To the Editor:

Two years ago when I sought your vote as a candidate for First Selectman, it was my pleasure to have Fred Dudek as my running mate.  I served with Fred on the Board of Finance, and knew that then, as now; Fred is a good fit for the Selectman's table.   As you know, by a margin of 24 votes, Marty Klein defeated me for First Selectman.  Since then, I have served on the Charter Revision Commission and was Acting Chair of the Killingworth Housing Partnership. 

In my time on the Board of Finance, I also worked with another of this year's Selectman candidates, Ed Sipples.  I've read with interest Ed's recent letters discussing athletic fields and my running mate's proclivity for taking "unilateral" action.  I feel I must take issue with the rosy picture he paints of his candidacy and his commitment to move forward with what the town needs. 

Recently, Marty purchased a number of road signs.  Great concern has been raised over road safety (and with several long overdue construction projects underway, and school buses back on the road, who can blame anyone for their concern?)  Ed, rather than supporting Marty in this public safety issue, has refused to sign the $455.00 check – yup, $455.00 – to pay for the signs.  Apparently, Ed has some issue with the First Selectman, who under our Town Charter is also Chief of Police, Director of Public Works and Superintendent of Highways – buying signs to make our roads safer.

This is but one small example of why I am running for Selectman. 

Did Marty buy a fingerprint time clock?  Absolutely! Serious problems existed with the management and culture of the Public Works Department.  To deny that, is just plain wrong.  Further, Ed was against (and I presume still is) an employee evaluation program without outside consultants and "further study".

Ed seems to think the Town Charter has a $5,000 limit on expenditures.  In fact there is no such strict limitation.  What it says is "Bidding procedures that consider quality, experience and costs shall be used on all purchased items costing in excess of five thousand ($5,000.00) dollars".

For a full understanding of the powers of the First Selectman as "Director of Public Works" I would encourage everyone to review Section 8-6 of the Town Charter.

Unfortunately, this is a pattern with Ed.  True, Ed is not a "yes" man; a positive thing for any public servant.  But sometimes, the opposite is true:  someone is simply a "no" man.  And, when Ed tells us about his twenty plus years serving on Park and Recreation, what was his role in field development?  Twenty years under his guidance, and nothing to show for it?  Read his letter closely; in his twenty years, it was always the Selectmen's fault, the voters fault or too much ledge that kept us from getting fields.  Now that Ed has been a Selectman for two years, what positive actions has Ed taken to get the fields we still need?   

Killingworth deserves Selectmen that take their responsibilities seriously.  That means coming to meetings prepared to make a positive contribution to the discourse.  That means taking a positions on issues for reasons you can clearly articulate.  I will never be for or against anything because the position of the other Selectmen.  I will respect and listen to their points of view and vote my conscience.  Killingworth needs a Board that works together for the betterment of the community.  Killingworth deserves no less.

John Amport