Key Points
- Wilton’s public works director search has drawn only two applicants in more than six months.
- Savo’s departure prompts discussion of an interim CFO and a new search committee.
- Selectmen seek greater involvement in recruitment as members debate who should direct the process.
Why it Matters: The hiring decisions will shape who oversees Wilton’s finances, major construction projects and fire services — and how elected officials participate in choosing those leaders.
With three key department leadership position to fill on Town Hall staff — one of which has drawn only two applications in more than six months — Wilton’s Board of Selectmen is raising questions about the process for filling them.
It’s now been more than six months since Frank Smeriglio, the former director of the Department of Public Works, left to join the private sector. Since that time the second in command, Jeff Pardo, has served in the interim role.
Now the town’s Chief Financial Officer Dawn Savo will be departing five days shy of her first anniversary to work in Hamden. And with Fire Chief Jim Blanchfield taking the town administrator job, his job change leaves the town searching for an interim replacement and, ultimately, a permanent new chief to lead the Fire Department.
“We haven’t heard an update on the Department of Public Works for months now,” Selectman Matt Raimondi told First Selectman Toni Boucher at the BOS’s Nov. 2 meeting, later suggesting that the BOS formalize creating a search committee for that position.
Raimondi also express concern that the issue of finding a new DPW director — among several other important topics — had not been put on the agenda by Boucher for discussion, despite the length of time the position has been open.
Boucher said only two people have applied for the DPW director position in the six months the position has been vacant.
“It is still ongoing and we are yet to have an individual that has the qualifications for that position at the moment,” Boucher said, describing it as one of the more difficult positions for which to find qualified applicants, according to the town’s Human Resources Department.
“As soon as we get some folks to interview, we will bring them to you,” she said.
Boucher said one applicant decided after a prescreening interview with HR that the job was more than they wanted to take on. She said that person was coming from a small municipality with only two employees and that Wilton’s projects appeared to be more than they wanted to handle.
“The other one did not have the qualifications,” Boucher said. “So that’s where we are at this moment, but that position continues to be open.”
She said current staff members were covering the department’s responsibilities and projects continued to move forward.
Along with a Connecticut’s professional engineer’s license, the posting for a director of public works/town engineer has a minimum requirement of 10 years in public works or construction, including five years of supervisory experience in management, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The job offers a starting salary range of $165,000 to $180,000 plus benefits and was posted in April.
Posted Nov. 4, the CFO position is offering $190,000 to $220,000 plus benefits to an individual with a minimum of 10 years experience in municipal accounting with staff supervision.
The interim fire chief role, which offers $140,000 to $160,000 plus benefits, requires an active or retired fire chief from a Connecticut department.
“I think we need to bring back a search committee on this,” Raimondi said of the DPW position. “It’s been six months. We had only two people here. This is a Board of Selectmen decision to hire somebody.”
“Those resumes should be shared with us,” Raimondi said of the DPW applicants. “We should also have the opportunity to be able to speak with (them).”
Boucher said it was suggested to that her that the town coordinate a meeting with Darien DPW Director Edward Gentile for guidance and advice on the process and finding candidates but had not yet received a positive response.
Raimondi emphasized the urgency to get moving.
“We have $200 million of things to build here,” he said. “We need a head of DPW to help us execute it.”
CFO Search Committee
The board also discussed establishing a CFO search committee to find either an interim CFO or permanent replacement for Savo.
Following the departure of Dawn Norton, the previous CFO, Wilton engaged consulting firm PKF O’Connor Davies, which provided Joseph Centofanti to work as a part-time per diem interim CFO. BOS members have criticized his lack of communication with elected officials, only attending one BOS meeting by Zoom and then not responding to repeated requests from the selectmen to be present at their meetings for updates on his work.
Raimondi noted Centofanti had only worked in the office one day a week when he was first engaged by the town, and he said it would be preferable to have an interim physically situated at Town Hall five days a week, and ideally have them start before Savo’s leaves. [Editor’s note: Savo submitted her resignation the day after the BOS meeting, and set her last day working in Wilton on Dec. 3.]
“I’d also like for us to potentially interview that person, that temporary person,” Selectman David Tatkow said, “to make sure that’s somebody that we would be comfortable having in meetings here … to avoid repeating the previous experience.”
While incoming Town Administrator Jim Blanchfield suggested that the BOS vote to create a search committee to get a head start on the process, members opted to continue further discussion at a special meeting scheduled for 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
“I’d like to give some thought to the search committee,” Selectman Rich McCarty said, suggesting that people involved in the prior search committee that identified Savo not be involved in the new search, with Boucher remaining involved.
The search committee that identified Dawn Savo was put together by Boucher and included McCarty and former BOS member Kim Healy, Raimondi, who was then chair of the Board of Finance, and Jeff Rutishauser, a former BOF chair who at that time chaired the Wilton Capital Planning Committee.
McCarty said he envisioned a new search committee including Boucher, Second Selectman Ross Tartell, BOF Chair Tim Birch and BOF Vice Chair Rudy Escalante.
“And then that group can add on as they see fit,” McCarty said.
He also called for the town to publicly notice search committee meetings, with candidate discussions conducted in executive session.
“We need to be public about the process as it goes forward,” he said.
Tatkow supported involving the BOF, municipal finance experts, the HR director and town administrator. He also suggested exploring executive search firms and sharing applicants’ resumes with the committee as they arrive so members could assess whether recruitment tactics needed to change.
Boucher and Raimondi disagreed over who should direct recruitment and determine the search committee’s composition.
Boucher said that the process of hiring of a new CFO was under the purview of the first selectman and town administrator. Raimondi disagreed and emphasized the BOS’s authority under the Town Charter to approve department head hires.
“The Board of Selectmen approves the hiring,” he said, “and so we can say we choose a search committee that will report back to us to approve the hiring.”
Boucher acknowledged that approval role but said it did not necessarily extend to recruiting, interviewing or participating in a search committee. She said she would seek additional legal guidance from Town Counsel.
Raimondi argued that the board should determine the search committee reporting to it.
“It is a Board of Selectmen decision,” he said. “We should not sign that away. It is given to us by charter.”
“There have been a lot of issues in Town Hall,” Raimondi said. “This is an opportunity for us to step in there and correct this one.”
