ANSONIA – Two members of Ansonia’s board of apportionment and taxation (BOAT) have resigned after a change in mayoral administrations.
Gary Cassetti and David Papcin resigned from the tax board on Dec. 11 and Jan. 7, according to documents on file at city hall.
Cassetti was the chairman of the tax board prior to his resignation. Although registered as a Democrat, he is the brother of former Republican Mayor David Cassetti, who was defeated by Democratic Mayor Frank Tyszka in November.
Cassetti’s letter does not cite a reason for his resignation.
“Unfortunately I will be unable to continue my services at this time,” the letter says. “It has been a great honor to serve my city and I will be forever grateful.”
Papcin, a Republican, cited a return to in-person meetings as his reason for resigning. Since Tyszka’s election, many city board meetings which were previously held via Zoom have been held in-person instead.
“It has been a pleasure to serve on this board however the transition to in-person meetings no longer offers me the time commitments to make meetings,” Papcin’s letter says. “The board deserves full attendance, and I regret that I cannot be (a part) of this any longer.”
Tyszka appointed as replacements Edward Norman, a Republican, and Nunzio Parente, a Democrat. The Board of Aldermen unanimously approved those appointments Tuesday (Jan. 13).
Both Norman and Parente are former city officials who at times disagreed with members of David Cassetti’s administration.
Norman is a former Alderman and vice chairman of the Ansonia Housing Authority. He was also vice chairman of BOAT under former Democratic Mayor James Della Volpe’s administration.
In 2012, Norman criticized then-Alderman John Marini over a charter revision proposal which would give more control over the city’s budget to the Board of Aldermen instead of BOAT. The city later passed at referendum a slate of charter revisions which did just that, after Cassetti was elected as mayor in 2013.
Tyszka has said in recent interviews that he would like to see those budget reforms reversed, so that the tax board has more say over the city’s budget again.
Parente, meanwhile, is a former chairman of the city’s WPCA who was appointed to that board by Cassetti in 2014. Parente, a former employee of Cassetti’s construction business, often clashed with the mayor regarding the WPCA’s independence.
For example, Parente was involved in a dispute with the city over how to split an approximately $850,000 bill relating to a sewer collapse on Pershing Drive in 2019. The board eventually voted to cover the full cost, although Parente had wanted the city to split the cost with the WPCA.
Papcin and Gary Cassetti were each serving terms due to end on Dec. 31, 2026. Parente and Norman will serve the remainder of those terms.
Four of the seven-person board’s members were appointed by Tyszka. The Aldermen in December approved Tyszka’s appointments of Cheryl Flaherty and Richard Thayer to the tax board, where they replaced former board members Michael D’Alessio and Breandan McTighe.
Tyszka also re-appointed Robert Jaskilka, an Independent Party member who served on the board under Cassetti’s administration.
