"The CCA wants to go in a different direction," says city activist Gladys P. Gifford. "And unless they have people who support their views, it can't happen."

Last month, CCA councillors came under fire for their decision not to re-appoint City Clerk Joseph E. Connarton. The CCA councillors expressed praise for the clerk, whom they called efficient and responsible, but did not back the employee when his contract came up for renewal.

"The CCA-endorsed office holders made clear that they want the office [of thecity clerk] to be reshaped," says David R. Leslie'69, the new executive director of the CCA. "Theydid not replace Connarton because of anyparticular mission."

CCA councillors say their action was anecessary step to improve the efficiency of theclerk's office.

But the unexpected release of Connarton angeredmany city residents. Cantabrigians packed the CityCouncil's meeting chamber, balcony and stairwellat the first regular meeting after Cannarton wasdismissed.

Independent councillors contend that the moveheralded the first of many firings the majoritywill make to install CCA-loyal employees.

"This is probably the beginning of housecleaning [for the CCA majority]," says fourth termCity Councilor William H. Walsh, an Independent."I have a persistent feeling that there will beothers to come."

And the others that will follow Connarton, bothCCA and Independent supporters contend, areCambridge's politically eminent--vestiges of atime when Independents dominated City Hall.

"I get a feeling that [CCA councillors] aregetting a lot of pressure from their constituentsto clean house and put people in who reflect theirviews," Gifford says.

But observers wonder whether a move to oustthose installed by the previous majority would behouse cleaning or common-sense politics. SomeCambridge residents hypothesize that, based on theconsistent 5-4 partyline votes during the pastterm, the CCA will attempt to expunge any employeehaving even a remote association with theIndependents.

Others, however, say such a move would betypical of any new government. Just as the Weldadministration replaced the cabinet members of theDukakis administration, the CCA majority isreplacing the employees of the precedingIndependent majority.

"House cleaning is not the way I would describeit," says CCA-endorsed Councillor Alice K. Wolf.

CCA supporters charge that Cambridge'sgovernment has been riddled with nepotism by yearsof Independent majorities. And that, they say mustchange.

John R. Moot '43, treasurer for the CCA, saysthe reason Councillor Sheila T. Russell slammedthe CCA for dismissing the clerk is becauseConnarton gave Russell's daughter a job in hisoffice. That is precisely the type of "patronagepolitics" Moot says the CCA is fighting.

But far from pursuing noble "good government"reforms, according to Independents, the CCAcouncillors are merely purgingIndependent-associated workers from City Hall.

The city charter gives the council control overonly three appointments, the city clerk, the cityauditor and the city manager.