Date: Fri 08-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Ben-Spragg-Profile

Full Text:

Newtown's Money Man: The Steady Center Of Newtown's Financial Swirl

(with photos)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Down in the depths of Edmond Town Hall sits a mild-mannered man and his laptop

computer. At first glance, you might think you've found the real-life Clark

Kent.

But take a closer look. For the past 16 years, Ben Spragg has been the rock in

an ever-changing government, guiding Newtown's finances with Superman-like

skill and assurance.

As the town's finance director, Mr Spragg watches every penny the town spends.

Rest assured, town officials say, he manages town spending and investing with

expert precision. In a way, he serves as the watchdog for the town's coffers.

"He's excellent. No question about it," said former first selectman Jack

Rosenthal, who hired Mr Spragg in 1982. "I dare say he's as good as any in the

field, if not better than most."

Mr Spragg has received the highest honor a financial director can receive for

his keen bookkeeping, but don't expect him to tell you about it. He's not

interested in awards. He's too busy banging out numbers in an effort to keep

the tax rate down, which has not been an easy thing to do in recent years with

sewers, a new library, school additions and a community whose funding needs

continue to grow.

Mr Spragg is also unique in that he is the only town official whose work

affects the entire town, going back-and-forth between the finances of both the

school and town. If you're looking for an accurate overview of town

government, Ben Spragg is the one to turn to. Almost everything the town does

has some sort of financial impact, and Mr Spragg is the only one who really

knows and understands where the money comes from and where it goes. Add in two

decades of experience, and you've got someone with the kind of specialized

local knowledge that only Jean St Jean approaches in the land-use department.

But as town officials point out, Mr Spragg has been more than just a

level-headed number cruncher over the years. He's provided a sense of

continuity during an era that has seen five different first selectmen in

office.

"Ben was a big asset to my administration from day one," recalled former first

selectman Bob Cascella. "He was right there when I arrived for my first day,

fully prepared to start work with my staff and me."

The finance officer also serves as a sort of "sounding board" for town leaders

who might need some advice from time to time. He's a good person to get it

from, too. "He's been there, seen this, done that," said Mr Cascella.

Always loyal to whatever first selectman is in office, Mr Spragg takes a

non-political approach to his job. Not every town leader comes in with a great

deal of knowledge for how to run a town. Fortunately, for the town's sake, Mr

Spragg has been there for him or her to turn to.

Job Security

Last year, the Charter Revision Commission voted to change a portion of the

town charter that appears to make it easier for the person in the finance

director's chair to be terminated. The decision was upsetting to Mr Spragg,

who worried about his own job security. Longtime Legislative Council member

Melissa Pilchard pointed to the irony of the situation.

"If there's job security for anybody, other that the owner of a company --

it's Ben," she said, pointing to his positive influence in the town's top

flight bond rating, his help with the Legislative Council's long-range

planning, and his sharp sense of treasury.

Council Chairman Pierre Rochman said Newtown has been fortunate to have a man

like Ben Spragg running the town's financial portfolio.

"It's hard to get an emotion out of him at meetings. He's hard to read, but

that's good," Mr Rochman said. "You know you're getting the right answer from

him when he finally does speak."

As the town's chief financial officer, Mr Spragg has been involved in plenty

of tense situations over the years, especially during the budget season when

both town officials and taxpayers tend to get a little anxious.

"He doesn't get excited, though," said Jack Rosenthal. "He always manages to

keep his cool."

Mr Spragg was rather shy when he first came to work for the town, Mr Rosenthal

recalled.

"He didn't like to speak publicly, but I suppose you can say I threw him in

the water and made him swim," the former first selectman said.

Mr Spragg's career in Newtown got off to a rough start 1982, his first year in

Newtown, when the town budget was turned down on three separate occasions.

"We didn't have a budget until August," he recalled.

Things have pretty much been clear sailing ever since, and now, with the sewer

project, library and school renovations finally out of the way, the finance

director sees a bit of a lull in the coming years.

A Discernible Passion

Mr Spragg does have one weakness, just one discernible passion, and everybody

agrees on what it is: golf. One mention of the sport seems to perk up the

generally serious, matter-of-fact town employee. He loves it and will travel

just about anywhere (especially the Caribbean) for a game. It's got to be warm

weather, though. He absolutely abhors the cold.

Currently, Mr Spragg is president of the Rock Ridge Country Club (where he

often goes for lunch) and previously served several years as treasurer.

As a financier, Mr Spragg tends to keep his guard up, especially when working

at meetings with the council and selectmen, so he doesn't often joke or even

crack a smile. Those who know him well, however, soon detect a subtle sense of

humor that pokes fun of the "system."

Despite his good relationship with town officials, there's little

fraternizing. Mr Spragg is careful to make sure he maintains a buffer between

himself and council members, selectmen, etc. Afterall, he is the employee, and

they are the managers.

Ben Spragg grew up in West Haven and after a short stint in the US Army went

on to the University of New Haven before eventually graduating from Western

Connecticut with a degree in finance.

From there, he landed finance officer jobs in both Monroe and Bethel before

finally being hired in Newtown. He and his wife, Audrey, also an avid golfer,

moved to Newtown in 1990.

As a top-notch finance director, Mr Spragg could easily make a move into the

private sector and demand more than double his current $82,000 salary. But he

hasn't, and it appears he won't. He says he loves what he does and plans on

doing it a little while longer. And Newtown officials agree: That's very good

news.