Charter panel sends 74-page draft report to Town Council
Other Committee · Meeting of May 4, 2026
New Canaan's Charter Revision Commission unanimously approved a 74-page draft charter report Monday for submission to the Town Council. Chair Kathleen Case led members through late changes to the town treasurer article, settling on language making the treasurer a signer on town accounts "as appropriate" and requiring dispersements be made "on the order of proper authority." The panel finalized five proposed November ballot items: a 12-year consecutive term limit, Town Council approval of town-owned real property transactions, council confirmation of Planning and Zoning Commission appointments, added Ethics Board alternates and a catch-all technical-changes measure. "None of which is going to happen in New Canaan," Case said, addressing fears of improper treasurer payments.
The report grew from 59 pages a decade ago to 74 pages, driven partly by new treasurer provisions and added historical background for voters.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 793 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of May 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
NEW CANAAN — May 4, 2026 — New Canaan's Charter Revision Commission voted unanimously Monday to send its draft charter revision report to the Town Council, wrapping up months of line-by-line edits to sections governing the town treasurer's authority, town-owned real estate transfers and board appointments.
Commission Chair Kathleen Case walked members through dozens of last-minute wording changes during the roughly hour-long hybrid meeting, most notably new language spelling out when the town treasurer must be a signer on town bank and investment accounts. The commission also finalized five items it intends to put before voters on the November ballot, including a 12-year consecutive term limit for elected officials and a requirement that the Town Council approve any change of use, lease or transfer of town-owned real property.
The Full Story
The bulk of Monday's meeting was devoted to Article 22, the charter section governing the town treasurer. Case told the commission she had reworked the section overnight based on comments from Town Treasurer Andrew and school district officials. The final language states that, "pursuant to general statutes," the treasurer is a signer on town bank and investment accounts "as appropriate" and "shall pay out all dispersements made on the order of proper authority."
Commissioner Karen Willett and other members debated at length whether to include the phrase "as appropriate," which was added, removed and then restored during the meeting. The distinction matters because the town treasurer is not a signer on seven separate Board of Education accounts, including cafeteria, grant and summer-learning funds that a Board of Education finance official identified as Brian said run "a couple of million dollars" a year and are signed instead by the district's budget director, its director of finance and operations, and the superintendent of schools. The commission's legal counsel, Nick, said state statute treats the Board of Education as a distinct entity from the town.
Members also revised Article 4 to clarify that the Town Council must approve any change of use, lease, capital lease or transfer of town-owned real property, and removed duplicate "transfer of use" language from the parks and recreation article after Commissioner Jennifer Jameson and others determined it belonged only in the real-property section. Other changes cleaned up earlier drafts: parks and recreation and conservation commission terms were extended from two to three years, and the inland wetlands commission's ex-officio members, the first selectman and town engineer, were clarified to lack voting power except that the first selectman may break a tie.
The commission also confirmed it will ask voters to decide five separate ballot questions this fall: term limits, Town Council approval of real-property transactions, Town Council confirmation of Planning and Zoning Commission appointments, the addition of three alternate members to the Ethics Board, and a catch-all "kitchen sink" item covering remaining technical and conforming changes. Case said the commission capped the list at five because additional ballot questions would shrink the printed text too much for voters to read.
"None of which is going to happen in New Canaan," Case said, dismissing the possibility that a treasurer would improperly withhold a properly authorized payment.
"That's the only scenario where there would be a pause button hit," Andrew, the town treasurer, said, describing the rare instances when he has delayed a payment pending proper authorization.
"There is very clearly a distinction between the Board of Education as its own entity and the town as an entity," Nick, the commission's legal counsel, said in backing the "as appropriate" language.
The commission opened the meeting by approving, without objection, draft minutes from its April 27 and April 28 special meetings, on a motion by Willett, seconded by Commissioner Joe Paulo.
Why It Matters
The draft report, now 74 pages versus 59 pages a decade ago, will go to the Town Council for review before returning to the commission for a final report due July 14. If history is a guide, based on the timeline from the last charter revision a decade ago, the council could act on that final report by July 20, giving town officials roughly two and a half months to weigh in. The treasurer language matters to residents because it defines who can authorize town payments and access financial records, while the real-property provision would give the Town Council explicit veto power over future sales, leases or use changes involving town land.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Approve minutes of the April 27 and April 28, 2026 special meetings Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approve the draft charter revision report for submission to the Town Council Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Motion to adjourn Tally: Approved unanimously
Source
Town Of New Canaan: Charter Revision Commission meeting, May 4, 2026