Alders Establish Charter Revision Commission

The Board of Alders officially kicked off New Haven’s once-a-decade charter revision process by voting to focus a to-be-empaneled commission’s attention on 10 different considerations — including whether or not to grant four-year terms for the mayor and alders, and whether or not to drop residency requirements for some city department heads. 

Local legislators took that vote Monday night during the latest regular bimonthly meeting of the full Board of Alders. The meeting took place in-person in the Aldermanic Chamber on the second floor of City Hall.

The alders approved a resolution establishing a Charter Revision Commission. That body, to which the alders expect to appoint members in early January, is charged with undertaking the once-every-10-years work of reviewing and suggesting changes to New Haven’s constitution governing how local government works.

Click here for a previous Independent article all about the mayor’s and alders’ top recommended topics for review for the upcoming charter revision process.

The now-approved resolution calls on the commission to finish its work and submit a final report to the full Board of Alders by May 15, 2023.

It also lists 10 different topics that the commission should ​“specifically consider” as it undertakes its review.

Those topics for consideration include increasing terms for the mayor, alders, and city clerk from two to four years each; making the charter’s language gender neutral throughout; removing residency requirements for mayoral appointees who do not require Board of Alders approval; and reviewing the current lifetime appointments to the city parks commission, among other topics. 

“Last night the BOA voted on a resolution in regards to the charter,” Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers wrote in an email update to the Dwight Community Management Team on Tuesday. ​“There are a number of things we would like the charter commission to study. Making the charter language gender neutral, 4 year terms for elected office and 2 Lifetime appointments on the parks commission to name a few. January 3 a charter commission will be named then the real work begins. We encourage all residents to take part in the public process.”

See below for the full text of the now-approved Charter Revision Commission resolution.

Resolution Of The Board Of Alders Establishing A Charter Revision Commission

WHEREAS: pursuant to Article XXXIX of the Charter of the City of New Haven a charter revision commission shall be appointed by the Board of Alders at least once every ten years after July 1, 1993; and

WHEREAS: pursuant to Section 7 – 187 et. seq. of the General Statutes of Connecticut said commission shall consist of between 5 and 15 electors not more than one third of whom may hold any other public office in the municipality and not more than a bare majority of whom shall be members of any one political party; and

WHEREAS: pursuant to Section 7 – 187 et. seq. prior to establishment of said commission a resolution initiating the charter revision must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the entire Board of Alders; and

WHEREAS: within 30 days of the adoption of this resolution the Board of Alders shall approve the members of this Charter Revision Commission; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that a Charter Revision Commission be and hereby is empaneled pending Board of Alders Approval of those members.

BE IT ALSO FURTHER RESOLVED that this Charter Revision Commission is charged in its review of and report on the entire Charter to specifically consider the following:

1. Making the Charter Gender Neutral throughout;

2. Correcting the language on the number and terms of the members of the Board of Education; 

3. Updating Board of Alders compensation to $5,000 for Alders and $6,250 for President and including an increase tide to cost of living increases; 

4. Four Year Terms for Mayor, City Town Clerk, Alders and Registrars;

5. Maintaining the same number of Alders on Board and Commissions when all Alders are of the same party;

6. Updating the Charter to include provisions requiring all Memorandum of Understanding to be approved by Alders;

7. Reviewing the Parks Commission lifetime memberships;

8. Removing provisions that have timed out from the previous charter including but not limited to those related to approving ordinances concerning purchasing and department heads qualifications.

9. Review extending the time period for the approval of nominees to Boards and Commissions from 60 days to 90 days.

10. Reviewing the Mayor’s request concerning residency requirements only apply to those of his appointees approved by the Board of Alders (those are the Fire Chief, Police Chief, the four coordinators, Chief Administrative Office, Controller, Community Services Administrator, and Economic Development Administrator) and the others not approved by the Board of Alders no longer be required to be resident electors.

BE IT ALSO FURTHER RESOLVED that approval of this resolution by a 2/3 vote of the entire Board of Alders officially initiates the process for charter revision pursuant to Article XXXIX of the Charter and Section 7 – 187 ET. Seq. of the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut.

BE IT ALSO FURTHER RESOLVED that this Charter Revision Commission shall submit its final report to the Board of Alders on or before May 15, 2023.