Some of the partisan discord that some say defined Winsted’s recent administration reared its head once again at Tuesday’s night’s meeting of the Board of Selectmen.
During a discussion on whether the board should agree to pay $11,000 in legal fees incurred by the Civil Service Commission as it explored and pursued a lawsuit against the town, Kenneth Fracasso voiced vehement opposition to the proposal.
Fracasso is the lone Republican holdover from the previous board, and was part of the former Republican "Gang of Five" that many perceived the commission’s lawsuit to be aimed at. The board eventually agreed to pay the fees by a margin of 6-1, with Fracasso casting the only opposing vote.
During a public comment session at the close of the meeting, former Republican Selectman David Cappabianca echoed Fracasso’s frustrations, saying that the current board, which has been noted for enjoying relative harmony over its first three months, "needs to start winning some of these battles."
In comments following the meeting, Cappabianca accused Democratic board members of voting to pay the fees as a favor to Civil Service Commission Chairman Porter "Skip" Griffin, who he said supported their campaigns.
"This in my estimation, represents the worst kind of political cronyism," he said. "It is absolutely atrocious."