Selectmen Discuss Merits Of Their Position With Charter Panel

By John Voket

After forming a consensus that the three-member Board of Selectmen should be considered for elimination, the Charter Revision Commission (CRC) Tuesday sat down with the two selectmen whose positions would face elimination if the proposal came to fruition. While the charter panel made a preliminary decision to advise keeping the mayor/council form of government —– the mayor holding the same authority as Newtown’s first selectman — it was determined that downsizing the three-member executive body would aid in streamlining the local government.

During a mid-September meeting, Charter Revision commissioners discussed the proposal at length. By eliminating the three-member board, the town would forgo two selectmen meetings each month in favor of having the first selectman receive public input and report on official business during biweekly Legislative Council meetings.

If further revision resulted in eliminating the Legislative Council, the first selectman would presumably receive public input and make reports to whatever body was empowered as the town’s legislative branch. During previous charter commission meetings it was suggested that the Board of Finance might better serve the town as the legislative branch, but thus far, that idea has only been preliminary.

This week, Selectmen Brimmer and Bojnowski began their session with the charter panel by detailing the various meetings they attended independently or collectively, above and beyond the Board of Selectmen’s biweekly schedule.

Mr Brimmer reminded the charter panel members that their predecessors also moved to eliminate the three-member Board of Selectmen and the proposal was defeated. He then offered his ideas as to why the selectmen serve a collective purpose ultimately benefiting the community.

“I think being able to help the first selectman think about issues that come up in town maybe in a different way, and being advisors on that,” Mr Brimmer said. “It also gives both parties representation. This makes it an even playing field.”

Mr Brimmer said during budget time, a three-member panel can provide greater perspective as all the town managers come to present requests and ideas for funding their various departments and offices.

Mr Bojnowski tipped his hat to the town’s forefathers, in whose wisdom the Board of Selectmen was created. He then suggested that the protracted budget review and refinement process is best served when proposals are first vetted by his board.

“The first selectman is able to get input beyond his understanding of a particular issue,” Mr Bojnowski said. “Depending who is on the board, like a person from the business world as I am, you get a business viewpoint from a certain issue.”

Mr Bojnowski pointed out the litigation and construction experience he brings to the board and recognized Mr Brimmer’s expertise in union relations.

“The Board of Selectmen functions as a sounding board to the first selectman on a very clear basis — it’s very powerful,” he said. Mr Bojnowski said if his board was eliminated, citizens would have fewer opportunities to seek support or help in opposing certain municipal or private actions.

“We don’t have that many people attending our meetings, but it does give the people of Newtown a chance to talk to their administration every two weeks. We look to the voters and listen, and we try to integrate their input into our decisions,” he added.

Charter commission chairman Al Cramer asked how much public input was provided at Board of Selectman meetings. Mr Brimmer replied that it depends on the items on the agenda, noting the selectmen were planning to meet with two municipal leaders toward considering the formation of a long-range planning committee.

He also noted a recent action pending on creating a through road from two cul-de-sacs, which drew so much public outcry that the selectmen forged a compromise to keep the roads from being joined.

Mr Cramer asked if the selectmen collectively dealt with municipal personnel matters.

Mr Bojnowski pointed out one recent case that resulted in a dismissal. He recalled that input received in executive session was considered and discussed at length, and credited input from Mr Brimmer in helping clarify certain aspect of the case.

While the first selectman ultimately makes decisions on whether to dismiss a town employee, Mr Bojnowski said he felt decisions in certain cases are influenced through the board’s collective discussions.

Mr Brimmer, who previously served on the Legislative Council, said he much preferred the opportunity to discuss town business, and potentially influence public business, among three members versus 12 members. Mr Bojnowski agreed, saying the voters of Newtown hold all three members accountable for their actions both personally and politically.

He then introduced the issue of volunteerism, suggesting the further reduction of the board might further discourage members of the public from coming forward to serve.

Mr Brimmer concurred, saying he has noticed a change in the personalities in some of the individuals who are serving the town in recent years.

“What’s really changed is that you have people on the boards and commissions who are willing to check their egos at the door and come to the table to work toward a consensus,” he said. “I think our board works really well together, looking at the town with consensus around what makes sense as opposed to saying ‘I’m a Republican’ and ‘you’re a Democrat,’ and we’re still going to do it that way.”