Charter panel adopts fire, police, parking article revisions
Other Committee · Meeting of April 21, 2026
New Canaan Charter Revision Commission adopts fire, police and parking article rewrites, splits on finance oversight. Meeting by video Tuesday, the commission unanimously approved revised charter language for the fire, police and parking commissions and added a provision letting the elected town clerk appoint assistant clerks. Members voted 7-2 to keep the Board of Finance's existing authority to approve line-item budget transfers without Town Council sign-off.
"The town council is not more virtuous than the selectman," said commission member Chris Lee, arguing against shifting more appointment power to the council. The panel left unresolved a proposed $3 million threshold requiring an eight-member council supermajority before selling town property; outside counsel Nick Bamonte warned any referendum right "needs to be expressly built into your charter." Two more working sessions are planned before a further revised draft.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 1,034 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of April 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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