Charter panel votes to end property test for finance board seats
Other Committee · Meeting of July 7, 2026
New Canaan charter panel votes to drop property rule for finance board, keeps term limits alive on a tie. The Charter Revision Commission voted 6-5 to recommend striking the decades-old requirement that Board of Finance members own real estate, with commissioner Karen Willet's motion carrying over objections from Bill and Judy about LLC and trust ownership. Commissioner Steve Case called the rule unfair, saying "it's just a question of transparency and fairness." Immediately after, commissioner Joe Paulo argued the vote was procedurally invalid under Robert's Rules of Order, requiring a supermajority the 6-5 tally did not reach — a dispute left unresolved.
A separate motion to drop a proposed 12-year term-limit rule failed 5-5, with commissioner Todd Lampert absent, leaving the term-limit recommendation intact. The commission also voted 7-2 to recommend making town officers "accountable to the first selectman" and scheduled a special Zoom vote for Thursday, July 9, at 5 p.m. to finalize its report before sending it to the Town Council.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,021 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of July 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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