Town Officials Are Official; Swearing In Ceremony At NHS

By Shannon Hicks

It was a night full of comings and goings. Incumbent town officials who were recently reelected stood alongside newcomers to the local political scene, all ready to be sworn in during a brief ceremony at Newtown High School Wednesday evening.

Probate Judge Margot Hall swore in GOP Town Clerk Cynthia S. Simon, who as a candidate was cross endorsed by Democrats this year. Ms Simon has served the community for 18 years and has run unopposed in all but one election.

Ms Simon then spent the next 25 minutes swearing in all the officials who will serve on town boards and commissions making decisions that will affect Newtown’s population during the coming two years. The new terms for elected officials began officially on December 1.

In attendance on Wednesday were two members from the Zoning Board of Appeals, as well as alternates for the Planning and Zoning Commission, including Phillip J. Cruz, Robert Mulholland, and Dennis Bloom.

Marianne Brown was sworn in for the Board of Assessment Appeals, as were Board of Education members Lisa Schwartz and Thomas Gissen. Barbara Brimmer, who was an incumbent, was sworn in for another term as a Planning and Zoning alternate.

Newly elected John T. Torok was sworn in to the Board of Finance along with incumbent members Peter Giarratano, James Gaston, Joseph Kearney, and Harrison Waterbury.

Because there were so many Legislative Council members in attendance, Ms Simon decided to swear them in according to their district. District 1 was represented by Michael Iassogna, Joseph DiCandido, Francis G. Pennarola, and Keith Jacobs; District 2 by Patricia Llodra, Joseph Borst, Stacie Doyle, and Timothy Holian; and District 3 welcomed William Rodgers, David Brown, A. Jeffrey Capeci, and Daniel Amaral.

William Brimmer, Jr, who will be serving his fifth term as a selectman, was sworn in. Joseph Bojnowski, also returning as a selectman, was unable to attend the ceremony.

“I love my job, and this is a favorite part of it,” Ms Simon said. “I know this oath like the back of my hand.”

Newtown’s first selectman was then sworn in for a fifth term. Herbert Rosenthal stood beside his wife, Michelle, who held a bible while Ms Simon administered the oath of office for a final time that evening.

Mr Rosenthal provided a few remarks, thanking those in attendance and paying tribute to “lifetime mentors,” including Earl Smith, currently the Democratic Town Committee chairman.

“Earl has always encouraged me, and always told me to stand up for what I believe in,” Mr Rosenthal said, turning to face Mr Smith, the evening’s master of ceremonies. “Those of you who have known me for a while know that I have listened to that advice.”

Mr Rosenthal also recognized his mother and father, the six-term former First Selectman Jack Rosenthal.

“My father and my mother always encouraged me to participate in public service, so I can thank him for starting me along this path,” Mr Rosenthal said, by that time facing his father, who was seated in the second row of the lecture hall and smiling back at his son.

“People sometimes come up to me, in fact just today someone told me ‘You’re doing a good job, Herb. Almost as good as your father,’” Mr Rosenthal said, which drew laughs. “That’s a good measuring stick, though. He is a good man to be measured by.”