Dunn: Keeping That Small Town Feeling

Thomas G. Dunn

Four term incumbent Mayor Thomas G. Dunn is facing his biggest challenge since becoming the first unaffiliated mayor in the state in 2003. Yet, after the passage of a bonding referendum and four budgets in a row approved without any tax increases, he is ready for another two year term. His large homegrown family is helping him out as they always have.. Dunn is the 5th of 11 children – five boys and six girls – all except one of whom still live in town.

“We rode our bikes to EZ Pickens and met up at Bill & Sam’s all the time. We walked all over town back then,” he recalls. The Dunn family is still very close and some of the extended family still meets for a family meal on Sundays. His wife Lisa and he grew up together, meeting in high school and raising a family of two daughters and one son on Pleasant St. His son is a member of Fire Company #3.

Republican Board of Education Candidates

Twelve candidates are on the ballot for Board of Education in Wolcott, six from each political party. There are no Row C candidates this year. While the Board will have nine members, votes may only choose six (6). They can be chosen from any of the candidates, even if you vote for a candidate that is in the same column as another choice.

Republicans currently hold control of the Board of Education with a 5-4 majority. All of the current officeholders are running again with the addition of retired Kindergarten teacher Roberta Leonard. Below you can see why Republicans would like you to return them to office.

Republican Candidates for Board of Assessment Appeals

The Board of Assessment Appeals is responsible for hearing challenges to the town’s assessment of personal property. A new revaluation is expected in the next two years which often increases this Board’s responsibilities. Below you will find the profiles of the Republican candidates seeking the office. Voters may select any two of the five candidates seeking the office.

Markley Urges Residents to Stop Busway

From Sen. Joe Markley’s Desk:
Dear Neighbor,

The deadline to STOP federal funding for the Busway from New Britain to Hartford is Monday November 7th.

Here’s your chance to make a difference.

The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) and Citizens for Government Waste agree $600 million for a 9 mile busway is a waste of taxpayer money.

The NTU has set up a web page for you to easily send a letter to Congress opposing the project.

You can find the link here.

Olmstead: I’ll Make Wolcott Better

Steve Olmstead

Two years ago, a picture ran in the Wolcott Community News featuring a dog, Steve Olmstead, and his mother. Above the photo were the words “My Mother Would Vote for Me”. Voters saw an honest, sincere and apolitical man intent on doing what’s right. “That ad is why people voted for me,” Olmstead explains. As folksy as it was, he won a seat to the Council with the second largest number of votes in town.

One day later, he was the newly seated Council’s Vice Chairman’s. The Council was a mix of factions, never seen before in Wolcott history. Four Democrats, one Republican and four Row C candidates all grappling to control the financial body. Olmstead didn’t align himself with any group of candidates in 2009 and was waiting for results on his home TV when a defeated councilman knocked on his door to congratulate him on his victory. The stocky moustached former pastor of Grace Living Church says he recognizes today’s financial difficulties and the need to guide Wolcott through it. “We’ve been here before three or four times since the 1970s and 1980s. Its nothing new,” he tells the Whisper. The local business owner and former pastor has had to balance payrolls, write checks and other tasks which he says will assist him to running the town like a busienss.

CL&P Misses Deadline and Weather Report

In our first story:
By Ryan Hanrahan
Not everyday you see large companies take to social media to call out individual meteorologists.
Continue reading about how CL&P called out the NBC meteorologist….

Our second story:
by Christine Stuart

Jeffrey Butler, president and chief operating officer of Connecticut Light & Power, maintains that his company made a lot of progress even though it won’t meet its midnight goal and he offered an apology for missing that deadline.

“This was a storm of historic proportion. It was the right decision, I stand behind that decision to set, to establish the goal. We did everything possible to achieve the goal. People worked very hard for what 8 days now and we need to see this through,” Butler said defending his decision to self-impose a deadline which his company missed.

Continue reading at CTNewsJunkie…

O’Leary Endorsed By Rep-Am

Neil O'Leary

After about a week’s worth of stories attacking Neil O’Leary’s bid for Waterbury mayor, the city’s daily newspaper endorsed the former Wolcott and Waterbury Police Chief. The articles ran the gamut from an open rift with Hispanic leaders, the possibility of election fraud by a campaign worker, and his innermost thoughts on ‘hating’ the chairman of the Board of Education. We were about to write our thoughts explaining how dangerous such minutely unbalanced reporting on inside baseball matters can be in the hands of the media. But now we ask – has Jarjura been fairly treated? And if things are that bad, what about that DePillo guy?

Or is it all about newspaper sales?

Republicans Launch Website

Town Republicans have launched a website with pictures, platforms and other information about their slate of candidates. At the top of the website is a photo of petitioning mayoral candidate Tom Dunn with the group. While Dunn has declined to endorse the slate, “I agreed to be nice to them, and they agreed to be nice to me,” he told a gathering of supporters while also encouraging them to “vote for the party in the room – and Mike Bokon.”

Republican Town Council Candidates

Currently, there are three Republican members on the Town Council, all seeking re-election. Gale Mastrofrancesco was originally elected as a petitioning candidate in 2009 and has switched parties. Rachel Wisler replaced Randy Petroniro who was also elected on Row C two years ago.

Voters can elect two candidates from each voting district

Democratic Board of Education Candidate Profiles

Democrats are bringing five newcomers to the slate this year. Incumbent Teresa Pineau has only been on the Board for eight months. Currently, there are four members. Helen Audibert is retiring while James Pape and Tony Gugliotti have opted to run for Town Council.

CSI Comes to Waterbury

The Waterbury Police Department’s Crime Lab will bring forensics to life Monday night for local teens. Crime lab investigators will talk about how they secure crime scenes, collect evidence and what goes on at CSI – Waterbury. The event is especially geared towards teens and refreshments will be served.

The event will be in Silas Bronson Library’s auditorium Monday evening at 6 pm.