Community Corner

Brumback Will Bring Experience, Outside View to Southington

With a rich history of leadership in various roles, Garrison C. Brumback represents a change for Southington.

Garrison C. Brumback, a decorated military veteran who served in the first Persian Gulf War before retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel, will become Southington's second town manager.

The town council voted 5-4 during a special meeting at Southington Town Hall on Monday evening to hire Brumback, 54, as the successor to Town Manager John Weichsel, who will retire at the end of February after serving 44 years in Southington.

The selection isn't without controversy, however, as each of the four Democrats on the council voted against the decision. The announcement, made by Republican Councilor Peter Romano drew surprise from a crowd of around 30 people, many of whom said after the meeting they expected that Deputy Town Manager Mark Sciota had earned the job.

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Brumback will be only the second town manager ever in Southington, which has operated under the direction of Weichsel since the town adopted a manager form of government in 1966. Weichsel will remain on through February in order to help make a smoother transition, councilors said.

"Garry (Brumback) has a proven track record of being a leader," said John Dobbins, vice chairman of the town council. "His record shows he has the ability to lead in a civil capacity and his military experience only adds to what he has been able to do. He has shown that he can motivate people."

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Several councilors said after the meeting that Brumback accepted the position via a phone call, but no contract details have been worked out. He is expected to get a relocation bonus as part of the deal but no figures are available and councilors declined further comment due to pending negotiations.

Council Chairman Edward Pocock III said an announcement would be made as soon as an agreement is reached.

It will be quite a move for Brumback and his wife, Jennifer, who plan to relocate 1,700 miles from Texas, where he spent the last three years serving as city manager in Baytown.

Brumback has a history of public service that extends back more than 30 years. After graduating from the Virginia Military Institute, he joined the U.S. Army and proceeded to work his way through the ranks. When he retired, he immediately began working in the public sector, spending eight years as the assistant city manager in Clearwater, Fla., before taking on his current role in Baytown.

During his time in Clearwater, Brumback was named a credentialed city manager with the International City Managers Association and in 2006 he was given the Outstanding Public Administrator Award by the Suncoast Chapter of the American Society of Public Administrators.

Brumback also holds a master's degree in international relations from Boston University and is an active member of the Baytown Rotary Club, as well as holding roles on the boards of the YMCA, Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission.

Brumback could not be reached for comment Monday evening.

Republican Councilor Stephanie Urillo said that although his record is strong, what set Brumback apart from other candidates was his record of streamlining budget and finance processes in both Clearwater and Baytown.

"Not only does he bring a wealth of experience in a variety of different leadership positions, but he also brings a sense of fiscal conservatism that is necessary to lead this town right now," Urillo said.

Democratic Councilors John Barry and Anthony D'Angelo praised Brumback's work but said they were unhappy with the outcome and felt Sciota has proven himself and should have been the top candidate.

Sciota was not present when the decision was made. Weichsel was also absent during Monday's Council meeting.

"It is disappointing. Mark has a vested interest in the community," Barry said. "He has been committed to the town and he lives in the town. He was born here."

Sciota has served as the town attorney for nearly a decade and in 2005 under a Republican-led council, he was named deputy town manager.

D'Angelo said during the process, councilors with both parties asked if he would be interested in eventually taking over as the town manager, a request that he publicly agreed to. D'Angelo said the effort was to provide a seamless transition but that effort may now have been derailed.

"That was why we put him that position. We were trying to help him learn more about the town's operations," D'Angelo said.

Several audience members also criticized the decision and John Moise, a member of the Board of Finance and one of several public officials present Monday, said he understands it was a difficult choice but is hopeful that the council did its homework before making the selection.

"Loyalty and integrity were characteristics that Mark would have brought and this guy has a tough job waiting for him when he walks through that door," Moise said. "Government here is an entirely different process altogether. Connecticut does not operate like most other states."

Moise expressed concerns that if Brumback doesn't work out, it could mean a black eye for the town. He likened the situation to when the Board of Education voted to hire Harvey Polansky as school superintendent in 2000.

Polansky was an out-of-towner who was selected over Southington resident Angelo Coppola, but he left in 2007 after many in the community lost faith in his ability. Earlier this year, Polansky resigned from Milford Public Schools following allegations of sexual harassment.

"I just hope the town learned it's lesson from that. We'll have to see," Moise said.


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