Hillman Files Petition to Overturn WPCA Vote

Ellen Hillman, a former town councilor who now serves on the Parks & Recreation Commission, has filed a petition that could ultimately result in the overturning of the ordinance change the Montville Town Council passed Monday night.

That ordinance change delegates to the Water and Sewer Commission authority that the town council had held to hire and fire water and sewer department workers, to give final approval to the water and sewer department annual budgets "(subject to audits of the financial function of the Departments annually and at any time as directed by the Town Council)," and to make updates and technical corrections to the existing ordinances.

Hillman says that the ordinance change conflicts with the charter, and that is why she is bringing the petition.

The charter says that the WPCA has the authority to hire and fire all salaried personnel, but not union employees Hillman says;only the mayor has that right, Hillman says.

To bring about the town meeting and referendum, Hillman must collect 481 signatures within 20 days.

To see the town charter, click on the pdf in the photo box. To see the section on the Water and Sewer Commission, go to Page 14.