2 Proposed Charter Changes for Review by Council Submitted by Councilwoman Cynthia R. Jennings January 26, 2013
INDEPENDENT SELECTION OF STAFF MEMBERS
There should NOT be a vote of council to approve any political appointee for Council members, and no employee of one branch of government should be allowed to be vetoed by the Mayor. The Mayor can select his own staff members, as can the Treasurer, and the Council has no right to interfere with the political appointments of any other branch of government. There must be a clear separation of powers between the independent branches of government.
COUNCIL APPOINTMENT OF ETHICS COMMISSIONERS
The City Council should directly appoint at least 50% of the Ethics Commissioners, and the Council should have subpoena, investigative and audit powers relative to possible ethics violations.
COUNCIL INVESTIGATIVE POWERS
There should be put in place, an investigative process that City Council can initiate that would allow the Council to investigate claims of violation of the civil rights of city employees. This should
not
be left up to Corporation Counsel, whose role is to protect the City from liability and to advise the Mayor. There must be an independent investigative process that can be initiated by Council to ensure that the civil rights of Hartford taxpayers and city employees are not violated.
SEPARATION OF POWERS
There should be a strict policy of separation of powers. The Mayor has no right to interfere in the affairs of Council, or the affairs of the Treasurer, and the Council has no right to interfere in the affairs of the Mayor or the Treasurer. Jurisdiction should be inherently clear as to the rights of each of the separate branches of government and the role of each of the branches. Procedures within the separate branches of government should not become subject to the vote of council if the jurisdiction of the powers are enumerated in the Charter, and fall within their authority under the charter.
ENUMERATION OF POWERS
If the powers are not enumerated in the Charter, then they remain within the jurisdiction of the Council to investigate and to take action on. The Charter must be clear as to what powers are specifically enumerated and granted to each branch of government. If there is no enumeration of powers, then responsibility goes to the Council for action.
PROTECTION OF EMPLOYMENT, CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT
The Council needs to be modified with respect to the Council’s right to protect the
employment, contracting, procurement and civil rights of the taxpayers of the City of Hartford. They are the people who elected the City Council and the Mayor and Treasurer to represent them, and Council as the legislative body, has the responsibility