Term Limits - The Budget - Transparency - Conflict of Interest

Term Limits - The Budget - Transparency - Conflict of Interest

On May 26, Memorial Day, Term Limits for US Congress will begin Petitioning in All 50 States to use Article 5 to Impose Term Limits on the US Congress.

Whatever your political stripes I would bet that the majority of you reading this blog support term limits for the Senate and Congress.

That is exactly how I feel about municipal officials, after 12 years, thank you for your service, time for a fresh perspective. I believe elected officials on the Town Council, Board of Education and RTM, the Town Manager and Superintendent, as well as political appointees should have term limits of 12 years. Unfortunately, it is impossible to penetrate the entrenched status quo in Groton. Term limits would go along way toward allowing individuals with a fresh perspective to have an impact.

Regarding conflict of interest. During the Town Council budget deliberations, while I appreciate that Councilor Watson revealed he had a conflict of interest in the Registrar and Board of Education Accounts, I believe he should have recused himself from voting in both instances. I understand that there is a decades old “attorney opinion” that seems to be the backbone for Groton’s practice of not forcing politicians with conflicts to recuse themselves. This opinion is outdated and should be revisited with a different perspective. I believe if there is 1 penny on the income tax return of an elected official or commission, board or committee member that is earned from the Town of Groton, a conflict of interest exists. The person must not only reveal the conflict but also must recuse themselves from voting in accordance with Roberts rules and the Town Charter, which is the subject of interpretation. As important in all areas - the Town should not only eliminate conflict of interests, but also the perception of conflicts of interest as well. This is definite cause for concern.

On the subject of transparency. I am concerned that for years the Town Manager patted himself on the back for acquiring givebacks from the unions regarding their insurance premium. While at the same time allowing the non union insurance premium to remain at nice low 10%. In fact union insurance premiums are 14.5% to 16% with the Police at the highest rate of 16%. This is an outrage! Councilor Flax has gone public with concern about this issue but shouldn’t the rest of the Council voice their concerned as well?

When Doug Ackerman, Assistant Town Manager, offered to increase the non union insurance premiums recently at the budget hearing - why didn’t the Council immediately take him up on the offer?

Another example of lack of transparency is the addition of a new position in the Planning and Development account. Along with the funding for the new position and no corresponding addition to the employee number list? How could this have happened? I do not believe this is transparent, but shouldn’t the Town Council have questioned this lack of transparency?

One last comment. In the Town Manager’s budget letter on page II it states that once again this year the budget was put together with no input from the Council. This seems a bit disingenuous. Consider that Council Cerf and Moravsik repeatedly requested, in public, the opportunity to give budget guidance to the Town Manager before the budget was put together. They were ridiculed by the Town Manager with the now famous finger pointing “let me do my job” speech. This speech was unfortunately repeated again at the RTM meeting. This creates a completely dysfunctional budget process with the Town Manager directing the Town Council instead of the other way around. But my question is: shouldn’t the Town Council have been concerned as well?

Thank you for reading my blog all the way to the end, I realize it was a bit long.

Have a nice day!