9 Chosen For New Simsbury Group Looking At Possible Government Changes
SIMSBURY, CT — Some major changes could be down the road for Simsbury's government, with its top elected body recently approving a new town commission to look at them.
The Simsbury Board of Selectmen, at its last meeting on Oct. 23, unanimously appointed members to the new, nine-member Simsbury Charter Revision Commission.
Those appointed at the special meeting are as follows: Kris Barnett, Lalitha Shivaswamy, Jesse Schofield, Paul Henault, Melissa Brett, Ron Jodice, Jeff Tindall, Jacqueline Maulucci, and Bert Helfand.
Members of the new commission will examine the charter and try and determine if any changes are necessary. A potential charter review is required every seven years.
When finished, the advisory board will make a recommendation to the town's decision-makers on what happens next.
A town charter is a governing document that defines the format of a town's government and how it operates.
A charter revision commission looks at it and makes suggestions to the town's top governing body.
In Simsbury, that is the board of selectmen, which ultimately would decide to send proposed charter changes to voters at a future referendum.
Voters have the final say on any charter revisions.
Once the commission is formed, it is expected to work for 16 months before making a recommendation to the town's selectmen.
The last time the Simsbury charter was changed was in 2017 when it went to a town manager form of government following a two-year charter review that started in 2015.
Simsbury Town Attorney Robert DeCrescenzo went before selectmen to discuss the logistics of the commission's operation.
He succinctly laid out the options for selectmen regarding the commission.
"The rules for minority representation apply, but beyond that the qualifications of the people that you put on it is they be electors in the Town of Simsbury," DeCresenzo said.
"You can accept it in whole or you can deny it in whole. You can accept parts of it or you cannot accept parts of it. And if you do accept part of it, you do have to schedule a referendum for consideration by the public."
Simsbury First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis said the new charter group should work with other boards and commissions, as well as municipal department heads, regarding what would be addressed.
She said selectmen plan to send ideas to the charter group, though no formal revisions have been discussed.
"Some of us have given thought of our ideas, things we want to see," Mackstutis said.
For the minutes of the Oct. 23 Simsbury Board of Selectmen meeting, click on this link.
From Sept. 25: 'Simsbury Mulls Potential Changes To Town Government'
