Selectmen could add seats, increase terms

KENT — No official decision was made at the meeting Oct. 5, but members of the Board of Selectmen discussed the possibility of adding more seats to the board. They agreed to have a special meeting to talk about possibly expanding the board’s membership size and increasing the length of terms.

All Northwest Corner towns have three selectmen who serve two-year terms. However, several other towns in the state have larger boards; Winsted, for example, has a seven-member board.

First Selectmen Bruce Adams said at the meeting that he has been researching how other town governments are set up.

“The majority of small towns have a three-person board, but there are some that are a little bigger than Kent that have as many as five,� Adams said. “Burlington has had a five-person select board for quite some time. I had a sit-down with [Burlington First Selectman] Catherine R. Bergstrom and she told me she likes having five people on the board because it’s easier to get a quorum.�

Legally, a meeting can not be held unless a minimum number of members (or a quorom) is in attendance.

Selectman Karren Garrity said she feels the potential changes are worth looking into, and suggested thinking about changing the selectmen’s terms from two to four years.

“It warrants a real investigation,� Garrity said. “We may come out of the other side of looking at it and say that it’s not right for Kent, but I would like us to look at it.�

Adams told Garrity that two-year terms for selectmen are common in towns across the state.

No date has been set yet for the special meeting.

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