BEACON FALLS — In the opinion of Town Attorney Frederick Stanek, the responsibility of validating voters at a town meeting falls to the registrars of voters.
Stanek provided that opinion this month, at the request of the Board of Selectmen, to clarify whether the registrars or town clerk is responsible to check voters at town meetings. The question arose after Democratic Registrar Katherine Grace didn’t attend a June 5 town meeting to vote on the budget to check in voters and contended it was the town clerk’s responsibility.
First Selectman Christopher Bielik said Grace expressed dissatisfaction before the town meeting that other elected officials were given raises in the 2019-20 budget but not the registrars.
The town’s two registrars, which are part-time elected positions, earn $13,200 a year, according to the budget. The position last received a raise in 2016. Typically, the salaries of elected officials are increased in election years. The registrars have four-year terms and are up for re-election in 2020.
Grace, who has been a registrar for over 30 years, said more duties and obligations are continuously piled on the position and it’s not reflective in the pay. She said she earned her certification as a registrar two years ago and other registrars received an increase when they became certified.
The final straw, Grace said, came when officials approved raises in the 2019-20 budget for other elected officials. She said state statutes refer to a town clerk’s responsibilities when it comes to elections.
In a letter to the selectmen, Stanek pointed to state statutes that say registrars have to complete a list of voters before a special election or referendum and “should retain a sufficient number of copies to be used by them at such election or referendum for the purpose of checking the names of those who vote …”
While the statutes don’t mention town meetings specifically, Stanek wrote his opinion is a town meeting is analogous to an election or referendum and the registrars are responsible for validating voters.
“If that’s the ruling, then so be it. I will do what I have to do,” Grace said.
Grace’s actions drew the ire of Selectman Michael Krenesky, who is also the chairman of the Beacon Falls Republican Town Committee.
In an email to Bielik and Selectman Peter Betkoski, Krenesky called for the town to deduct one day’s pay from Grace’s monthly stipend for not checking in voters at the town meeting.
“Her refusing to do her elected responsibilities because she was not getting a raise, which is the real issue here, is malfeasance and dereliction of duties,” he wrote.
Bielik said last week he sent the opinion to the board, Town Clerk Len Greene and the registrars.
“If necessary,” he said “the Board of Selectmen will consider establishing a published policy or procedure letter to address the issue going forward. Anything else will be handled internally.”
Correction: This story has been updated to correct the date of the town meeting to June 5.
