Appointments Committee Meeting – May 27, 2026
Appointments Committee Meeting – May 27, 2026
The Appointments Committee of the Stamford Board of Representatives met on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 (note: the agenda and minutes list this date as May 27, 2025; the summary follows the provided meeting timestamp). The meeting was called to order at 6:31 p.m. and adjourned at 8:22 p.m. Co-Chairs Felix Gardner and Steven Shore led the meeting, with Committee Members Reps. Bradford, Camporeale, Hill, Hyatt, Pavia, Weathers, Weinberg, and others in attendance. The committee reviewed nine appointments; one item (Patrick Blessinger) was withdrawn and one candidate (Jason Kinard) did not appear. All other candidates were interviewed and approved unanimously (9-0-0).
Discussion & Interview Highlights
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Ira Stechel (Board of Ethics Reappointment) – Stechel, a 55-year legal veteran, discussed his service on the board and highlighted an ambiguity in the city’s ethics code regarding whether a not-for-profit can confer an economic interest. He expressed a desire to help clarify that definition. He also noted that the board has been responsive to advisory opinion requests and that delays may stem from improperly submitted forms or jurisdictional issues.
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Stefania Payares Arteaga (Environmental Protection Board Alternate Reappointment) – Arteaga stated that the EPB is overwhelmed by inland wetlands and watercourse permit applications, leaving little capacity for proactive conservation issues such as invasive species or floodplain management. She supported the proposed creation of a separate conservation commission to address broader environmental concerns, echoing a proposal before the Board of Representatives.
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Joe Miller (Urban Redevelopment Commission) – Miller, a real estate investment professional, expressed interest in applying his experience to help the commission sell excess parcels, attract affordable housing development, and deploy a $4 million fund for city enhancements. He noted he was recruited by the Mayor’s office after originally seeking a Planning Board seat.
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Anthony Stark (School Building Committee) – Stark, an architect, described the committee’s role as reviewing final plans and budgets to ensure no major gaps in scope. He discussed the importance of durable materials, sustainability (e.g., air-source heat pumps), and security features such as ballistic glazing. In response to a question, he acknowledged a prior professional relationship with Catherine Lobalba, the city’s long-term facilities director, but asserted his ability to remain objective. He also noted that teacher input on design is ideally gathered earlier in the process, not at the committee stage.
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Jackie Heftman (School Building Committee Reappointment) – Heftman, a former Board of Education member, emphasized her role as a community representative focused on protecting students and taxpayer value. She declined to take a position on the project labor agreement versus non-PLA construction methods, deferring to city decisions.
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Ellen Bromley (Board of Ethics) – Bromley, an attorney and former city official who helped draft Stamford’s first ethics code, described her experience hearing cases for the state human rights commission. She noted the ethics code has become more complex over time and that modern ethics issues differ from the small-town dynamics of the past.
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Christopher Smyth (Parks and Recreation Commission) – Smyth, a frequent park user and youth sports parent, advocated for better activation of parks through modest revenue-generating amenities (e.g., a coffee shop at Scalzi Park) and creative programming. He identified underutilized areas like the former Coast Guard station at Cummings Park and the lack of trails at Hartman Park. He expressed a balanced view on artificial turf fields, citing both maintenance benefits and health/temperature concerns.
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Drew McKay (Planning Board) – McKay was not re-interviewed as he had recently appeared before the committee; his appointment was approved unanimously without additional discussion.
Key Outcomes
All appointments were approved by the committee with a vote of 9-0-0, as follows:
- A32.029 – Ira Stechel (R) to the Board of Ethics, term expiring 12/1/2028.
- A32.035 – Drew McKay (I) to the Planning Board, term expiring 12/1/2028.
- A32.038 – Stefania Payares Arteaga (D) to the Environmental Protection Board (Alternate), reappointment, term expiring 12/1/2028.
- A32.040 – Joe Miller (D) to the Urban Redevelopment Commission, term expiring 12/1/2028.
