Local Parties Piece Together

Slates For Next Week’s Caucuses

By Steve Bigham

Both the Democrats and Republicans will hold key caucuses next week in preparation for what should be a very active and exciting campaign season.

The Republicans will kick off “Caucus Week” on Monday night at the multi-purpose building/senior center, on Riverside Road in Sandy Hook, at 7:30 pm. The Democrats will hold their caucus on Tuesday at 8 pm in the lower meeting room at Edmond Town Hall.

Up for election in November are seats for first selectman, selectman, town clerk, Legislative Council, Board of Education, Planning & Zoning and a handful of other boards and commissions. By Wednesday of next week, both parties will make their final nominations and released them to the public.

This week, however, many of those nominations remain under wraps as leaders from both parties make their final decisions.

Here’s what is known: incumbent First Selectman Herb Rosenthal and Selectman Joe Bojnowski are the sure bets to be nominated by the Democratic Party. The Republicans are expected to nominate Owen Carney as its first selectman candidate, as well as incumbent Selectman Bill Brimmer.

This week, the list of Legislative Council members not seeking reelection grew a bit longer with the announcement that Republican Doug Brennan would not seek reelection to a second term. He joins fellow Republicans Pierre Rochman and John Kortze who have opted out. Democrat Melissa Pilchard has also said she does not plan to run again.

That means there will be at least four new faces on the council by next January… assuming the other seven get reelected. Those council members who do plan to seek reelection are: Democrats Peggy Baiad, Tim Holian, Ruby Johnson and Dan Rosenthal, and Republicans Joe Borst, Will Rodgers, Don Studley and Brian White.

Republican Elaine McClure and Democrat Margaret Hull are both expected to be nominated to run again for the Board of Education.

“We have a lot of business to take care of, but we’re not expecting any surprises,” said Republican Town Committee Chair Marie Sturdevant. “The most important is the top of the ticket and the changes on the council.”

The GOP’s candidates committee was expected to make its final nominations Thursday night and then present those to the party Monday.

“We’re looking forward to a nice, active campaign and we’re certainly looking for the Republicans to maintain control of Legislative Council, and I believe the top of our ticket is a very strong pair,” Mrs Sturdevant added.

To date, Mr Carney has been seen more than he’s been heard, but that is expected to all change by next week.

“We’re prepared to set our campaign in action on the 24th [of July],” Mrs Sturdevant said.

Democratic Town Committee Chairman Earl J. Smith and his party’s candidates committee was still conducting interviews late this week. They were expected to unveil their slate Tuesday night.

“We’re going to have a strong slate. We feel we have good, competent, highly qualified people, and of course, we have two top-drawer candidates heading up our ticket, namely Herb Rosenthal and Joe Bojnowski.

“When you have a winning team like that, people like to come on board,” Mr Smith said.

The Democrats held five of the 12 Legislative Council seats the past two years (after gaining one in 1999).

“We want to do better than that. We came very close to picking up even more seats the last time. We lost some seats by just a handful of votes. It’s very possible,” Mr Smith said, saying party members seemed to have a case of election fever at last Saturday’s Democratic picnic.

Longtime Newtown resident Bill Honan has announced he will not seek reelection to the Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers.