With the town’s reeling Finance Department already short staffed — and a search underway to find a new chief financial officer — GOOD Morning Wilton has learned that Controller Anthony DeFelice, the department’s Number Two, has now resigned his position.
“Our controller, Anthony DeFelice, has found a position near his home and will be with us for as long as it takes to find a replacement,” First Selectman Toni Boucher confirmed to GOOD Morning Wilton on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 4.
“We are actively pursuing his successor, and he has offered to assist with the transition,” she said. “He is conducting business as usual and meeting with our interim CFO shortly.”
In the wee hours of Thursday morning, the town posted the job opening for the Controller position, offering $140,000-$160,000 for a role described as one that “acts as the second in command to the CFO,” performing “treasury work when needed.”
Exactly one month ago, on Aug. 4, GOOD Morning Wilton was first to report that former CFO Dawn Norton had, supposedly without anyone in Town Hall being aware, taken a full-time in-person job as town administrator/finance director in Greybull, WY, starting in May 2025.
On Aug. 8, after Norton’s immediate resignation following the disclosure, the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved DeFelice as the interim treasurer for the town. Boucher said he will continue to do this function until a replacement is found.
With the position of manager of financial systems and payroll still open after two years, the only other people in the finance department are two relatively new hires who are still being trained by DeFelice.
“Currently, the only experienced person we have is Tony DeFelice … His two colleagues are brand new, so really he is our only experienced person,” Selectwoman Kim Healy said on Wednesday, Aug. 27, during discussion of the interim CFO position at the BOS meeting.
At that time, Boucher told the BOS that DeFelice was comfortable handling the situation and was up to the task.
Wilton is also in the search process for a new town administrator, with Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker‘s three-year contract ending this week. Boucher has noted, however, that Knickerbocker has offered to remain in town to help with the transition.
On Aug. 27, the BOS sanctioned hiring a part-time interim CFO, Joseph Centofanti, from an outside accounting firm. Other potential hourly personnel may also be engaged through this firm as needed, based on the Centofanti’s recommendations, according to plans.
The accounting firm, PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP, will be charging the town between $325 and $375 per person, per hour, depending on their role and experience.
Centofanti, who is only scheduled to work one day a week at this point, was apparently scheduled to meet with DeFelice and other finance staff on Thursday, Sept. 4.
Ironically, at the BOS meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 2, Boucher painted a positive picture of the search for a new CFO, stating that there were already 20 candidates that had applied.
“Apparently, Wilton is attracting a lot of people that want to come and work here,” Boucher said.
DeFelice was hired as Wilton’s manager of financial reporting and planning seven years ago.
“Tony will be continuing to carry out his responsibilities, including supervising the finance staff in the interim,” Boucher said. “We have all enjoyed working with Tony and wish him well as he pursues new opportunities.”
UPDATE: Shortly following publication of this story, Board of Finance Chair Matt Raimondi responded to our request for comment with the following statement: “Thanks for your email Jarret, and for all your diligent reporting. The First Selectwoman will be attending the Board of Finance meeting next Tuesday, Sept. 9, where she will brief the Board on recent personnel developments in the Finance Department. We look forward to hearing from Ms. Boucher at that time.”