Selectmen discuss appointment of Sam Olmstead to BOE ad hoc finance committee amid conflict concerns

The Board of Selectmen reviewed an appointment and a resignation at the Feb. 17 meeting.

The Board received and accepted the resignation of Barbara Carr from the Sustainable Litchfield Committee as an alternate member, effective Feb. 4, 2026.

Separately, the Board considered appointing Sam Olmstead to the Board of Education Ad Hoc Finance Committee. Jeff Zullo initially moved to appoint Olmstead and Denise Raap seconded; that motion was withdrawn after Selectman Jodiann Tenney raised concern about a potential conflict of interest because Olmstead’s wife is a teacher in the district. Zullo and others noted the ad hoc committee is advisory and has no voting authority; the Board of Finance had selected and recommended the candidate. Jodiann Tenney then moved to appoint Olmstead to the ad hoc committee with a term ending June 30, 2026; Jeff Zullo seconded that motion. The minutes in the provided segments record John Bongiorno asking that Olmstead report back to the Board but do not include the result of the second motion in the excerpted text.

Separately, at the start of the meeting the Board approved the Feb. 3, 2026 regular meeting minutes on a motion by Jeff Zullo, seconded by John Bongiorno; all voted aye and Selectman Jodiann Tenney recorded an abstention.

The transcript excerpts do not include a recorded vote on the Olmstead appointment in the provided segments; the report of an accepted resignation and the minutes approval are recorded actions in the minutes excerpt.