A Letter to the Editor Regarding Bethel's Budget & Charter Revision

A Letter to the Editor from J. Philip Gallagher

To the Editor:

The 2014-2015 Bethel budget was finally passed after four town meetings and four referendums. The process played itself out according to standard budget procedures.There is, however, one disturbing memory that lingers and that is the repeated attempts made to limit public debate at the town meetings.

A reading of the minutes of the town meetings as recorded by the Town Clerk indicates that most of the motions and seconds that attempted to stifle voter participation originated with people working in Town Hall and in particular the First Selectman’s Office. A memory that will remain for many is the sight of the First Selectmen and other Bethel officials voting to deprive Bethel citizens of the right to speak. These efforts to limit debate by our town leaders were sad but brief.

There is, however, a more sinister and far reaching effort underway that would permanently curb the voice of Bethel’s unsuspecting citizens and greatly enhance the power of those in authority. We are talking about the radical proposals of the Charter Revision Commission done at the behest of the Board of Selectmen, which would severely cripple the Board of Finance, which answers only to the voters, and at the same time allow the Board of Selectmen to spend many thousands of dollars on items not approved by the voters at the annual budget referendum.

These charter proposals would also double the length of the terms of office of the Board of Selectmen and delay voters the opportunity of voting them out of office for acting against the public interest as they did last year with their secretive, ill-advised scheme to sell Bethel’s entire water system including 370 acres of land for a pittance.

Bethel voters be vigilant! These Charter questions will be on the ballot in November. They must be defeated or Bethel will suffer budget chaos for years to come!

~J. Philip Gallagher, Bethel, CT.

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