Fortuna in Saybrook

With 10 years on the Board of Finance, most recently as chairman, and experience on the Water Pollution Control Authority, Republican Carl P. Fortuna Jr. has the tools and background necessary to deal with the top challenges confronting Old Saybrook.

Under Mr. Fortuna's leadership, the finance board has proved a good steward in balancing spending, taxes and services. His board has questioned expenditures and sought sacrifices from town employees.

The glaring exception to the frugal behavior was the contract awarded to Police Chief Michael A. Spera, with annual 7 percent pay increases that will reach a salary of $147,885 in 2014-15. The Police Commission signed that deal without needing finance board approval. That's too much fiscal authority for a commission. Whoever becomes first selectman should work to make sure that spending power rests with the finance board and selectmen. Mr. Fortuna assured us he will.

Mr. Fortuna has a good grasp of the challenges facing his town as it implements a $42.2 million plan to construct a decentralized wastewater management system in shoreline communities. Townspeople opted to use new septic system technology to address wastewater problems, rather than sewers, which many feared would generate unwanted development. The town had been under an environmental order by the state to address the situation.

This site-by-site solution will be complex, involving multiple contractors - with owners paying 50 percent and the town and state 25 percent each. If elected, Mr. Fortuna vows to remain very involved in the process.

With First Selectman Michael A. Pace not seeking re-election, there is no incumbent in the race. Mr. Fortuna's opponent for the top job is Selectwoman Carol A. Manning, a retired educator. The Democrat deserves credit for challenging needless secrecy and unlawful meetings in the Pace administration. Her questioning attitude was a welcome check on Mr. Pace's authority. We'd welcome her return to the board.

But on balance, Carl P. Fortuna Jr. is the better choice for first selectman.