7 thoughts on “‘An Inconvenient Political Party’: Selectman Devereaux Critical of Changes in Leadership of Local Boards and Commissions

    • Well said Laura. We should be learning from what is going on at a National level and do everything we can to make certain that our town represents the interests of the entire community.

  1. Thank you, Kit. As someone who served for 9 years on a Town commission where we honestly felt no partisanship, I am appalled by this effort to enforce it in appointed town boards and commissions. Chairs of these bodies should be elected by the members, based on their evaluations of who is most qualified to run a civil, efficient process. The majority party generally has the majority of slots on these boards and commissions anyway, and if those members want to elect their leadership according to party, so be it. The First Selectman has very broad, almost absolute power in New Canaan, but if he/she truly has the best interests of the Town in mind, he should not be selecting board and committee leadership, and certainly not demeaning leaders who are not of his party.

  2. Thank you Kit for speaking out against what is a disturbing turn of events. This is by no means a one party town and at the end of the day those who have the town’s best interest at heart will surround themselves with the people who are best qualified and have a passion for our town regardless of party.

  3. There are more people in our town who declare that they are Republicans, but it is misleading to say that New Canaan is a Republican town. That sort of rhetoric is dismissive of those who do not identify as Republicans and indicates a “one party” rule. As divided as our country is at this time, we do not need our town leaders to exacerbate that sort of thought. New Canaan should welcome diverging opinions and political parties.

  4. In a town where no Democrat has ever won a contested election between a Republican and a Democrat, that is the definition of a “one party town.” Without Connecticut’s CGS § 9-167a Minority Representation Law requiring minority political party representation for local elected boards, including boards of education and finance, it would be all one party representation period. Our appointed boards and their leadership should come from both sides of the aisle. That is what a fair and balanced leader should ensure.

  5. Thank you, Kit, for speaking up. Town boards and commissions should be left to choose their chair without party political pressure from the First Selectman or any other elected official. Board and commissions work well when they are collegial and focus on the issues under their remit without party political considerations.

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