§ 2-342. Creation of regional council of governments.

(a)

The City hereby joins with other adopting municipalities of the Western Connecticut Planning Region to create a regional council of governments to be known as the Western Connecticut Council of Governments, by adopting the provisions of C.G.S. §§ 4-124i—4-124p, as amended by Public Act 13-247, and further amended by Public Act 14-217, §§ 228 and 256.

(b)

Certification by the Secretary of OPM; transitional executive committee and transitional period.

(1)

Upon certification by the Secretary of OPM that at least sixty (60) percent of the municipalities in the Western Connecticut Planning Region have adopted ordinances creating a regional council of governments, as required by the Connecticut General Statutes, the Western Connecticut Council of Governments shall be established.

(2)

Upon such certification, a transitional period (hereafter the "transitional period") shall commence, and shall conclude no later than January 1, 2015. During such period the Mayor shall participate as a member of the transitional executive committee, as defined and for the purposes set forth in C.G.S. § 4-124l(b), as amended by Public Act 14-217, §§ 228 and 256. The City Council may appoint, in the manner provided by ordinance, an elected official to serve as an alternate member of the transitional executive committee in the absence of the Mayor. The Mayor also may send a representative in his or her stead; however, such representative shall not be a member of the transitional executive committee.

(3)

Except as provided in section 2-343, at the conclusion of the transitional period, the transitional executive committee shall cease to exist, and the Western Connecticut Council of Governments shall succeed to and be responsible for all of the rights, privileges and obligations of HVCEO and SWRPA, whether statutory or contractual, relating to such active programs as may be recommended by the transitional executive committee and adopted by the Western Connecticut Council of Governments following appropriate due diligence and good faith negotiations during the transitional period.

(4)

Membership in the Western Connecticut Council of Governments. At the conclusion of the transitional period, the City shall be a member of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments.

(5)

Powers and duties of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments. Except as provided in section 2-343, the Western Connecticut Council of Governments shall have such powers, purposes, rights, duties and responsibilities of regional councils of governments as are set forth in the Connecticut General Statutes, currently and as amended.

(6)

Representative to the Western Connecticut Council of Governments. The Mayor shall be the representative of the City to the Western Connecticut Council of Governments, and shall have all the powers and authority and be subject to all obligations and restrictions as are set forth in the Connecticut General Statutes, currently and as amended, regarding regional councils of governments. The Mayor may appoint, subject to the approval of the City Council, an elected official for the City to serve as an alternate representative in the absence of the Mayor. The Mayor may send the alternate to meetings in his or her stead; and the alternate in that instance shall be entitled to the same rights and privileges as the Mayor. The City shall notify the Western Connecticut Council of Governments in writing of the appointment of an alternate under this section. The City shall be entitled to one vote in the affairs of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments.

(Ord. No. 15, § 2-7, 12-2-2014)