Candidates face off at debate

Winsted Democrats said their priority, if elected as the board’s new majority, would be to get the town’s fiscal house in order.

Current Selectman Candy Perez said a Democrat-controlled board would ensure that at the selectmen’s first meeting after Tuesday’s election, members would begin work on next year’s budget, as well as plan for for the next three years.

"We need to get Winsted back on sound, fiscal policy," Perez said.

The Winsted Independent Party candidates said their first priority would be to remove current Town Manager Keith Robbins, who they characterized throughout the debate as "incompetent," mismanaging the town’s finances and departments.

"We’ll take the appropriate personnel action," Independent Party candidate Russell Buchner said.

Winsted Republicans said their priority would be to rein in spending on the part of the Board of Education.

"We need to get the Board of Education’s rampant spending under control," Mayor Kenneth Fracasso said.

Fracasso added that the party would also focus on moving the process of revising the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development forward and revitalizing Winsted’s downtown core.

Budahazy said his first priority, if elected, would be to find ways to increase revenue for the town.

He said this could be achieved by ensuring that the school board applies for all of the state education-related reimbursement funds the district is qualified for, reining in the school board’s "reckless spending," as well as finding ways to bring in more business to town.

"This town will not move forward with these eyesores on Main Street," Budahazy said of the empty store fronts and older buildings along Main Street and other areas of town.

When asked what they would do to try to attract more businesses to Winsted, Independent Party candidate Raymond Pavlak said his party would focus on creating "one big shopping area" in the downtown core, which would possibly include building a parking lot.

"I’d like to contact Wal-Mart, and get them to look at the area," Pavlak said.

Unaffiliated selectman candidate Budahazy said the town needs to improve the level of education its students receive in Winsted schools and enhance and improve recreation programs for youths, adults and seniors, while focusing on working together to take care of blighted properties.

"We need to stop fighting and arguing and do what’s right for the town," he said.

Winsted Republican candidates said their party would also focus on improving the school district.

"It’s critical to bringing families into town," Republican selectman candidate Glenn Albanesius said.

He added that the party would also work toward filling many of the empty buildings in town.

"We have an immediate opportunity at the knitting mill," Albanesius said, referring to the Mad River Mill, which is the subject of a recent proposal for a luxury apartment complex.

"We need to support it and embrace it and make it happen," he said of the project.

Democrats said their party would focus on revitalizing Winsted, as highlighted in the Plan of Conservation and Development.

"The focus needs to be on the core area of the downtown," said George Closson, who serves as chair of the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development Subcommittee.

All of the parties and candidates agreed that town officials need to improve how they work together to better solve the problems and issues facing the town.

"You have to stop a lot of the political nonsense with these commission appointments," Budahazy said, referring to what some call the removal or failure to reappointment some former officials due to political reasons.

Republican candidate Karen Beadle, who currently serves as a member of the Winsted Board of Education, said, "Sometimes passions do get out of control" on boards and commissions.

She said that while that happens because town officials are passionate about improving the town and school district, it is important for members to "leave their personalities and politics at the door."

Democrat Michael Renzullo, a current selectmen, said when board and commission members appear to be removed due to political differences, it not only makes it more difficult to properly conduct the town business, but also to get residents willing to serve on them.

"This discourages volunteerism," Renzullo said.

Winsted Independent Party members said town officials need to do a better job of following the rule of law and the town charter.

"So [people] cannot be arbitrarily removed for political reasons," Russell Dietz said.

None of the candidates said they or their party would seek to make any charter changes if elected.

Although Fracasso did not specifically address how the town could achieve a zero-percent tax increase for next year, he did say that over the last few years, the Republican-led Board of Selectmen has put important "financial checks and balances" in place that have improved how the town’s books are balanced.

"I think we are on the road to recovery," he said.

Democratic Selectman Perez said to achieve a zero-percent tax increase for the town, the board must find $400,000 in savings "or cut service."

Perez said there may be ways to find additional savings in the town’s current health-care costs and/or salaries.

Independent Party member Russell Buchner said that the "money exists" to achieve a zero-percent tax increase. And that the town needs to more aggressively regulate spending when it comes to the board of education and the police department.

Budahazy said that every single town in the state is "cutting back" on spending and that Winsted should do the same. This would include hiring and wage freezes, as well as eliminating overspending by boards and reviewing town employee medical benefits.

"We have to cut needless and reckless spending," he said.

Although the candidates acknowledged that it might not be the best way, raising school district revenue through property taxes is state law, they said.

In addition, all of the candidates who addressed the question said that additional savings could be found within the town’s operating budget if its fiscal management was improved.

Independent Party members said if elected, one of their first priorities would be to remove current Town Manager Keith Robbins.

"The town manager is incompetent," Buchner said.

Budahazy said sometimes Robbins is doing a good job and other times he is not.

"Right now, the job is not being done here," he said.

Budahazy said perhaps the salary for the post, which is more than $80,000 a year, should be reduced.

"We need to cut back on some of these salaries," he said.

Winsted Republican Party members said they would keep Robbins in office to help maintain some stability at the position, which has seen a lot of turnover the last few years.

"He’s only getting in the 80s," Republican candidate Mary Shea said, referring to Robbins’ salary level. "That’s less than some other town managers."

The Democrats said while they would not seek to remove Robbins, they would review his job performance.

Democratic candidate Lisa Smith said the party would also look to establish goals and expectations for the position.

Democratic Selectman Candy Perez said to improve the district’s schools, the town needs to improve its revenue by fostering economic growth, while also "aggressively" pursuing additional money through state and federal dollars.

"We need to make this town attractive," Perez said, adding that the town needs to encourage more single-family homebuyers and businesses to move to Winsted.

Independent Party members said their platform calls for the creation of a kindergarten-through-12th-grade school district, with Northwestern Regional High School serving as Winsted’s secondary school.

"We would also allow parental choice for secondary school," Independent candidate Cheryl Bartley said, adding that The Gilbert School charges too high a tuition.

Budahazy said the town needs to take a hard look at salary level of school district’s administrators, and perhaps reduce those salaries and pass that savings onto the district.

"Let’s give that money to the kids," he said.

Republican Party members said they would like to see Winsted’s seventh- and eighth-graders moved into Gilbert to help improve test scores and the community’s connection with the school.

"Gilbert is our high school and should remain that way," said Raymond Neal, a current Republican school board member.

None of the candidates or parties said they were in favor of changing the town charter to install term limits for town boards or commissions.

Winsted Democratic Party members said they would focus on improving "fiscal accountability" and implementing "strong fiscal policies," while also working to expand economic development here.

Perez said the town needs to reach out to its residents, tapping into their expertise, when it comes to development, "to make sure this is a community project."

Independent Party members said their party would remove the town manager, while also focusing on reducing spending for the town’s school board and police department.

Budahazy said he would like to increase the town’s revenue streams through development, while also decreasing "reckless and out-of-control spending."

Republican Party members said that the town needs to get the Board of Education’s spending in line, while also supporting future economic development here.

"We need to embrace our developers," Fracasso said.