Dear Colchester Residents,
During a second term, I will begin the process of Charter Revision to protect our form of government from backroom deals and corruption.
The first initiative will be to establish term limits for all elected and appointed officials including that of the First Selectman. Polls show that nearly 80% of Americans support term limits. Term limits reduce corruption and open our local government to new people with fresh ideas to solve our town’s challenges. Selectwoman Rosemary Coyle has been in power for over 12 years and has turned a blind eye to abuses of power. We need to be able to re-fresh leadership from the career politicians with ulterior motives.
The second initiative will be to make the town clerk and tax collector positions appointed, not elected. Elected officials can only be removed by a judge which explains the sense of entitlement that can lead to serious abuse. Gayle Furman, our current town clerk, is under investigation by the Attorney General, for the misappropriation of funds and the misuse of the town’s tax id. In the 90’s, Wanda Stula, a tax collector for the town of Colchester, was asked to be removed by the board of selectmen for illegally waiving back taxes. A few years ago, Tricia Coblentz, another tax collector, entered a separation agreement with the Town – which allegedly was over her attendance. The separation cost the town nearly $30K.
My final initiative will be to re-establish the Board of Finance’s power, which was accidentally removed through the last Charter Revision (We are currently under a Memorandum of Understanding that keeps the Board’s prior responsibilities intact). Losing the checks and balances of the Board of Finance would have a devastating effect on accountability and fiscal responsibility.
Sincerely,
Andreas Bisbikos
Colchester First Selectman
