William Lalor is the RTC Chair.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7, and Wilton voters will be deciding a handful of contested seats, including on the Board of Selectmen, Board of Education, and Planning and Zoning Commission. The Republican-endorsed candidates bring a wealth of experience, judgment and affection for Wilton that will translate into effective, transparent and forward-thinking governance.
For the Board of Selectmen, Lori Bufano and Josh Cole are the Republican-endorsed candidates for the two contested seats. Lori and Josh are both tough and seasoned professionals who bring the demonstrated leadership that Wilton needs. They also have the appropriate temperament—a trait that, we have seen, cannot be taken for granted—and they have shown that they will bridge gaps among the range of perspectives and political affiliations in Wilton. Josh, for his part, has built a successful law career creating consensus and negotiating complex issues in his sophisticated real estate practice. That experience matters, since it will certainly help Josh be effective, particularly in filling an experience void on the Board, as Lynne Vanderslice noted in her endorsement of Josh. Lori is seeking re-election to the BOS and will continue her productive tenure there, bringing, as one example, valuable expertise in supply management and efficiency, along with exceptional analytical and consensus-building skills.
For the Board of Education, Glenn Hemmerle and Andrea Preston are running in a contested race. Again, what jumps off the page is a combination of serious, public sector experience and service to Wilton. As a private sector CEO, chair of the Wilton Library Board of Trustees, and now as member of the BOE, Glenn has demonstrated mastery of thorny budget and enrollment issues, including by shepherding a 0% Board of Education budget increase for the current year. In tandem with her public relations career Andrea has served Wilton in many capacities, including on the Planning & Zoning Commission, an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals, and on the Water Pollution Control Authority.
There are also contested spots on Planning & Zoning. Chris Pagliaro, Peter Shiue, and Sally Poundstone are running for contested seats, while Matt Murphy and Rick Tomasetti are running uncontested, as the Republican “Row B” candidates. Republican candidates are accomplished business owners and architectural and real estate professionals in addition to being seasoned Commission veterans. In addition, Republican-endorsed candidates include Board of Assessment & Appeals (Rudy Hoefling), Zoning Board of Appeals (Kenny Rhodes and Tracy Serpa), and for Constable (Chris Gardner, Warren Serenbetz and Ray Tobiassen). All of these positions are important and will involve difficult, often complex issues, and I hope that voters will see how clearly the Republican candidates’ qualifications stand out from the competition.
It’s worth adding that the Republican slate for the Board of Finance slate also presents a remarkable roster of serious and seasoned professionals. Stewart Koenigsberg is the retired president and CEO of G.E. Capital Markets, bringing world-class financial management experience to Wilton’s doorstep. Jeffrey Rutishauser has many years of real estate finance and investment experience along the same lines.
All of these remarkable volunteers bring skills and experience along with genuine commitment to improving the quality of life in Wilton, which will translate into good and effective governance. Voters should vote for these exceptional “Row B” Republican candidates to be a voice for competent, Wilton-first leadership. That is the Republican platform.