By Nancy Guenther Chapman
NORWALK, Conn. – A veteran Norwalk Republican took the helm of the Common Council Tuesday evening, but only because a Norwalk Democrat forced the hand of his party.
“I’m very confused: why there is no item here listing for election for president?” Anna Duleep (D-At Large) said shortly after the public speaking portion of the meeting, after interrupting the seemingly routine transfer of the right to speak from Mayor Richard Moccia to Council President Carvin Hilliard (D-District B). Duleep went on to ask Corporation Counsel Robert Maslan if indeed the council had a legal president at that point – the city charter says a president serves the post for one municipal year and Hilliard has been in the post since Nov. 22, 2011.
Maslan said he would have to study the charter, and did not have an answer.
“I am ready to go tonight with a nomination,” Duleep said. “I believe I have five votes for this individual, I’m hoping to at least get six. Do I need to suspend the rules in order to be able to add to the agenda for election for council president? Because I think that’s a very important item.”
Matt Miklave (D-District A), a lawyer, said it was an interesting problem. “Since we take office in the second meeting of November, it would seem to me that is the logical beginning of the municipal year,” he said.
Moccia said he didn’t know, either. The challenge at that point was to get nine votes to suspend the rules, but it didn’t come to that – instead, Michelle Maggio (R-District C) asked for a recess.
Motion granted. Republicans headed into their caucus chambers, while Democrats treated the meeting as the holiday celebration it was, in part – kibitzing with the few people who had come for the show. Then:
- Moccia exited the caucus chamber a few minutes later, shaking his head at Hilliard, who seemed to want to know what was going on.
- The mayor sent Maslan into the caucus chamber about seven minutes after his party had gone in there, to try to hustle the process along. Maslan returned without the council members.
- After another eight minutes, Moccia went in himself. He returned shortly, saying “Whatever you guys want to do,” as he left the caucus chamber.
- Finally, after 17 minutes of discussion, the Republicans returned.
Moccia informed Duleep that, to suspend the rules, she actually needed 10 votes (a 2/3 majority of the 14 members present – Republican Joanne Romano resigned at the last meeting and has not yet been replaced by her party). She got them and more: Hilliard was the only one who voted no.
Duleep then spent nearly six minutes nominating the surprised Nick Kydes (R-District C) to be the next council president, beginning with the comment that she was surprised herself when she concluded that Kydes “best embodied the principals of diversity.”
Moccia tried to hurry her after five minutes; Duleep sharply retorted, “Let me finish,” adding that she was lobbying for votes for her candidate. She went on to say she was grateful that Kydes had not been “Dickish” in dealing with her, then apologized for using the language of her sixth-grade students.
The Democratic party values “Sharing opportunity, sharing power and sharing responsibility,” Duleep said, so “To look over at the other caucus and see people who have been serving their party loyally for years, who have been, I’m sure, waiting for their opportunity to serve in a leadership position and prove to the voters and everybody what they can do with that title and with that power, to see them shut out, so that – no offense – a fine man like Doug Hempstead, can have the title that he has had a zillion times before? That was painful to see.”
Shortly after her nomination, Fred Bondi (R-At Large) nominated Hempstead.
Maggio asked if Kydes or Hempstead had to accept the nomination. Moccia said they had been nominated and not declined.
That prompted Kydes to speak up. He thanked Duleep and said he was “very flabbergasted.”
“As am I,” Duleep replied.
“I was going to nominate Mr. Hempstead this evening, so what I would like to do is nominate Mr. Hempstead,” Kydes said.
“You have to withdraw,” Moccia said.
“Then I withdraw,” Kydes said.
Hempstead was elected 9 to 5. Voting yes were Hempstead, Hilliard, Bondi, Michael Geake (U-District B), Kydes, Maggio, Jerry Petrini (R-District D), David McCarthy (R-District E) and Bruce Kimmel (D-District D). Voting no were Duleep, Warren Peña (D-At Large), David Watts (D-District A) and John Igneri (D-District E).
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