Thomas MacMillan Photo
Charter counsel Mednick confers with Fishman.
Come January, an undocumented immigrant might be able to drive to City Hall with a legal license — and then take a seat on the zoning board or City Plan Commission when he gets there.
That could happen if two proposed measures go through in state and local government.
One is the proposal to start issuing Connecticut drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants.
The other measure was proposed Tuesday night as a last-minute addition to recommended changes to New Haven’s foundational laws.
Joelle Fishman (pictured), a member of the special commission charged with recommending revisions to the New Haven Charter, Tuesday night proposed that positions on city boards and commissions not be restricted to electors (registered voters) only, but to any resident of New Haven.
That would mean that people who are not citizens of the United States could take appointed positions in New Haven city government.
If passed, Fishman’s proposal would be the latest in a string of measures New Haven has taken to welcome undocumented immigrants into civic life. Other measures have included the introduction of an immigrant-friendly “Elm City Resident” ID card and of a police police barring officers from inquiring into a person’s immigration status in most cases.
Fishman’s suggestion met with noncommittal responses from at least two of her fellow commissioners Tuesday night. Commission attorney Steve Mednick said Hartford is in the process of adding a similar provision to its charter.
Barring any disagreement from members of the commission, Fishman’s suggestion will be added to a proposed draft of the revised charter that will be made public on Thursday or Friday.
The New Haven Charter includes the laws that create the basic framework of city government, including city departments, the number of wards, the powers of the mayor. Every 10 years, the city is required to form a special commission to review the charter and recommend what changes, if any, ought to be made. After weeks of work, the Charter Revision Commission is nearing the end of the process.
The commission finished up drafting a new charter and plans to distribute the draft to the public later this week. Then the commission will hold a final public hearing on Tuesday night at Conte-West Hills School. That night, the commission will make any final changes necessary and then send the suggested new charter to the Board of Aldermen. The aldermen will take a look at it, possibly send it back to the commission for more changes, then ultimately decide what, if any, proposed charter changes should appear as referendum on the ballot in November.
Fishman made her pitch for non-citizens on boards and commissions halfway through Tuesday’s meeting of the Charter Revision Commission: “I’m imagining somebody who’s a contributing member of society and has lived in New Haven for many years. Why shouldn’t they serve on a board or commission?”
As it stands now, the charter states that such positions are open only to electors. That’s the case also for department-head positions, said Mednick, the local attorney who is assisting the commission with its work. The charter allows the Board of Aldermen to waive that requirement if, for instance, “the mayor wants to hire an esteemed physician from India” to run the health department, Mednick said. Maybe the same waiver could be allowed for boards and commissions, he suggested.
“Why should the person have to have a waiver?” FIshman asked.
Commission Chair Mike Smart asked Fishman and Mednick to get together on Wednesday and work out suitable language to achieve Fishman’s goal.
“I think that everyone who lives here has an equal stake in the quality of life in our community,” Fishman said during a break in the meeting. She argued that everyone who lives here should have a chance to shape the community through leadership on boards and commissions.
Newhallville Alderwoman Delphine Clyburn, a commissioner, said she hadn’t yet figured out how she feels about Fishman’s suggestion: “I don’t know. I’m really thinking about it.”
“I’d like to hear a little more about it,” said Chairman Smart. “I don’t see any major issue with it.”
Details
The Charter Revision Commission wrapped up a number of other details Tuesday night, including:
• Fishman strengthened a charter change that would require the mayor, when making Board of Ed appointments, to consider the input of individuals or groups representing teachers, administrators, school staff, and parents. The mayor would not be required to take their advice, but the measure would nonetheless give such groups a means of advocating for their interests and creating “public pressure,” Fishman said.
• The commission clarified that the two new “educational districts” from which two members of the Board of Ed would be elected would each comprise 15 wards, if possible.
• The commission worked out how to stagger terms on the Board of Ed if it shifts from seven appointed members to five appointed and two elected.
• Following another suggestion by Fishman, the commission changed wording in the charter preamble to include not just “citizens” but “residents.”
• Following a suggestion by Commission Caleb Klepner (pictured above), the commission agreed to recommend that the superintendent of schools be responsible for making sure the two new student representatives to the Board of Ed receive the proper mentoring and guidance. Klepner initially suggested that the task be carried out by a new Office of Student Representation, but commissioners decided the superintendent could handle it.
“I think the superintendent makes enough to do this,” remarked Clyburn.