Candidates Spar Over Economy

Unk and Andy took on Joy and Jamie in the race for Branford’s Board of Selectmen as the four met in debate for the first time last night. They jousted over the economy, educational excellence and whether a review process should be instituted before a first selectman initiates a lawsuit on behalf of the town. The event will air on BCTV, giving the public a chance to see exchanges among the candidates, three of whom are waging their first significant political campaign. Click here to see the community television schedule.

Democratic incumbent Anthony ​“Unk” DaRos is seeking his sixth term as first selectman. He is joined by Andrew Campbell, an attorney and current member of the Representative Town Meeting.

The Republican challenger for first selectman is Joy McConnell, a political neophyte who operates a home-based business. Her second-in-command is James Cosgrove, a member of the RTM and the grandson of Dan Cosgrove, once a major Democratic leader who founded the former Taxpayer Party.

Although the dialogue wasn’t heated, the candidates split over economic issues and the role of a first selectman.

The debate was sponsored by the League of Women Voters, who decided to break with tradition and have all four candidates participate instead of just those seeking the top office. The candidates were filmed at the BCTV studio with a small audience watching on a closed-circuit set.

The three reporters posing questions were Marcia Chambers of the Branford Eagle; Pam Johnson of The Sound; and Mark Zaretsky of the New Haven Register.

THE ECONOMY

Chambers, who began the evening with a discussion of the economy, said Branford has achieved an AAA bond rating and has fared well despite the recession. She asked how the candidates would handle the ramifications if the economic downtown continues.

McConnell said the town may appear to be doing well at the moment, but it is important to take a long-term view.

“If you look at the demographics in Branford, I think that there is a sense of foreboding, that maybe Branford is not in as good a shape as what your question would suggest,” McConnell said.

She said the population is aging, young families cannot afford to buy homes, and many homeowners are facing foreclosure.

“Taxes would be the first issue that needs to be tackled,” she said, later adding that it is important to bring new business in to town to shift the tax burden off the residents.

Cosgrove said the AAA bond rating is not necessarily due to the Board of Selectmen, but can be attributed to the Board of Finance and what was once a well-mixed tax base.

“I think we really need to look at the services we’re providing and if we want to maintain those services in a cost-effective way, then long term we need to focus on getting that well-balanced mix of the tax base back,” Cosgrove said.

DaRos said the town’s economic record stands for itself. ​“I believe the town of Branford is in good shape and I also agree that it takes a lot of people to get it that way,” he said, adding that the AAA rating is something the people of Branford should be proud of. ​“I don’t take the credit for it … I know it takes a huge team to make this work.”

Campbell said the town offers a myriad of services, especially for those in need. He said if the economy should worsen, it would be important to look at how to continue providing services without raising taxes.

EDUCATION

Johnson asked if the Board of Selectmen can do anything to encourage the board of education to spur economic development.

“A strong school system would make our town a desirable market for people to live it,” Cosgrove said, adding that over the past 10 years there has been a decrease in population as young families move to towns with stronger school systems.

Both Campbell and DaRos expressed faith in the ability of Hamlet Hernandez, the new superintendent, who has been in office for about a year.

“We just need to teach better and score better and allow the reputation for educational excellence to flow outside the borders of the town of Branford,” Campbell said, pledging to work with the board of education ​“to address …whatever the issues are that are impeding the test scores from being as wonderful as everyone wants them to be.”

DaRos also said that he has been working with the board of education. ​“I think you can look on the record and find that my administration has supported the education system probably greater than any administration has done,” he said.

McConnell said a first selectman does not have direct decision-making ability on educational issues, but stated, ​“I think you need someone in that office who is engaged in that conversation. I held a town hall meeting recently about education. … It’s important to be fostering dialogue.”

Three of the candidates said they have personal ties to the school system because they have children (or grandchildren in DaRos’ case) who attend public schools. McConnell’s three children attend St. Mary’s School, the Catholic school in Branford.

SENIOR CENTER

The debate shifted from children to senior citizens as Chambers asked the candidates whether they favor creating a new senior center.

​“I definitely think we need to have a new senior center,” DaRos said. ​“I believe with a new senior center we could increase the programs and be a little more responsive to the needs of the seniors.”

DaRos was the first to mention his ill-fated ​“senior swap” proposal, that would have involved the current senior center, the school administrator’s building and a privately-owned office building. The proposal hit several roadblocks before being shelved. He characterized it as a missed opportunity to serve the seniors.

DaRos said he is renewing his efforts to create a senior center. ​“We will be having a committee and they’re in the process of being appointed now,” he said. The committee would do an inventory of existing town-owned buildings that could possibly be used for a center. The school board is also examining its buildings to see if one might serve as a site for its headquarters, now located across from the town Green.

