Representative Town Meeting (RTM) - Minutes - 02/17/2026

FIFPBEN ROPE PERRY ROAD PHONE: 860-442-0553
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WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886
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Meeting Minutes from February 17, 2026 hm DO
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1. Confirmation of Quorum and Call to Order > a
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Chair JoAnna Bennett called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. 2 792
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Present: JoAnna Bennett, Ursula Moreshead, Lindsay Khan, Steve Besade, Kate MacKenzie
Members
RTM Moderator Sue Driscoll
Also Present: Director of Finance Kim Allen,
2. Public Comment
No Public Comment.
3. Consideration and Action on Minutes of the January 27, 2026, Committee Meeting
Motion by Khan, second by Morsehead to approve minutes as presented.
Voice vote: Yes, (1) abstain, MacKenzie, motion passed.
4. Consideration of and possible action on items referred to the committee:
» Review of Ordinance 3.17 Fleet Management (RTC 8/4/25)
* CIP Approval Process Pilot Program (RTC 6/2/25)
» Salaries of Elected Officials (RTC 12/2/24)
Chair offered a recap, with review from the documents present at the time of the meeting. Director Allen
brought a written legal opinion from the Town Attorney, Kristi Kelly, concerning the RTM’s authority
regarding the salaries of elected officials. Discussion with clarification on how the Constitution restricts
raises for our elected officials to one per term; consensus by members to gather more information
regarding the current and past salary increases. During the next meeting, tentatively scheduled for March
24, the committee will review the additional data.
5. Adjournment
Motion by Moreshead, second by Besade to adjourn the meeting at 7:14 p.m. Voice Vote: Unanimous.
Submitted by:
JoAnna Bennett
Chair, Finance, Wage and Personnel Committee
encl: Legal opinion on salaries from the Town Attorney
2025-2026 Salary Survey of Elected Officials

Kimberly Allen
From: Kristi D. Kelly <kkelly@sswbgg.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 3:33 PM
To: 
Kimberly Allen
Ce: Robert Brule; nick@nkepplelaw.com
Subject: PRIVILEGED ATTORNEY/CLIENT COMMUNICATION - Elected Officials Salaries
importance: High
Good afternoon, Kim:
This correspondence serves as my written legal opinion and guidance on the authority the Town of Waterford’s
Representative Town Meeting (“RTM”) has to authorize a salary increase for Town elected officials, which legal opinion
and guidance was requested by the RTM’s Finance, Wage & Personnel Standing Committee. | understand that the
Committee is taking up the issue of elected official salaries again this term, and the committee members are all new
members who have not had the benefit of the RTM’s previous discussions, or prior, verbal opinions rendered by this
office.
The Connecticut Constitution, Article Xi, Section 2, expressly states the following:
“Except as provided in this section, neither the state nor any political subdiviston of the state shall pay or grant
to any elected official, any compensation greater than the amount of compensation set at the beginning of such
official’s term of office for the office the official hoids or increase the pay or compensation of any public
contractor above the amount set specified in the contract. The provisions of this section shall not apply to
elected officials in towns in which the legislative body is the town meeting. The compensation of an elected
official of a political subdivision of the state whose term of office is four years or more may be increased once
after such official has completed two years of his term by the legislative body of such political subdivision. The
term “compensation” means, with respect to an elected official, such official's salary, exclusive of
reimbursement for necessary expenses or any other benefit to which his office would entitle him.”
Furthermore, Conn, Gen. Stat. sec. 7-460 states the following:
“Uniess otherwise specifically provided in the general statutes, any municipality or subdivision thereof, through
its legislative body, may fix the compensation of its officials and employees, subject to the approval of its budget
authority. Any proposed increase in the compensation of the members of the legislative body of any
municipality shall be subject to confirmation by referendum at the next regular election of such municipality.
The provisions of this section shall be applicable to any municipality, any provision of any special act to the
contrary notwithstanding.”
In accordance with the Town of Waterford Charter sec. 3.1.1, the legislative body of the Town is vested in the
RTM. RTM members serve two year terms, without compensation, as noted in Charter sec. 3.1.6. In accordance with
Charter sec, 3.3.1., in Waterford there is a Board of Finance, the members of which are elected for four-year terms, such
body being the budgetary authority of the Town, Other elected officials in Waterford include the Treasurer (4 year
i

_ term), Tax Collector (4 year term), Registrar(s) of Voters (2 year term, by Conn. Gen. Stat. sec. 9-190a) and Town Clerk (4
year term).
Neither the Town Charter or Ordinances provide for compensation increases of elected officials; therefore, we must look
to the State’s Constitution and the state statute, which provide the legal framework for any compensation increases for
elected officiais of the Town of Waterford,
A thorough review of the State’s Constitution and statute, as well as applicable Connecticut caselaw that has interpreted
the same over the years, reveals that the legislative body of the Town (i.e., the RTM) may validly increase the
compensation of only elected officials whose terms are at least four years, and it may do so only once after the official
has completed two years of their term, provided the Town’s budgetary authority approves the action. Furthermore, the
compensation increase may only apply prospectively from the completed approval process; it may not apply
retroactively, per Connecticut caselaw.
If the RTM’s Finance, Wage & Personnel Standing Committee should have additional questions or requires clarification,
please let me know and | would be happy to opine further, especially on a particular set of facts.
Sincerely,
Krist D. Kelly
Kristi D. Kelly, Esq.
Suisman, Shapiro, Wool, Brennan
Gray & Greenberg, P.C,
2 Union Plaza, Suite 206
P.O, Box 1591
New London, CT 06320
My working day may not be your working day! Please don’t feel obliged to reply te this email outside af your
normal working hours.
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error and that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail or any of its attachments is
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mail and destroy the original message received. Thank you.

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