Date: Fri 23-Jul-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

politics-Republican-caucus

Full Text:

Republican Caucus Gives Rosenthal A Free Ride

BY KAAREN VALENTA

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal was assured of a second term Tuesday evening

when the Republican caucus opted not to challenge him in the November

election.

“I'm a little worried that because of that, the Republican party will be light

on campaigning and could suffer loses of [Legislative] Council seats,”

Councilman Pierre Rochman said afterwards. “If there are freshmen coming in to

vote on big projects facing the town, it could undo all the work that we have

done.

”We have to work extra hard to bring the incumbents back,“ he told the two

dozen party members who attended the meeting in the Alexandria Room at Edmond

Town Hall.

The Republicans also will have new candidates on the ballot. In District II,

where Joseph Borst is the only incumbent Republican running for reelection,

Andrew Buzzi was endorsed to run for the seat currently held by Karen Blawie.

Mrs Blawie, a three-term member of the council, opted not to run again because

of family commitments. Mr Buzzi is vice chairman of the Republican Town

Committee and a member of the Public Building & Site Committee.

Richard A. Carnaghi of Acorn Drive was tapped to round out the slate in

District II. A graduate of West Point and Vietnam veteran, Mr Carnaghi retired

in March from the Heritage Development Group, where he was a senior vice

president.

The caucus approved incumbents Edward L. Lucas, Pierre Rochman and Donald T.

Studley for District I, and John W. Kortze, William Rodgers, and Brian C.

White for District III.

Newcomer Sheila Stickles will run for the seat on the Board of Education that

became open when Charles Nanavaty chose not to run again. Also endorsed as a

school board candidate was Earl Gordon, who joined the board two months ago to

replace Susan Hills who resigned in mid-term.

Another newcomer, Richard ”Fuzzy“ Simon, was endorsed as a candidate for the

Police Commission. The Republican seat became open when William F. Meyer

announced he would not seek reelection.

Mr Simon's wife, Cynthia Curtis Simon, will be running for an eighth

consecutive term as town clerk.

”It is an understatement to say that you are doing a creditable job,“ said

State Rep Julia Wasserman as she placed Mrs Simon's name in nomination. ”It

shows in the fact that you are unopposed. Every attorney that I have spoken to

has the highest regard for your department.“

Newtown's Democrats, who meet in caucus the evening of July 22, have

traditionally not run a candidate against Mrs Simon.

Rounding out the slate of candidates endorsed Tuesday evening are Board of

Town Hall Managers, Sandra Motyka; Board of Assessment Appeals, Robert

Matzelle and Eleanor Mayer; Planning and Zoning Commission, James J. Boyland

and Stephen L. Koch; P&Z alternate, Robert G. Taylor; Police Commission, James

P. Reilly; Zoning Board of Appeals, Charles E. Annett, III, and Richard H.

Kessler, Jr; ZBA alternates Timothy Cronin and Patrick Mullins.