Opinion: Kupchick’s Tab with the Town Grows

The following opinion essay is by the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee:

Since Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick lost her re-election bid in 2023, she has taken up the role of chief agitator to Democratic First Selectman Bill Gerber and his administration, questioning every action and decision they have made.

One of her favorite activities has been to cast aspersions and suspicion on David Becker in his roles as Fairfield’s Chief Operating Officer and Acting Chief Financial Officer, claiming there were conflicts of interest regarding town contracts held by his family’s business. Selectwoman Kupchick initially signed off on one particular contract she later claimed to take issue with. The town attorney and Ethics Committee both investigated and found no issues. However, Selectwoman Kupchick insisted on an independent investigation. The investigation was conducted by the Rose Kallor law firm and cost taxpayers $21,000, and cleared Mr. Becker of any conflict of interest.

While Mr. Becker was cleared through an independent investigation, there have been other investigations into Selectwoman Kupchick’s activities during and after her tenure as First Selectwoman that raise significant questions about transparency, ethics, and financial gain.

We recently learned that after losing her re-election in 2023, Selectwoman Kupchick wrongly applied for – and mistakenly received – unemployment benefits totaling $18,000. This came to the town’s attention when the state asked that the disbursed funds be repaid. After a lengthy hearing and appeals process, Selectwoman Kupchick has been ordered to repay the money.

Who authorized Selectwoman Kupchick to apply for unemployment compensation? Why did she believe she was entitled to it when a simple internet search of the CT Labor Department website CLEARLY STATES that “elected officials, members of a legislative body or the judiciary” are major categories of job not covered by unemployment insurance? As a former state legislator – who previously introduced three unemployment-related bills – did she not ask a single question, check the state website, or even do a quick google search before filing the claim? Why did she APPEAL the original decision?

Not only did Selectwoman Kupchick wrongly apply for unemployment after losing re-election, she also accepted nearly $12,000 in severance payments, which she was later required to repay. In 2021, while she held the First Selectman's office, she unilaterally enacted a policy granting severance to elected officials; she did so despite the regulation that any such policy would require approval by the Board of Selectmen. Why did Mrs. Kupchick not bring this matter to the BOS for a vote? In addition to the severance, she also had to repay the town because her health insurance funding was underwithheld.

Fairfield Republicans and Mrs. Kupchick continue to insinuate that Mr. Gerber is unfit to lead the town and that Mr. Becker is a corrupt, self-dealing official, despite being cleared at great taxpayer expense. Is this a deliberate flooding the zone with politically motivated attacks to distract from lingering issues that are surfacing from the Kupchick Administration? Or is it more personal? Is Selectwoman Kupchick angry because Mr. Becker is a Republican who once served as Treasurer for her State Representative campaigns and is now working for the administration that defeated her?

The taxpayers of Fairfield deserve answers.