the two questions. Although, they can choose “No” on both — indicating “No” change to the Charter amendments. Copies of both proposals are available online at Charter Revision Commission or in person at the Town Clerk’s office.