Op-Ed: ‘Concerned About the Leadership of Our Town,’ Democratic Selectmen Call for Reforms

Editor’s note: The following op-ed was submitted by Second Selectman Ross Tartell, Selectman Rich McCarty and Selectman David Tatkow, the three Democratic members of Wilton’s Board of Selectmen. It reflects their views on town leadership and their proposals for changes to town management and financial oversight.

The Democratic caucus of your Board of Selectmen continues to be concerned about the leadership of our town. In a recent development, Wilton’s new chief financial officer is leaving after only 11 months on the job. This follows departures of multiple other senior town hall officials in only the past 18 months. These ongoing departures raise concerns similar to those seen in the prior inability to manage our town’s contract CFO^*, and in particular, the failure to require that CFO’s cooperation with our town boards. 

We are pleased that the 2025 audit is finally complete. However the process has had far too many challenges and there remain some important matters to be addressed. There are significant financial control concerns for the current fiscal year, which also impact the development of clear budget plans for Fiscal Year 2028. We remain confident in Wilton’s financial strength, but maintaining that strength requires dependable processes, accurate accounting, and effective personnel management. The Democratic caucus has partnered with our Republican selectman colleague to introduce more discipline into how Board agenda items are prepared and presented, including identifying all funding sources in advance for spending.

The First Selectman sets the Board of Selectmen’s agenda, and pursuant to the town’s Charter, only the First Selectman has the authority to direct town employees and manage day-to-day town operations. Nonetheless, as board members we have changed the outcomes of several important items over the past year. The Democratic caucus effectively reversed the course on private plans for Gilbert and Bennett’s development, and instituted a more public, transparent and deliberative process informed by experts. For the improvement of town management and operations, and to create continuity between future first selectmen, we continued to insist on hiring a town administrator and are pleased that finally has happened. In conjunction with Democratic leadership at the Board of Education, we established a stand-alone building committee to consider and oversee projects at our schools. We will continue to look for additional areas to positively impact the town through our role as your elected board members.

Given some of the challenges and circumstances Wilton faces, we believe the town’s best future requires some reforms to government and ongoing business processes. Specifically:

• CFO Search: The First Selectman should empower a committee to oversee the search for and hiring of a new full-time CFO as soon as possible. That committee should include at least one senior member of the Board of Finance and should be advised by an individual who either currently serves as a CFO in a peer town or formerly was in such role. The committee should engage an outside recruiter, and all suitable resumes should be forwarded to the search committee. Before contacting any candidates, the First Selectman should notify the Board of Selectmen. The process and deliberations should be appropriately open and transparent to the public, though candidate names should, of course, be kept in confidence.

• Housing Authority: Concerns by residents about development and the means by which that development came upon us, leads us to believe that Wilton should establish a Housing Authority to better control the process. This should be a priority, and the Democratic caucus is working with the leadership of the Planning and Zoning Commission on this important topic.

• Financial Discipline: The First Selectman has continued a view that Town Hall is entitled to move taxpayer dollars around within the Town’s budget without Board of Selectmen or Board of Finance approval, and has received an opinion to that effect from Town Counsel. The chair of the Board of Finance and the rest of that board disagree, and we believe they have a compelling point. Regardless of legality, shifting funds between department budget line items is a breach of the implicit nature of the budget approved by residents at the town meeting. We are a highly rated town by rating agencies, and we should engage in practices that are fitting of this external validation. The First Selectman should commit to not continue this practice in the future.

• Audit Remediation: The recently created Audit Remediation and Financial Reporting Subcommittee of the Board of Finance has explored material weaknesses identified by our auditors in the Town’s recent audit and ways to improve our financial management. The Democratic caucus of the Board of Selectmen intends to review the recommendations of the Audit Remediation Subcommittee and ensure that the Board of Selectmen appropriately amends operational practices in our Finance Department.

• Board of Selectmen Agendas: Each Board of Selectmen meeting should always include a discussion of future Board of Selectmen meeting topics. All materials for current meetings must be provided at least 24 hours in advance and posted on the town website.

The Democratic caucus remains committed to listening to the concerns of residents, and is focused on improving management and processes of our town. We take the trust that the town put in us during last year’s municipal election very seriously and intend to continue to push for improved outcomes for all. 

Please reach out to us should you have any specific concerns or suggestions.

Second Selectman Ross Tartell
Selectman Rich McCarty
Selectman David Tatkow

^* “town’s contract CFO” refers to the consultant employed by the firm Wilton hired in August 2025, who first served as interim CFO and later as a consulting accountant to reconcile accounts and prepare the audit for FY2025.