Reprinted from The Connecticut Post © Copyright 2010
December 10, 2010

By Amanda Cuda

TRUMBULL -- First Selectman Tim Herbst's office is covered with pictures, but perhaps his favorite is a photo hanging near the door of his office that was taken at a rally shortly before his upset victory in 2009.

Herbst is pictured standing on a bench on the Long Hill Green among a group of supporters. Just as the photo was taken, Herbst said, a rainbow appeared. "When I saw that, I said,'My God, maybe we're going to win this thing,' " he said.

He was right. Last November, the Republican Herbst, then 29 and in private practice as a lawyer, ousted Democratic First Selectman Raymond G. Baldwin Jr., who served eight years in the office. Now 30, Herbst recently finished his first year in office, and it's been a busy one.

He took over in the midst of a recession, as well as some major town projects, including a $68 million high school expansion. He's taken his share of controversial actions, including commissioning audits of a recent sewer expansion project and of the past five Board of Education budgets. Herbst has also been a visible presence throughout the region, becoming heavily involved in the recent election controversy in Bridgeport. On top of all that, Herbst, who used to live with his parents, recently became a first-time homeowner, purchasing a three-bedroom split-level house about a block away from where he grew up.

His political decisions have made Herbst a somewhat polarizing figure. Some applaud his zeal, including recent Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley. The two met about four years ago and became better acquainted when Herbst was running for first selectman. "Tim is a young, well-informed rising star in the party," Foley said. "He's a very talented public servant."

However, others, including Democratic Board of Finance member Tom Tesoro, criticized the first selectman for what they see as an over-reliance on rhetoric, audits and legal decisions. Tesoro said Herbst's aggressive style is that of a man still running for office.

"When you run for office you are, by definition, confrontational," Tesoro said. "Tim still seems to be in campaign mode. He needs to go from Tim the candidate to Tim the first selectman."

'A lot on our plates'

Though Herbst took it as a harbinger of political success, the rainbow arcing over the Long Hill Green might also have been a sign that the days ahead would be marked with a mix of sun and storms.

When he took office on Dec. 7, 2009, the town was facing a $3 million budget shortfall and was in the midst of two major projects -- the high school expansion, and a $51 million sewer renovation.

"During my campaign, there were those who raised the question about whether a 29-year-old could take on these responsibilities," Herbst said.

Herbst aimed to identify $1 million in savings in the budget within his first 100 days of office and his methods for cutting costs included conventional choices, such as consolidating some open positions, rather than filling all of them, and more controversial actions. In January, Herbst announced that about 40 town employees were paying, at most, $52 annually for their health insurance, and that the practice would stop under his administration. Herbst also took a 3 percent pay cut, reducing his salary to about $98,700.

Town treasurer John Ponzio, also a Republican, with whom Herbst has worked closely this past year, said the first selectman has handled the challenges of his first year with aplomb. "It was a little daunting to walk in there and face some major hurdles," Ponzio said. "Tim faced them task by task."

Herbst said he's proud of much that he accomplished in this past year. That includes not just dealing with town finances but also establishing a charter revision commission, working with citizens to keep FuelCell Energy's proposed power plant out of the town's Nichols neighborhood, and other actions.

"It has been one hell of a year," Herbst said. "We've had a lot on our plates."