File Photo
David Baker.
David Baker, a thoughtful, engaged, and straight-talking member of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), died Jan 10 after a long battle with cancer. He was 75.
He ran for the RTM last year and was elected, but his illness prevented him from serving as the RTM term got underway. During his term in office, he represented Stony Creek, the village where he grew up. He rose to become the chair of the Administrative Services Committee and the Democratic majority leader.
Baker had a long and distinguished career in computer engineering and software development, beginning when computer science was not yet a household word. An Army veteran who served in Okinawa, Baker later worked for General Electric for many years. That job took him to NBC, a GE affiliate.
He retired in 2001 and then worked at CuraGen, a biotech company based in Branford.
At the RTM he was analytical, approaching topics after he thoroughly researched them. He was able to take on issues that seemed difficult to resolve. For example, he was able to show the faults in a revised petition process that sent citizen issues directly to RTM committees that were not empowered to resolve them.
He noted that the RTM found itself spending months or years on a topic over which it had no authority. He was successful in pushing to repeal this form of petition.
Baker once said of the petition problem: “It is disingenuous for us to accept these petitions and send them to committee. It gives the impression that we can actually deal with the item. It also ties up the committee on matters it legally is barred from deciding.”
He also understood the distinction between local and state law and when state law prevailed over town ordinance. (Most of the time, he liked to say.) He noted, for example, that planning and zoning laws come under state statute. “If you make the mistake of putting a P&Z in your town,” he said, “then it’s hands off.”
One of his final acts was to convince the RTM to await the results of a state task force study on puppy mills before putting into motion a local ordinance designed to stop commercial stores, specifically All Pets Club in Branford, from selling these puppies. Last July he again drew the state-local law distinction and convinced the full RTM, in a bi-partisan vote, to remove the puppy mill issue from its calendar until the task force acted. The task force is expected to do so soon.
Baker, then the Democratic majority leader, told the RTM he would vote no on the issue because a state task force, which has the resources to investigate the issue, would be holding a parallel inquiry. “If the majority votes with me, we will remove it from the call [the calendar].” In the end, Baker won.
He noted often that the RTM had no ability to compel testimony under oath. The RTM has no subpoena power, he observed. “You can’t really look into something unless you can compel the truth.”
Many of his colleagues said yesterday he will be greatly missed.
Calling hours will be held at the Guilford Funeral Home, 115 Church St., on Friday, Jan. 17, 4 to 7 p.m. A memorial service will be held at Church of Christ Congregational Church in Stony Creek on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 11 a.m.
He leaves his wife, Ann McCollum Baker, their children, Greg and David, grandchildren and a sister, in addition to his extended family.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Smilow Cancer Center, PO Box 2038, New Haven, CT 06519 or Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence of the family, please visit the Guilford Funeral Home. ###