Opinion: 'Mr. Tinsley's Record of Service to the Town is Filled With Examples of His Divisiveness'

Editor’s note: Brookfield Patch will accept letters to the editor on behalf of political candidates through Wednesday, Oct. 28. Email your letter to wendy.mitchell@patch.com.

A Letter to the Editor by Howard Lasser.

I understand in his closing remarks at the First Selectmen’s debate Mr. Tinsley spoke out against the vitriol of a few and how it is ruining our town. Perhaps a look in the mirror might inform Mr. Tinsley as to the cause of that vitriol. Let’s look at the record. Mr. Tinsley’s record of “service” to the Town is filled with examples of his divisiveness.

His time on the Board of Education was one of the most divisive times in the Town’s history caused by his homophobic crusade against “safe zones” in our High School and his attacks on the School’s health curriculum and the citizens committee that helped evaluate and write it. This was even picked up by national news media reported in the New York Times.

On the Board of Finance his determination to cut school funding reducing year to year spending brought out one of the largest turnouts in years to a Board of Finance public hearing and later the Town Meeting. This was repeated in 2014 where his top down analysis of the Board of Education budget lead to a unilateral cut in their budget.

His attacks on the members of the Board of Education are intended to direct attention from his own character failings as well as his own culpability.

As First Selectman he has limited public comment at Board of Selectmen meetings, has ignored petitions for Town Meetings and championed a reduction in the authority of the Town Meeting.

There are a lot of ways to resolve challenges. Mr. Tinsley’s chosen method is to point fingers rather than work collaboratively.

The solution to eliminating the vitriol he sites is to remove him from a position of public trust. If you want an administration that is more interested in solutions than in blaming someone then vote for the Row A team.