Brookfield is updating its town charter, changes will occur
BROOKFIELD — Members of an appointed body tasked with reviewing the town’s charter are making headway on their work, with plans to hold their first public hearing in the coming weeks.
Brookfield’s Charter Review Commission Chair Robert Gianazza described how he and six other members of the local body are approaching their work.
“We are looking at the entire charter to see if there are any improprieties
in it, any contradictions of that nature, things that have become obsolete or if there are any contradictions between Connecticut general statutes, the town charter and town ordinances,” Gianazza said a day after the commission’s third meeting.
“Basically, we are in the very preliminary stages at this point,” he added. “We really haven’t done anything substantial at this point. Right now we are just discussing different areas that we would like to delve into deeper.”
In addition to identifying potential areas for change, Gianazza said the Board of Selectmen provided target areas for the commission to review, including how the town should fill vacancies on boards when a volunteer steps down or leaves a position, and if the town should establish a pension board.
The commission is also examining the town clerk position and whether this person should be appointed, rather than elected.
“We are looking at it with an open mind and we are looking at it in terms of what is going to most impact the community,” Gianazza said.
He said the commission plans to provide a form for residents to submit as a way to suggest ideas and communicate with commission members around what might be important to them.
For now, the commission’s meetings are not recorded or streamed on the town’s YouTube channel. Gianazza said that may change in the future but the topic “hasn’t even been discussed” by members. “That requires technical support so it would mean someone would have to come in to man the cameras and do whatever technical ‘hoo-ha’ in the background,” Gianazza said.
“I don’t really think many people are interested,” he added. “I would be willing to bet that 75 percent of the people couldn’t identify who the selectmen are so you have a small amount of people who are interested in this.”
Under state law, a charter revision proposal must be initiated by a majority vote of a town or city’s executive body or by a petition signed by not less than 10 percent of the electorate.
During the review process, a commission is required to hold at least two public hearings, one prior to beginning “substantive work” and one after the commission has completed a draft report.
Gianazza said the first public hearing is tentatively planned for 6 p.m. Aug. 1 at Town Hall.