A case of first impression gives municipalities greater leeway in how they decide to fire officials, after the Connecticut Appellate Court upheld a lower court’s ruling which stated the Middlefield Board of Selectmen was within its right to terminate its building official.

“This is most definitely precedent-setting. A case like this, involving a building official, has never before come in front of a [state] superior or appellate court,” said John Blazi, of the Law Offices of John Blazi in Waterbury and attorney for the town of Middlefield in the matter.