#MiddleburyCT #MDTC #DemocraticStateCentralCommittee
Following a January 29 hearing on a complaint filed by Dr. Sally Romano, a panel chosen by the Democratic State Central Committee announced in a February 2, 2024, dispute resolution statement that it unanimously ruled that the Middlebury Democratic Town Committee (MDTC) special meeting held on January 16 and the appointments made at that meeting were invalid.
The biennial caucus, which had been gaveled to order by Romano, was still in session in the Shepardson Community Center auditorium on January 16 when most members of the current MDTC left the auditorium and went to a room down the hall. There they conducted a meeting at which they made appointments to a number of town boards and commissions.
On January 20, Romano filed a complaint alleging the MDTC failed to provide proper notice of the January 16 special meeting as required by state party rules. The panel that heard presentations by Romano and the MDTC, represented by attorney John Kennelly, comprised Joe Stafford of District 5, Sharon D. Mounds of District 9 and Nick Vegliante of District 18. Attorney Kevin Reynolds served as counsel to State Central.
In the resolution announcing their decision, the panel noted that MDTC Chairman Curtis Bosco had properly noticed MDTC members, but State Central rules mandate town committees post notice of their meetings on their websites at least 48 hours in advance. The MDTC does not have a website, but it does have a FB page. Notice of the special meeting was not posted on the FB page.
The panel said the notice also said the special meeting would start after the caucus, but it instead started while the caucus was still in session, thus preventing Romano and other Democrats at the caucus from attending the meeting.
The panel said the issue it was addressing was the failure of the MDTC to move to the special meeting after the caucus. Because the MDTC disregarded the time stated in the notice, the panel invalidated the meeting and the appointments made at the meeting.
Although the January 16 meeting appointments are invalid, the current MDTC members are in office through March 6. It’s possible they could make appointments at their regular February meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 13, or they could call another special meeting.
