Reprinted from The Connecticut Post © Copyright 2010
April 9, 2010

By Tom Cleary

TRUMBULL -- When Timothy M. Herbst took the oath of office as the town's first selectman last December, he promised to identify $1 million in operational savings within his first 100 days in office.

At his first State of the Town address Thursday night in front of about 100 town residents and employees gathered in Frenchtown School, he declared that his administration had accomplished that goal.

"Before you can heal the patient, you have to stop the bleeding," Herbst said. "Therefore, our immediate cash crunch required fast, decisive action and we did not delay in taking it." The 29-year-old Republican praised dedicated town employees and volunteers, including Town Treasurer John Ponzio and Finance Director Maria Pires for identifying the savings.

Herbst also discussed development projects in town; budget and savings plans that he hopes will help reduce the town's debt; improving security at Trumbull High School, and the controversy over plans for a fuel cell energy plant in the Nichols section of town.

Town Council Minority Leader Mary Beth Thornton, a Democrat who was among those listening to Herbst's address, said Friday the new administration has made a lot of "grand and sweeping" plans with results that may not be apparent for years to come, so Democrats are withholding judgment for now.

Thornton said that Herbst has "done the best he can and has a lot on his plate, but he is working hard. As Democrats we are looking forward to working with him in a bipartisan manner to get through anything."