Charter Revision Commission
Regular MeetingNorwalk, CT · August 12, 2025
Minutes
CITY OF NORWALK
CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
AUGUST 12, 2025
VIA ZOOM
To allow public access, anyone may access a meeting by telephone and/or Zoom, or a
recording in the City of Norwalk YouTube channel. Specific instructions and links can be found
at norwalkct.gov/meetings.
Members of the public may call in to participate. Callers will not be able to see the meeting
participants. All participants will be muted upon entering the meeting. To speak, dial *9 on the
phone and you will be called on by the host of the meeting during the public comment section.
All speakers must state their name and address. Comments must be on a topic on the agenda,
and are limited to three minutes. Anyone disrupting the orderly conduct of the meeting,
including by using threatening, hateful, or sexually-explicit language, will be removed. Please
find the information using the link above.
Members of the public who wish to provide "live comments" may also use the Zoom meeting
platform. All participants will be muted upon entering the meeting. To speak, click the “raise
your hand indicator” and you will be called by the host of the meeting during the public
comment section. All speakers must state their name and address. Comments must be on a
topic on the agenda, and are limited to three minutes. Anyone disrupting the orderly conduct of
the meeting, including by using threatening, hateful, or sexually-explicit language, will be
removed. Please find the information using the link above.
Members of the public who wish to provide public comment are encouraged to submit those via
email in advance of the meeting. For these comments to be included into the record, they must
be submitted by 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. Please email the City Clerk's office at
cityclerk@norwalkct.gov with the subject line “Public Comment” to provide written public
comment prior to the meeting.
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Fairbairn called the meeting to order at 5:59p.m.
ATTENDANCE: Tyler Fairbairn, Chairman; Carl Dickens; Jim Clark; John Levin;
Richard McQuaid; Tanya Rhodes-Small; Ed Camacho; Jo Bennett(6:04pm)
STAFF: Steve Mednick; Commission Council
OTHERS: Nora Niedzielski-Eichner; Jalin Sead; Josh Goldstein; Heather Dunn; Anne
Wennerstrand; Dajuan Wiggins; Nicole Eady
II. ROLL CALL
Chairman Fairbairn called the Roll: Tyler Fairbairn, Chairman; Carl Dickens; John
Levin; Richard McQuaid; Tanya Rhodes-Small; James Clark; Ed Camacho
City of Norwalk
Charter Revision Commission
Special Meeting
August 12, 2025
Via Zoom
Page 1
At Roll Call there were seven (7) Committee members present, constituting a quorum.
Jo Bennett arrived at 6:04p.m. Doug Hempstead was absent.
Chairman Fairbairn stated the intention of this meeting is to add an item which couldn’t
be modified on the regular agenda, so they called a special meeting.
III. UPDATE FROM COUNSEL
Attorney Mednick reported that a commissioner raised a question about the status of
another Commissioner. Commissioner Camacho serves BET. The question was
whether that posed a conflict of interest. After reviewing the code of ordinances, there
are two types of conflict: personal and financial. This does not fall under a financial
conflict and after speaking with Corporation Counsel, there does not seem to be any
personal conflict. He explained the reasoning.
IV. DISCUSSION AND ACTION
A. COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION #7 PERTAINING TO THE MODIFICATION OF
THE CHARTER TO PERMIT COUNCIL TO MODIFY BET MEMBERSHIP BY ADDING
TO THE MEMBERSHIP AN EX-OFFICIO NON-VOTING COUNCIL
REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BET [§7-2.A(1)(C)]; AND,
Council representation of the BET was rejected by the commissioners. Attorney
Mednick explained that there were a few conversations that took place between
members of the council and members of the commission after that rejection. There may
have been a misunderstanding of the general issue of the council's interactions with
BET. The council interaction with BET is not as a member of the BET but as a
participant serving as invitees who may be able to spend some time at the beginning of
the meeting raising issues with BET. After the allotted time is over, they do not get to
engage in deliberations or discussions with BET. A third approach was offered to all for
the council to adopt an ordinance, if they adopted an ordinance then they would have
the authority to designate a member of the legislative body to represent the council as
an ad hoc nonvoting member of BET. They would be entitled to participate in all the
proceedings of the board, but the council president would appoint the representative
subject to approval by the majority vote of the council for a term commencing on the
first day of February. The term could be decided by the council. Without a charter
provision, they would not be able to do this. A discussion ensued among its
commissioners.
