Boughton Hires Former Campaign Manager for Danbury Gig, Dems Balk

DANBURY, CT — City Hall has hired the former campaign manager for Mayor Mark Boughton’s 2018 gubernatorial run, a move that has Boughton's opponent in the current election crying "foul."

Boughton has hired Marc Dillon for a $75,000-per-year gig to do community relations work and project management for the city. Dillon ran the Republican's failed bid for the governor's seat after serving 10 years as chief of staff in Stratford.

"This is another example of a lack of transparency from Mark Boughton," said Chris Setaro, the Democrat running against the incumbent this November. "Hiring his former campaign manager to work in the mayor's office months before an election raises serious concerns."

A spokesperson for the Mayor's Office said Boughton is only looking to save the city some money. The position created for Dillon covers the job of a former community services coordinator, open since last month, and a project excellence director vacated earlier this year. Those jobs paid $45,000 and $120,000, respectively.

"If the move was a cost-saving measure, why not tell the people of the City?" Setaro asked Patch. "The real problem was not announcing the hiring of a former campaign manager because it erodes public trust, and looks as if the mayor put his political ambitions ahead of the public interest."