Letter: BoE Charter Change – Why it Makes Sense

Letter to the editor submitted by Wynn McDaniel, March 2, 2017

I support the charter change recommended by the Committee commissioned by the First Selectman to revamp the election process of our Board of Education.

This Committee has spent many months evaluating various options and has recommended that change is warranted to improve the current system of guaranteeing 4 seats to each of the Republicans and the Democrats.

The voters of the Town of Greenwich deserve to be heard and need to know that their votes count.  The current process of four seats per party regardless of vote tallies runs against our basic American premise of democracy.

The voters in the Town of Greenwich should be allowed to vote for their candidate whom they believe will deal with the many issues facing our education system and not be restricted to an outdated and dysfunctional rule that says each party gets four seats no matter what.

In the past, there were situations where very qualified and passionate candidates received more votes than the candidates that were actually elected due to this 4/4 rule.  It is time to change.

It is time to give the voters of the Town of Greenwich a choice.  It is time our elected officials represent the will of the people.  This recommended charter change allows voter choice, and I urge the Town to adopt this much needed change to our Board of Ed charter.