Local politics takes center stage this Wednesday night, July 19, when both the Wilton Democratic Town Committee (DTC) and the Wilton Republican Town Committee (RTC) meet to pick their slates of nominees for the upcoming municipal elections on Nov. 7. Residents are encouraged to attend and participate in the process.

DTC

The DTC will gather at Comstock Community Center (180 School Rd.). The Democrats already have a preliminary slate of recommended candidates (see below); they’ll hold a brief meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday night to finalize the recommendations. Then at 7:30 p.m. the meeting continues as the Democratic Caucus, where all Wilton registered Democrats are able to vote on the platform and the slate of candidates.

One race that’s already seeing some intrigue is the DTC’s Board of Education nomination. The DTC can put up to three names on the ballot to run for BoE, but as of now has only slated one. Democrat Gretchen Jeanes says she met with the DTC nominating committee, but as of now only Deborah Low is on the slate that will be presented to the DTC. Jeanes has confirmed that on Wednesday night she will be nominated from the floor for one of the other open ballot spots. According to DTC vice chair Tom Dubin, “We have not decided on the number of candidates to endorse for BoE, and the discussion remains open.”

The public can attend the caucus; participation and voting is open to any Democrat registered to vote in Wilton. To make it on the final Democratic ballot, nominees need to be chosen by a majority vote of the caucus on Wednesday.

Here’s the full slate of recommended nominees as of today. Again, it isn’t yet final but this is what will be presented to the DTC. Once it’s set, the party caucus will vote.

Board of Selectmen:  Deb McFadden
Board of Education:  Deborah Low
Board of Finance:  Richard Creeth
Planning and Zoning:  Doris Knapp (4 year term); Eric Fanwick (4 year term); Bas Nabulsi (2 year term)
Zoning Board of Appeals:  Tom Gunther
Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate:  Jaclyn Coleman
Constable:  Richard B. Mitchell

In addition, the DTC will be voting on whether to approve the updated platform, which DTC officials say has been “substantially revised since last fall’s election.” Among the newsier items included in the draft, the DTC platform includes:

  • Continued support for funding for two School Resource Officers
  • A commitment to “transparency in government at every level, and support the continued video recording of all major town meetings, including those of the Planning and Zoning [Commission]”
  • Support for the position of Director of Facilities and Energy Management
  • Providing financial and human resources required to maintain and improve the infrastructure of the town including improvements to the Police Headquarters, The Marhoffer Fire Station (Station 2) and the study of town facilities.
  • Providing financial and human resources for technological upgrades
  • Consideration of new zoning regulations along the widened Route 7 corridor to increase the commercial tax base and to allow for a mix of residential, commercial, retail, and adaptive uses, but, also, keeping Wilton’s historical character in place
  • Consider offering tax incentives to landlords renting to small, local businesses in Wilton Town Center.
  • Support “complete streets” for purposes of promoting pedestrian and bicycle access and safety, particularly in Wilton Town Center

RTC

The RTC has not officially or publicly endorsed anyone to date, but it meets to choose a slate on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Annex Building (238 Danbury Rd/Rte. 7). While anyone can speak at that meeting, the only people who can move nominations, second candidates and vote on candidates are the members of the RTC.

It’s said to be rare that floor nominations get made at the RTC slate vote meeting that oppose candidates nominated by search committees. According to chairman Al Alper, the RTC will go into executive session to discuss a nominee if the membership chooses to do so.

Open Seats Up for Grabs

Wilton has a long list of board and commission positions that will need to be filled by vote this November. One factor that impacts who can serve is Connecticut’s minority representation rule, which takes into account a board or committee’s party affiliation makeup. According to Sec. 9-167a of the CT General Assembly election ordinances, there are limits set for the maximum number of members of any board or commission who may be members of the same political party. For each board or commission we list how many spots are open and how many are potentially available to each political party–Democrat or Republican.

Board of Selectmen

Total Seats:  5
Open Seats:  2
What’s the Scoop:  Current terms are ending for two current selectmen–Lori Bufano and Richard Dubow.

  • Bufano, a Republican, could run again. Dubow, a Democrat, will not be seeking re-election.

Who can run:  The other three seats on the board are held by one Republican (first selectman Lynne Vanderslice) and two unaffiliated selectmen (Dave Clune and Michael Kaelin), and no Democrats. The two candidates receiving the most votes in November will be seated. With the minority representation rule (as our Town Charter defines it for the BOS), up to two Republicans, two Democrats (or other party) or two unaffiliated candidates could win the seats. In other words–these two seats are completely up for grabs. This is a race that may turn very interesting.

