Vote for Kathleen Corbet for New Canaan Town Treasurer

How the Town of New Canaan manages and spends its citizens’ money is every New Canaan resident’s business, but clearly we can’t follow the transactions on our own. The elected Town Treasurer, who approves all financial transactions, is charged with doing that for us.

Donald Hersam, the publisher of the , has held the position of New Canaan Treasurer for 47 years. The position has been regarded primarily as an honorary one, and Mr. Hersam recently acknowledged that 2011 is the first year in which he’s even been asked a question about a town expenditure.  While Mr. Hersam has a longstanding interest in and devotion to the Town of New Canaan, isn’t 47 years long enough to hold an elected town position? Or too long, in fact? There is no question but what the size of the town budget and the complexity of town activities warrant having a person in the role of Treasurer who has the appropriate qualifications and who will tackle the position as the real job it should be.

Such a person, Kathleen Corbet, is running for Treasurer in our upcoming elections. Kathleen has both the education and the very solid professional experience in finance that qualify her for the position. She also is a long-term New Canaan resident and has experience in various roles in New Canaan government.  Kathleen should definitely be our new Town Treasurer. 

But here’s the thing — there are very few contested positions in the upcoming New Canaan election, so New Canaanites may feel that they can just skip making the trip to the polls. I hope they will not. If we want modern, appropriate processes and controls in the management of our town’s finances, we need Kathleen. This is not a political issue at all. It is a town management issue.  But failure to go to the polls and vote could result in the return of the incumbent to the role.  I hope everyone will vote on November 8 and strengthen New Canaan’s financial management by voting for Kathleen Corbet as Treasurer.