November 17, 2009 9:00 pm

Common Council MTG 11/17/09

Attending: Romano, Mount, McQuaid, Bonenfant, Tobin, Kydes, Straniti, , , Moccia, Maslan, Hempstead, Bondi, , Conroy, Hilliard, Jaeger, King, Simms, Lindstrom

They all get sworn in, but Taber Hamilton didn’t know that he won the election.

Public Participation:

Richard McGregor asks that when the council members don’t turn the pages and hit the mic.

Resignations & Appointments & Reappointments:

Robert Maslan to corporation counsel

Ellen Wink to City Clerk

Carol Andreoli and Mike Coffey to the Fire Commission

Peter Torrano to the Police Commission

Mayors Remarks:

Says nice things about the past council and welcomes to the new council.

Rick McQuaid makes the nomination for Council President of Doug Hempstead. Says some nice things about his leadership ability.

Kelly Straniti seconds. Says some nice things about Hempstead being a good mentor.

Nick Kydes speaks and says Hempstead has been a good bipartisan leader and wants the council to be bipartisan.

Fred Bondi speaks and says nice things.

Laurel Lindstrom speaks and says that he is fair and that he listens to both sides on committees.

Carvin Hilliard speaks and says that he listens.

The vote is unanimous.

Council President

Doug Hempstead asks for a moment of silence for Paul Jones. Announces Rich Bonenfant as majority leader, and Laurel Lindstrom as minority leader.

The appointment of the assistant city clerk is tabled for further review. For the present time Darlene Young will serve until the council makes a decision.

They move to adopt the council rules. [They are vailable to the public]

There was a handout

Finance

Kydes Chair

Conroy

Hempstead

Jaeger

Hempstead

King

Straniti

Land Use & Building Management

Bondi Chair

Bonenfant

Jaeger

King

McQuaid

Mount

Personnel

Romano Chair

Bonenfant

Hilliard

Simms

McQuaid

Mount

Public Works

Conroy Chair

Bondi

Hempstead

King

Lindstrom

Straniti

Health Welfare & Public Safety

Bonenfant Chair

Jaeger

Kydes

McQuaid

Mount

Simms

Romano

Simms

Romano

Ordinance (time change to 7 PM)

Straniti chair

Boenfant

Controy

Hilliard

Lindstrom

Romano

Tobin

Planning

Hempstead chair

Conroy

Hilliard

Lindstrom

Mount

Straniti

Tobin

Parks & Rec

McQuaid

Bondi

Bonenfant

Kydes

Lindstrom

Simms

Tobin

Historic Commission

Clyde Mount

NFCC

Fred Bondi

Jeager

WPCA

Laurel Lindstrom

Conroy

Hempstead

Lindstrom requests that date and time change be noticed to the minority party earlier.

Hempstead says that they only knew of the land use date and time change last night and apologizes for the late notice.

Lindstrom says that the proportionality of the structure of the committees is out of the proportionality of the composition of the council. She says that there shouldn’t be 5 Republicans and 2 Democrats and had asked for 4 Republicans and 3 Democrats. Raises the concern that some Republicans might have put forth their name to the on committees to take up space so that another Democrat couldn’t be appointed. Says it is a concern if someone is on a committee but won’t show or read the packet.

Puts a motion to amend the nomination:

Removes Mount form planning to add Nora King

Remove Tobin from Rec and Park add Jaeger

Ordinance remove Bonenfant adds Simms

Bonenfant:� Apologizes for the time change not being noticed. Said that two picks for what ever committee would be honored. There is a desire to serve on the committees, and they had difficulty whittling down the committee. Says that council members can speak and attend committees but they would not have a vote.

King says that there was a lot of talk of bipartisanship, and that having 5 Rs is showing bipartisanship.

Hilliard said that the Democrats didn’t do that and they honored the proportionality.

McQuaid disagrees and said when he and Hempstead were removed from committees and not put on committees they wanted. Says that the bipartisanship started a few years later, and that two years ago people voted against bipartisanship when it was the Republicans in the minority.

Mocia asks for a repeat of the amendment.

Lindstrom repeats

Removes Mount form planning to add Nora King

Remove Tobin from Rec and Park add Jaeger

Ordinance remove Bonenfant adds Simms

Bondi N

Hempstead N

Tobin N

McQuaid N

Romano N

Jaeger Y

Bonenfant N

Jaeger Y

Simms Y

Kydes N

Lindstrom Y

Mount N

Straniti N

Conroy N

King Y

Amendment fails 10- 5

The original presentation

Bondi Y

Hempstead Y

Tobin Y

McQuaid Y

Romano Y

Bonefant Y

Jaeger Y

Simms Y

Hilliard N

Kydes Y

Lindstrom N

Mount Y

Straniti Y

Conroy Y

King N

The motion passes 10-5

Hempstead asks that committee members who chair other committees to allow council members who are not on a committee to be allowed to participate except for the voting. Says it is about the committee meetings, but to monitor if people who want to serve to make sure they are attending. Says its up to the caucuses to police their own.

Quote from JFK, to say that there should be council conservations with the community. Says they want to set up a liaison committee to the BOE. Reminds that it is the Council that sets the cap. Thanks everyone and spouses for support.

They move to adjourn.

Democrat

So much for “bipartisanship.” The Republican majority did not allow this like the Democrats did during their majority years, by giving chairmanships to the Republicans.

Doug Hempstead tossed them a bone by “allowing” Dems to attend and participate in committee meetings.
OLD TIMER

I assume there is really only one Simms and one Romano on Health, Welfare and Public Safety. Did anyone think the Repubs. would go along with proportionality ? I asked the Hour about that Lindstrom letter, no answer yet.

turfgrrl

Old Timer: Looks like The Hour published a correction yesterday:

Joanne

Yes, OT…thankfully there’s only one of me! Sometimes though I wish there were two! :0)
East Norwalker

Let�s try some simple math concerning the make-up of the Common Council committees.

Since there were 10 Republicans and five Democrats elected to the Common Council that means it is a 67% (R) to 33% (D) ratio.

A four to three split on the committee�s means 57% (R) to 43% (D).

A five to two split on the committe�s means 71% (R) to 29% (D).

Seems to me a five to two split is more of a �will of the people� than a four to three split.

With that said, it would have been a good gesture of the Republicans to have a four to three split on one or maybe two committees to show some bi-partisanship, but I will not hold it against them.

turfgrrl

East Norwalker: That’s why it’s important to understand how to do basic math, yes? I think that it is more important to have people on teh committee who will do the work of the committee, which means attendance and reading the packets, following the issues and making Norwalk a better place as a result. Some politicians, think you need a title or committee assignment to accomplish anything. That’s short sighted. Anyone can get more involved in government once they are willing to let go of the me, me, me.

OLD TIMER

The correction sounds like they are taking responsibility for “incorrectly” listing Laurel as the single signer. How do you make a mistake like that, if it was a mistake ? Nobody answered my message to the HOUR.

David Waters

Ewe wundur haw De Our maks misteaks???

turfgrrl

David Waters: Oh no, that looks right to me!

Fleeced

I should not read comments like these with a full bladder–could cause an accident.