HARTFORD, CT — The 11-member board created by the state budget to work with financially distressed municipalities in order to help them avoid insolvency or bankruptcy will hold its first meeting today.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy appointed three members: Thomas S. Hamilton, finance chief for the Norwalk school system; state Labor Department Commissioner Scott D. Jackson of Hamden; and West Hartford attorney John “Jay” Nolan.
There are another two members who will be appointed by the governor with the help of AFSCME, the Connecticut Education Association, and AFT-CT.
The four legislative leaders also get to appoint one member, and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the State Treasurer, or their designees, will serve as co-chairs.
Senate President Martin Looney announced that he’s appointed retired New Haven firefighter Patrick J. Egan to serve as his representative on the board. The other three legislative leaders have not yet made formal announcements about their appointees.
“Our towns and cities are the foundation of a strong and prosperous state,” Malloy said. “Healthy, vibrant communities — and thriving urban centers in particular — are essential for our success in this global economy.”
The Municipal Accountability Review Board is expected to focus partly on helping the city of Hartford recover from the brink of bankruptcy, and the board also will work on other municipalities.
“With this accountability and review board, the state will be poised to intercede early to put struggling local governments on a path to sustainable fiscal health before they are on the brink of a fiscal crisis,” Malloy added.
The board will meet at 10 a.m. today at the Office of Policy and Management, 470 Capitol Ave., Hartford.
