Interim Town Clerk

May Run Unopposed

By John Voket

August 8 will always be remembered as a special day for Debbie Aurelia. That was the day she realized a longstanding career aspiration to become Newtown’s town clerk after being sworn into the position by associate Ann Benore during a brief ceremony at Edmond Town Hall.

The brief gathering in the town hall lobby was attended by Ms Aurelia’s sons, Vincent and Ian, her mother, local Registrar of Voters Karen Aurelia, her father, John, her sister Sue and a lifelong friend and “adopted sister” Deb Moran. Fellow town clerk’s office assistant Monica Duhancik and First Selectman Herb Rosenthal were also on hand to offer congratulations.

After the ceremony, Ms Aurelia, went right back to work. One of the first official duties in her new capacity was closing out the local petitioning process for local political candidates. She confirmed after the 4 pm filing deadline that two petitioning first selectman challengers, Christian Qualey and Louis “Jay” Mattegat had both qualified for spots on the ballot as unaffiliated candidates.

She also confirmed all members of an aspiring minor party who filed for petitions had qualified for ballot slots as well. The committee, the Independent Party of Newtown (IPN), may formally become qualified as a minor local party if enough votes are cast for its candidates in November.

The IPN has qualified Legislative Council, school board and Police Commission candidates among its petitioners.

Former council member Ruby Johnson, who also requested petitions through an IPN filing, has since declared she will be running for a Legislative Council seat independently, and will not seek a spot on the IPN line in November.

Prior to her swearing in, Ms Aurelia was unanimously confirmed to be the interim town clerk at a August 6 Board of Selectman’s meeting. She replaces longtime town clerk Cindy Simon, whose family is relocated this week to Florida.

Ms Aurelia was also the Republican Town Committee’s unanimous nominee for town clerk, and was planning to face Democratic nominee and former council member Peggy Baiad, who was nominated during her party’s recent caucus.

But upon contacting Ms Baiad August 8 for comment on the pending race, she said she is planning to withdraw her candidacy effective August 9, citing personal and family concerns.

“The DTC contacted me about running and I agreed. I had several meetings with the first selectman and Cindy [Simon] to determine the duties and scope of the position,” Ms Baiad said. “There are lots and lots of duties.”

Ms Baiad said since her children and grandchildren live in North Carolina and Georgia, her longstanding plans for extended visits with them would not be possible if she was successful in being elected town clerk.

“A part of me still wants to run. I love Newtown and I am still anguishing over the decision,” she said, adding that she was holding a letter to the DTC asking to withdraw her nomination, which she planned to submit at the committee’s August 9 regular meeting.

“I wish Debbie [Aurelia] well,” Ms Baiad concluded.

If the DTC fails to nominate a replacement candidate for Ms Baiad, Ms Aurelia will face no challenge come November 6.