IPN Readying Slate

For November Election

By John Voket

Bruce Walczak, chairman, Independent Party Newtown (IPN), said his minor party will hold a special town committee meeting on July 28, at 7:30 pm at 38 Charter Ridge Road. The purpose of the meeting is for the IPN’s Nominating Committee to seek approval for its recommended candidates by the IPN Town Committee.

Mr Walczak said the nominating committee and party leaders were still hard at work interviewing potential candidates.

“Things are still up in the air,” the IPN chairman said July 20. “We have several candidates interested in different positions. The challenge is to match up right person with right spot to best utilize talents and maximize the opportunity to win.”

Mr Walczak, a current police commissioner, said even he has not firmly decided if he will seek reelection to that commission, or if he will run for another elected seat. He ran unsuccessfully for first selectman in 2009. His running mate in that race, William Furrier, won a seat on the Board of Selectman, and said he plans to seek a second term if nominated by the party.

Mr Walczak said he expects to see a couple of new faces seeking office on the IPN ticket, and that he expects the party will continue to add people through August.

“We have until September 7 to ratify and endorse candidates, and we expect to add to the core list that comes out of our August 28 town committee meeting,” he said.

“People are busier than ever today and elected positions can be challenging to someone’s personality and self-image and their sense of how they are treated,” Mr Walczak said, noting that his party is trying to meet the challenge of finding qualified people for local positions.