In addition to hotly contested races for Congress, statewide and local races, some Connecticut ballots will prompt voters to decide key funding and leadership issues that could effect change at the most local level, town by town.

Eyewitness News has compiled the following list of questions to help you prepare yourself to make an informed decision before reaching the voter's booth.

MDC Question Ansonia Bloomfield Cheshire Colchester Durham East Hartford East Windsor Fairfield Greenwich Hartford Killingly Madison Manchester Mansfield Meriden Middletown

Newington New Milford Norwich Plainville Ridgefield Rocky Hill Seymour Shelton Simsbury Somers Southington South Windsor Tolland Waterbury West Hartford Wethersfield Windsor

Metropolitan District Commission's Clean Water Project

Towns affected:

Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor

Question:

Shall the appropriation of $800 million to be financed by the issuance of bonds for the district’s combined sewer overflow, sanitary sewer overflow and nitrogen removal programs to decrease levels of pollution in the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound to comply with a consent decree of the United States District Court of the District of Connecticut and a consent order of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection be approved?

Explanatory text provided per Connecticut General Statutes Section 9-369b:

The purpose of the question is to appropriate funds toward the Clean Water Project, which will address approximately 1 billion gallons of combined wastewater and storm water currently released each year to area waterways. This wastewater is discharged by 38 combined sewer overflow (CSO) and eight sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) locations, at which diluted sewage is discharged into the Connecticut River and its tributaries.

Eyewitness News Coverage:

• MDC Informs Voters Of Ballot's Sewer Question

The Clean Water Project formally responds to federal and state decrees to achieve the federal Clean Water Act goals by 2021. The project is estimated, in 2006 dollars, to cost approximately $1.63 billion and will be funded by the MDC’s capital improvement plan.

The MDC is pursuing more than 50 percent of the funding from state and federal sources, with the remainder expected from general obligation bonds. The MDC charter requires a referendum for projects of more than $5 million.

Projects are proposed to include new sewer and drainage systems to increase wastewater treatment capacity, using a new temporary sewage storage tunnel and large sewer connecting pipes. Acccording to the MDC, these projects will eliminate sewage overflows to area waterways during an average year.

Work is slated for completion via at least two phases: Phase 1 will cover the first six years of the program and is budgeted at $800 million, including inflation.

Ansonia

1. Shall the $5.2 million appropriation and bond issuance authorization for the demolition of the Riverside Apartment Housing Project of the Ansonia Housing Authority located on and in the area of Olson Drive (HUD project No. CT015-001) as adopted by the Board of Aldermen, be approved?

Bloomfield

See: MDC Question
(School construction funding question removed from ballot on Oct. 10 per Town Council)

Cheshire

1. Shall the town of Cheshire appropriate $1.4 million for renovation, addition and code-compliance improvements to Station 3 firehouse, and authorize the issue of bonds and notes in the same amount to defray said appropriation?
2. Shall the town of Cheshire appropriate $500,000 for energy improvements at Norton School, and authorize the issue of bonds and notes in the same amount to defray said appropriation?
3. Shall the town of Cheshire appropriate $750,000 for rehabilitation of Lilac Drive Pump Station and authorize the issue of bonds and notes in the same amount to defray said appropriation?

Colchester

1. Shall the Town Charter be amended to make grammatical, technical and other minor changes and clarifications?
2. Shall the Town Charter be amended to change the percentages that require that the Annual Budget Meeting be continued to a second budget meeting?
3. Shall the Town Charter be amended to require separate questions for the Town Budget and the Board of Education budget on the ballot for the Annual Budget Referendum and allow additional questions, including advisory questions?
4. Shall the Town Charter be amended to change the title of Tax Collector to Collector of Revenue and change the positions of Treasurer and Collector of Revenue from elected positions to appointed positions?
5. Shall the Town Charter be amended to create the appointed position of Town Manager and make related changes to the powers and duties of the First Selectman and the Board of Selectmen?

Durham

1. Shall Section 2.1 (1) of the Charter be amended to provide that, commencing November 2007, the Board of Selectmen, Town Clerk, Tax Collector, Town Treasurer and Registrars of Voters shall serve terms of four (4) years?
2. Shall Section 2.1 (6) and Section 6.1 of the Charter be amended to provide that Durham members of the Regional District 13 Board of Education shall be elected at the General Town Election for terms of four (4) years, contingent upon approval of four-year terms by a district referendum and subject to transition provisions proposed in Section 6.1?
3. Shall all other changes as presented by the Charter Revision Commission and approved by the Durham Board of Selectmen on Aug. 28, 2006, be adopted?

See also: MDC Question

East Hartford

1. Shall the $9.5 million appropriation and bond authorization for the planning, design, construction and reconstruction of town roads be approved?
2. Shall the $6 million appropriation and bond authorization for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of a new fire station, fire apparatus and fire alarm maintenance facility, and for repairs and improvements to various town buildings be approved?

See also: MDC Question

East Windsor

1. Shall the Revised Town Charter contained in the final report of the 2006 Charter Revision Commission, as approved by the Board of Selectmen, be adopted?

