Letter To The Editor: Intent Of Charter Revision Commission Not Clear

To the Editor:

As a private citizen of Fairfield with no involvement as a volunteer or employee of the “town” of Fairfield, I have watched, listened and attended (albeit one) meetings of the CRC and Board of Selectmen. Like many Fairfield residents, I have been concentrating on the reduction of the present members of the Representative Town Meeting from 40 to 30 with even the elimination of a larger potential number of representatives(presently the potential number is set at 56 in the Charter).

My objections have increased since attending the Board of Selectmen’s special meeting in person, I believe that (like the students under the pandemic had to attend classes virtually) the residents did not get a clear picture virtually of the intent of the Charter Revision Commission when established by the Board of Selectmen, namely the First and Second Selectmen. It is necessary to actually be present to appreciate and understand the Charter proposal changes.

In the hiring of Attorney Mednick and selecting former supportive members of the Town Planning study for the CRC, the intent was to give the Board of Selectmen and the First Selectman in particular more power over the budget, both Town and Board of Education. The bottom line in my limited actual participatory knowledge was to move towards a Town Counsel form of Government, which really was too big a leap at the present time for the Commission/Board of Selectmen to actually get passed on the ballot thus the reduced RTM and increased powers of the First Selectman. The present proposed changes such as the hiring and firing power of the First Selectman would be done without the proper representation of the citizens in the legislative branch of the RTM given a population of 60,000+.

Three Representatives of each district puts a burden on each volunteer representative that is too much. The Charter needs to keep the present 40 with the possibility of 56 members in order to do its legislative duty to check the proposed powers of the First Selectman and the Board of Selectmen.

If the proposed Charter which is being sent back to the Commission with the Board of Selectmen’s proposed changes is passed, the town will be moving towards a Town Counsel with all the power. This New England town will have forfeited its legislative right to question the town budget and thus the running of Fairfield in the next Charter Revision Commission which can take place in the near future.

Ideally I would like to see the public better educated about the proposed changes and a longer period of time given to the Charter Revision Commission. Right now the perception is that it is being rushed thru at the expense not the benefit of the public. We New Englanders believe strongly in the government being of, for and by the people and this is not a good example of any or all of the beliefs.

Carol Waxman
Fairfield, CT