Party-Line Council Vote For Farmington BoE Vacancy Angers Dems

FARMINGTON, CT — The GOP-led Farmington Town Council's recent appointment of a Democrat to fill a vacant school board post has Democrats howling in anger.

That's because, instead of appointing the Farmington Democratic Town Committee's nominee, Matt Hutvagner, the council voted, 4-3, last week to appoint Democrat Martin Skelly to fill the Democratic spot on the Farmington Board of Education.

This party-line vote has Democrats accusing Republicans of failing to work in a bipartisan manner and furthering a local political divide many wanted to see bridged in town.

According to the committee, Skelly was never mentioned by local Democrats as a possible hopeful and, according to a Dem statement, he is "someone more aligned with the Republican party than his declared party affiliation."

The vote was one of many appointments approved Jan. 2 by the town's top governing body and it was the most controversial.

It fills a vacancy created when Democrat Patricia Boye-Williams was elected to the council after serving on the school board.

Her four-year, Farmington Board of Education term was to end after the 2025 local elections and this appointment fills that vacancy until, at least, then.

Dems Wanted Hutvagner

It was Boye-Williams who moved for the appointment of Hutvagner to the school board at the council meeting last week.

"I think he would be an excellent person to have on the board," Boye-Williams said of Hutvagner, indicating she has worked with him on a variety of school/community initiatives while she was on the school board.

Democratic Councilman Dave Wlodkowski echoed those sentiments in seconding her motion.

He said Hutvagner has plenty of experience serving on town boards/commissions and working at ESPN in the accounting office.

"There isn't anybody that could meet the qualifications that Matt has as far as somebody who wants to contribute wholeheartedly to this community," Wlodkowski said.

Hutvagner ran for the Farmington Town Council last year, but came up short on votes during the 2023 elections.

Democratic Councilman Brian Connolly said Hutvagner is a "man of character."

"He brings that to his work. He brings that to his community. He is a caring man. There's no other way to say it," Connolly said.

GOP Thinks Otherwise

Republicans on the council, however, disagreed. They hold a 4-3 majority on the council.

When the matter was brought to a vote, the GOP councilmen shot down Boye-Williams' motion with four "no" votes and three "yes" votes.

Instead, the Republicans on the council voted 4-3 to appoint Democrat Martin Skelly to the school board, despite him not having the endorsement of the town committee.

Republican Councilman Keith Vibert, who motioned to approve Skelly, said he was a 30-year resident of Farmington.

A former Middletown schoolteacher, Skelly retired with decades of experience in education, Vibert said, an experience that would serve the school board well.

"In addition to those professional credentials, Martin has also consistently volunteered to support his community throughout his life," Vibert said, citing time as a volunteer firefighter

"I cannot think of anyone more qualified as an educator, a professional, a volunteer and recommend this appointment. I strongly endorse Martin Skelly for the board of education," Vibert said.

Emotional Testimony

This prompted an angry Connolly to retort "I'm sorry, I don't know this man."

"I'm wondering why our candidate was so unanimously turned down by the Republicans. I'm very disappointed by that and, honestly, a little shocked that that is how you are going to proceed with our very first vote on how we're going to work together. I don't see that as working together," Connolly continued.

Connolly said he respects GOP members, but said he doesn't think it goes both ways.

"And yet, I feel like politics has, somehow, crept into what we're trying to do in terms of policy and the public interest. So that is very sad to say. It's hurtful to say," an emotional Connolly said.

Wlodkowski said traditionally, past practice calls for the party to pick the hopefuls appointed to fill a vacancy, not the majority opposition party.

"Our nominee there is somebody who has demonstrated, above all else, the commitment to this town, the commitment to making things better," Wlodkowski. "To categorically dismiss this is a tremendous disappointment."

He said it hurts Skelly too and doesn't set him up for success, especially since no one on the Democratic committee knows of him.

"You're not doing this person any service. This person is going to be an outlier on the board of ed," Wlodkowski said.

Vibert said Skelly was a good candidate and the decision wasn't about Hutvagner, who Vibert said he did "have reservations about," but the belief Skelly was a better option.

Vibert offered no reasons for his "reservations" on Hutvagner.

Democrat Accusations

After the meeting, Farmington Democrats issued a statement condemning the appointment, saying it goes against tradition and past practice.

Democrats, even, went so far as to accuse the GOP of picking a school board member who is more likely to cross the party aisle and go the Republican route on many issues.

"This decision was made without discussion or debate during the public meeting. In addition to blocking the Democrat-recommended candidate, they went so far as to install an individual never discussed with any Democratic Town Council member or leadership of the Farmington Democratic Town Committee," Farmington Dems said in a statement.

Democrats also accused the Republicans on the council of violating their goal of a bipartisan approach to government in town.

Said Farmington Dems: "It is unacceptable that the Town Council Republicans decided to start the new term playing partisan political games with the public school system Farmington residents and the Farmington Democrats hold in such high regard."