Enfield considers charter changes that could reshape its political landscape

Charter Revision Commission meeting last week

Enfield’s Charter Revision Commission met Thursday for its first in-depth workshop, generating a long list of proposals that could significantly alter how the town governs itself.

Ideas ranged from switching to a two-year budget cycle, allowing a budget referendum, and compensating elected officials, or even shifting to a mayoral form of government. Other proposals included banning profanity on signs, locking non-governmental flag restrictions into the Charter, and changes such ending council districts.

The meeting was structured as a pitch session, with each commission member suggesting topics for future discussion. In-depth discussions are to take place at subsequent meetings. While many proposals are unlikely to move forward—either because of insufficient support or legal concerns raised by the Town Attorney—the meeting highlighted potential flashpoints for what promises to be a spirited Charter revision process.

Mayor Nelson’s Proposals

As leader of the majority party, Mayor Ken Nelson (R) will be influential development of charter ballot questions expected for the November election. His proposals are bundled together. Other proposals are organized by topic. Nelson's pitches:

  • Compensation for elected officials: His recommendation is in the form of a stipend, but Nelson didn’t suggest any specific amount. He wasn’t the only person to suggest this—another commission member pitched the idea of a tax break for elected officials, possibly similar to what’s currently available for seniors.

  • Flag display limits: Nelson proposed including the Council’s decision from last year—limiting flag displays on town buildings to government flags—in the charter. This would keep future councils from changing the policy. The controversy stemmed from the flying of the Pride flag during a period when Democrats controlled the Council. “We are not an organization to promote or not promote one group or another,” Nelson said.

  • Town manager residency requirement: A proposal changing the requirement for the town manager to live in Enfield to a strong recommendation rather than a mandate. The intent may be to align the Charter’s wording with state laws on residency requirements. Another proposal involved setting baseline qualifications for the town manager role.

  • Removal of council members: Nelson proposed creating a mechanism to remove Town Council members who breach executive session confidentiality or commit ethics violations, as determined by the town's Ethics Commission. His initial proposal required a two-thirds majority of the 11-member council. (Two thirds is 7.3, something a member noted.) Concerns were raised about the potential for majority party abuse if only seven votes were needed. [Republicans have seven seats, Democrats, four.] In discussions, it was recommended that at least one member of the minority party have the ability to vote on a removal. Nelson later said that he would be comfortable requiring 10 affirmative votes, with the council member under consideration for removal excluded from voting. What follows are ideas made by other commission members.

Novel or Uncategorized Pitches

  • Profanity ban: The appearance of profanity on some election signs prompted a proposal to ban the display of written profanity on signs and posters. However, it was noted that this could raise First Amendment concerns.

  • Eliminating constables: A proposal was made to remove the position of constable, which is currently an elected role. Under state law, constables serve civil processes (e.g., warrants and summonses) and enforce court orders.

  • Zoning authority: One member proposed transferring zoning authority from the Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission to the Town Council, following the model used in West Hartford.

  • Registrar of voters term extension: Enfield’s registrars of voters are elected every two years, but state law allows for four-year terms. A proposal was made to consider extending the term to four years.

  • Ethics in the Charter: While Enfield already has a code of ethics, this proposal would enshrine part of it in the Charter.

Budget and Finance Changes

  • Centralized purchasing: One member proposed requiring all purchases, including those made by the Board of Education, to go through the town’s purchasing agent. Another member noted this might be difficult to implement, as the Town Council loses control over how education funds are spent once the school budget is allocated.

  • Extended budget review period: The Charter currently allows the public five days to review the town budget before a public hearing. A member suggested extending this review period to 10 days.

  • Two-year budget cycle: A proposal was made to move to a two-year budget cycle. Currently, Enfield approves its budget annually. The goal of the change would be to improve the efficiency of the budgeting process and reduce the time the council spends setting the budget.

  • Budget referendum: The Town Council currently has the authority to set the budget, but some Charter Commission members are advocating for a budget referendum. Council member Mike Ludwick (R), who is also on the charter commission, has been a long-time proponent of this idea.

