Letter: Board of Selectmen Replacement Process Clearly Laid Out in Fairfield Town Charter

Written by

Tom McCarthy, RTM Majority Leader; Brian Farnen, RTM Deputy Majority Leader

To the Editor:

As our first selectman alluded to in his state of the town address last week there certainly is a fair amount on controversy and angst at the Board of Selectmen these days since Laurie McArdle stepped down from that board for personal reasons, or more specifically controversy and angst over replacing her. As others have stated, the process for that transition is clearly laid out in the Town Charter, and that process was faithfully followed. Accordingly, Ed Bateson would and should serve out the remaining term of Laurie McArdle.

Our first selectman understood this and he supported Ed’s appointment in the Board of Selectmen meeting on December 7, 2016. Ed Bateson is a long-time town volunteer and public servant who assumed the role of Selectman at the behest of his party.

As anyone who has ever served with Ed knows, he is a stand-up guy, well respected and eminently qualified to serve as a Selectman; however, the push back against Selectman Bateson by some who would prefer not to follow the Town Charter has escalated to the point of calling into question his character.

As the Majority and Deputy Majority leaders of the RTM, we agree with the words of our first selectman in his state of the town address. We absolutely do “owe it to our citizens to provide the best demonstration of teamwork. We should be setting an example for our State and Federal governments on how working together produces the best results for our residents.”

That said, it is impossible to reconcile the actions of some town Democrats with the words of their leader and this degree of personal attack ought to be beneath anyone elected to serve in Fairfield.

Tom McCarthy, RTM Majority Leader

Brian Farnen, RTM Deputy Majority Leader

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