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Government Form:  Mayor-Council

Emulated after the federal structure of government, the Mayor is considered the chief executive and administrative officer; whereas, the Common Council is the legislative body of the City of New Britain.  This ultimately allows a check and balance system of powers.

Common Council: Function

Common Council members are elected by the residents of the City of New Britain and serve terms of two years.  To be elected, members must be 18 years of age or older, a resident of their respective Council district and a registered voter of the City of New Britain.

The legislative powers and authority of the Common Council consist of:  enacting ordinances, adopting city budget, setting Council agendas, undertaking public improvements, approval of purchases, sale or lease of City property, mayoral veto override authority, and approval of appointments made by the mayor to all department head positions.  The Council also serves as the zoning authority of the City of New Britain.

The City is divided into five wards which are substantially equal in population.  Three Council members represent each ward, with minority party requirements applying to each of the five wards separately.

The Common Council is comprised of a total of fifteen members.  Biennially in November, Council members elect a President Pro Tempore from their membership and announce the members selected to be Majority Leader, Assistant Majority Leaders, Minority Leader and assistant Minority Leaders.  During this time they also appoint Common Council committees and appoint Common council liaisons to all boards and commissions.  The Council appoints a Clerk of Committees which records all regular and subcommittee meetings of the Council.

Common Council:  Meetings

The Common Council meets twice per month, the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, except for the months of July, August, November and December.  During these months the Council meets once per month on the second Wednesday of the month.  The regular Common Council meetings are held in Council chambers which is located on the second floor of City Hall, 27 West Main Street, New Britain.  Public participation for the regularly scheduled Common council meetings begins at 7:00 pm followed by the Common Council meeting.

Anyone interested in discussing a topic of concern with the Council members may contact the Council office at 860-826-3392 or may speak during the public participation portion of a Common Council meeting.  All Council members appreciate the concerns of the residents of the City of New Britain and take great pride in working closely with them to address any issues.

Contact Us

27 West Main Street
New Britain, CT 06051
T: 860-826-3392
F: 860-826-3398

City of New Britain