Tonight's Common Council Agenda Highlights

The Common Council will consider a number of important resolutions at its regularly scheduled Common Council meeting tonight. The meeting starts at 7PM in Council Chambers, immediately after a public "Questions to Directors" meeting at 6PM.

The Council will decide whether to confirm Mayor Drew's appointment of Michael Timbro as Deputy Chief of Police. Timbro was nominated after the Council changed the required qualifications necessary for the position, and increased the salary by about 18%. According to Patch, the Mayor asked for these changes, "to encourage current, qualified officers, to apply for the deputy chief of police open position." There will be a public hearing on the appointment, followed by Council questions to Timbro, and a vote on the following resolution:

Approving the appointment of Michael Timbro as Deputy Chief of Police Salary Grade 21, Step 6 ($58.30 per hour) with benefits as defined by the Personnel Rules for exempt, non-bargaining unit Directors effective upon Council approval.

After the Deputy Chief vote, there will be a public hearing on all other items on the agenda. These include the following.

The Council will vote on a transferring a total of $450,000 from the General Fund to pay for Overtime for the Police Department.

The Council will also vote on a resolution to approve the creation of the Middletown Riverfront Redevelopment Commission. The Commission, if approved, will be chaired by Councilman Gerald Daley (D), vice-chaired by Councilman Joe Bibisi (R), and will also include Larry McHugh (President of Chamber of Commerce), Mike DiPiro, Richard Pelletier (D, Chair of Planning and Zoning Commission), Daniel Russo (D, Planning and Zoning Commission), Joe Carta (D, Chair of Inland Wetlands Agency), Elaine Bank (D), Wendy Sheil (Crew Coach, Middletown High), Jamie Mills (D), and Sheila Stoane (D, Chair of Conservation Commission).

The Council will vote on ordinances that will eliminate the Personnel Department, by consolidating it with Legal Department into an Office of the General Counsel. The text for the merger ordinance is as follows:

Approving the merger of the Personnel Department into the Legal Department to create a new Department to be known as the Office of the General Counsel; approving amending all references to the Legal Department and City Attorney in the code of ordinances to “Office of the General Counsel”; and approving adding a new Section 31-29. Composition; purpose. to Chapter 31, Article IV to delineate three divisions of the Office of the General Counsel: Legal Division, Risk Management Division, and Human Resources Division.