Enfield Leaders Address Concerns About Attorney Appointment

ENFIELD, CT — Enfield has a new town attorney, but some residents and council members are still debating about how the hire was handled and how much it could cost.

On Feb. 2, the Town Council voted to appoint Attorney Cindy Cieslak as town attorney through Dec. 31, 2027, according to official minutes from the Feb. 2 special meeting. Cieslak is a partner at Rose Kallor, LLP. She replaces Attorney Tom Tyler, who previously served as town attorney beginning in 2022.

The dispute is mostly about the hiring process and the payment setup — not about Cieslak’s resume.

What Sparked The Questions?

At the Feb. 17 council meeting, resident Tom Cremona said he thinks the town may have changed the “deal” during the hiring process.

“This has nothing to do with the attorney,” Cremona told the council. “It’s really about process.”

Cremona said if the town changed the pay plan, he believes it should have re-opened the process to all applicants.

What The Town Says Happened

Town officials say the hourly billing was not a last-minute change.

Town Manager Matt Coppler said the law firm’s proposal already listed hourly billing.

“In the response to the RFP, Rose Kallor put in that they were going to be charging hourly,” Coppler said.

He also said the town did not negotiate a new deal after picking the firm.

“There was never a negotiation,” Coppler said. “It was more, what do you mean when you say this? So we can understand that.”

What The Feb. 2 Record Shows

The Feb. 2 meeting minutes show the council approved an extra protection before final approval: a spending cap.

According to the minutes, the council added a $110,000 annual cap. If the town attorney’s bills would go over that amount, the attorney has to come back to the council for approval first.

The contract and engagement letter approved that night also spell out hourly rates and say the town will get itemized monthly bills.

The minutes also show a proposal to use a flat $85,000 retainer was brought up, but did not pass.

Charter Authority

Mayor Gina Cekala said the town charter allows the council to pick a town attorney after elections.

“By the charter, we don’t need to even put out an RFP,” she said.

The Feb. 2 minutes confirm the council discussed the position in executive session, then returned to public session to vote.

Not Everyone Agrees

Carol Hall, Councilor At Large, said she does not believe the process was handled correctly.

“With all due respect, those procedures, in my humble opinion, weren’t followed,” Hall said.

Cieslak remains Enfield’s town attorney under the hourly agreement approved in public session, with a $110,000 annual cap requiring additional council approval if exceeded.