Questions about public opinion on revisions to North Haven’s municipal personnel policies manual before its implementation caused debate at the June 2 Board of Selectmen meeting.

First Selectman Michael Freda, Republican, said he was in the process of putting a new manual together with the town attorney. “This is his area of expertise,” Freda said of North Haven’s legal counsel. “He is a labor attorney.”

“I have a great deal for his expertise in this. He’s done it for other towns,” he added. “I’m going to allow him to put it together, and then we will implement it in town.”

Freda was responding to third selectman Steve Fontana, Democrat, who had queried about the manual’s progress. “The reason I ask is, we can disagree about whether or not the public can see it in advance before it is implemented, but I believe the last revision, which occurred in the mid-90s, had the signatures of all three of the members of the Board of Selectman on it,” Fontana said. “So my guess is that it requires the adoption by us, not just by a vote, but literally with our signature.”

“I think that if we’re going to be serious about transparency and accountability, I think the public does at least deserve the chance to see it and provide input to us before we adopt it,” he continued.

Freda said that he would look further into past practices regarding such manual revisions, and should selectmen signatures be required, he would act accordingly.

North Haven’s new policy would only apply for future Town Hall employees who are hired after its implementation.

During public comment, Will Leiserson spoke on the revised manual. “I would be very disappointed if you don’t allow the public to participate in this process,” he said. “I don’t know if you’ve read the current personnel manual . . . there are a lot of options that an attorney might or might not think are important. And a lot of it depends on how the town wants to go forward.”

Directed toward Freda, he added, “to not have that in a discussion, I think frankly it would be a mistake for you, politically,” especially, Leiserson argued, in light of Town Hall transparency issues which arose in 2007 during First Selectman Kevin Kopetz’s final term in office.

In response, Freda thoroughly defended his administration’s efforts for transparency.

“We have done everything we can here. We’ve shared all kinds of information in the past 18 months,” he said. “We’ve shared all kinds of information. We’ve answered and returned phone calls. We have said that if we have documents you don’t have to FOI us. We’ll give you the documents. So as far as open government and transparency, we have basically opened up government so anyone can ask us a question and we will provide anything.”

“We’re trying to do what’s right for North Haven. We’re trying to move the town forward. I’m trying not to look backwards,” he added. “We can learn from the past, which I think we have. But this government is focused on the present and the future.”

Speaking amidst public comment, Fire Chief Vincent Landisio had opposing views from Leiserson. “I find it very disappointing that people would ask to see the department head contracts and single out five workers, when we don’t show the public the fire union contract, the police union contract, the public works union contract,” he said.

Raymond Fowler followed Landisio and agreed with him. When it comes to the idea of public opinion and comment on a personnel policy manual, he said it “is not a good idea. In fact, it’s a terrible idea.”

Drawing on what he said was his years of experience as a human resources professional, and dealing with union contracts, Fowler added, “When it comes to personnel policies, there is only one opinion that matters . . . the courts.”