Ballot Questions
Approved by Town Council on 8/12/26 to appear on ballot for November 3, 2026 Election
Ballot Question 1:
Shall the current Charter be changed to require all elected and appointed Town officers with managerial authority to comply with applicable Town policies, ethics standards, and lawful administrative directives, and to be accountable to the First Selectman for administrative and operational matters that would not otherwise conflict with their statutory authority?
Charter Section § C2-16
Summary: Amendment would require all elected and appointed managers to comply with applicable Town polices, ethics standards and administrative directives and to be accountable to the First Selectman for administrative and operational matters. Such requirements would not otherwise conflict with such managers’ statutory authority.
Ballot Question 2:
Shall the current Charter be changed to require Town Council confirmation of appointments to the Planning and Zoning Commission?
Charter Section § C3-4
Summary: Amendment would require confirmation by the Town Council of appointments by the Board of Selectmen to Planning & Zoning Commission –consistent with appointments to Board of Finance, Ethics Board and Audit Committee.
Ballot Question 3:
Shall the current Charter be changed to require Town Council approval for changes to Town-owned real property?
Charter Section § C4-13
Amendment would require Town Council approval for changes to Town-owned real property; and such action may be subject to public referendum.
Ballot Question 4:
Shall the current Charter be changed to no longer require Board of Finance members to be real property taxpayers?
Charter Section § C5-1
Summary: Amendment would eliminate the requirement that Board of Finance members must be real-property taxpayers. No other board, commission or elected office requires this provision.
Ballot Question 5:
Shall the current Charter be changed to add 3 alternate members to the Ethics Board?
Charter Section § C16-2
Amendment would add three alternate members to the five-member Ethics Board.
Ballot Question 6:
Shall the current Charter be changed to clarify definitions, delete outdated references, and update provisions to current practice?
Charter Sections § C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C8, C9, C10, C11, C12, C13, C14, C15, C16, C17, C18, C19, C20, C21, C22, C23, C24
Summary: Amendment would provide for clarifying definitions, deletion of outdated references andupdated provisions. Examples: Length of two-year terms for appointed positions extended tothree years for consistency. Specifies how board vacancies are posted. Provides description of Town Treasurer responsibilities.
Charter Revision Overview:
The Town of New Canaan operates under the Town Charter, which outlines the foundation of our
municipal government with respect to elected and appointed Town officials and governing boards and
commissions. The Town Charter addresses matters of leadership, legislative governance, education,
elections, finance, health, parks and recreation, planning and zoning, public safety, public works and
taxing, among others.
Under a statutory framework outlined in the Connecticut General Statutes (Section 7-190 - 201), the Town
Council considers whether or not the Town Charter should potentially be reviewed and revised, generally
every ten years.
The original Town statute - bringing together the Town and the Borough of New Canaan - was enacted by
the Connecticut General Assembly and approved by the electors in October 1935. This statute became
the basis of the current New Canaan Town Charter. The formal New Canaan Town Charter (the “Charter”)
was first written in 1965, and amendments were made in 1974, 1975, 1981, 2005 and 2016 and have been
approved by the electorate and adopted.
Charter Revision Commission:
Established on October 15, 2025 by unanimous vote by the Town Council, the Charter Revision
Commission (“CRC”) was tasked with reviewing the Charter and considering and recommending potential
revisions that add, delete, update, clarify and/or maintain the current descriptions and elements of all
articles within the Charter.
The Town Council appointed eleven members to the CRC on November 13, 2025. Over the course of eight
months, the CRC held 28 full commission meetings and an additional 34 meetings were held in small
groups to review specific themes and articles within the Charter.
CRC members included Kathleen A. Corbet, Chair, Judy A. Neville, Vice Chair, Angela Jameson, Secretary,
Steven Case, Jennifer Holme, Russ Kimes III, Todd Lampert, Esq, Chris LeBris, Joseph D. Palo, William
Parrett, and Karen Willett.
More than 200 individuals, including current and past members of Town governing bodies, Town employees
and residents shared their perspectives on the Charter through open meetings, direct emails, public
input forms and four public hearings (December and April by the CRC and May and June by the Town
Council). The CRC submitted its Final Approved Report to the Town Council on July 15, 2026 and the Town
Council approved the Final Charter Amendments on July 15, 2026, which are subject to a vote of the
electorate for the November 3, 2026 election.
Prepared and presented on 10/5/2026 by: Kathleen A. Corbet, Charter RevisionCommission former chair, and Eric Thunem, Town Council