Fairfield

1. Shall the Town of Fairfield Charter be revised to increase the terms of office of the Board of Selectmen and the Town Clerk from two years to four years?
2. Shall the Town of Fairfield Charter be revised to reduce the terms of office of the Board of Education from six to four years?
3. Shall all other provisions of the revised town of Fairfield Charter be adopted?

Greenwich

1. Shall the Town of Greenwich Charter be amended pursuant to Sections 66 and 67 of the Charter to provide for a Department of Human Resources and Director of Human Resources?

Hartford

See: MDC Question

Killingly

1. Shall the proposed amendments to Section 502 and throughout the charter replacing the council chairman and vice chairman with a mayor and deputy mayor be approved?
2. Shall the proposed amendments to Section 601 and 602 of the Town Charter clarifying the residency requirements and rights and duties of the Town Manager be approved?
3. Shall the proposed amendments to the scheduling and the manner of conducting the annual Town Meeting on the budget as set forth in Sections 508, 701 and 1007 including the abolition of overrule as to the annual budget be approved?
4. Shall the proposed amendment to Section 302 abolishing elected constables and substituting appointed constables be approved?
5. Shall the proposed amendments to the number of petitioners required to call a town meeting pursuant to Section 701 or take an ordinance to referendum pursuant to Section 508 be increased from 15 percent to 20 percent be approved?
6. Shall the proposed amendment increasing the value of easements exempted from Town Meeting approval in Section 1008 from $5,000 to $25,000 be approved?
7. Shall the proposed amendment increasing the amount of emergency appropriation authorized pursuant to Section 1009 from $25,000 to $50,000 be approved?
8. Shall the proposed amendment encompassing all of the technical and grammatical changes and making language of the charter gender neutral be approved?
9. Shall the proposed amendment to Chapter VIII (Appointed Boards and Commissions) -- including the abolishment of the Jury Committee -- making certain technical changes and adding alternates to several town boards be approved?
10. Shall the proposed amendment to Chapter IX (Administrative Officers and Departments), including the abolishing of the Director of Income Maintenance, the abolition of the position of Director of Social Services and amendments to Section 907 regarding the director of Health and other sections of said Chapter be approved?
11. Shall the proposed amendment clarifying the current compensation for members of the Town Council in Section 501 at $750 be approved?

Madison

1. Shall the Revised Charter of the Town of Madison, in accordance with the submission of the Charter Revision Commission and as on file in the Town Clerk’s office, be approved?

Manchester

1. Shall the Town appropriate $8.75 million to acquire the real property located at 308, 324, 330, 334 and 340 Broad Street in the Town of Manchester -- consisting of approximately 19.22 acres of a portion of what is commonly known as the Manchester Parkade -- for future town or commercial development purposes, and for administrative expenses, to be financed by the issuance of general obligation bonds, to be financed by the issuance of general obligation bonds and notes of the town?

Mansfield

1. Shall the Town of Mansfield appropriate $2 million for installation of air conditioning in the Mansfield Community Center gymnasium, and authorize the issue of bonds and notes in the same amount to defray said appropriation?
2. Shall the Town of Mansfield appropriate $1 million for acquisition of land or interests therein for open space, municipal or passive or active recreational uses, and authorize the issue of bonds and notes in the same amount to defray said appropriation?
3. Shall the Town of Mansfield appropriate $3.8 million for replacement of the electrical heating system at the Mansfield Middle School with a fossil-fuel heating system, and authorize the issue of bonds in the same amount to defray the appropriation?

Meriden

1. Shall the Proposed Charter Amendment be adopted?

Middletown

1. Shall the $1.82 million appropriation and bond issuance authorization for improvements to the Long Hill and Cimarron Road water storage tank, treatment, processing and delivery facilities of the city of Middletown’s drinking water system, as adopted by the Common Council, be approved?

Newington

See: MDC Question

New Milford

1. Shall the Town of New Milford amend its Town Charter in accordance with the recommendations set forth in the final report of the Charter Revision Commission dated July 14, 2006?

Norwich

1. Shall the $5 million appropriation and bond authorization for the City of Norwich Road Improvement Program, as adopted by the City Council, be approved?

Plainville

1. Shall the Charter of the Town of Plainville be amended to reflect the changes as proposed by the Charter Revision Commission?
2. Shall the Town of Plainville increase the appropriation and borrowing authorization for improvements to the town's water pollution control facility and sanitary sewer collection system by $3.7 million to provide for certain work with respect to renovations and replacements to wastewater collection system pumping stations and a new force main from the Norton?

