[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Ashford 1-26-1998. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Town accepts the provision of Connecticut General Statutes
§ 7-136 and pursuant to the authority granted therein does
establish and create an Economic Development Commission for the promotion
and development of the economic resources of the Town.
A.
The number of members of the Economic Development Commission shall
be nine members and two alternate members. No more than six of such
members shall be of the same political party.
[Amended 10-3-2005]
B.
The members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Board of
Selectmen; two of the members shall be appointed for a term of one
year beginning from the date of the first Board of Selectmen's meeting
following ratification of this chapter; two of the members shall be
appointed for a term of two years from the date of the first Board
of Selectmen's meeting following ratification of this chapter; one
member shall be appointed for a term of three years from the date
of the first Board of Selectmen's meeting following ratification of
this chapter; two alternate members shall be appointed for a term
of two years from the date of the first Board of Selectmen's meeting
following ratification of this chapter. Four additional members authorized
by the ordinance revision of October 2005 shall be appointed for terms
of five years.
[Amended 12-5-2005]
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a new member to fill any
vacancy occurring in the membership of the Economic Development Commission,
such new member so appointed to be of the same political party as
the person creating the vacancy, and the term for such appointment
shall be for the unexpired portion of the term of the person creating
the vacancy.
A.
Any member of the Economic Development Commission may be removed
by the Board of Selectmen for cause and, on request of such member,
after public hearing.
B.
Upon the request of any such member for a public hearing the Board
of Selectman shall, at the expense of the Town, within 15 days next
following such request, publish in a newspaper having a general circulation
in the Town a notice setting forth the date, time and place of such
hearing and in general terms the matters to be considered at said
meeting, such notice to be published not less than once nor more than
three times, the first such publication to be not more than 15 days
before the date of the hearing and the last such publication to be
not less than five days before the date of the hearing.
[Amended 6-7-2021]
The members and alternates of the Commission shall receive no
compensation for their services as such but shall be reimbursed for
their necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official
duties.
The Economic Development Commission may appoint employees necessary
for the discharge of its duties.
The Economic Development Commission shall conduct research into
the economic conditions and trends in the Town, shall make recommendations
to appropriate officials and agencies of the Town regarding action
to improve its economic condition and development, shall seek to coordinate
the activities of and cooperate with unofficial bodies organized to
promote such economic development and may prepare, print and distribute
books, maps, charts and pamphlets which in its judgment will further
its official purposes.
There may be an annual appropriation of funds to the use of
the Economic Development Commission; such appropriation, however,
shall not exceed 1/20 of 1% of the last completed grand list of taxable
property in the Town. The Economic Development Commission shall annually
prepare an itemized estimate of the cost of conducting the affairs
of the Commission for the ensuing year and shall submit such estimate
to the Board of Finance not later than two months preceding the annual
meeting at which appropriations are to be made. The Commission may
transfer any unexpended or uncontracted for portion or portions of
any appropriation for one item to any other item in its itemized estimate.
Expenditures by the Commission shall not exceed the appropriation
made by the Town.
The Economic Development Commission shall report annually to
the Annual Town Meeting on its activities and expenditures during
the preceding year.
