Friends of Newtown Seniors brought former First Selectman Dan Rosenthal to the senior center on Friday, September 12. Rosenthal’s program was titled, “What Are We Voting For,” and he walked the crowd through elected town boards and commissions, discussing their responsibilities, powers, and limitations.

Ned Simpson introduced the program and explained that Friends of Newtown Seniors (FONS) tries to get seniors in town informed on the local election and candidates. He said that this year’s approach is a little different because FONS and Newtown Senior Center are collecting questions from residents about town boards and candidates. Simpson then introduced Rosenthal to the group.

“Everyone assumes that the first selectman is all powerful,” Rosenthal said. “The assumption is that it’s an all powerful job and whatever needs to happen in town, the first selectman just makes happen. The reality is that that role is a collaborative one … We do have a complicated government structure in town in terms of delegation of authority … which I think can be frustrating as a member of the public.”

He said that though the structure can be complicated, it does keep the town from “getting too out of whack.” First, Rosenthal talked a little bit about the first selectman and the responsibilities that come with that title.

The first selectman is the chief executive and administrative officer of the town. The first selectman presides over the Board of Selectmen and is an honorary member of all boards and commissions of the town. The first selectman is also responsible for making the recommendations for nominees for appointed boards and commissions. Rosenthal said that though the first selectman is the administrative officer, there is a checks and balances body: the Board of Selectmen (BOS).

BOS supervises the administration of town affairs and is responsible for coordinating activities of other town boards and departments. BOS also reviews the present and future needs of the town. It is also responsible for supplying a proposed budget, first presented by the first selectman and approved by the board, for the upcoming fiscal year to the Board of Finance (BOF).

Then, Rosenthal discussed the Legislative Council (LC) for a bit. The Legislative Council is the town’s “fiscal authority,” meaning LC has the final say in budget approval or denial. The council also had the power to enact, amend, and/or repeal ordinances. Rosenthal noted that most towns that have an LC do not also have a BOF.

He segued right into discussions about the BOF and its various responsibilities: “They do review budgets. When the budget leaves the Board of Selectman, they review it and make recommendations, but they’re also supposed to be looking at forecasting, trying to get a sense of where things are going. They also come in as it pertains to the Board of Education budget, too.”

BOF is tasked with a “long-term view in terms of what taxpayers can afford,” Rosenthal said. A brief discussion erupted between the crowd and Rosenthal about the budget and how it goes through each town commission.

Then, with budget in mind, Rosenthal talked briefly about Board of Education (BOE). Rosenthal explained that BOE members have staggered terms to keep some “institutional memory” and the entire board cannot be replaced if a resident did not like a book being taught in the curriculum.

“Board of Education is responsible for oversight of the whole school system … the Board of Education is responsible for approving policy, approving curriculum, and, you know, basically all things related to the schools. They’re also tasked with preparing a budget,” Rosenthal told the crowd.

Planning & Zoning (P&Z) was next. Rosenthal said that P&Z is a “quasi-judicial body” that is responsible for orderly and coordinated development in town. The commission is also responsible for developing the ten-year Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) that outlines the town’s goals and values when it comes to development.

Rosenthal shared, “I know that people kind of view sometimes what Planning & Zoning does as a popularity contest. It’s not. If 200 people come to a meeting and a project meets the letter of the law … P&Z can’t just say, ‘A lot of people are going to be mad at me if I vote for this, so I’m gonna vote no.’ That will not hold up in court. A judge will say, ‘What are we doing here?’”

He added that P&Z is a “complicated role” and noted that, along with all other boards and commissions, it has a lot of nuance to it.

Rosenthal then talked a little bit about the town clerk and Police Commission. He said that the town clerk has a four-year term and looks over land records, vital records, issuing licenses, and managing public records. FONS noted that the town clerk performs over 500 duties mandated by the Secretary of the State and over 100 more mandated by Newtown.

Police Commission is the town’s local traffic authority. It is also responsible for setting policy within the police department and is meant to be “civilian control of law enforcement.”

At the end of Rosenthal’s presentation, attendees were encouraged to write down their questions for specific boards and commissions or candidates. The question sheets are available for those who did not attend this first program at the Senior Center for a limited time. The second session is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 10 am.

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.