The Brookfield Board of Selectmen took up a motion last night to make a special appropriation to cover legal bills of the former Republican Registrar of Voters. The Board sent the $65,000 request to the Board of Finance for approval.

The money is to settle and pay indemnification obligation, per the judgment of the Superior Court, to Tom Dunkerton. The funds will come from cash surplus or contingency. The legal bills stem from a lawsuit filed against Dunkerton and others over the removal of a town woman from the GOP voter rolls. The move was done under a little used-state statute about "good faith party affiliation".

Dunkerton argued, and the court agreed, that he was acting in his town employee role and not as a party official. First Selectman Steve Dunn previously opposed having to make the payment for several reasons. He believed it to be a party matter. Dunn also said that town employees should get approval before hiring attorneys when it comes to town matters.