Cromwell Town Council declines to extend town manager's contract, approves search firm funding

Town Council · Meeting of April 27, 2026

CT CROMWELL — Cromwell Town Council votes to end town manager's tenure and hire a search firm. At a special meeting April 27, the council voted not to renew Town Manager's contract, which expires August 17, 2026, and approved a $24,000 appropriation — pending Board of Finance sign-off — to engage a search firm for a replacement. The transition package, shepherded by council member James Demetriades, includes a 3 percent wage adjustment for the town manager beginning July 1 through his final day and permission to remain on the town's dental insurance plan for up to 10 years after retirement.

Member Al Waters cast the lone dissenting votes on both the dental benefit and the wage adjustment, warning the council it was "setting a precedent" that had already returned to cause problems three times before. Demetriades said neighboring towns Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Newington have recently completed similar searches, and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities advised that $24,000 is a reasonable market rate; a bid process is expected to launch at the May council meeting.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 913 words

Source: the Town Council meeting of April 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

CROMWELL — April 27, 2026 — The Cromwell Town Council voted Monday at a special meeting to let Town Manager's contract expire without extension, setting the stage for a leadership transition and authorizing up to $24,000 to hire a search firm to find a replacement.

The council took four formal votes during the brief meeting, covering the town manager's continued service past his current contract expiration, a retirement dental benefit, a wage adjustment, and the search firm appropriation. The meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m.

The Full Story

The special meeting, called with short notice that drew at least one public complaint, opened with two citizens asking why the gathering had been convened. Jay Polk, of 15 Harrison Drive, said he saw a notice on Facebook but could not find it on the town's website and objected to the lack of detail. A council member referred the question to a staff member identified in the transcript only as Amanda, who acknowledged the posting had not appeared on the town website, though it had been physically posted at Town Hall. Judy Norris, of Seven Prayerwood Gardens, also appeared during citizens' comments to ask what had prompted the meeting.

The council then recessed briefly to wait for its chair, who was stuck in traffic returning from Greenwich, rejoining the meeting by phone before arriving in person at approximately 5:29 p.m.

After emerging from executive session at 5:51 p.m., the chair outlined the consensus reached: the town manager's contract, currently set to expire August 17, 2026, will not be extended. Instead, the manager will remain in his position until a successor is appointed and begins work, at which point he will receive at least two weeks' notice. The council discussed that a search firm typically takes about three months to recommend a finalist, placing a likely transition around August or September.

The package of terms, initially presented as a single motion, was broken into three separate votes after one council member raised concerns about setting a precedent with the dental benefit. That member, identified in context as Al Waters, voted against both the dental provision and the 3 percent wage adjustment but did not oppose the transition-period employment terms.

"We've already had three — this is going to be four — and it's going to be a line of people getting them behind the line and want the same thing as far as dental, et cetera, after they reach a certain age." [No timestamp index supplied] — Al Waters, Town Council member

The wage adjustment drew extended discussion about its effect on the town manager's pension. Council members noted the manager participates in a pension calculated on his three highest years of earnings. Because the 3 percent increase would apply only from July 1 through his final day — estimated at 47 calendar days or fewer — the practical pension impact was described as minimal, amounting to roughly $19 extra per day of service at the higher rate.

"I think everybody else gets their raises on July 1. I think it's just fair to keep him treated like everybody else." [No timestamp index supplied] — James Demetriades, Town Council member

On the search firm appropriation, the chair said he had consulted the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, which indicated $24,000 is an average market rate for town manager searches. He noted neighboring towns including Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Newington have recently conducted similar searches. The appropriation must still receive approval from the Board of Finance. The chair said the council expects to issue a formal bid request at its May meeting.

"Next it'll go to Board of Finance, assuming everything gets approved by then. I anticipate at the May Town Council meeting, we'll be putting in for bids." [No timestamp index supplied] — James Demetriades, Town Council member

Why It Matters

Cromwell is entering a formal leadership transition after the Town Council chose in August 2025 not to extend the town manager's contract. Monday's votes set the legal and financial terms under which that transition will unfold. Residents can expect a public search process to begin as early as May, with the goal of seating a new town manager by late summer or early fall of 2026. The $24,000 appropriation still requires Board of Finance sign-off, and the broader employment package — including a dental benefit of up to 10 years post-retirement and a 3 percent wage adjustment starting July 1 — takes effect only if those conditions hold. The transition timeline depends significantly on how quickly a search firm can be engaged and how competitive the candidate pool proves to be.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Permit town manager to remain on town dental insurance for up to 10 years post-retirement Tally: For: 6, Against: 1, Abstain: 0, Total: 7

- Vote: 3 percent gross wage adjustment for town manager effective July 1, 2026 through final day of employment Tally: For: 6, Against: 1, Abstain: 0, Total: 7

- Vote: Town manager to remain in role until successor appointed and begins employment, with at least two weeks' notice before new town manager's start date; all other existing contract terms to remain in effect through end of employment Tally: For: 6, Against: 0, Abstain: 1, Total: 7

- Vote: Appropriation of $24,000 for a consultant firm for town manager search Tally: Approved, with at least one abstention noted; exact for/against count not fully captured on record

Source

Cromwell's community access TV: Town Council meeting, April 27, 2026