Resident Leads Petition Effort to Terminate Town's Membership With CCM [VIDEO]

A Middlefield resident has filed a petition with the town over its membership with the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.

On Tuesday night, Peter Brown presented selectmen with a petition with 115 signatures that calls on officials to terminate the town's membership with the government lobbying group over its recent gun control proposals.

"We're all free as Americans to donate our money and our time to any political cause that we want to, of our own free will," said Brown. "Forcing people to pay tax dollars as a membership to organizations that advocate for this is wrong."

Brown, a self-described gun owner, said the group's 13 legislative initiatives released on Jan. 13 following the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, are "fleshed out" in Senate Bill 1076.

The legislation, which is currently under review by the legislature's Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security, calls for stricter gun control measures including expanding the definition of assault weapon, requiring registration of firearms and requiring a rifle permit for the purchase of a long gun.

"It's pretty scary," Brown said.

At Brown's urging last month, First Selectman Jon Brayshaw recently sent a letter to CCM asking the group to explain their position on gun control. 

Brayshaw told Brown he hadn't received a response and called the petition "significant."

"I'm not saying anything one way or the other. They're doing what they're paid to do. They're lobbying," he said. "I think after four weeks we deserve a response," he added.

Brayshaw said he planned to send another letter, including the petition, to CCM.

Selectman Dave Burgess urged the board to consider the pros and cons of CCM before making a decision on whether or not to terminate the town's membership.

"They do many things. You have to look at the totality of the situation," Burgess said. "I know a lot of people are upset about that particular item, and some people maybe not."

Middlefield's annual membership fee with CCM is $2,750, according to finance director Joe Geruch, who said the organization provides other services which include everything from seminars to drug and alcohol testing for the town's highway department for a total cost of approximately $4,000 annually.

Selectman Ed Bailey agreed that the town should consider its options, which could include membership to the Connecticut Council of Small Towns.

Annual membership to COST is about $500, according to Geruch, although the organizations provide different level of service.

"Maybe we should look at both these organizations and see which one better suits the towns," Bailey said.

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