Bill Text: CT SB00332 | 2014 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: An Act Amending The Charter Of The Metropolitan District In Hartford County.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2014-06-13 - Signed by the Governor [SB00332 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2014-SB00332-Introduced.html
General Assembly |
Raised Bill No. 332 | ||
February Session, 2014 |
LCO No. 1912 | ||
*01912_______PD_* | |||
Referred to Committee on PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT |
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Introduced by: |
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(PD) |
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AN ACT AMENDING THE CHARTER OF THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Number 358 of the special acts of 1931, as amended by special act 77-62, is amended to read as follows (Effective October 1, 2014):
The Metropolitan District is authorized to supply water, at rates uniform with those charged within said district, to any town or city, any part of which is situated not more than twenty miles from the state capitol at Hartford, or to the inhabitants thereof, or to any state facility located within such area, upon such terms as may be agreed upon, but all other sources belonging to any such town or city shall be developed by such consumer or made available for development by said district. For purposes of this section, "rate" includes any water use charge, customer service charge or general surcharge. The cost of constructing the pipe connection between the district and such town or city shall be paid by such town or city. The cost of constructing the pipe connection between the district and any such state facility shall be paid by the state of Connecticut. Nothing herein shall authorize The Metropolitan District to supply any water in competition with any water system in any town or city, except by agreement.
Sec. 2. Section 8 of number 511 of the special acts of 1929, as amended by section 3 of special act 83-31 and section 1 of special act 99-12, is amended to read as follows (Effective October 1, 2014):
Said board, either directly or under committees consisting of one or more members of said board, shall organize bureaus for the convenient carrying into effect of the several functions herein committed to said board and may define the powers and duties of such bureaus and delegate to them such powers and duties by ordinance, by-law or otherwise as may, in the judgment of the board, be necessary for the convenient operation of the same. No member of the board shall receive any pay for his services as such member or as a member of a sub-committee of the board except that a reasonable sum may annually be appropriated for the actual expenses of said board. The board may, by ordinance, by-law or otherwise, fix the salaries and define the duties of all officers and employees or may delegate the fixing of salaries of employees and assignment of duties of employees to sub-committees or bureau managers. The chairman and vice-chairman of said district and of all sub-committees, bureaus, boards and commissions appointed by the district board shall, unless otherwise provided in the appointment or herein, hold office until the end of the fiscal year of their appointment and thereafter shall be appointed for terms of two years and until their successors shall be appointed and shall have qualified. The members of all sub-committees, bureaus, boards and commissions appointed by the district board shall, unless otherwise provided in the appointment or herein, hold such membership until the end of the fiscal year of their appointment and thereafter shall hold membership for terms of two years and until their successors shall be appointed and shall have qualified. The managers of the water bureau and of the bureau of public works and such others of the officers as by the district board shall be especially so designated shall hold office during good behavior and shall be removed only for cause. All other officers and employees may be removed at any time by the district board at pleasure. All vacancies may be filled by the district board. Said district board shall have power to fill any vacancy occurring in its number for the unexpired portion of the term and, except as otherwise expressly provided, shall act in all cases by a majority of those present at any regular or special meeting, duly warned. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum and the time, place and manner of calling meetings and the holding thereof, including the manner of dissolving tie votes, shall be prescribed by said board by by-law or otherwise. The district board shall be the final judge of the election returns and validity of elections and qualifications of its members and shall decide all tie votes in elections. Except as hereinafter provided, the district board shall have power to authorize the sale, transfer and conveyance of real and personal estate belonging to the district, and shall provide by by-law or otherwise for the form and manner of execution of the documents and instruments convenient therefor. The district board shall make provision for the proper auditing of the district accounts and may cause any officer to execute bonds to the district with surety to the acceptance of the district board for the faithful performance of duties. The district board shall post in a conspicuous location on the district's Internet web site: (1) The current budget of the district, and (2) the minutes of any meeting of the district board and of all sub-committees, bureaus, boards and commissions appointed by the district board. Such minutes shall be posted not later than seven days after the date of the session to which such minutes refer.
Sec. 3. Section 2 of special act 75-73, as amended by section 2 of special act 83-18, section 2 of special act 84-75 and section 17 of public act 93-380, is amended to read as follows (Effective October 1, 2014):
(a) The members of the board of commissioners appointed prior to and holding office on the effective date of special act 75-73, special act 83-18, special act 84-75, [or this act] public act 93-380 or this act shall continue to serve until the expiration of their terms for which they were appointed. Thereafter, members shall be appointed by the legislative body of each member municipality, to replace the members whose terms expire and until their successors are appointed and qualify, provided, in no event shall the total number of members appointed by the legislative body of any member municipality exceed: (1) Six in the city of Hartford, (2) three in the city of East Hartford, (3) one in the town of Rocky Hill, (4) one in the town of Wethersfield, (5) one in the town of Newington, (6) one in the town of Windsor, (7) one in the town of Bloomfield and (8) three in the town of West Hartford.
