SPECIAL REPORT: Former Selectwoman Kim Healy Cautions BOS and Town: Stay Vigilant Over Town Hall Operations

While her service to the town will continue on the Board of Finance, Kim Healy says several unresolved issues from her tenure on the Board of Selectmen still require attention. In an exclusive interview with GOOD Morning Wilton reporter Jarret Liotta, she outlined concerns about oversight, transparency and Town Hall operations.

Over the past year Healy was Town Hall’s most vocal critic. Despite sharing political affiliation with First Selectman Toni Boucher, the two have clashed in part because Boucher often resisted Healy’s ongoing attempts to collect town financial information and shed light on some questionable occurrences that have earmarked Boucher’s administration.

“Most of my requests for information were either ignored or required me asking multiple times,” Healy said. In turn, Boucher publicly chastised Healy at multiple BOS meetings, claiming Healy’s requests put undue burden on staff or added to legal costs.

Rogue Approvals and Missing Oversight

Healy says that under Boucher’s watch a variety of serious issues emerged, including town employees carrying out actions without requisite legal BOS approvals, something that underscores the need for stronger oversight. 

It recently came to light that Boucher signed a contract and authorized payments for design work for the Guy Whitten Field project in 2024 without proper BOS approval. Boucher placed blame on Parks and Recreation Department Director Steve Pierce. 

In September, Department of Public Works Director Frank Smeriglio authorized over $50,000 for the Middlebrook School project without proper BOS approval. While both Boucher and Second Selectman Ross Tartell praised Smeriglio for his initiative on a tight deadline, Healy called Smeriglio’s rogue approval “alarming.”

Earlier in the year officials discovered that the tax collector had issued tax credits amounting to more than $300,000 without BOS approval. Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker ultimately took responsibility for this, stating it was his job to supervise department employees. Boucher once again said she hadn’t been aware of something under her watch.

“One of the most important issues for the new BOS is the need to exercise oversight and demand transparency,” Healy said. “In the past year, we have learned of many issues — some that needed correction or retro-active votes — budget overruns and lack of reporting. The BOS has the authority to implement the procedures. Funds appropriated without approval violate state statute and, no matter what the dollar amount, cannot be allowed.”

But under Wilton Town Charter, the BOS has limited authority when it comes to direct involvement with staff and overseeing how the first selectman is handling — or potentially mishandling — Town Hall operations.

“There is no recourse, even though we are elected selectmen, except for filing an FOI complaint with the state,” Healy said.

Healy said it’s up to the BOS to “use its power” to make sure they’re provided information they ask for, and she emailed current BOS members a copy of her outstanding info request about the former CFO.

“That request is still outstanding. Although I am no longer on the BOS, I will continue to pursue answers and would appreciate help from the current members,” she said.

With a new iteration of the BOS just starting, it’s an open-ended question exactly how they will respond. The only continuing member besides Boucher — Tartell — has aligned and voted with Boucher on several issues, despite a different political affiliation. Tartell defended Smeriglio’s Middlebrook invoice approval, and he supported and advocated for Boucher’s choice to keep Healy off the Process Committee — created to examine Town Hall procedures — and appoint herself, despite potential conflict of interest.

“As my colleague [former Selectman] Bas Nabulsi mentioned in his exit interview …, the first two years of our time on the board went relatively smoothly,” Healy said, referring to the board’s time under former First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice. “We approved the police station headquarters project, completed a detailed study of the town’s capital needs and passed our budgets within or below guidance without much need for adjustments. I did ask a lot of questions about the budget and bonding items but only to get up to speed on where and how we spend taxpayers’ dollars. My questions were answered thoroughly and promptly.”

The past two years, however, have been different.

Budget Strains and Conflicts

“The past two budgets were challenging,” Healy said.

Last year, which was particular hard, began with Boucher initially presenting a budget that on the surface appeared to meet the BOF’s recommended 3% increase guidance — but only because she included debt service reductions in the calculation, a departure from the Town’s accepted practice. When done the correct way, her budget instead amounted to a 10.4% increase, yet Boucher defended her attempt to mask the real numbers from both the BOS and BOF.

After being challenged on that tactic, Boucher maintained that she was unable to make the necessary reductions and, instead, dumped responsibility on the BOS to decide how to reduce the proposal — which Healy criticized, saying the BOS lacked access to the preparatory information and staff discussions that shaped the proposal .

“My background allowed me to take initiative and recommend adjustment and reductions to allow the BOS to meet BOF goals,” said Healy, a certified public accountant. “I also thank Matt Raimondi, former BOF chair, for taking the time to do a detailed review and uncovering an error that when corrected, reduced our budget by a significant amount.”

Ironically, Raimondi was not reelected to his position as BOF chair in November, although he now appears to be the frontrunner to get appointed to the BOS to fill the seat vacated by Joshua Cole.

