The Seats Belong to the People, not the Parties!

We have three levels of government in our country: federal, consisting of the President and Congress -  among other institutions; state, consisting of Connecticut’s Governor and State Legislature as well as local which includes our First Selectman and Town Council.  However, even though we have all of these elected positions in our various levels of government we also have positions that do not go as noticed – appointed positions. 

                At every level of government there are certain positions that are appointed by the Executive and (usually) confirmed by the Legislative branch.  In Monroe we have 19 standing appointed boards and commissions including but not limited to: Ethics Board, Inland Wetlands Commission, Youth Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation & Water Resources Commission, Parks & Recreation Commission and the Board of Police Commissioners.  All of these positions are nominated by the First Selectman and confirmed by a simple majority vote of the Town Council.  But there is more to the story.

                Out of these 19 appointed boards and commission there are no clear majorities on five, one is controlled by the Democrats and the remaining 13 are controlled by Republicans.  I agree with most people that these boards and commission are inherently less “political” than the elected boards, however, the discrepancy between Democratic and Republican representation is troubling. 

                Long Before I became Chairman of the Democratic Party an agreement was worked out between the two parties in town.  When the term of an appointed official expired or an appointed official resigned the party of the person who held that seat would send a new person to the First Selectman who would then forward it to the Council (e.g. a Democrat on the Zoning Board of Appeals resigns, the Democrat Party sends a name to the FS to replace that person).  Here is where the problem arises.

                The current agreement between the parties never allows for the Democrats to make any gains.  The 13 boards that the Republicans control they will always control under this agreement.  It doesn’t make sense.  This goes back to my column two weeks ago that the letter at the end of one’s name dictates the validity of his or her ideas and this is wrong.

                The First Selectman began his new Volunteer Initiative and it is fact that the First Selectman has not once in his tenure rejected a name put up by the Democrat Party, yet, this is not enough.  Seats on these boards belong to the people not to the parties.  It is time to acknowledge that in Monroe everyone gets a seat at the table and the letter at the end of one’s name – whether it is R, D, G, L or S – should not constrict members of our Community from SERVING their community on these various boards.  But alas, once again, it does. 

                The election is over. It is time to come together.  I anxiously await the Republican response.

Nicholas Kapoor

Monroe Democratic Town Committee Chairman