Jun 5, 2008
Wilton Bulletin Editorial: Wilton deserves better
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With a campaign for the White House coming up, it is natural for Wilton residents to take sides with either the Democratic or Republican candidates. Debate is a great thing; it separates good ideas from bad ones and allows good ideas to evolve to great ideas. Choosing sides in a debate is one of the most fundamental activities of a healthy democracy.
But sometimes debate becomes confused with partisanship, and when the debate over the qualifications of a candidate essentially begins and ends with their party affiliation, partisanship reigns.
While partisanship has been rampant on the national level, in the last two weeks there have been examples of it right here in Wilton as well.
The charter commission, a commission whose charge is to review the document upon which the town’s government is based, two weeks ago gave way to the idea that party affiliation should be the overriding concern in selecting a vice-chair.
There can be no question that Bob Russell, chair of the commission, is eminently qualified and a great choice to lead what will no doubt be a careful and well thought out process.
But Louise Herot, someone who has served on the Board of Selectmen and was involved in the initial creation of the town’s charter, was the most qualified candidate to be vice-chair.
Michael Kaelin has experience in leading the Republican Town Committee, but he has not served on any major boards as Ms. Herot has and he was uninvolved in the League of Women Voters’ study that originally recommended a charter commission, as Ms. Herot was.
What is most bothersome is Mr. Kaelin’s assertion that both the chair and the vice-chair should be of the same party. The charter commission should be one without political motives; to say that its leadership must be of the same party seems to suggest otherwise.
Then this week the Republican Town Committee announced that it would be having a registrar or deputy registrar of its party in the registrar’s office at all times. The stated reason for the change was to prevent any undue influence from being exerted during this campaign season, since under the current work schedule there can be a member of one party in the registrar’s office while the other party is absent.
While it’s entirely within their discretion to have their party represented at the registrar’s office when they wish, this action must be seen as an attack on the Democrats who work in the office. Clearly the Republicans aren’t concerned about their own party exerting undue influence; they instead are safeguarding against the Democrats doing so.
Peggy Reeves, Democratic registrar for 14 years, and Carole Young-Kleinfeld, her deputy and candidate to replace her, are people who have worked tirelessly to get the vote out and register new voters. The same may be said of Tina Gardner, the Republican registrar, and Joan Starr, her deputy. They have no interest within their positions in getting anyone elected; they simply work to ensure a fair process in elections. It is unfair and wrong for their ethics to be questioned.
When Mr. Kaelin was elected vice chair of the charter commission, Paul Burnham, a member of the commission, said, “It’s just an indication of things to come.” Wilton residents can only hope that he’s wrong, because Wilton deserves more than partisanship.
The town deserves dialogue and debate over the pertinent issues of the day, not veiled attacks and assertions that only one party can lead the way.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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