Op-Ed: CPA as Town Treasurer Can Make a Difference

I am a CPA running for town treasurer in the November election. We came to New Canaan in 1988 and own no other home. This is our town and I want to use my experience to give back. The office of town treasurer is where I can have to most impact. Why?

Qualifications: I have an education in finance and accounting. I spent my career at Deloitte, including 34 years as a partner and several years as the global managing director of audit services. I have decades of experience advising large corporations in the finance and accounting area, including the treasury function. I have wide experience working with companies to improve their internal financial controls to ensure they do not have material weaknesses, a recurring problem in New Canaan.

I now serve on the board of a public company, where I chair the audit committee, as well as the boards of both New Canaan Community Foundation and New Canaan Land Trust. In these roles, I am involved in approving budgets and monitoring expenditure against budget, activities that are vital to sound financial management in a for-profit or nonprofit business, as well as in local government. In summary, I have the education and experience to be an effective town treasurer.

A presence at Town Hall: Retired from professional practice I have a substantial amount of time available to commit to this role if elected. I do not have another job; what I do have is passion and energy. My board activities provide ongoing, valuable experience that I can bring to the treasurer role but they do not take a great deal of my time. I commit to perform my duties as town treasurer at Town Hall during office hours on a regular basis, so that I can be interact with other town officials, from first selectman down, when questions arise during my work.

The responsibilities of town treasurer are prescribed by state law and the Town Charter; these are my top priority. I am ready, however, to use my background and experience to assist town hall with broader aspects of financial management as desired: cash and debt management, budgeting, control of expenditure etc. I have always prided myself in being a team player and I am willing to assist the next administration in any area where I can.

Why a CPA: For the past several years, the town’s auditors have identified “material weaknesses” in the financial controls. Not only is this embarrassing for us as a town, it is a red flag that taxpayers’ dollars lack adequate oversight and protection. In January last year, a member of the town’s Audit Committee said: “Material weakness is as bad as it gets.” Material weaknesses should be addressed promptly and not take years to fix. Reviewing and improving internal financial controls is what CPA’s are trained to do.

I will take a collaborative, non-partisan approach to my responsibilities, with an eye only to the good of the community. With my education, decades of practice as a CPA, strong record of volunteer service to our community, and time available during the day to be at town hall, I am ready to serve.

Rob Fryer