Stratford Resident Recommended

As Town’s New Finance Director

By John Voket

After a more than two-month search process, and numerous candidate interviews, the Board of Selectmen and Legislative Council this week recommended Robert G. Tait of Stratford to replace Benjamin Spragg as Newtown’s finance director. The final administrative actions to complete the hiring process are expected to be completed in time for the highly experienced finance professional to begin working here May 12.

Mr Spragg told The Newtown Bee Thursday morning that he expects to spend the rest of May working in his part-time capacity helping transition Mr Tait into the job, and tackling the job of cleaning out his office.

“Now I know why people say don’t bring anything more into your office than you can fit in a briefcase,” he said jokingly.

Mr Spragg played an important role in recommending Mr Tait for the position, among numerous applicants and three finalists who were interviewed by a search committee made up of Selectman Herb Rosenthal, Councilmen Joseph DiCandido and Joseph Hemingway, Finance Board Chair John Kortze, and Newtown Human Resources Director Carole Ross.

“I’ve been hearing good things about Bob for many years,” Mr Spragg said. “I used to speak with the finance director in Fairfield, where he worked.”

According to Mr Tait’s resume, he most recently served for just over a year as finance director in Meriden, and before that he spent 11 years as controller, and eight years as the town’s internal auditor. Mr Spragg said he was impressed to learn that while Mr Tait was working by day in Meriden, he would often spend nights and weekends assisting other towns that were between finance directors.

“He was helping out several other communities,” Mr Spragg said, adding that the experience was important because it helped familiarize Mr Tait with numerous accounting systems and software packages, including the one currently used in Newtown.

“Bob has a broad picture of what’s going on in other communities, which should be a big plus for Newtown,” Mr Spragg said.

The outgoing finance director said Mr Tait also has an instinct for reading the markets, having done a lot of the same treasury work as members of Mr Spragg’s finance department staff.

“He’s also got a lot of experience working with outside auditors, including the firm that handles Newtown,” he said. That firm, Kostin, Ruffkess & Company, was coincidentally rehired by the council to handle the 2008 external audit the same evening as Mr Tait’s confirmation, putting the town’s financial support network in place for at least the next year.

The incoming finance expert is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. In his current position he oversees a staff of seven in the Meriden finance office, as well as three purchasing officials and ten others in the assessment and collections department.

He works with Meriden’s bond counsel and the city’s financial advisor, works with the mayor preparing and presenting the budget, as well as preparing annual comprehensive financial statements.

In just 14 months on the job, Mr Tait helped merge Meriden’s tax collector and assessor divisions, and changed the city’s accounting procedures to maximize the efficiency of its computerized accounting system.

As controller in Fairfield, he was responsible for accounting and treasury functions for both the government and Board of Education, and helped the town streamline its accounting procedures, implementing a new accounting system there. While in Fairfield, Mr Tait successfully reduced staffing levels and improved town and board of education accounting controls.

He managed Fairfield’s self-insurance program, including medical and workers’ compensation. In a previous position with Peat Marwick Main of Stamford, Mr Tait was charged with performing audits in both the private sector, as well as municipalities and banks.

He served in the US Navy as a Seabee for five years where he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal, and graduated summa cum laude with a BA in business administration from USC-Columbia. His interim duties have brought Mr Tait to West Haven, Hamden, and Regional School District 5 serving Bethany, Woodbridge, and Orange.

First Selectman Joe Borst hailed the news of Mr Tait’s recommendation, saying he will make a “fine addition” to the community.

“He’s had a lot of varied experience and has gone in to fill in for other towns and a board of ed,” Mr Borst said. “I’m very pleased.”

He said the incoming finance professional may have impossible shoes to fill, but hinted that he wanted to continue tapping Mr Spagg’s expertise in some way moving forward.

“I’m going to try and keep him involved,” said the first selectman.

Mr Kortze, who staffed the search committee, said he was “blown away” by the quality of the three finalists brought forth by Ms Ross.

“She prequalified three highly qualified candidates, who could all do the job,” Mr Kortze said. “But Mr Tait seemed to be the right fit. He had a spark and came forward with an attitude that coming to work in Newtown was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.”