RTM Rules & Ordinances Committee Special Meeting Minutes for April 14, 2009
The Meeting began at 7:05 p.m. at Canoe Brook. Present: Reps. Lambert, Fowler, Black, Sullivan, Sterling, Docknevich. Also in attendance: Reps. Giardello, Thayer, Registrars Hally & Burkard, Board of Education Chairman Carrano. Absent: Rep. Bodner.
To hear the following items:
1. To consider and, if appropriate, approve a request from the Registrars of Voters for the realignment of the voting districts and polling places.
Report from Chairman Carrano concerning possible Board of Education plans to make Branford Hills School its office building. It is unclear whether this will happen or when. It is clear that it would not happen by November 2009, and seems unlikely to occur before November 2010. It is less expensive to modify Canoe Brook for Board of Ed use than to modify Branford Hills.
Additional discussion of concerns regarding parking lot/sidewalks at Branford Hills School. These are maintained by the Board of Ed. Rep. Sullivan will follow up with Mark Deming concerning the cost of making repairs to the sidewalks.
Potential alternate polling places for the new 4th district would be Canoe Brook, although concerns about handicap access remain; St. Mary’s, although the registrars feel parking there is inadequate. The registrars feel that Canoe Brook would be suitable, given that the number of voters using the polling place would be substantially less than it was.
Motion by Rep. Fowler to make the redistricting plan effective January 1, 2010, seconded by Rep. Lambert. Motion by Rep. Sterling to amend the main motion to make the plan effective on or after Jan. 1, 2010. Seconded by Rep. Fowler. Registrars feel there is not sufficient time to implement the new plan before the November 2009 election, especially if there is an August primary. Committee members and registrars have tried drafting the revisions to the ordinances and it is pretty complicated. All in favor of both motions.
There is an error on the map that was presented to the full RTM, in that Harbor Village as shown as no longer being part of the 3rd. The registrars will correct that on the map to be used for drafting the ordinances.
Registrars will report back to us with a date on or after January 1, 2010 that will best allow them to meet notice requirements.
Discussion regarding drafting the ordinances. We will meet next concerning redistricting at R and O’s regular May meeting and will request that counsel be present to assist with drafting. In preparation for that meeting, the registrars will get the state’s language regarding the state assembly lines and will work on maps that show the street names for the district boundary lines.
Motion to adjourn at 8:30. All in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Alinor Sterling
Rules and Ordinances Committee Chair
April 15, 2009
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