Officials' Mistake Requires Legislature to Validate Honeywell Vote

Monroe voters overwhelmingly approved $3.8 million in bonding for energy efficiency projects for town schools to be overseen by Honeywell on April 23. However, Town Attorney John Fracassini told the Town Council Monday that an attorney from the state Bond Council had called him to say the appropriation was not valid because Monroe failed to hold a Town Meeting allowing public discussion before convening to the referendum vote.

There were three potential solutions: Go to a Town Meeting; have it approved by an act of the State Legislature or find the funds in the budget.

Fracassini said he talked to First Selectman Steve Vavrek, Finance Dir. Carl Tomchik, Town Clerk Marsha Beno and members of Monroe's state delegation: Sen. Kevin Kelly, Sen. Anthony Musto and Rep. DebraLee Hovey about obtaining approval from the legislature.

A proposal to validate Monroe's vote was attached as a rit to House Bill 6672, which was approved.

"I found an option to correct the problem and it passed last week and [the issue is] resolved," Fracassini told the Town Council at its meeting Monday.

The town attorney said there will be no further problems with financing the bonding for the building projects.

But Democrats making up the minority of the Town Council expressed frustration at not being in the loop and finding out about everything after the fact — and not from the first selectman nor the council's Republican majority leadership.

"I support this Honeywell project and it passed overwhelmingly," said Town Councilwoman Dee Dee Martin, a Democrat. "My concern is, why weren't we told about this? 'We made a mistake. Here's our remedy.'"

Martin demanded an answer from the first selectman, but Vavrek pointed out that the Town Council convenes Town Meetings.

"The Town Council might not have done something the right way," Vavrek said. "You didn't catch it. Enid didn't catch it. Why point fingers?"
 
"I'll ask real sloooow," Martin said, dragging out each word. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Vavrek tried to put the issue to rest, saying, "We made a mistake. It's fixed now. Move on. It's done."

Town Councilman Ray Knapp, a Democrat, wondered if all Town Council members would have benefitted by being told they made a mistake, so they could learn from it and not do it again.

Town Council Chairwoman Enid Lipeles, a Republican, said, "I'll take the blame. I run the Town Council. If I didn't have it adjourned to a Town Meeting, it's my mistake."

But Martin said, "We all share in the blame."

Town Councilman Nick Kapoor, a Democrat, claimed that he called Lipeles before the referendum was held, raising the issue of the need for a Town Meeting.

In a public comment session, Michele Mount, a former Town Council member and former vice chair of the Democratic Town Committee, alluded to a recent Freedom of Information ruling against the town when she spoke.

"On the heels of the FOI, I'm dismayed at the lack of transparency I'm seeing," she said. Of the officials not having a Town Meeting on Honeywell, Mount said, "What you term a technical error cut down on public democracy and public input."

She accused town leaders of "backdoor fixes" and "no transparency".

Steve Ballok, who won the FOI decision, expressed his opinion that there is "a pattern of not honoring the public trust."