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Charter reform is a discussion worth having

March 10, 2015
–
Mark Chapman
Send signed letters to news@nancyonnorwalk.com
Send signed letters to news@nancyonnorwalk.com

Elsa Peterson Obuchowski is a League of Women Voters of Norwalk Steering Committee member

To the Editor:

Recent news that Norwalk city charter revision is “not going to happen” this year highlights the importance of the League of Women Voters’ forum this Thursday, March 12, at 7 p.m. in the City Hall Community Room.

As various officials have said, charter revision is a very complex task. It may seem straightforward, for example, to increase the mayoral term from two years to four – until you realize the implications for all of the other elected offices on the ballot, voter turnout and so forth. It might also seem simple to update the charter’s language to refer to “Council member” instead of “Councilman” – but even this could be fraught with pitfalls as one change might lead to others resulting in unclear or misleading language. At the other extreme, instituting a City Manager form of government, which some have advocated, would be a sweeping change with vast implications across the board.

A city charter, like a constitution, can be changed only by a lengthy and thorough process. There is always a risk of unintended consequences or opening the proverbial can of worms. Yet sooner or later Norwalk’s charter, being more than a century old, is going to need modifications to keep up with the times.

Charter revision is a conversation worth having. The League invites everyone who cares about how Norwalk is governed to attend the forum, which will include comments by the Registrars of Voters, a representative of the Connecticut Town and City Management Association, and concerned citizens John Hamlin and Peter I. Berman.

Elsa Peterson Obuchowski

Norwalk

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Comments

5 responses to “Charter reform is a discussion worth having”

  1. Yankee Clipper

    I find it fascinating that our City’s African-American political leadership is so opposed to change on every front — from the Charter to education. The world is changing and we need to change with it … opposing change will not prevent its arrival and its impact.

  2. Frank Burns

    Just count me among the voters who think that “charter reform” was the ultimate insiders’ game.
    Why would I take time away from my family to sit and hear Peter Berman rant and rave (unions “bad”, Mike Lyons good)? Why would I miss reruns of Big Bang Theory to hear John Hamlin complain?
    You want real charter reform, get the people involved who have real ideas- not the chronic complainers and malcontents, not the self-proclaimed “experts”, and not anyone who thinks local political parties are important.
    What were the “big” ideas for charter reform. Give the mayor a longer term in office. Give the council a longer term in office. Yeah- that was going to make government more accountable.

  3. Steve Colarossi

    Charter reform IS needed in Norwalk. But, the issues to be reviewed need to be developed after community outreach- something that has been sorely lacking in this process to date.

    Although I appreciate that the LWV is a non-partisan group, the composition of the panel suggests a desire to lead the “discussion” to a particular end. First, the Connecticut Town and City Management Association is a group of CITY MANAGERS. It is hard to imagine a discussion of the pros and cons of Norwalk having a city manager by someone whose livelihood is premised upon the city management form of governance.

    Secondly, the two private citizens who will serve as guest speakers share a particular philosophical approach to municipal employees. Having served with John Hamlin on the ZBA, I have the utmost of respect for his community mindedness and intellect. And, although I regularly disagree with Mr. Berman’s opinions (and factual interpretations), I do not doubt the earnestness of his belief that Norwalk can be better managed.

    However, a meaningful discussion of charter reform needs to start with the basic facts of where Norwalk’s charter has faltered. Here are but a few of the questions that should be examined as a first step in considering charter reform:
    1. Has the creation of zoning and planning commissions promoted harms to property owners and the community?
    2. Does the process of capital budget development prevent a more fluid system that could better respond to changes and emergencies?
    3. Does Norwalk’s charter promote or hinder community involvement in the electoral process?
    4. Does the system of various taxing commissions create waste and inefficiency or preserve neighborhood control?
    5. Would changing the rules governing ballot access require state approval?
    6. Do the charter provisions requiring Board of Education approvals of hiring decisions unnecessarily limit school superintendent authority?

    Yet, despite what is, to me, an obvious first step that would take into consideration the City’s actual needs, the LWV forum seems to be starting with the belief that charter reform is needed to implement particular changes. The forum, as planned, does seem to be designed as a pep rally to promote that pre-conceived notion rather than an open community discussion to evaluate what, if any, problems exist because of our current charter.

  4. cc-rider

    @Steve- very well thought out points.

  5. Kevin Di Mauro

    Perhaps a charter revision task force might further implement the open community discussions.

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