New Candidates Announced—

IPN Calls Major Parties On

Absence Of Campaign Platforms

By John Voket

The Independent Party of Newtown, along with its chairman and candidate for first selectman, is using an announcement of new additions to the group’s fall election slate to criticize local Democrats and Republicans for failure to put forth campaign agendas.

Bruce Walczak, an Independent voter who currently serves on the town’s Police Commission as one of four IPN representatives who were elected to local offices in 2007, also pointed out in the release that his political committee has embraced several candidates who were unsuccessful in their bids to run this fall on local Democratic or Republican tickets.

“IPN provides an outstanding opportunity for those people who are interested in serving in town government who would otherwise not have a voice within the Republican or Democratic Town Committees,” Mr Walczak said in the release. “IPN is all about providing choices to the people of Newtown. We believe our slate of candidates, some of whom have previously aligned themselves with the other parties in Newtown, will be able to provide Newtown voters with real choices in November.”

The latest additions to the IPN slate include Karen Pierce, a Democrat, for the Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers; James Accousti and James Belden for the council in District 3; as well as Richard A. Gaines and William G. Hart, Jr, for the school board.

According to local registrar rolls, Mr Accousti is not a registered voter, and Mr Belden recently switched from Republican to unaffiliated. Both IPN candidates will run in Council District 3.

Mr Hart, a Republican who had just received an interim appointment to the Board of Education, recently interviewed for a full-term seat on the school board with the Democrats. Mr Hart told The Newtown Bee last week that since his interim appointment is scheduled to lapse this December, he originally requested to interview for a GOP ballot slot in the hope of securing a full term.

But he was told by Republican Town Committee officials at the time that the ballot was already full, so Mr Hart said he accepted the offer to interview with the Democrats.

Calling himself a “socially liberal, fiscal conservative,” Mr Hart said although he was a long-term registered Republican, his interest is to “work hard and campaign to stay on the school board.” Local Democrats in the end chose not to endorse Mr Hart or Democrat Richard Gaines, another interim school board appointee who interviewed for consideration for a full term with the DTC.

Democratic Party Chairman James Juliano said that the appointments of both Mr Hart and Mr Gaines to the interim seats came with “some controversy,” because the party’s recommendations for interim candidates were ignored by school board Chair Elaine McClure.

Mr Gaines later expressed surprise that he was not endorsed by his party, but vowed to “actively pursue seeking a full term on this November’s ballot.”

“I think I did a lot of good since my appointment to the board,” Mr Gaines added. “I believe I still have a lot to offer to the town and the school district.”

The following evening at the Republican caucus, party Chairman William Brimmer announced that P&Z alternate James Belden had withdrawn his name for consideration for another term on that commission.

Mr Belden subsequently told The Bee that he was endorsed as a council candidate, and he would be running on the IPN ticket this November. Mr Belden also said he was never notified that the RTC planned to put him on the ticket again as a Republican P&Z alternate, and that he had also interviewed unsuccessfully for a council position with the Democrats after changing his political affiliation from Republican to unaffiliated.

Saying his “volunteer time is more valuable” being utilized in a more active political capacity than P&Z alternate, Mr Belden added that despite an affiliation with the IPN, he will remain “an independent thinker.”

The balance of the IPN slate includes Republican William Furrier for Board of Selectmen, Republicans Roger Letso and Albert Roznicki for finance board, Democrat Keith Jacobs for the Police Commission, and Republican Margaret Jepsen for Judge of Probate.

Republican Gianine Crowell is the second of two IPN candidates for the town hall board of managers along with Ms Pierce. But only one IPN candidate can be elected, according to the local registrars office.

Besides Mr Belden and Mr Accousti, the IPN is endorsing Democrats Kevin Fitzgerald and Benjamin Roberts and Republican Robert Hennessey for Council District 1; Democrat incumbent Po Murray, Independent Gary Davis, and Republican Michael Mossbarger for Council District 2; and Robert Duero, an unaffiliated voter, in Council District 3.

IPN ‘Declaration’ Touted

Mr Walczak also noted that the IPN is the first of the town’s political parties to issue a campaign platform, which is dubbed the “Declaration of Independents ‘09.” He chided the major parties for their failure to formally address issues relevant to local voters.

“The candidates for office from the Republican and Democratic Town Committees all seem to be focused on civility in government as a critical election issue,” Mr Walczak wrote. “IPN candidates are focused on finding ways to make our local government operate better and be more open to public involvement, and to engage in long-term strategic planning, among other items listed in our platform.”

Mr Walczak said the IPN is the only political entity to date “that is encouraging new ways of thinking, people to ask questions, and the use of vigorous debate to find solutions to the challenges facing our local community.”

“And we are proud of it,” the release concluded.

Contacted for a response Monday, Mr Brimmer confirmed the RTC is readying “a thoughtful release on the issues as we see it.” The RTC chairman added that his party has always put forth a platform that “is best for the whole town.”

“We wanted to, in the election process, have the caucus before we issued our platform,” Mr Brimmer said. “The RTC wanted to make sure all our candidates were endorsed, and we are planning to announce the Republican platform now that the caucus is completed.”

DTC Chairman Juliano said the Democrats have been meeting to hold discussions, and will have a platform forthcoming listing the party’s views and hopes for the upcoming election.

“Now that we have a full slate and all our candidates endorsed, we want to hear input from everyone about the makeup of the platform,” he said.