To the Editor:

Because of my past service as First Selectman, for three terms, I was invited by a member of the Charter Revision Commission (CRC) to attend a meeting and express my views on the Town Manager proposal. I am against it.

Following that meeting I began to investigate just what was being asked by the Bd. of Selectmen for them to consider and what re-structuring was actually being put together.

What I discovered was a total re-write of the Charter, especially that which applies to the administration of Killingworth’s town government. This consists of 3 new administrators being proposed (Executive Secretary), (Director of Finance) and a (Director of Public Works) which has 5 employees plus a Road Foreman, all with detailed duties and responsibilities which is generally not part of a governing charter.

It also became obvious that the Assessor (Donna Shanoff), Road Foreman (Walter Adametz) and Selectmen’s Secretary (Carol Gordon) were being targeted for termination. These 3 long time employees have a combined service to Killingworth of 59 years.

The Assessor would be appointed from a 4 year to a one year term. No town in Ct. has such a provision and no prospect would ever apply for a position that could be terminated on a whim after one year. Chairman Adinolfo explained at the 6/17meeting the (CRC) was just making the Assessor conform to other one year appointments like the Tree Warden, Fire Marshall , Director of Civil Preparedness and Director of Health. Wow! Really?

The First Selectman’s duties have been substantially reduced. They no longer would be Director of Public Works and numerous other administrative duties have been shifted to new administrative Czars. Residents want to talk to the person they voted for or against on infrastructure questions, not just be transferred to some bureaucratic administrator. What will the First Selectman do?

Dan Perkins of the (CRC) explained on 6/17 there was concern for the continual one term First Selectman and they wanted to, put in place, for the future, this layer of new Administrators for when it is needed. I not sure he realizes that future poor First Selectman may be voted in, but would be promptly voted out the next time. Actually of the past 12 First Selectman from John Ahearn to Richard Cabral, 6 have served one term and 6 served multi terms. Further I just don’t know how one “pulls the cord” years from now when it is determined that “on this date” the new administrators should come aboard.

Mr. Dudek and Mr. Cabral have suggested no changes to this total re-write and have ok’d it as it now stands. Ms. Iino has not been heard from.

This goes on the ballot this November. Yes or No. Please call the Town Clerk at 663-1765 and request a copy of the proposal be mailed to you. You will be shocked. Make an informed decision. I’m voting NO in November

Gerald B. Lucas