The two major party committees — the Democratic Town Committee (DTC) and Republican Town Committee (RTC) — both held their annual caucuses Tuesday night to endorse their slates for the 2013 Municipal Elections in November.
Along with some new faces running for public office for the first time and others returning after brief hiatuses, a few incumbents will be reappearing on the ballot in different positions and on different party lines.
The Democratic ticket holds the most surprises, beginning with First Selectman Bill Davidson switching places with two-time running mate Selectman Howard Lasser in an unusual role-reversal. Lasser will lead the ticket in November with Davidson vying for one of two selectmen seats.
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View the full Republican slate here and Democratic ticket here.
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In another shift, current Board of Education (BOE) Vice-Chairman Jane Miller is running for a position on the Board of Finance (BOF) and doing so on a new party line.
After not receiving the endorsement of the RTC for reelection to the BOE, the DTC reached out to Miller and asked her to join their ticket.
“After four years on the Board of Ed as a Republican I was not offered a position,” Miller said Wednesday, adding that she still wanted to serve the community. “It was a clear signal that they did not appreciate my efforts… I’m happy that the DTC and other people in town have valued my efforts.”
Miller said she will be changing her registration from Republican to Unaffiliated before the Nov. 5 vote.
When Miller joined the Democratic ticket, the BOE positions were already accounted for, including Chairman Ray DiStephan, who is running again. Miller will instead be running for one of four seats on the BOF, which she feels suited to through her time working on education budgets and running a small business in town.
Miller said she was surprised not to get the committee’s endorsement, as well as their decision not to support the reelection of BOF Vice-Chairman Irv Agard, who was nominated from the floor at Tuesday’s GOP caucus but failed to get enough votes.
“Maybe moderate Republicans are not welcome in the party,” she said Wednesday.
Agard said Wednesday that he was disappointed with the result of the caucus but that he does not plan to challenge in a primary and hopes to continue working with the town as an active member of the Republican Party.
“I enjoy being on the Board of Finance and have done a lot there,” he said. “But it’s clear the Republicans would prefer a more conservative approach on the board.”
Agard said he plans to continue as an alternate on the RTC and hopes to fill a role as a community member on the Retirement Benefits Advisory Committee (RBAC), on which he currently serves as a liaison to the BOF.
The Republican nominees for BOF include two former board members, former Chairman Ernie Nepomuceno and Steve O’Reilly (also a former Selectman), as well as former BOE Vice-Chairman Rob Gianazza and political newcomer Jeff Rossi. Current Chairman Jerry Friedrich (R) chose not to run for reelection.
Two Finance candidates — Gianazza and Rossi — are also members of the fledgling A Brookfield Party (ABP), a minor party established in the 2011 municipal elections that will have the ability to endorse candidates for BOF, BOE, Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) in September after the primaries.
Board of Ed nominee Greg Beck is also a prospective ABP candidate.
An endorsement from the third party would place their names on the ballot twice and allow them to serve as minor party members on their respective boards if elected — positions currently held by Democratic candidates.
Former BOF Chairman and 2009 candidate for First Selectman Bill Tinsley leads the Republican ticket, joined by RTC Chairman Marty Flynn for Selectman.
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