When Newtown residents go to the polls on Election Day, they will see two Charter Revision questions on the ballot.  The Legislative Council has approved explanatory text, or a brief summary of the questions.  The explanation does not advocate for passage or rejection, but is meant to describe the proposals.  One question asks if the Board of Finance should be deleted from the Charter, with the powers vested in the Legislative Council.  The board doesn't have fiscal authority and is soley an advisory body.  The other question is about the remaining Charter amendments.  Most of the proposals are administrative items. 

The approved explanatory text states that, “Approval of Question #2 accepts the rest of the proposed changes in their entirety, comprised of organizational, non-substantive, and substantive changes made to the document including but not limited to:
“a) Section 1-25(a)(7). This provision redefines the term “Town Department” as the term applies to the Board of Education by exempting the Board of Education from certain duties and functions of Town Bodies which would violate other provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes applicable to the Board of Education.
“b) Section 2-01(c). The Connecticut General Statutes shall prevail over the provisions of Section 2-01(c), which allows Town Bodies to make their own rules of conduct.
“c) Section 2-05(d) eliminates the Building Appeals Board from the Charter, as does Section 2-15(d).
“d) Section 2-25(a) excuses members of a Town Body from voting on the minutes of a previous meeting at which they were not in attendance.
“e) Section 2-31(c)(1-5) describes the procedure for filling vacancies on the Board of Education.
“f) Section 2-135(a) states Town Clerk shall also be the Registrar of Vital Statistics.
“g) Section 2-160(a) states Board of Police Commissioners shall also act as the Civilian Police Review Board.
“h) Section 2-210 eliminates the Building Appeals Board.
“i) Section 3-15(e) describes the election process for the Board of Education.
“j) Section 6-20 delineates the duties of the Legislative Council relative to the Budget.
“k) Section 6-20(f)(2) defines the process subsequent to a failed annual budget referendum.
“l) Section 6-35(b) & (d) revises the requests for emergency appropriations.
“m) Section 6-35(g) modifies the procedure for emergency and special appropriations.”