Steering Committee Meeting of the Stamford Board of Representatives – June 8, 2026

The Steering Committee of the 32nd Board of Representatives met remotely on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 7:02 p.m., adjourning at 8:35 p.m. The meeting primarily focused on placing items on the July 6, 2026 Regular Board meeting agenda for various standing committees. A significant debate occurred over which committee should handle an ordinance to establish a Conservation Commission (LR32.019), ultimately resulting in its reassignment from the Legislative & Rules Committee to the Land Use & Urban Redevelopment Committee. All other routine appointments, appropriations, and review items were placed on the July agenda with minimal discussion.

Consent Calendar

• Appointments Committee (10 items): Reappointments to the Environmental Protection Board (Laura Tessier, Leigh Shemitz), Parking Violation Hearing Officers (Lori Longo Legierse, Marni Marantz, Robert Willis), and Fire Commission (Maria Linares, Linda Darling, Stephen Canna, John Dulski, Michael Hyman) were unanimously placed on the July agenda via voice vote.
• Fiscal Committee (3 items): Additional appropriations for the Stamford Police Department Behavioral Health Unit ($324,646 from SAMHSA) and Grants Office early learning programs ($62,566), plus a review of the Municipal Tax Services motor vehicle program, were all placed on the July agenda unanimously.
• Legislative & Rules Committee (2 items): Ordinance to repeal the Appointments Commission (LR32.016) and ordinance establishing mayor’s reporting requirements for board/commission appointees (LR32.017) were placed on the July agenda unanimously.
• Personnel Committee (1 item): Employment contract for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Janeene Freeman (P32.009) placed on the July agenda unanimously.
• Operations, Parks and Recreation Committee (3 items): Fee schedules for E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Course and Terry Conners Ice Rink, plus a review of the Eversource Underground Cable Modernization Project, placed on the July agenda unanimously (voice vote).
• Public Safety & Health Committee (1 standard item): Review of personal watercraft regulations (PS32.008) placed on the July agenda unanimously.
• Minutes: Approval of the June 1, 2026 Regular Board Meeting minutes placed on the July agenda.

Discussion Items

• Conservation Commission Ordinance (LR32.019) – Committee Assignment Debate:

  • Rep. Karen Camporeale (Legislative & Rules Chair and ordinance sponsor) argued the ordinance belonged on Legislative & Rules because it is a piece of legislation establishing a new commission, per the board’s website description of L&R’s role. She noted she had originally submitted it to Land Use in 2025 due to scheduling, but now believed L&R was the proper venue.
  • Rep. Ryan Hughes (Land Use Co-Chair) moved to amend the placement to Land Use & Urban Redevelopment, arguing the Connecticut General Statutes cited in the ordinance grant land-use statutory powers to a conservation commission. He stated previous discussions in L&R did not involve substantive input from land-use officials.
  • Rep. Carl Weinberg supported L&R, reading the Land Use committee description and concluding the ordinance did not fit. Rep. Glenn Price initially had no strong view but later agreed with Hughes. Majority Leader Eric Morson noted ordinances can be placed on any committee, and the land-use focus made Land Use appropriate.
  • Rep. McKeown (Parliamentarian) suggested both committees could jointly hear the item; this was discussed but not adopted.
  • After a roll-call vote, the motion to amend (move item to Land Use) passed 6.5–4.5–3 (votes tallied with half-votes for co-chairs Shore, Gardner, Hughes, Price).
  • The main motion to place the item on the July agenda under Land Use/Urban Redevelopment was then approved 11–1–2 (Rep. Camporeale opposed; Reps. McKeown and Weinberg abstained).

• Late Submission – Park Police Enforcement Review (PS32.009):

  • Chair Tom Bouchard requested late addition of a review of Stamford Park Police enforcement of quality-of-life issues (e-bikes, loud music, loud cars) citing constituent interest. The committee unanimously approved its consideration (14–0–0 roll call) and then placed it on the July agenda by voice vote.

Key Outcomes

• All 10 appointments and 13 other committee items were approved for placement on the July 6, 2026 Board of Representatives agenda.
• The Conservation Commission ordinance (LR32.019, to be renumbered as a Land Use item) was transferred from Legislative & Rules to Land Use & Urban Redevelopment, which will meet Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
• A late submission review item (PS32.009) on Park Police enforcement was added to the Public Safety & Health Committee agenda (meeting June 25, 2026).
• No items were advanced for the C.H.E.S.S. or Transportation Committees; both indicated no meetings in June.
• The Pending Agenda (reviewed quarterly in January, April, July, October) was not addressed this month.