Representative Town Meeting (RTM) - 1252 (04/06/2026)

FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD
WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886
PHONE 860-442-0553
www.waterfordct.org
LEGISLATION & ADMINISTRATION STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE RTM
COMMITTEE REPORT
REVIEW OF CHPTR. 3.08 TO REFLECT PUBLIC ACT 25-92 (RTC 10/6/25)
Background & Current Committee Action
Jan. 21, 2026 Committee Meeting. Initial meeting of the new committee; general overview of all pending issues.
Public Act 25-92 raises the threshold for sealed bidding on certain municipal contracts from $25,000 to $35,000.
Committee will invite Kim Allen, finance director, and Shea Davy, purchasing agent, to speak to this item during a
future meeting.
(Referral request, ordinances, and Public Act 25-92 available with meeting agenda at waterfordct.org)
Feb. 9, 2026 Committee Meeting. Shea Davy, purchasing agent, spoke in favor of raising the forma! bid process
threshold from twenty-five thousand to thirty-five thousand dollars. Davy cited rising costs, consistency with
neighboring municipalities, and cost savings to the Town by reducing the need for formal bid advertising. The
Committee was in agreement to amend the ordinance and recommend adoption by the RTM, with direction to
consult with Town Counsel and initiate the required public hearing process.
Mar. 19, 2026 Committee Meeting. Town Attorney Kristi Kelly reviewed recommended revisions to Ordinance
3.08.030 from March 10, 2026, and suggested additional stylistic changes for consistency with the chapter. Stylistic
changes included removing the standalone section heading (“A”), renumbering subsections from “1” and “2” to
“A” and “B” for consistency. Additional discussion on style included replacing colons with semicolons in the
citation, and adding the approval date to the citation. Kelly outlined the ordinance approval process, including
committee vote, submission for public hearing, required public notice, and distribution to relevant boards and
departments.
Motion to approve the revised amendments dated March 10, 2026. A friendly amendment was accepted to revise
section formatting, update citation punctuation, and include the approval date (as described). Voice vote unanimous
in favor.
(Draft ordinance update available with meeting minutes at waterfordct.org)
Mar. 30, 2026 Public Hearing and Special Meeting. No comments from the public. Public hearing was closed at
6:10pm. During the special meeting following the hearing, there was a motion to report the issue out of committee
with the recommendation that the RTM adopt the revised ordinance Section 3.08.030 Purchase categories —
Bids/proposals required — Specifications authorized to reflect Public Act 25-92. Motion passed unanimously.
Submitted by:
Erica Casper
Chair, Legislation & Administration Standing Committee

OF CONNEC,
sO" REIN
Substitute Senate Bill No. 1184
Public Act No. 25-92
AN ACT INCREASING THE THRESHOLD FOR SEALED BIDDING
ON CERTAIN MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 7-148v of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
1, 2025):
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any municipal charter or any
special act to the contrary, any nuunicipality may, by ordinance,
establish requixements for competitive bidding for the award of any
contract or the purchase of any real or personal property by the
municipality. Such ordinance may provide that, except as otherwise
xequired by any provision of the general statutes, sealed bidding shall
not be required for contracts or purchases having a value less than or
equal to an amount established in the ordinance, which amount shall
not be greater than [twenty-five] thirty-five thousand dollars. Nothing
in this section shall be deemed to invalidate any ordinance enacted by a
municipality prior to October 1, 1989. Nothing in this section and no
ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be construed to limit
the ability of a municipality to enter into a contract pursuant to section
4a-b3a.

Substitute Senate Bill No. 1184
Governor's Action:
Approved July 1, 2025
Public Act No, 25-92 
2 0f 2

Approved Amendments to Ordinance 3.08.030 (March 19, 2026)
Legislation & Administration Standing Committee
3.08.030 - Purchase categories—Bids/proposals required—Specifications
authorized.
>
A;Public competitive bidding and purchases of material and equipment and services will be
established and administered, pursuant to CGS § 7-148v(a), at the following level:
For purchases exceeding thirty 
-five thousand dollars, a formal bid process
is required as authorized in subsection B of Section 3.08.020 and Section 3.08.040.
For purchases 
léss than or equal:to 
L
dollars, the town purchasing agent's operating rules shall govern al
purchasing transactions, and may allow for local vendor preferences a
under the operating rules.
15(4); RTM, 10-6-97 (part) R.T.M, 12-5-94 (part). RTM. 6-6-88% R.T.M. 44 88 prior code §
2-39)

Approved Amendments to Ordinance 3.08.030 (March 19, 2026)
Legislation & Administration Standing Committee
3.08.030 - Purchase categories—Bids/proposals required—Specifications
authorized.
Public competitive bidding and purchases of material and equipment and services will be
established and administered, pursuant to CGS § 7-148v(a), at the following level:
A. 
For purchases exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars, a formal bid process is
required as authorized in subsection B of Section 3.08.020 and Section 3.08.040.
B. 
For purchases less than or equal to thirty-five thousand dollars, the town
purchasing agent's operating rules shall govern the purchasing transactions, and
may allow for local vendor preferences as established under the operating rules.
(R.T.M. 4-6-26; Amend. of 4-5-21; Amend. of 12-18-18(1); Amend. of 10-7-13; Amend. of 6-1-
15(1); R.T.M, 10-6-97 (part); R.T.M. 12-5-94 (part); R.T.M. 6-6-88; R.T.M. 4-4-88; prior code § 2-
39)