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Changes at Stafford Town Hall

Back in June, a vote at an unusually contentious Town Meeting led to Stafford changing its ordinances to move away from electing the Town Clerk and Tax Collector positions. That meeting ended with Brian Bagley, now a candidate for First Selectman, calling the results of the vote invalid. Still, no serious opposition was ever mounted, and now, Stafford is getting its first “appointed” Town Clerk. At the September 3, 2025, Board of Selectmen meeting, the board voted unanimously to appoint Sharon Miller to a four-year term as town clerk.


While the word “appointed” is used here, it’s interchangeable with “hired” as the job was listed some time ago on the town website, resumes were collected, and an interview process ensued. There were several concerns raised by First Selectman Bill Morrison when he first started introducing the idea of this change. Not only was there a possibility that someone without the proper certifications could be elected, but also that electing the position would limit the pool of applicants to only Stafford residents. Still, others said they preferred that Staford’s Town Clerk be a resident.


Miller is a Stafford resident and previously served as Deputy Town Clerk in Windsor, CT. So we have both a local and an experienced Town Clerk in the position. Those of you who will miss Stafford’s long-time Town Clerk Karen Troiano, don’t fret, she will stay on in a part-time capacity for a while, but she gets to take a break from this year’s election cycle


Miller’s appointment was not the only change announced. Selectman John Whetton announced his resignation from the board, effective September 4, 2025, to avoid any conflicts of interest with his new position as Stafford’s Director of Public Works. According to the town's announcement of Whetton's appointment, "He began his municipal career under former First Selectwoman Mary Mitta in the Public Works Department—first in the Parks Department, then as a Highway Laborer—before being promoted to Foreman at the Stafford Transfer Station. In this role, he implemented new recycling procedures that increased revenue for the town and reorganized the facility for greater efficiency. He later transitioned to the Water Pollution Control Facility as Head Mechanic, where he quickly earned his Class I Operator designation."


Whetton was appointed to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) earlier this year when Kurt Vail resigned his seat after a long absence from selectboard meetings. This means that, for the second time this year, the Republican Town Committee (RTC) will have to nominate someone for the open seat, and the remaining selectmen will have to vote to accept that person or not. Expect that process to play out at the October BOS meeting, but the new selectman will still need to be sworn in. That leaves little time before the November election, when the voters will determine who makes up the selectboard. 


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