- A32.041 – Anthony Stark (D) to the School Building Committee, term expiring 12/1/2028.
- A32.042 – Jackie Heftman (D) to the School Building Committee, reappointment, term expiring 12/1/2026.
- A32.043 – Ellen Bromley (D) to the Board of Ethics, term expiring 12/1/2027.
- A32.044 – Christopher Smyth (U) to the Parks and Recreation Commission, term expiring 12/1/2028.
Item A32.033 (Jason Kinard to Zoning Board of Appeals) was reported as “no show” and no action was taken.
Item A32.039 (Patrick Blessinger to Environmental Protection Board) was withdrawn.
The committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to the full Board of Representatives for final approval.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, right, let's start. So I'm Felix Gardner, co-chair of this gardener. This is co-chair Stephen Shaw. We have in attendance tonight. We have Representative Pavier on the call. We have Representative Camarelli on the call, Representative Hill on the call, and Representative Hire on the call in person. We have Representative Weinberg, Representative Weathers, myself, and Representative Shaw. Tonight we have a total of 10 appointments. However, one has been withdrawn, and uh one, there is Mr. Mackay, we're not gonna interview. So we will only have eight interview candidates tonight. How this is all going to work is uh we are going to go through. Oh, representative Bradford has joined the call at the record show. Um how this is going to work is we're going to go down the list from top to bottom. We're going to interview the candidates one by one. Usually take about 10 minutes or so per candidate. Uh, and I believe one of them one of the candidates may be late, so we have to shuffle the order around. It doesn't really matter. Um, all the representatives will be invited to ask questions, as well as ex official members as well. Can ask the candidates questions. Uh the candidates are free to leave at any point after interview is done. You don't have to stay around until the end, it's no big deal, it's not going to influence anything. Um, you just feel free to go, whatever. Come on in. Hello. Come on in and have a seat. Um, and so that that's how it's going to work. And then at the end of the process, after all the interviews are complete, and we've interviewed all eight people, then we will go through a voting process and we'll vote on the candidates whether they should be approved for their positions or not. And that are the result of our vote, we'll then go to the main board uh next Monday, and then there'll be a main board vote, and then after that you'll be fully approved, and you can join your positions. It's the end of this very long road. I appreciate everyone. It's been a long journey to get here, and we appreciate your time and your effort very very much. I mean, it's quite arduous, so uh with the last step, don't worry. Um I would ask all of the uh committee members to uh ask the chair if you want to speak, just raise your hand on the zoom call or raise your hand here in person. I'll put you on the list. If we could try and do one question at a time through the chair and not do multi-part questions just so we can keep uh give everyone an opportunity to ask questions. And yeah, let's just try and keep everything on topic and ask direct pointed questions at the candidates and uh you know keep everything focused on relevant questions to their position. That would be fantastic. And I think with all that being said, it is time for our first candidate, and that is item number one, Alpha 32.029 for the Board of Ethics, Ira Stetcher. So Steckle, I apologize. Steph, it's a reappointment with a term expiring December 1st, 2028. Welcome, Mr. Stecker. How are you? So, uh the Board of Ethics, you are uh a very uh established and a very seasoned member of the legal profession. Uh what's unique skill will you bring to the board of ethics? Um well I've been practicing law for um uh this year will be 55 years um in uh in practice and uh uh throughout that period. I've uh worked under the um uh legal profession, uh legal professional canon of ethics and um those um resemble uh to a large extent I think the um uh Stanford um uh canons of ethics and uh so I um um I I feel that um I'm uh familiar enough with the uh territory to um be able to um uh derive answers to um questions that uh that come up um and put my um uh put my experience to practice. Um I've enjoyed my time on the uh on the board, it's intellectually challenging and um I've um I think performed uh as I as I should have. I have a uh I think impeccable record of attendance, except for the last two months when I was disabled and uh um you know in a hospital bit but um I'm now on the road to recover as you can see and uh I would uh very much appreciate a brief reappointment.
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