Bethel Town Leaders are "Out of Order" with their Public Hearing - Special Town Meeting - Public Hearing

On June 21, the Town of Bethel  published the first warning for a July 8th Public Hearing on the proposed sale of its water supply to Aquarion - two days earlier than prescribed by Connecticut General Statute  §7-163(e).

This was recently brought to their attention by the Bethel Action Committee, and the Board of Selectmen’s remedy was to schedule an additional “properly-noticed” Public Hearing for July 16th.

But it appears that with their solution comes more questions.

The first question: When has Bethel ever held a Town Meeting /Special Town Meeting before a Public Hearing? Only once that I can recall – after the Transfer Station fees were raised. The Town increased the rates for the Town Dump, and then called a Public Hearing for voter input.

Just where is the logic in holding a Public Hearing after the Special Town Meeting in regard to the proposal to sell off Bethel’s water supply to Aquarion - perhaps the single most important decision that the taxpayers of Bethel has faced in recent history?

It is the July 16th Public Hearing that the Town Attorney is holding up as adhering to the Statute and meeting the precondition for the Special Town Meeting and subsequent Referendum.

Aside from the parliamentary aspect here, holding a Special Town Meeting on July 10th and a Public Hearing on July 16th simply does not give the voters of Bethel a legally-held Public Hearing prior to their Special Town Meeting. The July 8th Public Hearing can now be categorized as a “get-together” or “discussion,” and serves no legal purpose. 

The Town leaders have rearranged the traditional order of events, thus depriving the citizens of Bethel of a legally-held Public Meeting prior to a Special Town Meeting. 

The second question, and perhaps most important: If something as basic as a posting a Public Hearing notice on the correct date can escape those tasked with getting it right – such as the Town Attorney and the First Selectman – how can we as a Town be confident that important details of the proposed Aquarion sales contract have not been missed or overlooked? In addition, Town Leaders appear to be in a hurry to get this sale approved, but slow to provide any information on other possible scenarios, despite multiple requests and inquiries that more examination is needed.

The decision to sell off our water supply is a monumental one for the people of Bethel. It’s important that the interests of the taxpayers are served in this matter. Part of accomplishing this is to ensure that procedures required by the Town Charter and State Statutes are followed to the letter and that all due diligence has been completed.

And, that those in charge of these matters keep a close eye on things to make sure that happens.