8/3/2019 Bethel Watchdog December 2011 Newsletter

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DanielR.Gaita

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Keeping a Close Eye on Bethel Connecticut

BETHEL WATCHDOGPremiere Issue December 2011

Withthe2012-2013Bethelbudgetseasonjustaroundthecorneranda

newlyelectedsetofFinanceBoardMembersinchargeofthetaxpayers

pursestringsitisagoodideathatBethelresidentsstarttopayabitmore

attentiontothisannualprocessthatmanylocalshavedubbedtheannual

budgetcircus

Athoroughreviewofthisannualprocessovertheyearsyieldsavery

concerningpatternof,shallwesay,lessthanhonestportrayalsof

budgetaryneedsvs.wants.Whatsmoretroublingistherealizationthat

Bethelresidentshavehadnorecoursetocorrectmisinformationthathas

beenspoonfedtothematTownMeetingsandPublicHearingsleadingup

totheyearlyBudgetReferendumvotesforyears.

BeittheannualTaxPayerAlertsentbytheBoardofEducationtoevery

Bethelhousehold,orthemanyBudgetpresentationsthat

Areviewofpriorcomplaintsbroughtagainstelected

officialsinBethelhighlightsneedforgreaterlaw

enforcementmechanismwithinourTownHall.

Bethel Residents CurrentlyPowerless to Enforce Local Laws

As a Bethel resident I am veryinterested in making sure all elected

officials are held accountable

(R)DanCarter2ndDistrict

We may be able to expand the roleof our Ethics Commission to include

further enforcement of our Charter

(R)PaulSzatkowski-Selectman

Continued

8/3/2019 Bethel Watchdog December 2011 Newsletter

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Premiere Issue - December 2011

takeplacebetweenFebruaryandMarcheachyear.Eachhasbeenfilledwith

misinformation.Insomecases,ourelectedofficialshaveactually

misrepresentedStateStatutesinordertogarnersupportforordefeatofa

particularbudgetitem.

Inothercases,ourFirstSelectmanhasalteredfiguresinviolationofboth

TownCharterandStateLawinordertofundprojectsthathadnotbeen

approvedbytheBoardofFinance.

From1998-2000theTownofBethelwasledtobelieveitsHighSchoolwas

onAcademicProbation,yetitneverwas.

In2003Parentsweretoldtheirchildrenwouldbeunabletogetintocolleges

iftheHighSchoolhadlostitsaccreditationstatus,thistoowasfoundtobe

false.

Thatsameyearresidentsweretoldschoolenrollmentwastoincreaseby100sofstudentsyetthistoowaslaterfoundtobefalseanddirectly

contradictedtheprojectionsprovidedbytheStateBoardofEducation.

Buthereisthepointinallofthis.

Whileeachoftheseactionsrepresentsaviolationofpublictrust,theTown

Charter,andaviolationofeachofficialsSwornOathofOffice,Bethel

residentsarepresentlyunabletobringthoseresponsibletojusticebecause

ourTownCharterhasnoenforcementmechanism.

Dontgettooangry-ThisisstillAmerica,andWethePeoplecanchangethis.

In2012,theTownofBethel,perTownCharterrequirement,willappointa

CharterRevisionCommission.Ihavepersonallyrequestedtobeconsidered

forappointmentonthisbi-partisanvolunteercommissionandhopeto

openuptheconceptofaCharterEnforcementMechanismfordiscussion

anddebate.

Thepurposeofsuchanenforcementmechanismwouldbetoenable

enforceableactionincludingbutnotlimitedtofineandorcensureofany

elected,paidorappointedmunicipalofficialformisrepresenting

informationthatimpactsthebudget,millrate,debtserviceandoranyother

matterorelementwhichimpactstheeconomicorsocialwell-beingofBethel

residents,businesses,taxpayersandregisteredvoters.

Withthecurrentstateoftheglobal,national,stateandlocaleconomiesitis

paramountthatwe,asacommunity,lookateffectivewaystoworktogether

torestorepublictrustandtoholdallthoseaccountablethatviolatetheir

swornoathsofoffice.

Wehavealllookedtheotherwayforfartolongandtheresultofour

collectiveapathyhasallbuterasedtheidealsofourAmericanDream

Wecanandmustfixthisforourfutureforourchildrensfuture

I love the concept of improved

accountability of our elected

officials Dec 2011

DanCarterStateRep

The concept of a Charter

Enforcement Commission is

certainly worth further review Dec 2011

PaulSzatkowski-Selectman

BethelsFirstSelectmanhasnotyet

provideduswithhispositiononthis

topic.

MatthewKnickerbocker

BethelSelectmanhasnotyetprovided

apositiononthistopic

RichardStraiton

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