Norwich — City Council Republicans are considering a proposal that would call for the two embattled leaders of the city utilities commission to step down over their participation in a controversial trip to the Kentucky Derby last May if the council drops its plan to conduct an internal investigation into the issue.

Board of Utilities Commissioners Chairwoman Dee Boisclair and Vice Chairman Robert Groner were among five city officials found in violation of the city ethics code for their participation in the lavish May 2016 Kentucky Derby trip hosted by the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative. Mayor Deberey Hinchey and NPU General Manager John Bilda and NPU Division Manager Steve Sinko also were found in violation.

The Ethics Commission had recommended that the utilities commission not reappoint Boisclair and Groner to their leadership roles on the Norwich commission and that they be replaced as NPU's representatives on the CMEEC board of directors. But the utilities commission voted March 28 to reappoint the two commission leaders, a move that angered the City Council and prompted calls for the pair's removal from the commission.

Republican Alderwoman Stacy Gould, one of two GOP council members appointed April 17 to the special investigation committee, said Wednesday she has been working on a proposal for the past few weeks to have the two commissioners resign. If the proposal is agreeable to the parties involved, it would be presented to the full City Council as a resolution for a vote.

“I think it's time for us to concentrate on the budget, which is going to affect a lot more people than Derbygate did,” Gould said Wednesday. “This is a way to move the city forward, and put to rest Derbygate, and we move forward.”

Gould and council President Pro Tempore Peter Nystrom both called the proposed agreement “fragile” and “in its infancy.” The City Council will meet Monday and no resolution will be listed on the agenda. It's unknown at this point whether a resolution could be added Monday or placed on a future council agenda.

Gould said it is in the city's best interest to put the entire Kentucky Derby controversy behind it to deal with a contentious budget season; the council last week asked City Manager John Salomone to cut 5 percent from his proposed budget for next year. The outline of those cuts will be on Monday's agenda.

“These two people are honorable people, they made an honest mistake,” Gould said. “Let's put some new people on (the utilities commission) and put confidence back to the ratepayers and taxpayers.”

The Ethics Commission ruling also called for Groner and Boisclair to reimburse the city for 25 percent of the calculated value of the trip for themselves and their spouses, a total of $3,877 each, and the City Council voted April 3 to seek full reimbursement, $15,510 each. Gould said, however, that reimbursement was not part of the proposal to be considered.

“Out of the goodness of their hearts, if they want to make the reimbursement, that's wonderful,” Gould said. “It's not a condition of the proposal.”

Mayor Hinchey already paid the city the $1,945 recommended by the Ethics Commission and said she would not add to that amount despite the council recommendation. Hinchey has recused herself from all council discussions of the Kentucky Derby controversy and has left the room.

The council investigation committee has experienced its own internal controversy.

On Wednesday, Republican Alderman Gerald Martin, who also was appointed to the investigation committee, said he had no knowledge of the proposed deal and was not consulted. He said he received an email Wednesday morning requesting a Saturday meeting with an attachment he was unable to open.

Martin said he has plans for Saturday and was not informed of the negotiations Gould has engaged in until Wednesday.

“We haven't even met as the committee,” Martin said. “... I'm not happy with the way things are going. I sit on the committee, and I don't know half of what's going on. I'm very frustrated with the people I'm working with on the committee.”

During the City Council discussion April 17 regarding the formation of the committee, Democrat H. Tucker Braddock, who was listed on the resolution as a member of the committee, announced publicly that he would not participate. After the meeting, Braddock said he did not know his name would appear as a potential member of the committee until a news reporter asked him about it.

Nystrom said that night that Braddock was included as the only council Democrat, according to state statutory requirements for minority party representation on council committees.

c.bessette@theday.com