To the Editor:
Fairfield’s governing body is called the Representative Town Meeting for a reason. Each of the forty members represent one out of ten districts and are answerable to their constituents regardless of which party they belong to. While we all act in the best interest of the town as a whole, we bring to our colleagues the perspectives and concerns that are unique to the neighborhoods in our district.
In his letter to the editor [Re “A Healthy Government Thrives on Compromise, Accountability, Representation for All” (Letters, Feb. 25)] Rep. Collin Colburn not only misrepresents what transpired during our meeting on Monday, February 24th, but he mischaracterizes the RTM and how it acts in service of the town.
I can’t speak for Mr. Colburn’s caucus, but I can say that among the Democrats there is always disagreement and serious debate because we all come to the table with the issues and concerns brought to us by our constituents that may be in stark contrast to the issues and concerns in someone else’s district. Residents’ voices are not sidelined because we all have a responsibility to answer to our district. We all receive the same emails both for and against issues and take them into consideration as we write, amend, and vote on ordinances and budgets. We knock doors and host meetings to hear concerns. Just as we expect a robust debate among the Democratic caucus to bring out the best possible outcomes, we expect and appreciate the same when the entire body comes together. Additionally, at least from the Democratic side, when an ordinance is proposed, our leadership reaches out to the leadership in the Republican caucus to ask them to participate in the writing of ordinances to ensure that policies have balance. Whether the Republicans choose to do the same with any ordinances they may wish to present or to join in one that originates with a Democrat is up to them.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Everyone has full access to knowing what their RTM member actually does once elected. Anyone who attends the meetings, watches them on FairTV, or looks at the minutes, the voting records, the meeting recordings, and the meeting attendance for the RTM on the Town website can see for themselves that the arguments laid out by Rep. Colburn do not apply, with Monday night’s meeting being a prime example.
The traffic camera ordinance was not “pushed through” nor was the process that brought it to a vote an example of “unchecked power.” It was co-sponsored by Republicans and four out of the eight Republicans present voted in favor of it. Every ordinance we consider has people emailing us in favor and against, and we keep track of the numbers. In the case of the traffic cameras, those in favor outnumbered those against. Regarding the amendments, RTM members not agreeing with the offered amendments does not equate to a lack of serious consideration nor an imposition of will nor a refusal to vote for the amendments just because they came from one party. Sometimes people simply don’t agree. In the case of the proposed amendments, the prevailing belief was to allow the experts on the Traffic Authority – the engineers, the Fairfield Police, the town planners, and appointed members of the public – to do their job and offer an informed plan based on evidence that they are required to collect. Even so, some Democrats did in fact vote in favor of an amendment they agreed with.
I agree that a healthy democracy thrives on compromise, accountability, and representation for all. But those measures have more to do with the person sitting in the chair than which party they belong to. One of my favorite and most formative experiences in politics was when I went door knocking with incumbent Rep. Dru Georgiadis in her district. I watched her earn the support of Republican constituents because she very clearly articulated every action she had done as an RTM member that benefited them in their neighborhood. It has been both baffling and discouraging to see Rep. Colburn choose the bipartisan traffic camera ordinance to raise a false flag for the sake of politics. Painting the picture of an ordinance pushed forward strictly by a super majority is a disservice not only to me and the other cosponsors of this ordinance who endeavored to bring thoughtful research and discussion to the floor for every meeting in the spirit of collaboration but also to Mr. Colburn’s Republican colleagues who voted in favor.
Michelle McCabe
Fairfield, CT
Michelle McCabe, Fairfield, serving as a Fairfield RTM Representative, District 4