Is Fairfield Keeping Its Parking Authority? RTM Makes Decision

FAIRFIELD, CT — The controversial decision by the Fairfield Representative Town Meeting last month to dissolve the town's independent Parking Authority will stand, after the legislative body this week voted not to rescind the decision.

The RTM voted along party lines Monday night, 30 to eight, against the resolution to rescind the dissolution decision. Democrats who opposed the rescind resolution were: Tara Cook-Littman, Dave Rock, Robert Ellwanger, Cindy Waldron, Myke Nicholas Hartigan, Marcy Spolyar, Liz Zezima, Laura Karson, Michelle Lapine McCabe, Josh Garskof, Kristin O'Neill, Jay Wolk, Sharon Pistilli, Rob Blanchard, Nancy Donne, Erik Drewniak, Alexandra Ocampo, John Kuhn, Steve Berecz, Lori Burns-Galdenzi, Scott Nickel, Christopher Carroll, Lenny Braman, Dru Mercer Georgiadis, Lisa Havey, Mark McDermott, Karen Wackerman, Justin Contratto, Margaret Horton and Matt Ambrose.

Republicans favoring the rescind resolution were: Ken Astarita, Peter Britton, Melissa Longo, Meghan McCloat, Christopher Shea, Jeff Steele, Collin Colburn and Christine Ludwiczak.

RTM members Brooke Sparacino, a Republican, and Pierre Ratzki, a Democrat, were not present for the vote.

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The motion to rescind the dissolution decision was made by RTM Republican Caucus Leader Steele and McCloat, and Steele said during Monday's meeting that the way the authority was dissolved was flawed.

Among the arguments for rescinding the dissolution included inadequate public notice; discussions on the matter going beyond meeting time limits; and a lack of review by some RTM committees.

"It's not about politics, and it's not about personalities," Steele said. "It is about accountability, transparency and process."

Steele and others have said that commuters, the public and members of the authority did not have an adequate opportunity to weigh in on whether to dissolve the Parking Authority. A petition to force a referendum vote on the dissolution garnered more than 400 signatures, but came up well short of the 2,093 signatures needed.

Three amendments made by Steele to slightly alter the rescind resolution also failed along party lines.

"For a town that has had so many issues with government corruption and incompetence in the last 10 years, why would you want to do anything that violates the rules that could even give the appearance of trying to put something over on the residents and taxpayers," said RTM Deputy Republican Caucus Leader Ken Astarita.

Click here to view Monday's RTM meeting.

First Selectman Bill Gerber, who pushed for the move to dissolve the authority, and other proponents argue that dissolving the authority and creating a new in-house parking department will allow for greater oversight and improved efficiency.

"I feel that the public will be greatly better served by a more transparent process, as we will see this at our budget meeting every year and when any capital expenses occur," said RTM Moderator Marcy Spolyar about the dissolution of the authority and creation of a new department.

Zezima, the RTM Democratic Caucus leader, said in a statement following Monday's meeting that the motion to rescind "had nothing to do with rules, the actual parking authority or [the] town’s commuters," but was about needlessly delaying the process. Click here to read the full statement.

"Unfortunately, this resolution only misconstrued facts, wasted time and town resources, and sought to be a distraction during the budget process–which is one of our most important responsibilities as the RTM," Zezima.