Depleted Ethics Panel Will Take Up Complaint Against Town Clerk

By John Voket

Two of four ethics board reps who deliberated at length and determined there were grounds to conduct an investigation regarding Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia have left the panel. This leaves only two existing members and two alternates with any history regarding the matter when the board picks up its investigation at a special meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 7.

Chairman Peter VanBuskirk opted out of another four years of service after his current term expired in early January. And Sarah Frampton, who waged an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Ms Aurelia as town clerk in local elections last November, resigned her seat December 9.

Ms Frampton’s departure came after the earlier ethics meeting during which she assured fellow board members she was “friendly with [Ms Aurelia] and all parties involved,” and that she believed she could “be impartial in decisionmaking” before concurring an investigation was warranted, according to meeting minutes.

Another board member, Stephen Sedensky, did not attend the December 3 meeting in which the panel discussed the issue at length, and decided to act on the complaint.

In related news, selectmen unanimously recommended Addie Sandler as the Democratic replacement to complete Ms Frampton’s unfinished term earlier this week. Ms Sandler told The Bee Wednesday that she expected to be in attendance when the ethics board begins investigating the complaint.

Ms Frampton said that after a lengthy term of service to the board, she resigned when she learned through the Democratic Town Committee that Ms Sandler was highly motivated to serve on the board, and that she would be willing to fulfill Ms Frampton’s remaining term.

The agenda for this week’s special meeting, which was scheduled Thursday evening after The Bee went to press, was slated so the ethics panel could elect new leadership, as well as handling a “review and approval of process for [a] hearing scheduled January 14,” which is apparently related to the original complaint, along with an additional complaint filed by Sandy Hook resident Diane Guilfoil, and a statement from Angelina Carney Guilfoil.

 

Family Ties

Diane Guilfoil is married to Ms Aurelia’s ex-husband, and Angelina Carney Guilfoil was recently married to Ms Aurelia’s son, Ian. The original complaint, and the related correspondence, are all tied to an alleged interaction between the complainants and Ms Aurelia, which occurred on the day the complainants visited the town clerk’s office to pick up Ms Carney Guilfoil’s wedding license.

Ms Aurelia has maintained that the complaint arose from “a family issue that should have remained private.”

“I respect the process and purpose of our Board of Ethics, but continue to emphasize the personal nature of this matter and prefer not to comment [further],” Ms Aurelia wrote in response to questions about the matter.

First Selectman Pat Llodra, who is apparently the town clerk’s only ranking supervisor, also acknowledged the personal nature of the alleged interactions that led to the complaint, and offered no other comment except to say she has “to respect the process” through which the issue is being handled.

Minutes to the December ethics meeting reflect comments by Diane Guilfoil, who outlined two aspects of the ethics code she feels were violated by Ms Aurelia. Another resident, Jackie Zvon of Rocky Wood Drive, Sandy Hook, is on record telling the board during public participation that “she too has been subject to harassment from Debbie Aurelia including crass and vulgar behavior.”

During subsequent discussion, the minutes reflect that on the day in question, Ms Aurelia is accused of delaying the issuance of the marriage license for her son and the then-Ms Carney, by reportedly directing her staff to not issue the document until she was present.

The meeting minutes also allude to a verbal interaction that may have originated in the town clerk’s office, and which may have moved directly outside the Municipal Center on the day in question. Mr VanBuskirk confirmed the two areas to be looked into are the delay in providing service and the incident outside the office.

Focusing On Codes

Mr VanBuskirk stated during the December meeting that the Ethics Codes at issue deal with the behavior and comportment of town officials and employees.

Board Vice Chair Brian Ochs stated there was a need for a full hearing because without hearing Ms Aurelia’s side of the story, “One would conclude that there has been a violation.” Board alternate Neal DeYoung concurred.

The minutes reflect that Mr VanBuskirk read a statement from Ms Aurelia essentially defending her actions and that the duties of the clerk were fulfilled and the actions were between two people and a personal matter. But the text of that statement, as well as the original complaint from Ms Guilfoil, was not related in the documentation.

Mr VanBuskirk stated that the board will have two issues to focus on: to understand the responsibilities of the town clerk and to determine what happened. It was also determined that Assistant Town Clerk Monica Duhancik; Assistant Town Clerk, Ann Benore, Ms Carney-Guilfoil, Diane Guilfoil, and former first selectman Joe Borst would be invited.