McConnell said the town has not been listening to the seniors. ​“I’m all for building a center that’s going to serve their needs, but we have to find out what their needs are, and the only way we can do it is by listening.”

She said the swap proposal was a missed opportunity ​“because of a lack of proper planning. The senior swap land exchange violated the town land charter.”

Campbell disputed that premise. ​“First of all, I specifically reject any allegation that the proposed swap was contrary to the town charter. It was not contrary to the town charter nor the town code…and I don’t understand why anyone would say otherwise.”

Cosgrove, like McConnell, criticized DaRos for the building swap proposal. ​“It was handled wrong from the beginning,” he said.

LAWSUITS AND SAFEGUARDS

A question that evoked markedly opposing remarks was posed by Zaretsky, who asked if a first selectman should be required to seek approval from the RTM before initiating a lawsuit. He also asked what safeguards could be put in place to control Branford’s legal bills.

“I don’t think the selectmen need to have RTM approval, but I think there needs to be an approval process in place.” Cosgrove said. ​“I was in favor of the board of finance reviewing it.” He said if taxpayers are being asked to pay legal bills, there should be oversight.

“I think there are safeguards already built in,” Campbell responded. He said asking for additional approvals would ​“do damage to the way the town does business. I’m certainly not in favor of the representative town meeting having some level of approval for the institution of a lawsuit. I do believe the board of finance already has review capacity in that regard. And to my knowledge, we don’t have an actual issue in terms of oversight, because it’s already built in.”

Cosgrove disagreed. ​“There is no safeguard. The first selectman can initiate a lawsuit at any time without seeking approval.”

DaRos said the process already has oversight. ​“There were only two that I initiated and both those lawsuits went before the Board of Selectmen, the board of finance and special meetings of the RTM and executive sessions.”

McConnell said a first selectman should seek approval ​“because those types of cases expose the town to potentially very high legal fees.” She said if elected she would encourage the issue to be revisited.

During the rebuttal, DaRos said people elect a first selectman to make decisions. ​“When those decisions are made, you follow the procedure and you do go through all those safeguards. These are not willy-nilly deals that are made out there. There is a process.”

The question about seeking approval before filing lawsuits has been discussed. The RTM last month voted 11 – 10 not to re-refer the issue to a special meeting, thus ending deliberations for the time being. The Democrats barely held a majority on the issue, and it could be raised again.

Attorney Richard Greenalch, Jr., a Republican member of the RTM, argued last month that all financial matters exceeding $10,000 should require prior approval by the board of finance. 

At the September RTM meeting, Campbell said he had conducted extensive research and found no other town or city in the Connecticut that required prior oversight before a first selectman or mayor initiates a lawsuit.

The person pressing the issue was John Opie, the Republican third selectman who at various forums asked that the town’s lawsuit against the Marcus Law Firm be dismissed. The town sued in 2008 under malpractice laws in connection with the law firm’s actions in its handling of the Tabor land lawsuit. 

The Marcus Law firm suit is still in New Haven Superior Court and is nearing the trial stage. The other lawsuit referred to centers on the town’s decision to sue its insurance firm for failing to pay certain damages in connection with the Tabor case.

Opie told the RTM that the board of finance should have oversight of lawsuits initiated by the town before they are filed. 

Sandra Reiners, a longtime RTM member and former RTM moderator, told Opie that every board was involved in the Marcus Law Firm lawsuit decision. ​“Everyone on the board of selectman, the board of finance, the RTM, we were all involved in the decision making at the very, very beginning. We knew what was happening,” Reiners said. 

CLOSING REMARKS

McConnell: ​“Simply being good at getting re-elected is not good leadership. …My definition of leadership is someone who is willing to listen and who is willing to help. I’m going to bring back responsive hands-on town management. I’m not a career politician, I’m a career citizen and … we career citizens in this election have a unique opportunity to bring new ideas, to bring new voices to the table and to breathe new life into town hall.”

DaRos: ​“These last four years, they were tough years but I want you to know we did not reduce any services in the town of Branford. The teachers are teaching, the kids are learning, there were no fire or police layoffs. In fact crime has gone down. Fires are being put out, the ambulances are responding… the roads are being paved, the snow is being removed …and the garbage is being collected. ….. I don’t believe that the town is in that bad of shape considering the times that we’re in.”

Campbell: ​“I want to address issues that remain out there. I want to improve things where I can…. I enjoy meeting people, I enjoy working with people …I am filled with enthusiasm and with energy, not just with this campaign but about the potential we have to do very good things in town.”

Cosgrove: ​“It not so important which side wins, it’s that the best ideas and those who are offering the best management for the town wins.” While trying to elaborate, he was visibly flustered, starting smiling and later explained that he just became ​“tongue-tied.”

Nancy Bassett (pictured )of the League of Women Voters concluded the one-hour debate by reminding the audience to vote Nov. 8 ​“because democracy must be preserved.”