Selectman Bas Nabulsi, who was elected to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) in 2021, will soon be departing from his post.
After more than 30 years in Wilton with his wife Kim Nabulsi and their family, Bas plans to relocate to Cape Cod, and is leaving Wilton on July 16.
“[Kim and I] have been talking about downsizing for quite a while,” he recently told GOOD Morning Wilton. “In the end, this summer turned out to be what made sense.”
The first public hint that Nabulsi had thoughts about leaving office came in a seemingly impromptu moment at the Jan. 6 BOS meeting, when he revealed he would not seek reelection in November. On later occasions he indicated he would leave before the end of his term.
Now he has pinpointed the end date as July 8, after saying he wished to be present for a vote expected by the Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) pertaining to the School Sisters of Notre Dame property (345 Belden Hill Rd.), as well as other BOS matters.
As of Friday, June 6, Nabulsi said he had not yet submitted his official letter of resignation, but has informed First Selectman Toni Boucher and fellow board members of his plans.
What Happens Next?
Under the Town Charter, a vacancy on an elected board is filled by the remaining board members, who appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term until a regular election is held:
“Vacancies on the Board of Selectmen (other than in the office of the First Selectman), the Board of Finance, the Board of Education and the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be filled by the remaining members of such Boards… The terms of those appointed to fill vacancies shall extend only through November 30 following the next regular Town election…”
Minority representation rules dictate that the BOS cannot fill the vacancy with a Republican at this time. The board is currently composed of Republican Selectmen Kim Healy and Josh Cole, as well as Republican First Selectman Toni Boucher. Selectman Ross Tartell is the lone other Democrat.
The board can appoint a Democrat or a member of another party (as long as it is not the Republican party) or someone who is unaffiliated.
Unlike the regular election process, any candidate for the selectman’s vacant position may contact the Board of Selectmen to be considered. Applicants must be registered voters and, if appointed, agree to the standards for conduct and conflicts of interest in the Town’s Code of Ethics.
Seeking A Collaborator
GOOD Morning Wilton reached out to Boucher to understand how she views the expected vacancy and how she expects the replacement process will unfold.
Boucher says the process will not be rushed, but she hopes to have candidates identified fairly soon and to begin interviewing candidates in July. (As of June 4, when GMW spoke to Boucher, no applicants had come forward yet.)
“We want to give Bas all the deference that we can,” Boucher said. “There’s no rush to fill it, but it would be good if we could have someone in the pipeline.”
The Charter does not specify how quickly the board must act to fill the position. Boucher expressed her concern that the absence of one selectmen could hamper the board’s decision-making.
“We can’t afford to have all of July, all of August, all of September, all of October, without a fully functioning board,” she continued.
“I think it’s a good idea for the board to fill it, simply [because] we could have votes that could be two and two,” she said. “So in that circumstance, if you have a tie, you can’t move the issue forward… and we want to get things done.” [Editor’s note: Under the Town Charter, Boucher has a tie-breaking vote. “The First Selectman… shall have the power to vote to break a tie vote of the Board of Selectmen.”]
Boucher believes the ideal candidate is a collaborator, like Nabulsi.
“Well, it would be nice to have someone like Bas — someone that is highly supportive the town, and is a collaborator and not a divider, and respectful,” Boucher said.
Boucher seems to be seeking more consensus on the board. Even with three Republicans, unanimity along party lines has sometimes been a challenge in recent months, with party members breaking ranks with each other on numerous points of contention.
Boucher is encouraging anyone interested in serving to send a letter and resume to the board.
As the first selectman, Boucher can add consideration of a candidate to a BOS meeting agenda. BOS members can request that she do so, or make a motion to do so during a BOS meeting.
Boucher noted that all discussion with applicants will take place in confidential executive session, as with any interview process for other board/commission appointments.
DTC Hopes to Fill The Void
In a statement emailed to GMW, Democratic Town Committee Chair Tom Dubin said Nabulsi’s departure presents a “significant void” and the DTC would be working to identify someone — possibly unaffiliated — to “recommend” to the BOS.
“Bas has been an important voice on Wilton’s Board of Selectmen and his departure leaves a significant void,” Dubin wrote. “Wilton’s DTC is reaching out to Democrats and non-affiliated voters in town and I am confident that we will nominate someone with the right professional experience, temperament, and commitment to Wilton’s future.”
Dubin then opened the door further, with an even broader appeal to the public.
“While the DTC will recommend a candidate, we encourage everyone to consider this opportunity to serve our town,” he wrote. “We look forward to working with Toni Boucher and the Board to help fill this vacancy.”
Interesting tidbit: If there were ever a vacancy in the First Selectman’s position, the process of replacing him or her would differ. According to the Charter: “A vacancy in the office of First Selectman shall be filled by the Second Selectman or, if he or she cannot serve, by another Selectman or an elector of the Town chosen by the remaining members of the Board of Selectmen until a replacement for that position is determined by a special election, to be held as soon as is reasonably possible after the vacancy occurs, to fill the unexpired term.”
Bas has demonstrated calm, thoughtful and collaborative service to our town throughout his BoS term. Both he and Kim have been community role models in all the many ways they’ve served Wilton in their time here.
We’ve been lucky to have them, are sorry to lose them, and wish them all the best in the Cape!