Bumpy handoff in North Canaan after razor-thin election

NORTH CANAAN — The transition from outgoing First Selectman Brian Ohler to newly elected First Selectman Jesse Bunce has been far from seamless, with a series of communication lapses, technology snags and operational delays emerging in the weeks after an unusually close election.

The Nov. 5 race for first selectman went to a recount, with Bunce winning 572 votes to Ohler’s 570. When the final results were announced, Ohler publicly wished his successor well.

“Congratulations,” he said. “Wish you all the best. When you succeed, the Town of North Canaan succeeds.”Ohler, who will remain on the Board of Selectmen, later wrote, “The future of North Canaan is bright… Now is not the time to wish failure or misstep upon any elected official.”

Despite those well-wishes, the handoff has been anything but smooth.

Facebook fiasco

The highest-profile hiccup has involved the Town of North Canaan’s Facebook page. Bunce said he never received administrative access to it, despite what should have been a quick and routine handoff.

In an email obtained through a Freedom of Information request, Bunce’s staff member Christian Allyn offered to help Ohler complete the transfer in person at Town Hall. “Jesse said you were having trouble handing over the Facebook page,” Allyn wrote to Ohler on Nov. 24. “If we can set a time, I can help you do this at the Selectman’s Office. It should take under 10 minutes.”

The transfer never took place– and earlier this month, the page disappeared entirely.

Bunce said he and his staff are now creating a new town Facebook page under the same name so residents can resume receiving updates, though followers of the original page will need to re-follow the new one.

Ohler said he tried to transfer the page but ran into verification hurdles tied to his personal account. He said he contacted Facebook for help and ultimately concluded that deleting the page was the only solution.

Town attorney D. Randall DiBella, a partner at Cramer & Anderson, called the situation extraordinary.

“This is the first time I have had this issue in 44 years,” he said, noting that his firm represents nine Connecticut towns. DiBella said Ohler lawfully managed the page while serving as first selectman, but was not permitted to continue doing so once he lost the election.

He was unaware the page had been deleted, but said its removal was a positive development. DiBella said it is still unclear whether the Facebook page constituted town property.

Ohler, however, maintained that he was not trying to obstruct the transition. “Between Jesse and I, there has been no animosity,” Ohler said. “People have their opinions, but we were willing to offer information without issue.”

Teacher pay delayed as treasurer transition hits snags

Another early test of the transition emerged when teachers and staff at North Canaan Elementary School were paid several days late. The delay stemmed from handoff problems between outgoing treasurer Emily Minacci and incoming Treasurer Melanie Neely, a Democrat who defeated Minacci in November.

School employees were supposed to receive their pay on Wednesday, Nov. 26 — the day before Thanksgiving — but the deposits never hit their accounts. Neely and Bunce learned of the missed payroll on Friday, Nov. 28, and immediately went to the bank to resolve the problem.

According to Bunce, the bank had indicated earlier in the week that the school’s payroll ran automatically– via ACH payments–like all other town departments. Instead, they learned that the school payroll required manual approval, which Neely was unable to process since she did not have online bank access. Getting access is not straight forward, officials said, unless it is transferred from one treasurer to another.

“It’s a multimillion-dollar account,” Bunce said. “There are lots of verifications. They [the banks] don’t just turn over access like that.”

Neely, who now has online access, said steps have been put in place to prevent similar issues. “We are setting up procedures to make sure an outgoing treasurer provides online access to a new treasurer, which will make transitions quicker and smoother,” she said.

Principal Beth Johnson assisted school employees once she learned of the delay. She called employees on Friday, Nov. 28, and offered to issue checks to anyone who needed immediate funds; one employee accepted. Johnson said the matter “has been resolved.”

Administrative turnover adds complications

The Town’s administrative assistant resigned around the time of the recount, adding another layer of disruption during the transition. The assistant’s departure made it difficult for Bunce to access several of the town’s communication tools.

Although he eventually received the correct usernames and passwords for Constant Contact, the system continued sending verification codes to phone numbers belonging to former staff, temporarily locking him out. Similar login problems also pertained to the town’s Zoom and YouTube accounts, which are used to livestream and archive public meetings.

Bunce, however, said he now has access to them.

Board of Selectmen’s monthly meeting postponed

Bunce pushed back his first Board of Selectmen meeting as First Selectman from Dec. 1 to Dec. 15. He said that he postponed the meeting because several key officials — the treasurer, tax collector, town clerk and his administrative assistant — were new to their roles. He said he wanted to get to know them–and learn more about their departments–before the meeting.

“I’d like to have a few weeks together before we go to the public,” he said, noting that with all the change, it was too soon.

Both men call for cooperation despite tensions

In interviews, both Bunce and Ohler insist the transition remains cordial, even as the bumps draw public attention.

Bunce said Ohler has come to his office, reviewed upcoming matters, and “has been accessible” when questions arise. “It’s no easy thing to lose an election,” Bunce said. “I think he’s handled it with grace.”

Ohler, for his part, said he has refrained from engaging in online back-and-forth, even as he bristled at political commentary from some residents. “I’m not one to malign anyone,” he said. “When my name is dragged through the mud, I don’t take the bait.”

Both men said they hope the town will move past election-season tensions.

“My future goal,” Bunce said, “is to have the collaboration of all three selectmen working together for the betterment of the town.”

Riley Klein and Ruth Epstein contributed to this article