To the Editor,
Next month on Election Day, Brookfield residents have to decide – again – if we want to increase the Board of Selectmen from 3 to 5 members.
Even though, Brookfield voters have overwhelmingly said in two elections that we are comfortable keeping our present system, this Charter Revision Commission (CRC) does not care. The First Selectman told them he wanted a five member board at the outset of their work.
With the exception of the Democratic Town Committee, the number of residents that went on record as wanting 5 Selectman can be counted on one hand. As with the CRC’s cockamamie Town Manager proposal, this idea came from the First Selectman at the outset and the CRC paved a path to propose it, completely disregarding the lopsided citizen-input of opposition.
Many of the present CRC members advocated for 5 Selectmen last Charter Revision in 2007 – including then Democratic Party Chairman Joni Park and then Vice Chairman Ron Jaffe. As they have many times in their respective roles as Selectman and Board of Finance member, they push forward with their agenda regardless of what the majority has told them twice.
The CRC had the golden opportunity to bring forth many questions for us to decide that may have enhanced Brookfield’s longstanding tradition of citizen-rule, including a split budget vote. Do you know Brookfield is only one of two towns in the area whose Charter has not made this permanent?
Instead, we are stuck rehashing the same old questions, along with some new ones that would further circumvent the concept of power to the people.
Vote No on November 6th because Brookfield is a great community with a great form of government. Let’s keep it that way.
