Hey, there’s a Town Meeting tomorrow night! I hear lots of people are planning to attend. It is your opportunity to VOTE, to decide whether to uphold or overturn the vote of the Town Council. It is democracy at its finest.
If you are a Montville taxpayer or voter, I hope you’ll consider attending. If you’re reading this it is likely you’ve been reading quite a bit on the issue here on the Montville Patch. How do you sort out fact from fiction in the dialogue that has taken place? I suggest you consider the evidence rather than someone else’s interpretation, even mine. We are voting on an issue that has, unfortunately, become politicized when it is not a political issue.
Let me explain.
August 9, 2010: The Town Council established, unanimously, a subcommittee composed of two members of the Town Council, two members of the WPCA, the Mayor, and the attorneys who represent the Town Council and the WPCA. The purpose of the subcommittee according to the approved minutes: to discuss “the duties of the Town and WPCA on employee contracts and other such items as deemed necessary.” The two Council representatives appointed, unanimously, were Dana McFee and me.
October 13, 2010: McFee resigned, and Russ Beetham was appointed, unanimously, as McFee’s replacement.
November 17, 2010: According to the minutes of the subcommittee: “After a lengthy discussion it was determined all members of the Committee were satisfied with the completed document as amended.” By unanimous vote (including Mr. Beetham), the subcommittee voted to “forward the document to the Water and Sewer Commission and the Town Council with a favorable recommendation for approval” (emphasis is mine).
Notable about this meeting is that the attorneys for the Town Council and the WPCA began the process from opposite viewpoints. They were able, along with the joint subcommittee, to create an ordinance that completely satisfies the interests of both the Town of Montville and the Water and Sewer Commission. In their view, the ordinance offered the clarity that both entities sought and continue to seek, about the relationship and authority of the Town Council and the Water and Sewer Commission. Most important to keep in mind: the ordinance complies with the 1995 Town Charter approved by the Montville voters. The ordinance is consistent with the intentions of that Charter Revisions Commission.
It is legal and clear.
January 10, 2011: Mr. Beetham voted against the ordinance with no explanation, along with 3 other members of the Town Council who expressed their opposition to ceding any authority the Town Council has in overseeing the Water and Sewer Commission.
According to the Charter, the Town Council does not have authority over the Water and Sewer Commission beyond its appointment authority and its voting representation on the Commission.
Fast forward to today. Last November Montville voted in a different Council.
I stated in that integrity means doing the right thing even when it’s hard, and that any vote I make or action I engage in is based on what I think is the right thing to do, not the political thing to do.
I think supporting this ordinance is the right thing to do; that is why it was re-introduced to the newly elected Council. The ordinance complies with the wishes of the Montville voters who approved the 1995 Charter revisions outlining the autonomy of the Water and Sewer Commission, similar to that of the Board of Education. Read it for yourself. Section 407 of the Town Charter (pages 14 & 15) describes it clearly: the Water and Sewer Commission is largely autonomous. The Town Council has limited (but powerful) authority by choosing the members of the Water and Sewer Commission, one of whom is a Town Councilor. Section D states that the Council retains authority over bonding. The ordinance does not diminish either of these authorities and it does not change the Charter as some allege.
Attend the Town Meeting Monday, March 19 at Montville High School, 7 PM and support the decision of the Council. The ballot will ask “shall the Town overrule “ the Council? Do the right thing - vote NO.
