The pendulum has swung. After years punctuated by rancor and dysfunction, our new Board of Selectmen will be comprised of three paragons of civility and collaboration: Dionna Carlson, Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll. Among them they possess all the skills and experience needed to protect what we love most about New Canaan. All we need to decide on November 7th is which impressive woman (Steve’s not running for First Selectman) should lead the team.
I think the answer is Dionna Carlson. For the three years she chaired the Board of Education, the Town’s most precious asset was in very good hands. She was thoughtful, gracious, dignified, businesslike and always, always well prepared. She was strong enough to build a governing consensus, yet sensitive enough to know when not all voices had been heard. At community coffees she fielded questions–often difficult ones–almost every week. She showed her command of virtually every issue affecting the schools, including the complexities of the BOE budget which makes up two-thirds of the Town’s expenses.
The First Selectman sets the cultural tone of the Town, and Dionna will set a tone we’ll be proud of. I knew that when I first saw her in action seven years ago, and I’m convinced of it still.
Tom Butterworth
