Town Officials Spar Over Budget Hearing Date
The originally scheduled date is the first night of Passover.
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The Board of Finance public hearing on the 2010-11 budget was originally scheduled for March 29—the first night of Passover. After much back-and-forth among town officials, there will probably be two hearings, on March 29 and April 5, to ensure both that all residents can attend and that the process does not violate the Town Charter.
Finance board chairman Peter Gomez initially agreed to move the meeting date from March 29 to 30 to avoid conflict with the first Passover seder. But the switch didn't eliminate the religious conflict, as the first two nights of Passover are both important for observant Jews.
"Please convey to Peter that this is disrespecting the Jews in town many of whom celebrate the first two nights of Passover," Selectman Barbara Manners wrote in an e-mail to First Selectman Rudy Marconi on Monday.
The conversation began last week as Marconi, with the town's bond and town counsel weighing in, sought to change the public hearing date, which the Town Charter states is to be held on the last Monday in March.
Gomez agreed via e-mail to change the date from Monday to Tuesday of that week, writing that he consulted clergy, who said that conducting town business the second night would not be problematic.
"[A]fter careful and extensive consideration on the matter I can confirm that the BoF meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 30 and ask all interested parties to make their best effort to attend the meeting," Gomez wrote.
But with the religious conflict—and now a possible charter violation—still present, more e-mailing ensued, with the selectmen more in favor of one meeting on a Wednesday.
"Counsel has communicated that although this is the Board of Finance meeting and the BOF would have primary responsibility for the meeting, consideration should be given to the Board of Selectmen as to the change in date," Marconi wrote. "This is due to what in essence is a variation from the Charter. In such situations the BOS is the default decision maker," he wrote.
But the possibility of a charter violation, which bond counsel said could expose the town to the risk of a voter challenging the budget, made Gomez uneasy, he said, even though the town attorney interpreted the passage, "The Board of Finance shall hold a public meeting on the proposed budget on the last Monday in March" as saying that "shall hold a public meeting" is the most important part of the sentence.
The whole finance board agrees that the best option would be to hold two hearings, Gomez said. That way, "we shield the town from any challenges," he said.
Either way, Marconi said, the Board of Finance should vote on a decision which should then be ratified by the Board of Selectmen, and Gomez does not have the power to single-handedly make the decision.
Kira Goldenberg
3:24 pm on Wednesday, March 10, 2010
This story was updated from its original version to reflect new and evolving information.
Kira Goldenberg
10:59 am on Thursday, March 11, 2010
This just in from Nina Mohadjer via Blackberry: "I am not Jewish and do not know Mr. Gomez in person. As a matter of fact, as many know I have middle-eastern blood and grew up in Germany. Therefore I am shocked and disappointed about the ignorance Mr. Gomez shows for changing a public hearing date. Those times when town populations were all white and all Christians are over, Mr. Gomez! Welcome to the 21st century, my favorite slogan! Wake up and look around yourself when you walk in town: we are a town of mixed cultures and are proud of our diversity, which is not only shown in the mixed ethnicities, but also our beliefs. And now you come along and are reading line items of the Charter! Thank you for taking three steps back in our cultural development!
This is not only an insult to our Jewish selectmen, but to all people who are not only Jewish, but think and believe differently than you!
P. Verde
1:17 pm on Thursday, March 11, 2010
I am concerned about these harsh words aimed at Peter Gomez. I have no dog in this race. I respect all religions and think we should accommodate where possible. But I am left wondering if some are using this religious argument as a lever against the B.O.F. Mr. Gomez is constrained by the town charter, as he has explained. To translate this into some form of anti-Semitism smacks of histrionics. Is it merely a coincidence that the B.O.F. is about to determine the fate of both the B.O.S. and the B.O.E. budgets and that people who do have a dog in that race are the ones trying to paint Mr. Gomez in an unfavorable light?
Voting with my feet
3:34 pm on Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wow Nina - that's really harsh! Peter is restrained by what the Town Charter Dictates. Plain and simple, nothing more, nothing less. Get your facts straight. It's surprising Barbara Manners doesn't recognize the constraints of the Town Charter, insinuating that Peter is deliberately holding a meeting on a respected and revered holy day. Shame on her for playing bad politics. You should publicly apologize to Mr. Gomez for the slander. He doesn't deserve it, and he's your neighbor. Let's bring some civility back.
Nina Mohadjer
4:27 pm on Thursday, March 11, 2010
O.K., let's get some thing straight here:
Lisa-I do not Peter personally, and I am sorry if my "attack" was directed to him. I also had a Facebook conversation with your husband regarding this issue.
However, I am absolutely behind every word I wrote. And I will tell you why: I simply do not like ignorant people who are not willing to make small changes for keeping the community "balanced".
My words do not have anything to do woth him being a republican- I would have said the same thing to a democrat, a persian, a german or anyone. You have to be a little more tolerant and considerate. As mentioned, I am not jeweish, neither does the date change affect me- but as a Ridgefield resident, and, as Mr. Gomez' neighbour, I speak on behalf of all the "different" people.
Sure, call me freedomm hugging democrat- maybe I have utopic ideas about keeping everyone content. But it starts somewhere.
Andrew Kelemen
9:04 pm on Thursday, March 11, 2010
Nina,
I don't think Mr. Gomez wants to exclude anybody from the conversation on the town budget, but Lisa brings up a very valid point. Our town Charter defines how we govern ourselves and if we make these exceptions, then what stops others from deciding whether or not they want to follow the Charter. I think counsel needs to think of legal buy creative ways to accommodate everyone, much like the way we held an "all-day" town meeting for previous referendum votes. As a member of the CRC I would be seriously disappointed if the town and leaders decided the rules didn't apply.
Regards