Election 2023: Boards of Finance & Selectmen Candidates Meet At LWV Debate Forum

Both commonalities and differences were highlighted Thursday night when candidates for the Board of Finance and the Board of Selectmen teed off in two separate debate forums at Wilton Library, which co-hosted the event with the Wilton League of Women Voters (LWV) and GOOD Morning Wilton.

BOF candidates included four newcomers — Republicans Rudy Escalante and Prasad Iyer, and Democrats Tim Birch and David Tatkow. Democratic candidate Slava Servello was not in attendance due to a work commitment.

Because of a death in her family, Farah Masani, a newcomer Democratic candidate for the BOS, was not in attendance to debate with the two incumbents — Republican Joshua Cole and Democrat Ross Tartell.

Board of Selectmen Forum

While both Tartell and Cole stated that they shared a healthy and amiable working relationship on the BOS, the two candidates were the only ones out of all those participating in the candidate forums to approach something that resembled debating.

The back and forth began when the BOS candidates were asked by LWV Moderator Kay Maxwell about what one thing they might like to see changed in Wilton. Tartell said the town needed to examine how it faced off against mental health.

“The scope of the issue is so large,” he said. “We need to do more.”

Cole rebutted that members of the BOS “haven’t heard that there’s an issue with mental health in the town … I’m curious what Ross thinks … needs to be done.”

“The [Department of Social Services] and in particular its director, Sarah Heath has done a great job of alerting us,” Cole continued, pointing out that she hasn’t come forward to the BOS to express any concerns.

“I leave it to her in her professional opinion to let us know if there’s something that needs to be provided,” he said.

Tartell countered that it was the board’s responsibility by Charter to look at the programs and processes the town delivers.

“I think that is very important,” he said, noting that “pain and agony” experienced by some people in need of services in town — as highlighted through the Wilton Youth Council and Wilton Mental Health Task Force — “is palpable and it’s well documented.”

Although it wasn’t directly mentioned, there was subtext around the exchange related to questions raised on the current BOS about Tartell overstepping his responsibilities as a selectman and getting involved in the workings of a town department. It also indirectly referenced a complaint Heath filed in June against the town with the CT Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Heath claimed that Tartell allegedly harassed and discriminated against her based on her age and gender at a March community forum on mental health when he supposedly told Heath areas he felt needed attention in her department, loudly enough for others to hear.

The incumbents also did not see eye-to-eye regarding a question specifically about the issuance of a town-wide proclamation standing by LGBTQ+ Pride — something the current BOS unanimously voted down. Masani, who later helped found Wilton Pride, has been an outspoken proponent of such a proclamation.

“Personally I would like to see us not do any proclamations,” Cole said, noting they can be divisive or not have full community support.

While Tartell defended his vote and First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice‘s argument that a Pride proclamation didn’t fit the current criteria, he also said he was open to the incoming first selectwoman, Toni Boucher, revisiting the issue and proposing a proclamation. [Editor’s note: Boucher is running unopposed for First Selectman.]

“If that is the direction of our new first selectwoman, that is something that I would support without reservation,” he said.

Board of Finance Forum

The question of an individual member Board of Finance member offering outspoken public support of or opposition to decisions made by the entire board was something each of the four BOF candidates in attendance seemed to agree on, following a question that related to public statements made by seated BOF members about the budget.

The issue seemed to be tied to last April’s BOF deliberation and decision on the town budget proposal, when one member publicly spoke out and campaigned against the board’s stance, and another engaged in vigorous debate with residents in Letters to the Editor and comments online.

“I would not put ads in GOOD Morning Wilton … nor would I put opinions to the editor,” Escalante said. “I think you need to be part of a team.”

“Certainly I would voice my views very strongly during deliberations,” Tatkow said, noting that was the proper place for it.

Birch said that if the deliberations are transparent, the public will know where everyone stands. “Once the board has made a decision,” he said, “then the board should stand behind it cohesively.”

Candidates differed on the level of transparency they hoped to see from the Board of Education with regard to budget issues, with Iyer stating it needed to be moreso with voters than the BOF.

“I’m not sure the communication is as open as some people perceive it to be,” Escalante said, suggesting an “additional level of transparency” would be beneficial.

Escalante suggested the BOE should begin with at least some budget guidance from the financiers as a starting point.

“An early stage of guidance, I think, is a good way to get the conversation started,” he said.

Tatkow disagreed, citing many moving parts that would make it too hard for the BOF to give that guidance.

“Once we have a good long-term plan, we can provide guidance,” Iyer said, “and it’s fair to do that.”

None of the candidates were particularly negative toward current board members, instead expressing varying degrees of appreciation for their work and commitment.

“I think we should applaud the fact that anyone is willing to do that,” Birch said.