To the Editor:

Speaking as a member of the Newtown community, and not for the Board of Education (BoE) of which I am a member, I’d like to add my thoughts about the article entitled “First Selectman Opposes Removal As ‘Ex Officio’ On BOE.” [The Newtown Bee, March 19, 2021.] When reading the charter, I sometimes find it confusing. For example, the relationship between the Board of Selectmen (BoS) and the BoE seems hierarchical some of the time and more like peers at other times, such as during the budget process. In addition, the interplay between the charter and BoE-specific CT general statutes is even more perplexing. The article calls out two sources of such confusion reflected in the BoE charter revision requests: the term “Town Department” and the “ex-officio” BoE membership of the First Selectman.

Town Department

The term “Town Department” (uppercase), as defined in the charter, consists of town departments (lowercase), the BoE, and “any other Town Body to which funds are appropriated in the Town Budget.” The use of this term, using both uppercase and lowercase versions of “town department,” may lead readers to potentially confuse the agency of the BoE with the agency of town departments that are under the direction of the First Selectman and are included as part of the BoS requested budget.

Recently, the Board of Finance and Legislative Council had inconsistent interpretations for the notion of “fiscal authority” as used in BoE-specific general statutes. The charter’s use of the term “Town Department” could be another example of where confusion with the general statutes may inadvertently occur. Hopefully the Charter Revision Commission will have the time to review and reconcile the charter with the general statutes and provide clear, consistent, and definitive language going forward.

Ex-Officio Status

The CT general statutes state that the First Selectman is the chief executive officer of the town and [thereby should be an] ex-officio member of town boards, commissions, and committees. The statutes also say “(l)ocal Boards of Education are not agents of the towns, but creatures of the state.” Like I said earlier — so confusing! Hopefully the Charter Revision Commission can look into this more deeply, resolve the apparent conflict, and provide clarity about the relationship between the First Selectman and the BoE.

In closing, confusion can amplify division. Now is a good time to appropriately address it. Doing so will help ensure that our charter lays the foundation needed for a collaborative spirit among our boards and commissions that fosters the cooperation we all want and our voters deserve.

Deborra Zukowski

4 Cornfield Ridge Road, Newtown