CFOs, New & Old

Another significant issue plaguing Town Hall this year was the sudden and largely mysterious disappearance of former Chief Financial Officer Dawn Norton. Norton, who by all accounts had the deepest knowledge about the town’s finances, moved to Wyoming and took another full-time job as town administrator of a small municipality there, unbeknownst to Boucher or Knickerbocker, while still remaining Wilton’s CFO. Norton resigned after the news became public.

Interim CFO Joseph Centofanti was brought in on a part-time basis to try to untangle the workings of the wounded Finance Department, but some details of his work — billing rate, hours, additional staffing — were not fully provided to the BOS and were unclear until he appeared this week at the Board of Finance meeting at that board’s request.

Following a four-month search, on Monday Boucher announced the hiring of new CFO Dawn Savo. 

Eliminating the Town Administrator Role

Meanwhile, Knickerbocker’s contract expired in the fall, but because a new town administrator hasn’t been hired, he has continued working on an apparent per diem basis.

Knickerbocker had been the first person hired three years ago when the position was first created. Healy said the position, which paid Knickerbocker $190,000 annually, was meant to be a bridge to help transitions between first selectpersons, to ensure professional management of the town, and to allow the first selectperson to focus on state and regional advocacy, as well as long-term projects.

Healy questioned whether the town administrator position is still necessary.

“The town administrator position did not meet many of the stated goals,” Healy noted. “I believe the need for the position should be reconsidered.  It did not expand the candidates for first selectman.  We had only one candidate [Boucher] — less candidates than we had in the two previous elections.”

She added, “The town administrator did not allow for a smooth transition between the administration of the former first selectwoman and the current first selectman.”

Healy noted that with the Board of Education hiring its own CFO, the Town CFO would have greater capacity to assume more responsibility..

“The BOS just voted to make an offer to an excellent CFO candidate,” Healy said. “If that person takes the position, I believe it would allow the BOS to eliminate the town administrator search.” [Editor’s note: this interview with Healy was conducted the day before Boucher announced the Town had hired a new CFO.]

“I acknowledge that I had previously believed that it would benefit the town to keep this [town administrator] position, but I do not believe that is the case after reflection of the goals and knowing we are hiring a CFO whose responsibilities are limited to Town only,” she said, noting the change also means that close to $100,000 of the CFO position will no longer be funded through the BOE budget as it had been previously.

“The current BOS needs to particularly watch FY2026 Finance Department spending very closely and understand the $100,000 gap as they begin development of the FY2027 budget,” Healy said.

Other Things to Watch

Healy weighed in on some other areas for the new BOS to be cautious about, including the new police station.

“While the BOS [members] have been provided with detailed and itemized charges, we have no idea if those balances agree to the payment actually made by the town,” she said, with future finishing costs also, as yet, unfunded.

Healy voted against adding additional firefighters last year until more data could be presented.

“I urge the BOS to suspend approval of any new hires until they receive detailed data analyzing the call volume matched by the type of call,” she said. “In addition, the analysis should reflect the decreased need for mutual aid when the added two firefighters are on duty.  I have been contacted by firefighters from the area who can recommend a company (that) provides that analysis if needed.”

On last week’s BOS approval of the Ambler Farm lease, Healy said she was surprised members didn’t look closer at recent edits that were made.

“Changes made since the previous BOS review included extending the lease term to 10 years from five years, even after the BOS made the point that the town has no data to evaluate the estimated costs for the town until the completion of the Raymond Ambler House renovation,” Healy said.

“I believe the lease as approved by the BOS is not prudent and does not put the taxpayers first,” she said. “I would urge the BOS to take the time to review it again and go back and listen to our past meetings.”

“I am also concerned about the Raymond Ambler renovation and expansion building project,” she said. “The BOS has not been included in the renovation decisions and they need to approve the building plans so to ensure the project stays within budget.”

Taking Account of Town Hall

Healy had other suggestions for the new BOS about general financial housekeeping practices.

“I have been asking for monthly reporting of operating expenses and quarterly fund reporting,” she said. “Each request for appropriation should have a checklist: Does this expenditure require Charter compliance?  State statutes compliance? What are the source of funds?  What is the current available balance in those funds?”

“I would suggest that all new contracts be signed by a second selectman to ensure they are appropriately approved,” Healy said. “All contracts signed since December 2023 should be reviewed for BOS approval.”

Healy urged the BOS to divide responsibility for attending other board and commission meetings to stay abreast of actions and decisions, something she said she’s asked for over the past two years when she realized neither Boucher nor Knickerbocker were attending any on the BOS’s behalf.

“The prior first selectman [Vanderslice] did this and would report back to the BOS on any important issues or concerns,” Healy said, noting such involvement might have prevented delays in a recent project.

“The recent issue regarding the Guy Whitten lights contract not being approved by the BOS in advance of the first selectman signing it and the significant delays could’ve been avoided,” she said, “as the project was regularly discussed at Parks and Recreation Commission meetings.”

“The BOS should also have an appointee on the Friends of Ambler Farm board,” she said. “The taxpayers are investing a significant amount of dollars into the farm and oversight is important.”