Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations

Five residents have been appointed to a charter revision commission and will be responsible for suggesting changes to the document, last updated in 1986.

The town council voted to create the commission earlier this week and appointed three Democrats and two Republicans.

Mayor Steve Woods sought the creation of the commission, saying the charter � which governs the structure and many procedures of town government � needed to be modernized.

An effort to revise the charter was narrowly rejected by voters in 2009 after a process that many said became politicized. The Republican majority at the time, since replaced by a Democratic majority, supported a controversial provision that would have required a referendum if the council sought more than a 3 percent tax increase.

Woods said many other changes suggested at the time were not controversial, but were rejected along with the budget referendum. He said the current commission can incorporate many of those ideas in its work, giving it a head start.

When the council meets March 13 it will vote on a charge for the commission, although the group is not limited to suggestions from the council.

Woods said he will suggest several changes designed to increase efficiency. The charter currently requires the town to form a building committee for any project with a budget of more than $250,000, which Woods said should be closer to $1 million.

"You can't do anything for $250,000," he said.

In a nod to technology, Woods also said he would like to allow members of some boards, such as the council and school board, to attend meetings over the Internet in special cases. He said that would allow a member who has been involved in an issue, but is out of town for a crucial meeting, to participate.

"The technology is there," he said. "We're behind the times."

Woods also would like the commission to consider increasing terms for some offices from two to four years and staggering the terms, although he said he understood the arguments some people have against the idea.

A public hearing will be scheduled at the beginning of the process and another one after the commission has issued a final report. The town council can make additional changes. Woods said his goal is to have the charter revisions on the November ballot.

The original charter was adopted in 1966 and revised in 1970, 1977 and 1986, according to Town Clerk Tanya Lane.

The Democratic and Republican town committees recommended members for the commission, which the council unanimously confirmed earlier this week.

Those appointed to the commission are Democrats Alan Nafis, who was on the last charter revision commission, Donna Clark, a former member of the town council and school board, and Vincent Camilli. a former chairman of the planning and zoning commission. The Republicans appointed are former Mayor Mike Lenares and Paul Vesella, who ran unsuccessfully in the last election for town council.

http://articles.courant.com/2012-03-01/community/hc-newington-charter-0301-20120229_1_charter-revision-commission-town-council-planning-and-zoning-commission