Town Hires New Assistant in Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Replace Granddaughter Ends Accusations of Nepotism in Town Clerk's Office
Seventeen-year-old Courtney A. Bugden was working in a 30-hour position since May 2007, a position that was previously vacated by her mother, Stephanie Bugden.
Becker said that Feb. 11 was the first day of work for the new town clerk part-time assistant, Cindy Kane, but declined to answer questions regarding Kane's experience.
At the Town Clerk's Office on Feb. 12, Bugden was in the process of training Kane and Becker estimated that process would take several days.
Becker referred all personnel questions to First Selectman Michael Pace.
Board of Selectmen Executive Assistant Roland Laine said that Kane will earn $18.29 an hour while Bugden earned $17.76 per hour.
Pace said 30 individuals applied for the position and that Becker conducted interviews and chose the final candidate.
"(Becker) followed proper procedures and Kane is a good candidate," Pace said.
While Pace said that Becker has the right to hire whom she chooses for part-time assistants, a memo signed by him, Selectman Bill Peace, and Selectman Velma Thomas on June 12 accused Becker of not following union procedures and hiring an assistant who failed to fill out an application form and meet the job's minimum requirements.
The town's job description for a town clerk assistant requires applicants to have a high school diploma in addition to having three years of secretarial or office administrative work with two of those years specifically working with land records.
The selectmen also stated that four town hall employees, who had met the job's minimum requirements, had applied for the position shortly after Stephanie Bugden left.
The memo instructed Becker to fire Courtney Bugden.
However, Bugden worked through the summer and assisted the Town Clerk's Office during the November 2007 election season.
The new hiring is expected to maintain current staffing levels at the Town Clerk's Office.
Published by Corey Sipe
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