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06/30/2020 12:00 AMOn June 17, the Clinton Town Council officially created the position of town historian. The historian will serve a five-year term and make annual reports to the council.
The Town Council appointed Bob Bruch as historian on Jan. 22, on the recommendation of the Clinton Historical Society. However, since the Town Council sought to revise the ordinance that governs the town historian by clarifying the duties and qualification, a public hearing was held on June 17. That hearing was attended by one resident, who spoke in favor of the ordinance.
The ordinance states that the town will choose someone for the position with an extensive knowledge of Clinton’s history and the ability to research and work with primary records. The person should also be a longtime member of the historical groups in town, according to the ordinance.
As for duties, the historian is supposed to be able to respond to questions on the local history or genealogy, make speeches to local groups, and contribute to the annual report given each year in January where each town department and board gives a summary of the events of the past year. The historian may also coordinate historically themed events with local organizations.
The appointment of the historian caused a minor kerfuffle in December 2019. At a Town Council meeting, three different people threw their name in the ring for the chance to serve as town historian; two had been encouraged to do so by members of the council. Clinton Historical Society President Christy Pontillo also showed up at the meeting and stated that he believed the town shouldn’t have a historian.
The Connecticut General Statutes state that a town can appoint a town historian, but is not required to do so. Pontillo felt the historical society functioned sufficiently enough to fill the need served by a historian.
Pontillo also incorrectly stated at the meeting that it was the Clinton Historical Society that made the appointment of a town historian, not the town’s head board. Peggy Adler, one of the candidates for the position, wrote a letter to the editor of the Harbor News that showed her research that revealed that since 1992 “the Clinton town historian has been a municipal appointment and is listed as such in each year’s Town of Clinton Annual Report.”
Neither Adler nor Pontillo were upset with the ordinance the Town Council established on June 17. Adler was the one person to attend the virtual hearing and spoke in favor of the ordinance. Pontillo said he thinks the choice of Bruch to serve as the historian was smart because.
“Bob communicates very well,” Pontillo said. “He’s very on top of it.”
‘My goal for my position is a simple one: to foster a love for our little shoreline town of Clinton through an understanding of and appreciation of its history: cultural, diversity, our historic buildings, historic citizens, oral stories both historic and folklore, and the many historic treasures throughout town,” said Bruch.
Pontillo also said that Bruch knows he can count on the historical society and its members to back him up if he ever needs help researching an issue. Pontillo also said he’s interested to see what the Bruch can do in the role.
“With social media there’s a lot more coverage and things we can get to. I want people to be aware there’s a historian and they can go ask him questions,” said Pontillo.
“Thus far I have enjoyed my experiences with those who have requested information or tours in the historic locations throughout Clinton,” said Bruch.