6 Months Into His Term, Breakell Sees Progress
Goshen 1st Selectman Seth Breakell campaigned last year on the need for more civility in town government as well as the formation of a town ethics commission. Six months after being sworn into office, he sat for an interview with Goshen News Publisher Leya Edison to talk about his first months in office.
GN: It's been several months and I think we can see some basic changes that have happened in the tone of Town Hall.
Breakell: “I think there's been a change in the tone of the Town Hall. I won't take all the credit for that. I think the staff here has always been good and receptive and professional all along. I just think it's some of the management techniques or atmosphere that was in the Town Hall previously. It's certainly been better on its face anyway.”
GN: I understand that you have made it your business to attend every meeting. Can you tell us what you found and what you see going forward?
Breakell: “I think it was just important to have some presence there. When I first took over here, I talked to all the chairs of the boards and commissions, and I gave them an informal…guideline of how I expected the meetings to be run more, not so much as the technicalities and stuff of the Roberts Rules, but more of the decorum and the atmosphere, if you will, of the meetings. By attending those meetings… they know that I'm paying attention, and to help them along with any difficulties they might have.”
GN: So, part of what I noted during the debates in November was the Ethics Commission. And I know that they're still meeting. How is that progressing?
Breakell: “So, the Code of Ethics Drafting Commission drafted said code of ethics, because we don't have one. They gave their final draft to the Board of Selectmen for review. I have since sent it to our Town Attorney for a review, and he's got it in his hands. They're just waiting for the attorney to give us back his thoughts.”
GN: An ethics commission is so needed because there's no check and balance by any other government agency to do that. So, how do you feel about that?
Breakell: “So, to monitor itself, the Town of Goshen needs something like that... otherwise, we get into areas like the Attorney General, if people aren't satisfied, or the FBI, or the complaint unit of the state. And I think it's always best to start with the town itself and see whether it can be resolved.”
GN: In the past there has been a problem notifying everyone of important meetings that happen in town. What is Goshen using now to notify everyone?
Breakell: “[Mailchimp] is a good way to do that. It's a way to get information [to] every town resident, which every voter is in the registrar's office, everybody that votes, and the information can be obtained to send out emails or phone calls to everyone at the same time so that they get the information they need within a reasonable amount of time.”
GN: Anything that you want to say to our town's folk of what you see happening in the future and your concerns and your hopes?
Breakell: “As far as the town itself, I think there's room for improvement in a few things. For instance, communication, disseminating information, to getting technology on board with the rest of our residents, and stuff to try to disseminate some of that information. I don't think we have any huge issues fiscally. We're in fantastic shape.”