Board of Education

Total Seats:  6
Open Seats:  3
What’s the Scoop:  Current BOE members Christine Finkelstein (R), Lory Rothstein (R) and Laura Schwemm (D) were re-elected in 2015 and can watch from the sidelines this round. Terms are ending for Republican Glenn Hemmerle (who could run again), Republican BOE chairman Bruce Likly (who is unable to run again after terming out) and unaffiliated Chris Stroup (who has decided not to run again).

Who can run:  The top three vote getters will win seats; at most up to two additional Republicans, three Democrats (or other party), or three unaffiliated candidates could be seated.

Board of Finance

Total Seats:  6
Open Seats:  3
What’s the Scoop:  Current BOF members Peter Balderston (R), John Kalamarides (D) and Walter Kress (R) were elected in 2015 and will hold onto their seats.  Democrat Richard Creeth is on the DTC slate and will run again; it’s to-be-seen whether Republican BOF chair Jeffrey Rutishauser will seek re-election, although odds are he will; and Republican Warren Serenbetz has termed out and cannot run again.

Who can run:  The top three vote getters will win seats; at most up to two additional Republicans, three Democrats (or other party) or three unaffiliated candidates could be seated.

Planning & Zoning Commission

Total Seats:  9
Open Seats:  8
What’s the Scoop:  Wow! There are eight spots up for election out of nine–the only commissioner who doesn’t have to run is Republican Scott Lawrence. It’s an unusual situation, but it happened because three current P&Z commissioners had been appointed to fill vacancies mid-term and now would need to run for election to fill those terms if they want to continue serving. Those three seats are for two-year terms, the other five open seats are for four-year terms. Of the current commissioners, here’s what we know of their plans:

  • Joseph Fiteni, R (chairman):  Told GMW in March that he intended to run again–but we’ve heard that’s up in the air now.
  • Doris Knapp, D:  on the DTC ballot
  • Sally Poundstone, R:  GMW doesn’t yet know
  • Peter Shiue, R:  Told GMW in March that he intends to run again
  • Melissa Rotini, U:  According to the town clerk’s office, Rotini has petitioned to be on the ballot, and is not running through the DTC or the RTC.
  • Tierney O’Hearn, D (2-year term):  O’Hearn is not running again
  • Andrea Preston, R (2-year term):   Told GMW in March that she intends to run again for P&Z, but we’ve heard she is going to be on the ballot for a different position.
  • Rick Tomasetti, R (2-year term): Told GMW in March that he intends to run again

Who can run:   Under minority representation rules, the maximum number of seats one party can hold on this 9-member commission is six. That means up to five Republicans or six Democrats (or other party) could hold seats, or as many as eight unaffiliated candidates.

Board of Assessment Appeals

Total Seats:  3
Open Seats:  1
What’s the Scoop:  Current representation is split between one Republican–Donald Drummond–and one Democrat–Charles Lewis, who don’t have to run for re-election.  The third member is Republican Frank Oliveri. who could run again. 

Who can run:   With one open seat on this board, it’s up for grabs by anyone–Republican, Democrat or other/unaffiliated. As of now, the DTC has not slated anyone to run in this race.

Zoning Board of Appeals

Total Seats:   5 regulars, 3 alternates
Open Seats:   2 regulars, 2 alternates
What’s the Scoop:  

  • On the ZBA, the three members who aren’t up for re-election (Gary Battaglia, Libby Bufano and Joshua Cole) are all Republicans. No word yet on whether fellow Republican Raymond Tobiassen will run for re-election. Democrat Brian Lilly is not on the DTC slate; as of now only Tom Gunther is.
  • For the alternates, Republican Kenny Rhodes is set for the next two years, but the other two current alternates would need to run again if they want to continue serving–Democrat Jaclyn Coleman and Republican Tracy Serpa. So far, Coleman is running; no word on Serpa.

Who can run:  Think of the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and the ZBA Alternates as two separate committees when looking at minority representation and who can run.

  • A committee of five can have up to four members from the same party, so up to two petitioning unaffiliated candidates or two Democrats (or candidates from another party) can be elected and seated. Only one additional Republican can be seated and elected.
  • For the Alternates, up to two unaffiliated candidates or two Democrats (or other party candidates) can win seats; only one Republican could be elected.