Council Split Down The Middle––

Voters Give Rosenthal

A Fourth Term

By Jan Howard

Incumbent Democrat First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal defeated Bill Sheluck, his Republican challenger, 3,590 to 2,751, to win a fourth term in office in Tuesday’s municipal election.

In opening remarks at the Pizza & Politics forum last month, Mr Rosenthal asked voters to reelect the current Board of Selectmen. Voters answered that request by returning Republican incumbent Bill Brimmer and Democrat incumbent Joe Bojnowski to office. Mr Brimmer outpolled Mr Sheluck by 186 votes, 2,937 to 2,751, to secure the minority position on the board. Mr Bojnowski received 2,924 votes.

Forty-two percent or 6,402 of the town’s 14,900 registered voters cast their ballots at the four polling places.

The election follows a spirited campaign during which the two first selectmen candidates debated their very different views on a number of issues.

Mr Sheluck, a retired CEO of Nationar, a private bank, and member of the Board of Directors of Barnes & Noble, Inc, challenged Mr Rosenthal on issues ranging from economic development and open space acquisition to potential uses for the Fairfield Hills campus and its master plan, which was defeated in an August referendum. Mr Sheluck is a seven-year resident of Newtown.

In comments earlier in the evening at Democratic headquarters, Mr Rosenthal admitted to being “a little antsy,” prior to vote tallies being announced. The mood in the VFW hall changed once the voting results were known.

The first results were received at 8:45 pm. The election was felt to be solid by the time the third set of tallies came in, but was definite when District 2 results were announced.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Rosenthal thanked those in attendance and at home, “family, friends, staff, and everyone who has supported me,” for their votes.

“It’s been a great six years with Joe,” he said. “I’m thrilled we’ll be working together for at least another two years. Joe had us a little worried this past week. He was very nervous coming in to today.

“But I’m thrilled with these numbers, and I’m thrilled to see Bill Brimmer will also be back on the Board of Selectmen for another two years. We’ve always worked well together.”

Mr Rosenthal called the election “a very exciting win. The last two times, I’ve actually liked the people I was running against. It’s been a little different this year.

“I have to thank the voters of Newtown for this evening. I promise to continue to do my best for the greatest town in America. I’m honored to be here again tonight.”

“We did this [campaign] on a beer budget. Tonight we’re drinking champagne,” Campaign Manager Mike Kelley said in celebration.

In a prepared statement received Thursday, Mr Sheluck thanked the people “who voted for me and those who worked so hard on my behalf during the campaign—especially my wife, Amy and our three daughters, Molly, Emily and Aileen.

“To the members of my campaign committee, I am in awe of your devoted efforts and will always be grateful for them. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet lots of people in town and hear their concerns.

“It is apparent to me that my candidacy has raised the level of awareness on the major issues facing Newtown. Among them is the fate of the Fairfield Hills Master Plan. I hope our town leaders will hear the message sent by the voters in August and remember that a mere `tweaking’ of that plan would not, in my opinion, address the sentiments expressed in that vote.

“Also, there were a number of promises made by the current administration in the later stages of the campaign regarding the acquisition of open space and attracting new businesses to Newtown,”  Mr Sheluck concluded.  “The voters deserve to have those promises fulfilled.”

Other contested seats in Tuesday’s election included the Legislative Council and the Board of Education. Eighteen candidates were vying for the 12 seats on the Legislative Council, and four candidates sought seats on the Board of Education, though the competition was really between three Republicans for two of the seats.

Six Republicans and six Democrats won seats on the Council, the first time in 20 years that both parties have been equally represented. The Republicans have been the majority party on the council for several years. The current board is composed of seven Republicans and five Democrats. Some members of both parties have noted that equality in representation may cause problems with electing a chairman.

In the race for Legislative Council, in District 1, Republican incumbents Michael Iassogna, Richard Recht, and Joseph Di Candido and Democrat incumbent Francis Pennarola were returned to office over Democrats Martin Gersten and James Morrow. Tallies were: Mr Iassogna, 1,164; Mr Recht, 1,089; Joseph Di Candido, 1,058, Mr Pennarola, 996; Mr Morrow, 944, and Mr Gersten, 835.

In District 2, Republican incumbent Joseph Borst and Democrat incumbents Joseph Hemingway, Timothy Holian, and Peggy Baiad outpolled Republicans Robert Mulholland, Sr, and Barbara Bloom. Votes received were: Mr Borst, 1,135; Mr Holian, 1,122; Ms Baiad, 1,083; Mr Hemingway, 1,075; Mr Mulholland, 1,068; and Ms Bloom, 1,041.

In District 3, Republicans William Rodgers, an incumbent, and David Brown and Democrats James Shpunt, Sr, and Daniel Amaral outpolled Republican Michael Porco, Sr, and Kim Danziger. The results were: Mr Brown, 1,024; Mr Rodgers, 999; Mr Shpunt, 970; Mr Amaral, 948; Mr Danziger, 934; and Mr Porco, 903.

A required recount will take place, possibly Monday, according to Town Clerk Cindy Simon, in Districts 2 and 3 because of vote tally differences of less than 20 between Mr Mulholland, Mr Hemingway, and Ms Baiad in District 2 and Mr Amaral and Mr Danziger in District 3.

 For the first time in many elections, there was a contest between candidates for the Board of Education, with three Republicans seeking two seats on the board. Republicans Paul Mangiafico and incumbent Andrew Buzzi outpolled George Caracciolo for the two available seats. Mr Mangiafico and Mr Buzzi garnered 3,381 and 3,507 votes respectively to Mr Caracciolo’s 2,970. Democrat David Nanavaty automatically won a seat on the board because of a charter provision calling for equal representation of both parties on the board.

Elected in uncontested races were: Town Clerk: Republican Cindy Simon, who was also endorsed by the Democrats; Board of Finance: Republicans Harrison Waterbury, Joseph Kearney, and current chairman John Kortze, and Democrats James Gaston, Peter Giarratano, and Michael Portnoy; Board of Assessment Appeals, Republican Lillian Strickler and Democrat Charles Framularo; Planning and Zoning Commission: Republicans William O’Neil and Sten Wilson and Democrat Robert Poulin; Planning and Zoning Alternates: Republican Barbara Brymer and Democrats Richard Eigen and Edward Kelleher.

Also, Zoning Board of Appeals: Republicans Richard Kessler and Charles Annett and Democrat Steven Berg; Zoning Board of Appeals Alternates: Republicans Timothy Cronin and Laurie Wrabel and Democrat Michael Daubert; Police Commission: Republicans Richard Simon and Duane Giannini and Democrat Gerald Finnegan; and Board of Managers of Edmond Town Hall: Republican Marie Sturdevant and Democrat Edgar Beers.