After hearing concerns about a Democratic Town Committee nomination for the Fairfield Hills Authority that was rejected after a missed deadline, First Selectman Pat Llodra produced extensive documentation on the matter that reveals four Republican candidates seeking the seat were also rejected for that same post for the same reason.

During the early public participation session at a September 10 Board of Selectman meeting, former first selectman and current uncontested Board of Selectman candidate Herb Rosenthal appeared expressing “serious concerns” over a rejected appointment. According to Mr Rosenthal, an interested unaffiliated voter, Kelly Johnson, had submitted a resume to the first selectman’s office well ahead of what he called a “short, arbitrary deadline of August 14,” for consideration.

The open position occurred when Democrat Michael Holmes notified Mrs Llodra's office that he did not wish to be reappointed at the end of his term on July 31. The first selectman’s office advertised the opening — available to any party affiliation — in The Newtown Bee July 17, 11 days after Mr Rosenthal was first notified of the pending opening in a July 8 e-mail from Mrs Llodra’s assistant Susan Marcinek.

In remarks, which were supplied in writing to The Bee, Mr Rosenthal appeared to take issue over the fact that Ms Johnson was never personally screened by officials, asking: “Why was she not afforded an interview and consideration by the first selectman?”

He went on to say that both the DTC and local Republicans were not officially notified about Ms Johnson’s request to serve until August 10, when he responded to the first selectman’s office that Democrats were intending to interview her for possible nomination on August 13.

Mr Rosenthal then flagged a response he was copied on between RTC member Carey Schierloh and Ms Marcinek referring to the candidate, that stated: “OK…….will talk to her but don’t see that appointment happening.”

Mr Rosenthal also attached an e-mail he sent to Ms Marcinek time stamped 6:54 am on August 16, stating that the DTC had qualified and was nominating Ms Johnson for the post, adding that she intended to register as a Democrat.

Following the September 10 meeting, Mrs Llodra explained to The Bee that more than five years ago, the Board of Selectmen created “a structured means of placing volunteers on boards,” and that the vacancy announcement was posted in the newspaper four weeks ahead of the position’s closing deadline.

“Any unaffiliated candidates are sent to [both] the RTC and DTC for consideration, and the RTC and DTC are also free to submit any candidates of their own,” Mrs Llodra said. She also referenced a request by the RTC to postpone the appointment beyond the August 14 deadline because there were four Republican volunteers vying for the post, but that request was denied.

“This was the first time in years a candidates committee has asked for an exception,” Mrs Llodra said.

Mrs Llodra stated that the DTC recommendation was not received until August 16, and that she “couldn’t find justification to make the exception, [because I] had to say no to too many others who put themselves in late.”

The first selectman recognized that unaffiliated voters face an added challenge in cases like this because any nomination to fill a Republican or Democratic vacancy must be made via that respective party’s nominating process. That said, Mrs Llodra praised both parties for doing a wonderful job recruiting and nominating volunteers for nonelected posts in local government.

“If you look across the entire landscape of appointed boards, you’ll find Republicans, Democrats, and unaffiliated voters all over the place,” Mrs Llodra said.

“I appreciate that the DTC wants to, or appears to want to, elevate their presence on local committees, but the process is the process, even if I don’t like the position it puts me in,” she added.

Mrs Llodra also said a second unaffiliated voter expressing a desire to serve on the authority was sent to Mr Rosenthal on July 15, but that individual was apparently never contacted or interviewed by the DTC.

“There is no merit in Herb’s argument,” Mrs Llodra said. “I support the DTC and their efforts to increase Democratic presence on appointed boards.”

She also acknowledged that Mr Rosenthal will become the town’s newest selectman following the November election because he is currently unopposed for the seat being vacated by Democratic Selectman James Gaston, who is now seeking a seat on the Board of Finance.

“While I welcome Herb to the Board of Selectmen, I do not understand this,” she said, referring to the appointment concern.

This report was updated to clarify that Michael Holmes did not resign his position on the Fairfield Hills Authority as originally reported in the original version published September 18.