Length of Mayor's Term Among Charter Revision Questions on Ballot

Naugatuck voters will be asked to vote 'yes' or 'no' on the following Charter revision questions at the polls on Tuesday: 

• Shall the Charter be revised to change the date of the municipal election from the first Monday of May to the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in odd numbered years thereby extending the terms of the existing municipal office holders from the first Monday in May of 2013 to November of 2013? [1]

• Shall the Charter be revised to extend the term of the office of Mayor from a two-year term to a four-year term commencing at the next municipal election? [2]

• Shall the Charter be revised by changing the budget referendum process by enabling four percent of the electors rather than the current eight percent on the last completed registry list to secure a position for a referendum subsequent to an initial referendum on the budget? [3]

• Shall the Charter be revised that the Town Clerk should be appointed by the Board of Mayor and Burgesses? [4]

• Shall the Charter be revised eliminate the Offices of Jurors, Board of Public Charities, Selectmen and the Board of Relief? [5]

• Shall the Charter be revised by eliminating language deemed outdated by the Charter Revision Committee?

Notes:

1. Naugatuck is one of six towns in the state that has elections in May. The May election cycle is said to have been established several years ago when the farmers did not want to interrupt their harvest.
2. The Citizens News asked elected officials, including Mayor Bob Mezzo and formers mayors Ron San Angelo and Mike Bronko, how they felt about a four-year term as opposed to a two-year term. Read that article here.
3. Naugatuck's budget does not automatically go to a referendum. It goes into effect unless residents petition to send it to referendum. Per the Charter, it can go to a referendum three times, but residents have to petition for all three votes. This change would make it easier for petitioners to secure signatures for the second and third vote.
4. Currently, the Town Clerk is an elected position.
5. These positions are outdated and the argument for removing them is that they no longer serve a purpose. To our knowlege, nobody has made a public argument to keep them.