(Left to right) Gino DiGiovanni Jr., Richard Buturla, and Joseph DiMartino.
DERBY – The chairman of the Derby Republican Town Committee said the Democratic mayor isn’t following the rules when it comes to replacing Republican members on the city’s planning and zoning commission.
Gino DiGiovanni Jr., the GOP chairman and the chairman of the planning and zoning commission, made his remarks during the March 13 meeting of the Derby Board of Aldermen and Alderwomen.
His statements were refuted by the Derby corporation counsel, who said appointments to the commission are spelled out in a specific Derby ordinance, and that the administration is following that ordinance.
Members of the Derby P&Z are appointed.
The March 13 agenda called for two new appointments to the planning and zoning commission, as recommended by Mayor Joseph DiMartino: Richard Bartholomew, and Aniello Malerba III as an alternate. Both men are Democrats.
They were to replace Raul Sanchez and Dan Blizman, an alternate. Both men are Republicans whose terms expired Feb. 28, 2025.
DiGiovanni, citing a section of the Derby Code titled “appointments and recommendations for appointments,” said DiMartino should have reached out to DiGiovanni in his capacity as Republican Party leader and asked him to suggest three replacement candidates.
DiGiovanni said two previous Republicans on the P&Z – Ted Estwan and Steven Jalowiec – were also replaced without consulting with the Republican Party.
DiGiovanni asked the Alders to hold off on the new appointments until the issue could be researched. He said the appointments would leave just one Republican – him – on the planning and zoning commission.
Dan Blizman and Gino DiGiovanni Jr.
“The rest are unaffiliated or Democrat,” DiGiovanni said.
Later in the March 13 meeting Derby Corporation Counsel Richard Buturla responded.
He said the rules for the Derby Planning and Zoning Commission are specifically laid out in Chapter 7, article XVII of the Derby Code. The rules there apply, not the general rules cited by DiGiovanni.
Regarding the political composition of the planning and zoning commission, the code only states no more than five people can be from the same political party. There’s no P&Z rules saying a mayor has to ask another party leader for replacement suggestions.
Blizman pointed out the code book provides instructions on how the mayor makes appointments and recommends appointments, but Buturla said the article titled “planning and zoning commission” takes precedence.
“What I would say is that the planning and zoning statute is specific,” Buturla said. “That is the ordinance that governs appointments to the commission.”
With the new appointments, there would have been five Democrats on the P&Z, one Republican and one unaffiliated, which is allowed, Buturla said.
The alternates would have been one Democrat and one unaffiliated, which is also allowed by Derby ordinance, Buturla said.
However, the mayor’s appointments are subject to approval by the Alders.
Alderman David Chevarella made a motion March 13 to table the vote on Bartholomew and Malerba until DiGiovanni and DiMartino could meet to talk about the appointments. The Alders – who all ran as Democrats – voted with Chevarella, except for Alderwoman Sara Widomski.
Tabling the motion means the appointments could be revisited at an Aldermanic meeting in April.
“Mr. DiGiovanni, we’ll make a meeting next week sometime,” the mayor said.
Earlier in the same meeting, DiGiovanni criticized the mayor for not notifying the members far in advance to say they were being replaced. He said Sanchez had been on the board for 17 years.
“When somebody gives 17 years of service to business, any municipality, you would think that the mayor would take the time out of his day to call and thank that person for their years of service because it’s not a paid position, it’s volunteer,” DiGiovanni said.
DiGiovanni made his comments during the public portion of the March 13 meeting and the mayor did not respond directly.
