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Residents press Newington council for experienced, communicative town manager; council holds executive interviews
Summary
Public commenters at a Newington Town Council meeting urged the council to prioritize experience, trust and clear communication in choosing a new town manager; the council then moved into executive session to interview two candidates and later adjourned.
Residents urged the Newington Town Council to pick a town manager with experience, strong communication skills and independence from internal relationships, during public comment before the council moved into an executive session to interview two finalists.
Several speakers said they want a manager who is accessible to both the council and the public. A resident who spoke at the start of the meeting said “communication is the most important” quality and that the town manager “needs to be available to the council, needs to be available to the public through email, website, mail, or in person.”
Rose Lyons, of 46 Elton Drive, told the council she has reviewed multiple managers and interims over the years and that the town’s selection process is unclear. “There should be some sort of direction somewhere on how we come to this conclusion,” Lyons said, calling for a uniform, transparent approach and arguing the town needs “someone who is experienced and competent” rather than an internal trainee. Lyons named several former staff members and said personal relationships can complicate supervision, based on her experience as a manager.
Dana Havens, of 113 Stoddard, said trust is a critical factor and backed the call for an experienced candidate who can withstand political pressure and say no when necessary. Councilor Meaghan later thanked residents for attending and agreed the council should seek a long-term manager who can communicate well and bring relevant experience to the role.
Following public comment, Councilor Page read a resolution invoking Connecticut general statutes (transcript text: “Connecticut general statutes 1 2 0 0 6 a”) to move into executive session to discuss a personnel matter: interviews of town manager candidates number 1 and number 2. The council voted in favor of the motion and entered executive session; the resolution invited town council members, the mayor and consultant Richard Brown to participate in the discussion.
After returning from executive session, the council reopened public participation and invited anyone in the room or on Zoom to speak; none did. With no additional council remarks, the chair entertained a motion to adjourn, which passed by voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.
The transcript does not record any public votes or final decisions on the candidates. The executive session was held to permit confidential personnel interviews; the council did not discuss or record a public appointment on the record during the session.