**MR. LEVIN MOVED THE ITEM
**Mr. CLARK, MR. CAMACHO, AND MS. RHODES-SMALL OPPOSED
**MOTION PASSED 5 TO 3
City of Norwalk
Charter Revision Commission
Special Meeting
August 12, 2025
Via Zoom
Page 2
B. COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION #11 PERTAINING TO THE COMPTROLLER
PROVISIONS [§8-3.C(1)(C)(II)]
Attorney Mednick explained that this item is to eliminate a sentence from the
comptroller’s responsibility. He discussed this with the CFO, and it was determined that
this was not one of the comptroller’s responsibilities. Attorney Mednick read the
sentence to be deleted to the commissioners.
**MR. MCQUAID MOVED THE ITEM
**MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
V. ADJOURNMENT
Mr. McQuaid moved to adjourn.
Motion passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:20p.m.
City of Norwalk
Charter Revision Commission
Special Meeting
August 12, 2025
Via Zoom
Page 3
Agenda
SPECIAL MEETING – CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION
AGENDA
AUGUST 12, 2025, 5:55 PM
VIA ZOOM
To allow public access, anyone may access a meeting by telephone and/or Zoom, or a recording on the City
of Norwalk YouTube channel. Specific instructions and links can be found at norwalkct.gov/meetings.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
III. UPDATE FROM COUNSEL
IV. DISCUSSION AND ACTION
A. Council Recommendation #7 pertaining to the modification of the Charter to permit
Council to modify BET membership by adding to the membership an ex-officio non-
voting Council representative to the BET [§7-2.A(1)(c)]; and,
B. Council Recommendation #11 pertaining to the Comptroller Provisions [§8-
3.C(1)(c)(ii)]
V. ADJOURNMENT
Packet
SPECIAL MEETING – CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION
AGENDA
AUGUST 12, 2025, 5:55 PM
VIA ZOOM
To allow public access, anyone may access a meeting by telephone and/or Zoom, or a recording on the City
of Norwalk YouTube channel. Specific instructions and links can be found at norwalkct.gov/meetings.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
III. UPDATE FROM COUNSEL
IV. DISCUSSION AND ACTION
A. Council Recommendation #7 pertaining to the modification of the Charter to permit
Council to modify BET membership by adding to the membership an ex-officio non-
voting Council representative to the BET [§7-2.A(1)(c)]; and,
B. Council Recommendation #11 pertaining to the Comptroller Provisions [§8-
3.C(1)(c)(ii)]
V. ADJOURNMENT
Page 1 of 4
Item IV - Special Meeting Agenda (081225 @ 5:55 P.M.)
REC. #7 - Council Representation on the Board of Estimate and Taxation
Charter §7-2.A(1)(c) - Council Representation1. Upon adoption of an Ordinance, the City
Council has the authority to designate a member of the City’s legislative body to represent
the Council as an ad hoc non-voting member on the Board of Estimate and Taxation. The
Council representatives shall be entitled to participate in all proceedings of the Board. The
President of the Council shall appoint the representative subject to approval by a Majority
Vote of the Council for a term commencing on the 1st Day of February.
1 NEW (2025).
Page 2 of 4
Item IV – Special Meeting Agenda (081225 @ 5:55 P.M.)
REC. #11
Sec. 8-3.C(1)(c)(ii). The Comptroller.
