LTE: Selectwoman Kupchick On Severance, Transparency & Town Charter

The following Letter to the Editor is taken from an email to Fairfield residents by Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick:

Dear Fairfielders,

Reflecting on my 23 years in public service, one word resonates above all others: honor. It has been an honor to serve our community. I want to express my sincere gratitude to my family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and so many of you who have written to me with encouraging words during the challenging moments when the ugly aspects of politics have surfaced. This kindness has reminded me of why I was drawn to public service.

I wanted to take a moment to address the severance payment provided to me by the Human Resources Director. Unfortunately, there have been misrepresentations that I feel compelled to clarify.

Accusations of wrongdoing are just that, accusations. The Town’s fringe benefits policy administered by the Human Resources Department pre-dates my term in office by several administrations. I am very disappointed by the poor oversight and due diligence in the HR process that led to this situation.

I hired an attorney to review the information the Town Attorney prepared regarding this issue. There was no constitutional violation or action taken on my part to increase my compensation. However, I have chosen to sign an authorization to return the $11,440 severance payment. You can read the letter Attorney Bucci sent to the administration with his analysis here.

While some have made it abundantly clear they would like to silence my voice and opinions on Town operations and governance. I will not allow mean-spirited and partisan attacks to sway me from my oath to serve our community. I look forward to continuing to serve on the Board of Selectmen, which I believe adds balance and important oversight to our democratic process.

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING FORMAT CHANGE – LESS TRANSPARENCY
The First Selectman has eliminated a longstanding agenda item from Board of Selectmen meetings by removing "open board discussion and new business," which I can only view as the latest attempt to silence my voice. This change, which has been a fixture for Board of Selectmen meetings for as long as I can recall; allows for the free exchange of ideas and or to highlight special events, and is the only opportunity for other board members to bring up a topic at the board table. Besides it being past practice, this agenda item is protected in the Town Charter and outlined in Roberts' Rules of Order, which all town boards are bound to follow.

I have respectfully asked for the reason for this change and the town attorney cited a lack of transparency. I find this puzzling, as these discussions, which are non-voting, improve transparency for the public by allowing topics not initially included on the agenda, topics that are otherwise solely determined by the administration. All Board of Selectmen meetings are recorded and archived on the town website for viewing by any member of the public, so any argument of open board discussion lacking transparency is disingenuous.

It appears this new protocol may be aimed at suppressing discussion that isn’t put forward by the administration, and is the only opportunity for the other members of the board to talk about town issues during a public meeting.

I asked the administration to reconsider this change and was told the "agendas are already long as it is." I am hoping the administration will follow the Town Charter and allow open debate on town issues because it is vitally important for our town's governance. As always, you can share your thoughts with the Board of Selectmen by clicking here.

ADMINISTRATION APPEALS $100,000 CHARTER REVISION CUT BY THE BOARD OF FINANCE
As part of the budget process, the First Selectman has said he will appeal to the RTM (Representative Town Meeting) to restore a $100,000 budget cut made by the Board of Finance through a bipartisan vote. The funds were proposed for the legal expenses necessary for the completion of a Charter Revision. As part of his reasoning, First Selectman Gerber stated publicly that many proposals from the failed 2022 Charter Revision should be put forward again for reconsideration. Having served in the First Selectperson role for four years, I can attest to the fact that we are currently operating under a form of government that is more conducive to a small town, and not the large community Fairfield is today.

However, it is reasonable to believe that more time should be spent examining this issue in full before taxpayers incur a $100,000 legal expense. I encourage the First Selectman to spend a full year in his new role before proceeding with Charter Revision. Waiting would allow the administration time to review recorded meetings, analyze commission emails, and speak with former commission members. More importantly, it would also provide a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in managing the 11th-largest municipality in the state.

State statute requires the Board of Selectmen (BOS) to be the appointing authority for forming a Charter Revision. Given the likelihood the money be restored by the RTM, I will request that the First Selectman add Charter Revision to an upcoming BOS agenda. We owe it to the public to have a full discussion regarding expectations for Charter Revision before the RTM takes a vote restoring the funds.

To share your thoughts on this issue, please contact both the BOS and RTM. E-mail the BOS here and the RTM here.

RTM FINAL BUDGET VOTE
The budget process is coming to an end after the RTM wrapped up its budget hearings Wednesday night. The final vote is on Monday, May 6th at 8:00 pm where the RTM can only approve or cut the budget. The RTM cannot increase the budget unless there is an appeal to add funding (as mentioned above regarding Charter Revision). As the budget is currently proposed the tax increase is slated to be 1.42%.

If you would like to share your comments on the budget with the RTM click here.

I hope you find this information helpful. If you have any questions, you can reach out to me directly at SelectwomanKupchick@gmail.com.

— Fairfield Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick