Letter: Flatto, Saxl Should Not Get 'Free Pass'

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The following statement was made by Representative Town Meeting member Michael Herley during Monday night’s discussion of the Fairfield Metro Center project. He also submitted his remarks to The Daily Fairfield in their entirety as a letter to the editor.

Like most twn residents I continue to be extremely troubled by the never-ending revelations about the management and oversight of the Metro Center project. It has categorically undermined the public’s trust and faith in our town government.  We must rebuild this covenant and ensure that judgment and governance gaffes of this magnitude never occur again in the Town of Fairfield.

History will be the ultimate judge of the Metro Center development project and Ken Flatto’s tenure as First Selectman ... not me ... and not this body. I do suspect history will be kinder to both Ken and the project, but ultimately time will tell.

Based on the facts of the situation, and on balance, I do not believe it would be fruitful to pursue legal remedies against Ken Flatto or Dick Saxl, because the estimated expenses to do so would exceed what might be recoverable and there is no guarantee the town would prevail in such a case, but, and I stress but, neither Ken Flatto nor Dick Saxl should be given a free pass by this body.

We need accountability.  We need assurances.  We need to move forward.

It has been said a man is to be judged by his actions, not by his words.

In this spirit, I ask this body to live up to its mandate and sponsor a non-binding resolution stating it is our belief that Ken Flatto and Dick Saxl should not be allowed to serve on any Fairfield governmental body or committee in the future AND a binding resolution that our town charter be closely reviewed by an independent Blue Ribbon Commission formed by the First Selectman to ensure the necessary safeguards are in place to prevent such blunders from happening again in the future.      

Failure to act in such a prudent manner will simply continue to undermine the trust town citizens place in us and this body. 

Let us now move forward together. I ask for your consideration. 

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