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Elected treasurer Andrew Brooks lays out duties, urges charter protections and succession planning
Summary
At the March 3 New Canaan Charter Revision Commission meeting, elected town treasurer Andrew Brooks described his statutory duties, recounted recovering $125,000 in unpaid interest, and urged the commission to codify treasurer authorities, access to the town attorney, dual-control checks, and succession/deputy rules.
Andrew Brooks, New Canaan's elected town treasurer, told the Charter Revision Commission on March 3 that the treasurer's office functions as an independent watchdog over town finances and should remain an elected post with clearly codified authorities.
Brooks, who said he has been elected seven times over 13 years, described the treasurer's statutory duties under Conn. Gen. Stat. 7-80 (receiving and paying town funds) and 7-400 (investment of town funds), and detailed routine responsibilities including bank relationships, weekly review of payments, manual review of large capital invoices, and serving as a signer on town and school accounts. "I truly love this town and I care deeply about protecting taxpayer dollars and maintaining checks and balances in local government," Brooks said.
He gave examples of how an independent treasurer adds oversight: he said he led a bank RFP, reviews construction invoices (citing a 300-page police station invoice), participates on bond sale calls with rating agencies, and reviews official statements when the town issues debt. Brooks told the commission he discovered the town had been underpaid about $125,000 in interest and successfully recovered that money after escalating the issue with the bank.
Brooks argued the treasurer's independence provides a second line of review that helps prevent improper payments: "The treasurer is the town's chief investment officer," he said, describing how he times investments around cash flows such as January and July tax collections. He contrasted that public accountability with a corporate model, saying public funds justify a higher bar and citing other Connecticut towns with elected treasurers.
During a lengthy question-and-answer session, commissioners pressed on operational details: how manual approval thresholds are set, how the treasurer interacts with the CFO and audit committee, limits on the treasurer's investment menu, and what succession would look like in a vacancy. Brooks said the charter currently allows him to appoint a deputy treasurer under state statute (7-80) but he has not exercised that right; he recommended the commission clarify succession and deputy appointment language.
Brooks also raised concerns about access to legal counsel, saying his access to the town attorney has recently been restricted and urging charter language that guarantees elected officers reasonable access to legal advice related to their official duties. He argued that dual control'two independent reporting lines signing off on bond documents and payments'is a key safeguard and asked the commission to preserve or strengthen those protections in a new treasurer section.
Next steps: group two has drafted a framework for a dedicated treasurer section of the charter and will circulate draft language, including bonding authorities, duties, and succession provisions, for commission review before the next meeting.
