Subcommittee Discusses Improving Communications and the Role of the Town Treasurer

New Canaan town officials discussed recommendations for preventing a repeat of the and missteps that followed an arbitration award against the town at the Lakeview Ave. Bridge Arbitration Subcommittee meeting.

The committee received written recommendations from town officials and residents, and presented and debated ideas of their own at

Subcommittee Chair Kit Devereaux told the group that she, member Tucker Murphy and Development Director Susan LaPerla formed a Communications Task Force Study Group that presented a report to First Selectman Jeb Walker in March.

When asked what prompted the formation of the committee, Devereaux said she talked about communications at an offsite meeting, and Walker asked her to create a process for formalizing reporting to town bodies. She said the committee made a list of seven specific recommendations for improving communications between town bodies. It appeared the communications report was not shared with members of the Town Council after it was delivered to the First Selectman in March.

Board of Finance member Neil Budnick suggested the committee should explore the possibility of redefining the responsibilities of the Town Treasurer. V. Donald Hersam, who has held the position for 46 years, that their questions were the first he had answered since he took the job in 1965. He said he does not review checks, including the payment for the arbitration award that was made before the appropriation was approved by the and Town Council.

Town Attorney Chris Jarboe said the town issues 100-200 checks every week. Hersam’s name is applied to all town checks with a rubber stamp. The treasurer is paid a $1,400 annual stipend.

“The standard role of the treasurer is that someone has reviewed the checks they have signed,” Budnick said.

Town Council member Steve Karl suggested it was too late in the election process to change the treasurer’s role. At their caucus Monday night, town Hersam as their candidate for Town Treasurer.

“With the treasurer’s role, we’ve had years and years of service and a man who has dedicated his name to these checks,” Council Vice-Chair Steve Karl said. “His role, to be fair as he signs up for another term in November, we have to let him know before he runs for office if his job is going to change.”

Budnick suggested they ask Hersam if he would mind having the job description redefined.

“He said he did review checks the first year, we could also have him review checks. It suggests there is some kind of review with that signature. I do think that if a person’s signature is on a document that person has reviewed it."

Karl said Hersam's role is symbolic.

“His name is synonymous with the town,” Karl said. “If we change the thinking of that, that’s a whole different scenario. You’re talking about a 50-year-old signature going on there. It’s more of a symbol than a check and balance."

Jarboe said the Town Charter “says surprisingly very little about what the treasurer is supposed to do.”

“As an elected official if now you imposed further duties upon him that are not in the charter that would be a problem,” he said. “Imposing new duties that are not in the charter means a charter change.”

Kathleen Corbett, who is for the treasurer’s position, said the State charter defines three primary roles for the treasurer. She said the treasurer’s signature on a check indicates the check has been issued “on the order of the proper authority.”

“The active role of the town treasurer would ensure there would be appropriate approval,” she said. 

Devereaux said she will write up recommendations based on the information gathered at the seven meetings the subcommittee has held. She asked Town Council member Tom O'Dea to help her with the task, and said the committee would present their recommendations at a public meeting in September.