    Ludwick proposed amending the section of the Charter that allows residents to propose or repeal ordinances (excluding those on appointments, compensation, taxes, or appropriations) to include the budget. The charter allows referendums if seven percent of voters sign a petition to bring the matter forward. If the council fails to act within 30 days, the issue would go to a public vote requiring 20% voter turnout to take effect. Similar proposals for budget referendums were rejected in 1996 and 2014.

    Council member Bob Cressotti (D), a commission member, expressed skepticism, noting that budget referendums are typically used in smaller towns. Nelson questioned the practicality of the referendum, asking, “How many people actually follow what the town needs versus what they want?”

  • Capital project priorities: The proposed charter change would reshape how Enfield approves infrastructure spending by creating a two-tier system. The idea is to lower the referendum threshold to 1/100ths of one percent of the grand list for non-critical projects, but raise the threshold to 3/100ths of one percent for critical infrastructure projects. The policy goal seem to be balancing public oversight, stricter discretionary spending, with more flexibility for critical projects. The current 2/100ths of one percent of the grand list was argued as too high for some expenditures. [See page 19 of the current town charter]

    [Enfield's net grand list is approximately $3.7 billion; 2/100ths or 0.0002 of it is about $740,000; 3/100ths or 0.0003 is about $1.1 million.]

  • Adjusting referendum thresholds for inflation: Another proposal called for changing the amount of money that triggers a referendum for capital expenditures to account for inflation.

  • Independent appraisals for property acquisitions: A Charter requirement for independent appraisers to evaluate town property acquisitions was suggested.

Changes to the Town Council

  • Party control over vacancies: One proposal would give political parties the authority to replace their own vacancies on the Town Council and Board of Education without interference. The intent is to prevent opposing parties from blocking or delaying replacements.

  • Eliminating district council seats: A member proposed eliminating Enfield’s district council system and electing all council members at-large. Currently, Enfield has seven at-large councilors and four district councilors.

  • Redistricting authority: Another proposal suggested removing the referendum requirement for changes to council district boundaries and giving the council full authority to redraw the lines.

  • Minority leader role in the Charter: Council member Cressotti argued for including the position of Town Council minority leader in the Charter, ensuring equality with the majority leader regarding input on the council’s agenda. "The minority leader isn't even mentioned in the charter," Cressotti said, "and I believe both (mayor/majority leader) should have a role in developing the agenda, no matter who's in power."

  • Four-year terms: A member proposed extending the terms of Town Council and Board of Education members from two to four years.

  • Dual roles for council members: Should Town Council members be allowed to serve simultaneously on another commission or committee? A proposal suggested barring council members from holding two or more positions to avoid potential conflicts of interest.

  • Voting for mayor: There was discussion of holding direct votes for mayor or even shifting to a strong mayor form of government. The mayor is an appointed position.

A Personal Note: Meeting Access Issues

These meetings aren’t being broadcast, but there’s a significant issue with access to the Scitico Room on the first floor of Town Hall—something the town needs to address.

The public is required to enter through the main entrance. This works fine during the day but doesn’t function for evening meetings. I entered through the council chambers, which were open for a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, and then took the stairs down to the Scitico Room. However, the interior door was locked, and there was no response to the buzzer. Fortunately, after a wait, someone came by and let me in.

Only three members of the public attended the meeting, myself included. One attendee said she used the main entrance and took the elevator to the basement floor. She found a town employee who told her to use elevator. She suggested that signs are needed telling people how to get the Scitico Room and to use the elevator instead of the stairway and avoid its self-locking doors.

Meeting access could become a problem for the town. If someone tries to attend but can’t gain access, they may file a complaint with the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Commission, potentially calling the legality of any meeting into question. Until this issue is properly resolved, it’s best to arrive early and wait by the back door for someone to let you in—or check if the elevator works at the main entrance. That's what I'll be doing.


Location: Enfield, CT 06082, USA

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