Ridgefield

1. Shall the Charter be amended to change the procedure for electors to file petitions to call a town meeting/referendum, including increasing the number of signatures required? (This modifies Section 3-5 and eliminates Section 3-15)
2. Shall the Charter be amended to modify the eligibility requirements for town office; the procedures in the event of a vacancy in town office, board or commission; and prohibits holding of multiple elected offices? (This modifies Section 4-5, 4-7 and 4-18)
3. Shall the Charter be amended to provide for four-year terms for First Selectman, Board of Selectmen, Tax Collector, Town Treasurer, and Town Clerk commencing with the election of 2007? (This modifies Sections 4-8 and 4-9)
4. Shall the Charter be amended to more clearly define the functions and responsibilities of the Zoning Board of Appeals? (This modifies Section 4-12)
5. Shall the Charter be amended to require the Board of Education to submit its budget to the Board of Selectmen for a non-binding recommendation? (This modifies Section 10-3)
6. Shall the Charter be amended to modify the procedures for passing the annual Town Budget? (This modifies Section 10-3)
7. Shall the Charter be amended to modify the procedures for approval of special appropriations? (This modifies Section 10-4)
8. Shall the Charter be amended to clarify the procedures for long-range planning by the Board of Finance to include both the Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen in the process? (This modifies Section 10-7)

Rocky Hill

See: MDC Question

Seymour

1. Shall the charter of the town of Seymour be amended to provide for a change of dates from Feb. 15 to Feb. 1 in Section 12.3(B) and for changes in the intervals between referendum budget votes as recommended by the Charter Revision Commission?
2. Shall the charter of the town of Seymour be amended to prove for the ending of the annual budget referendum process if the First Selectman after consultation with the Finance Director and Assistant Finance Director shall certify to the Town Clerk that the last rejected budget is at the level of minimum legal requirements and that said budget is therefore adopted by reason of law?
3. Shall the Charter of the Town of Seymour be amended to provide for changes with regard to the filling of the position of lieutenant in the Seymour Police Department as recommended by the Charter Revision Commission?

Shelton

1. Shall the resolution appropriating $4.3 million for the acquisition of a conservation easement in land consisting of approximately 130 acres known as the Jones Family Farm for its preservation in perpetuity as farmland and authorizing the issue of $4.3 million bonds of the city to meet said appropriation be approved?

Simsbury

1. Shall the Charter of the Township of the Town of Simsbury be amended as proposed by the Simsbury Charter Revision Commission in the Jan. 27, 2006, Proposed Revised Charter as approved by the Simsbury Board of Selectmen?
2. Shall the Town of Simsbury appropriate $7 million for the acquisition of interests in certain land of Ethel Walker School and finance said appropriation with $2 million from the Town’s General Fund and $5 million from the issue of bonds and notes?

Somers

1. Shall the revisions to the Town Charter as recommended by the Charter Revision Commission and approved by the Board of Selectmen be approved?

Southington

1. Shall the town of Southington appropriate $15,825,000 for the Plantsville Elementary School renovations, improvements and additions project and authorize the issue of bonds and notes not to exceed $15,825,000 to finance the appropriation, the amount of such bonds or notes to be reduced by the amount of project grants received?
2. Shall the town of Southington appropriate $16,860,000 for demolition of the existing South End Elementary School and construction at the site of a new 300 student capacity elementary school and authorize the issue of bonds and notes not to exceed $16,860,000 to finance the appropriation, the amount of such bonds or notes to be reduced by the amount of project grants received?
3. Shall Section 309(a) and Section 902 of the Southington Town Charter be amended to allow for the appointment of a Town Attorney who shall serve for an indefinite term at the pleasure of the council?
4. Shall the terms of the following appointed Boards and Commissions as described in the Southington Town Charter be amended to reduce the terms from five or six years to four years as follows?
   
   • Park and Recreation, Section 302(b) and Section 503
   • Tax Review Board, Section 309(c) and Section 501
   • Library Board, Section 302(f)
   • Police commissioners, Section 601(a)
   • Fire commissioners, Section 601(b)
5. Shall Section 301 of the Southington Town Charter be amended so members of the Town Council may serve with compensation, where none is currently allowed, for the performance of official duties during the term for which they are elected?
6. Shall Section 202(e) of the Southington Town Charter be amended to revise the election of the Board of Finance and reduce the term from six years to two years as follows?
   
   • The 2007 election: two members shall be elected for a term of two years
   • The 2009 election: four members shall be elected for a term of two years
   • The 2011 election: all six members shall be elected for a term of two years
   • No political party shall be allowed to elect more than four members
7. Shall Section 202(c) of the Southington Town Charter be amended beginning with the election of 2007 to reduce the term of Board of Education members from four years to two years?
8. Shall Section 746(a) and 746(b) of the Southington Town Charter be amended to increase the maximum allowable special appropriation for a bond ordinance or resolution from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000?

South Windsor

1. Shall the resolution appropriating and authorizing bonds in the amount of $10 million for road, drainage and intersection improvements be approved?

Tolland

1. Shall the Town of Tolland appropriate $2 million for acquisition of parcels of land or rights therein for preservation, conservation and passive recreation and authorize the issue of bonds and notes in the same amount to finance said appropriation?

Waterbury

1. Shall the city appropriate and issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $48,760,000 for the renovation of City Hall, including the construction of a new firehouse for the relocation of the firehouse currently in City Hall?

West Hartford

See: MDC Question

Wethersfield

1. Shall the Town of Wethersfield appropriate $4 million for acquisition of land or an interest therein for open space, municipal or recreational uses and authorize the issue of bonds and notes in the same amount to finance said appropriation?

See also: MDC Question

Windsor

See: MDC Question

SOURCE: Connecticut Secretary of the State's Office