MINUTES

WATERTOW= N TOWN COUNCIL

PUBLIC H= EARING (#2)

JOHN TRUMBULL PRIMARY SCHOOL MEDIA CENTER

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2003, 7:15 P.M.

PRESENT: &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Robert Kane

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Paul Valenti

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Richard Wick

ABSENT: &= nbsp; &nbs= p; None

OTHERS PRESENT: = Jean King

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Raymond Primini

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Paul Rinaldi

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Meredith Robson, Town Manager

1.&nb= sp; Convene Public Hearing - 7:15 P.M.

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Mr. Wick, Chairma= n, Ordinance Subcommittee, called the Public Hearing to order at 7:15 p.m.

Mr. Wick, Chairma= n, Ordinance Subcommittee, read aloud the following Notice of the Public Heari= ng for the record:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Watertown, Connecticut

October 6, 2003

The Watertown Town Council will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, October 6, 200= 3 at 7:15 p.m. in the John Trumbull School Media Center, 779 Buckingham Street, Oakville, Connecticut to hear comments on the proposed “Appointed Officials Code of Ethics Ordinance.”

Copies of the pro= posed Ordinance are available at the Town Manager’s Office (424 Main Street, Watertown) and the Town Clerk’s Office (Town Hall, 37 DeForest Street Watertown).

Dated at Watertown, Connecticut this 19th day of September, 2003.

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= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; Meredith S. Robson, Town Manager

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 6, 2003

Page 2

RETURN OF NOTICE

TOWN OF WATERTOWN

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

I = hereby certify that on September 19, 2003 I left a duplicate copy of the attached Notice of Public Hearing, Town of Watertown, Connecticut with Virginia M. Stewart its Town Clerk to be held on October 6, 2003.

I = further certify that on September 19, 2003, I caused a copy of said Notice of Public Hearing to be published in the WATERBURY REPUBLICAN AMERICAN, which newspap= er has a substantial circulation in said Town.

I = further certify that on September 19, 2003, I caused to be set upon the signpost or other exterior places nearest the Office of the Town Clerk and all other pl= aces and signposts designated by the Town, a written copy of said Notice of Publ= ic Hearing signed by the Town Manager of the Town of Watertown.

I = further certify that all the above acts were done at least five (5) days before the holding of the Public Hearing on October 6, 2003.

Da= ted at Watertown, Connecticut this 19th day of September, 2003.

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&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = Meredith S. Robson, Town Manager

TOWN CLERK’S CERTIFICATION AS TO

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND RETURN OF NOTICE<= /p>

I hereby certify that the attached Notice of Public Hearing and Return Notice= of Public Hearing are duly recorded in the records of the Town of Watertown, Connecticut, and that Meredith S. Robson was Town Manager on the date the Notice and Return of Notice were signed.

Dated at Watertown, Connecticut this 19th day of September, 2003.

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&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Virginia Stewart, Town Clerk

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 6, 2003

Page 3

2. = Public Participation

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&= nbsp; Al Mickel, 173 DiNunzio Road, Oakville, CT&nb= sp; 06779

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&= nbsp; Mr. Mickel: At the last Public Hearing Franklin stole most of the wind out of my sail. I agree with all of the 3 points t= hat he made, that I don’t think this ethics ordinance is necessary nor the r= ight thing for the Town to do. I&#= 8217;m particularly worried about the prep time elected official, getting elected officials to step forward into public service and the boards and commissions and getting people to volunteer for the boards and commissions. I think it might scare a lot of th= em away. Thank you.

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Carl Fisher, 20 Shannon Avenue, Watertown CT&nb= sp; 06795

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<= b> &= nbsp; Mr. Fisher: I’m a Counc= il candidate for this Fall. I ag= ree with Al. As you know now it i= s hard enough to get people to step forward and join our boards and commissions. By adding this it would severely l= imit our resources and that’s something this Town absolutely does not need. We need as many qualifi= ed people as we can get and I feel that more people feel that the (inaudible) should not step forward because of more added government.

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Mr. Wick: Are you referring specifically to the provision in the draft pertaining to financial disclosu= re?

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Mr. Fisher: Yes.

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Jack Traver, 795 Park Road, Watertown, CT 06795

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Mr. Traver: I think the conce= pt may be admirable, but I think that as presented it needs a lot of work, and may= be rather than the aspect, emphasis might be something more along the line of a code of conduct, and I think that we have to be realistic and accept the fa= ct that in Watertown we have difficulty getting people on boards and commissio= ns for various reasons, and this might exacerbate that problem. I think maybe it ought to be revie= wed and toned down and made a little more user friendly. Thank you.

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Denise Russ, 135 Porter Street, Watertown, CT&nbs= p; 06795

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Ms. Russ: Is this going to be= like another layer of government where we already had the Historical District? Are you adding more government?

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Mr. Wick: Are you referring t= o the portion of the ordinance that creates an Ethics Commission?

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 6, 2003

Page 4

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Ms. Russ: Right.

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Mr. Wick: I don’t know whether you would call it another layer of government, it would be another group.

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Ms. Russ: It’s just ano= ther commission you would have to go through.

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<= b> &= nbsp; Mr. Wick: It would be another organization, yes, and the proposal that we have in the draft is for a 3 pe= rson commission.

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Ms. Russ: I’m opposed a= gainst it myself for that and also if you have to disclose your financial specific= s if you want to run for Council or Board of Ed, I don’t think it’s anybody’s business what anybody has and I’m opposed against it.=

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<= b> &= nbsp; Mr. Wick: One comment with re= spect to that part of it, what you said is the way the model code reads, and it’s also the way the code that the State attempted to impose upon all towns and municipalities several months ago and that was one of the reasons= it died a very early death. When= we reviewed that part of the model code we said it doesn’t make sense either, and the only part that we retained in the draft that we presented w= as the part that involves people who intend to do business with the Town, but = we are reconsidering that also.

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Jean King, 126 North Street Watertown, CT 06795

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<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Ms. King: One of the things t= hat hadn’t been pointed out, I know that some of us have discussed is the fact of the matter is that the Council has the right to review any mishappenings, I don’t want to say misbehaviors, perceived things of members of boards and commissions. Granted it’s a difficult thing to do; I don’t think it w= ould be anymore difficult for the Council itself to take action where something = was perceived wrong than it would be to have an Ethics Commission. And I think the case that was poin= ted out, the stuff we’ve all seen that’s been going on in New Milfo= rd just scares the living daylights out of anybody, and the other part is it w= ould always require staffing, these commissions cannot work without staffing and that is indeed another layer of government or another cost to us so I reall= y don’t think it’s necessary.

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 6, 2003

Page 5

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3.&nb= sp; Adjournment=

Mr. Wick, Chairman, Ordinance Subcommittee, Closed the Public Hearing at 7:25 p= .m.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard Wick, Chairman

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = Ordinance Subcommittee

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = Watertown Town Council

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A= pproved: _______________________________

Lynn M. LaF= orme, Clerk