Opinion: Fairfield RTM Moderator Sets the Record Straight

The following opinion essay is by Fairfield Representative Town Meeting Moderator Marcy Spolyar:

Fairfield is fortunate to have a large 40-member local legislative body, which ensures that everyone from each corner of our town has a voice in town matters. It also means that as Moderator, I have to play the role of “referee” to ensure all of our rules and procedures are properly followed, which are as numerous as they can be complex. The false allegations contained in this week’s Republican sponsored Resolution to rescind our Parking Authority vote from April 28th due to alleged rules violations are quite frankly an affront to this duty I uphold.

Adhering to rules and procedure has been at the heart of my approach as moderator. However, I'm not a lawyer, so I frequently consult with the Town Attorney to ensure our rules are being properly followed. In the matter of the Parking Authority, I was in consultation with the Town Attorney since February 14th, 2025, when discussion of the repeal of the Parking Authority was first brought to my attention by the Administration.

During the April RTM Joint Committee Presentations and RTM Regular Meeting, I stepped away from my role as Moderator, to properly and freely engage in questions and discussions regarding the agenda item regarding the Parking Authority. In considering my vote at our April 28, 2025 meeting, I was not evaluating the virtues of the Parking Authority, but rather the resolution on the agenda, which was to rescind our March 31, 2025 vote to repeal the Parking Authority, due to alleged issues of transparency, legality and validity of the process through which the March 31 decision was reached.

The Town Attorney did not find these deficiencies and has confirmed that our March 31, 2025 vote to repeal the Parking Authority was valid.

Important points that were made and confirmed by the Town Attorney include:

1. The Moderator has the right to send an ordinance or amendments to an ordinance to the Legislation and Administration Committee to consider according to the RTM Rules to Regulate. This is what I did on February 18, 2025 under the guidance of the Town Attorney.
2. It is the right of the Legislation and Administration Committee to add an ordinance to their agenda with a ⅔ vote, which they did on February 18, 2025.
3. No rules were broken in discussing the repeal of the Parking Authority at our March 24th Joint Committee Presentation or at our February 24th and March 31st Regular Meetings.
4. Formation of a new department by ordinance is not required under the Charter.
5. There were no rules broken during this process that impacted the validity of the RTM vote taken on March 31, 2025.

The procedures by which the vote taken by the RTM on March 31, 2025 may not have been typical for this body, but they were not improper. Rule 37 in our Rules to Regulate, which governs our body, exists to allow us the option to deviate from the practice of holding over a decision for two meetings. This was not done outside of the rules that govern this body. It is my strong belief that the public and the Town of Fairfield will greatly benefit from having the Parking Authority under Town control. Because of this change, the public, the Board of Finance and the RTM of which I am a member will have the opportunity to weigh in when capital expenses are proposed as well as yearly during our budget process.