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Decide the Future

My name is Jane Scully Welch and I consider myself an informed voter in town. Clinton is hopefully deciding to change our form of government from an elected Board of Selectman (BOS) to a hired town manager.

There is a committee, appointed last year by the BOS, to go over the present Town Charter and make any changes it felt were needed. They have worked very hard and come up with the idea of hiring a town manager to manage Clinton and its finances, future plans, daily town business, and commissions.

I truly think it is time for this change. Our selectmen are elected every two years, hardly time for she or he to learn the job. Does Clinton then lose a step during the learning curve? It is time to hire a professional, an apolitical person to take over and be on the job continuously.

First Selectman Bruce Farmer and selectmen Lynn Pinder and Willie Fritz voted against forwarding the change to referendum. Selectmen Carol Walter and John Giannotti voted for it, as they thought we townspeople should have a vote. I agree.

Clinton is a great town, but it has grown so since the days my mother Marge Scully was first selectman. Clinton is no longer a small town and with a multi-million dollar budget it needs a trained professional to manage it properly.

I feel very strongly that we deserve a chance to decide our future and we are capable of understanding the changes this will bring. I hope your readers will all sign the petition. Let us work to get this revision to our charter on the ballot in November. We have a right to decide the future of our town!

Jane Scully Welch

Clinton