A screen shot of the Ansonia tax board meeting from Feb. 7
ANSONIA – Two city Democrats said the composition of the city’s tax board violates the Ansonia City Charter, while a Republican Alderman said the problem is that Democrats don’t want to get involved.
Democrats John Feddern and Brian Perkins raised the issue during the public session portion of Monday’s meeting of the Ansonia Board of Apportionment and Taxation.
Feddern said the board is supposed to have seven members. The board is supposed to be divided equally between Democrats and Republicans, with at least one unaffiliated member, Feddern said, referencing the Ansonia City Charter.
Feddern said BOAT has been meeting with five members – three Republicans, one Democrat and one person whose political affiliation is not listed on the city’s website. Two additional members have not been included in the meeting’s roll call since April 2021, Feddern said, citing meeting minutes.
The lone Democrat on the tax board is Republican Mayor David Cassetti’s brother.
Feddern asked the board to confirm whether it has five or seven members, and to explain, if necessary, why two open slots haven’t been filled.
One of the members – the meeting was held via Zoom and it was difficult for the public to follow which member was speaking – said BOAT’s business is budgetary matters, and that Feddern’s inquiry might be better handled by the Ansonia Board of Aldermen.
“It sounds like that’s a question that’s given to the Board of Aldermen, no?” the unidentified member said.
“If I may follow up, can you at least confirm that the five people on this call and the roll call are the only five members of BOAT? I think you guys could do that, probably, for me,” Feddern asked.
At that point Alderman Tony Mammone interrupted and told BOAT Chairman Gary Cassetti that public comment sessions are “not a question and answer session.”
Later in the meeting, Perkins, the interim chairman of the Ansonia Democratic Town Committee, said Mammone should not tell Cassetti how to run the meeting.
Most local governments do not use public comments as a question and answer period as a practical matter, but there’s nothing in local or state law that prevents them from answering questions.
Alderman Dan King spoke during the public session and said local Democrats like to complain.
“We’ve had a lot of people from the Democratic Party in town just constantly oppose everything that’s been done, but very few have actually offered their services as far as becoming members serving on different boards,” King said. “They all want to be top management. They want to be Aldermen, they want to be mayor.”
King advised any Democrat who wants to serve to “let it be known.”
“Nobody from the Democratic side has offered their services,” King said.
Perkins said several Ansonia Democrats want to serve, and that the committee is “more than happy” to get the names in front of Mayor Cassetti.
BOAT member David Papcin suggested the speakers check with the Ansonia Town/City Clerk for a list of current BOAT members.
The Valley Indy checked with Town Clerk Beth Lynch Tuesday morning, and her office confirmed there are five members and two vacancies, while the city Charter requires seven members.
According to the town clerk, the current members are:
Gary Cassetti — Democrat
David Papcin — Republican
Robert Jaskilka — Independent Party
John Maloney — Republican
Breandan McTighe — Republican
Here’s the relevant section of the city charter:
Sec. 38. — Establishment, composition, etc. of board of apportionment and taxation.
In December 2014 the mayor shall appoint, with the approval of the majority of the board of aldermen, a board of apportionment and taxation, consisting of seven (7) members, two (2) of whom shall be appointed to serve for a term of two (2) years, two (2) of whom shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years, and three (3) of whom shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years.
Thereafter, in December of each succeeding year, commencing in December 2016, the mayor shall appoint, with the approval of the board of aldermen, members of the board of apportionment and taxation to succeed those members whose terms are expiring, for terms of three (3) years.
Said board shall be divided equally between the two leading political parties and include at least one unaffiliated voters; and all vacancies in said board shall be filled from the political party in which the vacancy occurs, by nomination by the mayor and confirmation by the board of aldermen, as provided for in section nine of this Act.
Regular meetings of the board of apportionment and taxation shall be held at least once a month.
The day after the BOAT meeting, The Valley Indy messaged Feddern asking why the Democrats didn’t simply check with the town clerk prior to Monday’s meeting for a current list of BOAT members, and then offer the names of Democrats willing to fill the vacancies.
Feddern said it’s the mayor’s responsibility. He also noted the city’s website regarding BOAT’s membership has been wrong for some time — even after it was updated after the November municipal election.
“While it would behoove a town committee to check for vacancies — and unfortunately that had not been happening under prior leadership — the onus and responsibility to fill vacancies is 100 percent in the mayor’s lap. Section 38 of the charter is clear on this in the last paragraph,” Feddern said.
Feddern also said Tuesday the Democrats will submit Perkins’ name for the tax board.
However, corporation counsel John Marini (also chairman of the city’s Republican Town Committee), said the Ansonia City Charter does not force the mayor to appoint a Democrat suggested by the Ansonia Democratic Town Committee.
“The Town Committee’s recommendations can certainly be considered, but the Charter does not obligate the Mayor or Aldermen to accept such a recommendation,” Marini said in a message Tuesday afternoon.
The “Charter says it has to be a Democrat. This can be anyone registered as a Democrat, with Ansonia residency,” Marini said.
The mayor and Aldermen could fill the two vacancies at next month’s Aldermen meeting.
When asked for a response, Feddern pointed out the vacancies are only being filled because it was pointed out in public, and that the administration’s intent to ignore suggestions from the Democratic Town Committee is spiteful politics.
“John Marini is the Republican town chair and would certainly cry foul if a democratic mayor ignored the recommendations of the RTC for GOP vacancies,” Feddern said. “While it is true that it is not required, it is the ethical thing to do if you have interest in working in a respectful fashion with the Democratic Party, which is also a constituency in town. Democrats elect the members of the DTC and in towns across the valley and state, the municipal leader fills vacancies by selecting from a list provided by the party’s leadership.”