(b) Appointments to the district board by the legislative bodies of the member municipalities shall be made in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) The legislative body of the city of Hartford shall appoint (A) three commissioners for a term of two years to commence January 1, 1977, and (B) three commissioners for a term of six years to commence January 1, l981;
(2) The legislative body of the city of East Hartford shall appoint (A) two commissioners for a term of four years to commence January 1, 1977, and (B) one commissioner for a term of six years to commence January 1, 1979;
(3) The legislative body of the town of Wethersfield shall appoint one commissioner for a term of six years to commence January 1, 1979;
(4) The legislative body of the town of Newington shall appoint one commissioner for a term of six years to commence January 1, 1981;
(5) The legislative body of the town of Windsor shall appoint one commissioner for a term of six years to commence January 1, 1981;
(6) The legislative body of the town of Bloomfield shall appoint one commissioner for a term of two years to commence January 1, 1987;
(7) The legislative body of the town of Rocky Hill shall appoint one commissioner for a term of six years to commence January 1, 1977;
(8) The legislative body of the town of West Hartford shall appoint (A) one commissioner for a term of one year to commence January 1, 1984, (B) one commissioner for a term of three years to commence January 1, 1984, and (C) one commissioner for a term of five years to commence January 1, 1984.
(c) Upon the expiration of the initial terms of appointment under this section, members shall be appointed for terms of six years from January first in the year of their appointment and shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualify.
(d) On and after January 1, 1989, the eight members appointed by the governor to the district board shall be electors from The Metropolitan District, not more than three of whom shall be from any one municipality within said district nor shall such appointees represent more than fifty per cent of any municipality's representation on the district board. The appointments by the governor shall be for six years and shall be made in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) Three commissioners from the city of Hartford for a term to commence January 1, 1989;
(2) One commissioner from the city of East Hartford for a term to commence January 1, 1989;
(3) One commissioner from the town of Wethersfield for a term to commence January 1, 1989;
(4) One commissioner from the town of Newington for a term to commence January 1, 1991;
(5) One commissioner from the town of Windsor for a term to commence January 1, 1989;
(6) One commissioner from the town of West Hartford for a term to commence January 1, 1989.
(e) The four commissioners appointed by the designated members of the General Assembly shall be appointed as follows: (1) One commissioner by the president pro tempore of the Senate, for a term of five and one-half years commencing July 1, 1993; (2) one commissioner by the speaker of the House of Representatives, for a term of four and one-half years commencing July 1, 1993; (3) one commissioner by the minority leader of the Senate, for a term of three and one-half years, commencing July 1, 1993, and (4) one commissioner by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, for a term of two and one-half years, commencing July 1, 1993. After such initial appointment the terms of all such commissioners shall thereafter be six years. Such commissioners shall be electors from The Metropolitan District, provided no two commissioners shall be residents of the same municipality.
(f) On and after January 1, 2015, the legislative bodies of nonmember municipalities shall appoint four members to the board of commissioners, provided in no event shall the total number of members appointed by the legislative body of any nonmember municipality exceed: (1) One from the town of Glastonbury; (2) one from the town of South Windsor; (3) one from the town of East Granby; and (4) one from the town of Portland. Such commissioners shall be ex-officio, nonvoting members of the board of commissioners, except that such commissioners shall have a vote on any issue that directly affects any nonmember municipality. Commissioners appointed pursuant to this subsection shall be appointed for terms of six years from January first in the year of their appointment and shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualify.
Sec. 4. Subsection (b) of section 1 of special act 75-73, as amended by section 1 of special act 83-18, section 1 of special act 84-75, section 16 of public act 93-380 and section 4 of special act 99-12, is amended to read as follows (Effective October 1, 2014):
(b) On and after [July 1, 1993] January 1, 2015, said district board shall be composed of [twenty-nine] thirty-three electors of said district, seventeen to be appointed by the member municipalities, from among their respective electors, eight to be appointed by the Governor, one to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one to be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one to be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, and one to be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, and four to be appointed by the nonmember municipalities, from among their respective electors, all such appointments being subject to the provisions of section 2 of special act 75-73, as amended by section 2 of special act 83-18, section 2 of special act 84-75 and section 17 of public act 93-380. The provisions of section 9-167a of the general statutes shall apply only to appointments made under this section by municipalities having three or more members and only with respect to members appointed by any such municipality. For the commissioners appointed by the member municipalities and the Governor, membership of the district board shall be apportioned among the member municipalities as follows: Nine commissioners from the city of Hartford, four commissioners from the city of East Hartford, one commissioner from the town of Rocky Hill, two commissioners from the town of Wethersfield, two commissioners from the town of Newington, one commissioner from the town of Bloomfield, two commissioners from the town of Windsor and four commissioners from the town of West Hartford.
Sec. 5. Section 4 of public act 97-227 is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
The Metropolitan District Commission of Hartford county, established under number 511 of the special acts of 1929, may enter into an agreement with Riverfront Recapture, Incorporated, or its successors or assigns, sponsoring organization or developer, to develop, operate and maintain real property for recreational and park purposes and to lay out, construct and maintain, own, operate, lease or license parks, esplanades, levees, docks, parking facilities and walkways connected to the Riverfront Recapture project and may establish rates for such purposes. The Metropolitan District Commission shall make a continued effort to maintain any real property used for recreational and park purposes pursuant to this section.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
October 1, 2014 |
Number 358 of the special acts of 1931 |
Sec. 2 |
October 1, 2014 |
Number 511 of the special acts of 1929, Sec. 8 |
Sec. 3 |
October 1, 2014 |
SA 75-73, Sec. 2 |
Sec. 4 |
October 1, 2014 |
SA 75-73, Sec. 1(b) |
Sec. 5 |
from passage |
PA 97-227, Sec. 4 |
Statement of Purpose:
To require The Metropolitan District Commission to (1) charge all customers at uniform rates, including surcharges; (2) give nonmember municipalities representation on the district board; (3) post the district budget and minutes of the district board, subcommittees, bureaus, boards and commissions on the Internet web site of the district; and (4) maintain recreational property connected to the Riverfront Recapture project.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]