(1) Duties and Responsibilities1. The Comptroller is required to perform
the duties and responsibilities as set forth in this Charter and the Ordinances, under
the authority of the Mayor and operational purview of the Chief Financial Officer or
such other official in the event of a reorganization in accordance with the provisions of
this Charter.
(a) Certification of the Availability of Appropriated Funds. The
Comptroller must, in performance of the duties of office, certify as to the
availability of appropriated funds for the payment of every obligation arising by
reason of the proposed purchases or contracts of each Budgeted Entity,
including the Norwalk Public Schools under the auspices of the Board of
Education, and officer of the City, and assure that purchase orders or contracts
are valid obligations of the City of Norwalk, bearing the certification of the
Comptroller.
(b) Refusal to Approve Purchase Orders or Contracts. The
Comptroller is also required to refuse to approve any purchase order or
contract when the available appropriation for that purpose is exhausted or, in
the opinion of the Comptroller, will be so depleted that there will remain
insufficient funds for the regular and ordinary expenditures of that
appropriation.
(c) Additional Functions of the Comptroller or such other
officer or employee as may be assigned by the Mayor or Chief Financial
Officer2. The Controller is also required to perform the following functions: (i)
Maintenance and supervision of the general accounting system for all
Budgeted Entities; (ii) Retention and upkeep of the complete books of records
and accounts showing the financial conditions of the City and all financial
transactions, including all districts of the City but more especially those districts
which are not under the supervision of District Commissioners as provided in
this Charter; (ii) Retaining separate accounts for the appropriations in the
budget and the allotments thereof and shall encumber immediately each
appropriation and each allotment for the amount of any purchase order, payroll
1 2025 recodification of §8-4.C which is derived from the 2023 recodification and modification of current Article V, Part
4 – Department of Finance §1-240.A (Sixth sentence, clauses (ix) – (x)). The remainder of the historical provision has
been recodified under Article XII, subject to sunset upon the conditions set forth in this Charter. The following provisions
dealing with the Division of Accounting and Treasury and salary of the Comptroller are repealed: (1) current Article V,
Part 4 – Department of Finance §1-240.A (First and second sentences). Added by Charter Amendment 8-29-1978, § 5.
Editor's Note: Approved by the electorate at the general election held 11-7-197; and (2) current Article V, Part 4 –
Department of Finance §1-240.A (Third through fifth sentences).
2 2025 recodification of §14-3 derived from the 2023 recodification of current Article V, Part 4 – Department of Finance
§1-240.A (Sixth sentence, clauses (i) – (x)). With the exception of the following provisions which remain in Article VIII,
8.4.C: “certify as to the availability of appropriated funds for the payment of every obligation arising by reason of the
proposed purchases or contracts of each Budgeted Entity and officer of the city, and no purchase order or contract
shall be a valid obligation of the City of Norwalk unless it shall bear such certification of the Comptroller; and, refuse
to approve any purchase order or contract when the available appropriation for that purpose is exhausted or, in his or
her opinion, will be so depleted that there will remain insufficient funds for the regular and ordinary expenditures of that
appropriation.”
Page 3 of 4
Item IV – Special Meeting Agenda (081225 @ 5:55 P.M.)
REC. #11
or contract upon approval; (iii) Maintenance for each account a record of the
amounts paid and remaining unpaid, all encumbrances and unencumbered
balances; the Comptroller shall keep a record of accounts payable by the City
and accounts receivable by the City; (iv) Prescribing and controlling receipts to
be used by all Departments, Boards and Commissions of the City; (v) Auditing
before payment all bills, invoices, payroll and other evidence of claims,
demands or charges against the City and approve them only if proper and legal
and only if funds have been appropriated and an unspent and unencumbered
balance is available; (vi) Payroll administration; and, (vi) Subject to the control
and supervision of the Chief Financial Officer as aforesaid, manage and invest
the excess funds of the City and shall administer the debt of the City.
Page 4 of 4