To the editor:

Westport voters, please vote yes on the ballot question to change the Treasurer to an appointed position. The treasurer is a full-time employee with critical financial responsibilities. This department processes payroll, administers life, health, retirement and post-retirement benefits, they oversee our investment accounts and are responsible for financial reporting and bonding, they have the town checkbook.

As an elected official, the only job requirements are to be 18 years of age, reside in Westport, and win an election by popular vote. Once elected, the person serves a three-year term with no obligation to hold public meetings or regularly report out to you the taxpayer, they are not managed by any other department and may not be removed from office.

Eighty percent of communities in the Commonwealth have already changed this position to appointed because they understand the job is much more complex than it once was and requires skill, experience and training. A robust election where candidates are vetted by voters who carefully select the person with the best qualifications might work, but in Westport you haven’t had a choice for treasurer on the ballot since 1966. We have been fortunate to have had some excellent people in that department through the years but continuing to rely on fortune is not sound financial policy.

If you were running a business with a $45 million operating budget, that was about to issue over $50 million of bonding, would you hire the most popular person, or would you conduct a search based on a job description and have an employment contract to hold the employee accountable for doing their job? I’ve been asked why the selectmen are not acting now, and the simple answer is that we do not have authority over other elected officials. If you want the selectmen to be responsible for oversight of that department, let us hire the treasurer and then hold us accountable.

I would appreciate your vote for selectman on April 9, but more than that, your town needs your yes vote on Question 1.

Shana Shufelt

Candidate for re-election to Westport Board of Selectmen