Though the newly established Independent Guilford Party (IG) has only recently been formed, members are already being assigned to positions on town boards and commissions, including the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Conservation Commission. The group is also gaining significant membership from elected and appointed officials who have shifted their party affiliation.

In its meeting last week, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) approved several appointments of IG members. IG Party Co-Chair Mike Mikolay stressed that although the long-term goal of IG is ensuring representation on boards and commissions, the recent push by members of the Guilford community to join the IG or switch parties has not been a coordinated effort by the new party or its officers.

“A number of folks approached us after learning what we were doing with IG either asking for our support to get on a certain board or commission or how they can get involved. We simply provided them with the list of current openings and outlined the steps in which they could apply to the Board of Selectman for consideration,” Mikolay said in a statement to the Courier.

IG was just recently solidified when it caucused and nominated officers last month. The party was created in an effort to provide a more diverse voice and platform for Guilford voters and drill down on local issues, according to IG party statements.

According to town records, the following individuals elected officials recently changed their party affiliation to Independent Guilford: on the Board of Selectmen, Charles Havrda; on the Board of Education, Jennifer Baldwin, Kristi Faulkner, and Noel Petra; and on the Board of Finance, Bob Hartmann.

On appointed boards and commissions, the following recently changed their party affiliation to Independent Guilford: on the Board of Ethics, Ken Wilson; on the Board of Fire Commissioners, Chair Ken Wilson; on the Waste Transfer Station Advisory Committee, Susan Ireland; on the Board of Police Commissioners, Mike Mikolay; on the Housing Authority, Peter Palumbo; on the Human Rights Commission, Barbra Hargraves; and on the Lakes Golf Course Commission, Land Acquisition Commission, and Parks and Recreation Commission, Laura Hartmann.

The following members were appointed by the BOS last week to their assignments: Conservation Commission, Sarah Torff;

Zoning Board of Appeals, Kristi Faulkner and Robert Vasasour; and Sustainable Guilford Task Force, Nathan Scoggin.

Though one of the stated goals of IG was to “hyper-focus” on these local issues and to seat as many Independents onto boards and commissions as possible in an effort to bring as many different voices to town issues as possible, these appointments and party switches were done without official IG endorsement or coordination, according to Mikolay.

First Selectman Matt Hoey (D) said he is very excited about the development of the IG party and is looking forward to working with the recent appointees.

“I’m excited about the fact that there seems to be re-energization and an energy from people wanting to get involved and give back to the community. So, a party that didn’t exist just a month ago now gives folks to have a structure of typical political party,” Hoey said. “I’m excited about this new level of engagement. I think it’s healthy for the community.

“There are so many capable and talented individuals in this community and getting some of those folks to participate in the, some 40-odd boards and commissions, which are all volunteer, really expands the universe of those who can contribute to making the town what it is and such a special place,” Hoey added.

Hoey said during the BOS meeting that the appointments are a great signal for Guilford and its efforts to engage the voting community.

“There is now an official third party in Guilford today, and I think it might be the first time in Guilford’s history, we may have to get [Town Historian] Joel Helander to look that up, but it’s the first time we have appointed an independent party member to a board or commission, as opposed to unaffiliated,” Hoey said. “That’s what exciting. There really is a groundswell of people willing to get involved.”

Minority Representation

One aspect of a new party that will have an effect on town government is the mandated distribution by party of board and commission members. The “bare majority rule” or minority representation rule assures that though one party can have a majority, it can only have a majority that is one more than the aggregate number of other parties. In the past, this centered on Republicans and Democrats and an occasional unaffiliated member. With a third party now in play, this rule still is in effect but could have long-term effects on how these entities vote.

This rule does not mean that every party gets a certain number of representatives or even one member on any given board or commission, it means that the total number of non-majority members must make up the rest of any board.

For instance, if a hypothetical board had seven members, the majority would be four; that would dictate that the other three must come from another party or parties. For example, if there were four Republicans on a board, the other three members could be all Democrats, all IG, or all unaffiliated; it could also satisfy the rule with any combination of other party members, so a board could be four Republicans, two Democrats and one IG or any combination of that, as long as the majority is only one member greater than the aggregate of the minority party or parties.

Kristi Faulkner ran successfully in November for the BOE under an unaffiliated candidacy, and was serving as an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals, and felt she was ready to step up and become a full-time member of that board as well. Faulkner said her motivation to join IG was a simple desire to serve the town.

“The process…was very motivating and inspirational,” said Faulkner. “To see so many people in our town come together across party lines just showed us that even with varying backgrounds we all have a lot in common. I think one of the best aspects of this, is that it’s going to give people in our town who otherwise are unaffiliated or Independent an opportunity, and it will really open doors for a lot of people in our town to become involved to serve. The creation of this third party is just going to create so much more opportunity and interest to serve.”

Faulkner stressed her decision to join the IG party was not influenced by anything other than a desire to serve.

“My appointment wasn’t any decision we came to as a group. This wasn’t part of IG. I had served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for two years now as an alternate and I just wanted to support my board more,” said Faulkner.

The application process for individuals wishing to be appointed on town boards and commissions is relatively straightforward and quick. Any Guilford resident who is a registered voter wishing to serve on a board or commission in Guilford can simply make a written request to the First Selectman’s Office by filling out a short application that is available on the town’s website www.ci.guilford.ct.us. Look for the “How To...” link at the top of the Town website page and follow the links for “Boards and Commissions”. The application can be mailed, emailed, or dropped off to the First Selectman’s Office and it is then set on the agenda for an upcoming BOS meeting.

For more information on IG, visit www.independentguilford.com.