Primary will decide Democratic candidates in 2 Board of Reps seats
STAMFORD — Democrats in two city districts will cast their votes Tuesday not only for a mayoral candidate but also for candidates for the Board of Representatives.
The incumbent representatives of District 5 on the West Side face a challenge from two fellow Democrats. Meanwhile, in District 19 in North Stamford, first-time Democratic candidates are
vying for two open seats.
District 5
For a second time, Bonnie Kim Campbell, a paraeducator at Cloonan Middle School, is running against Reps. Gloria DePina and Lila Wallace in the primary. Campbell ran alone when she challenged DePina and Wallace in 2017. This time, she is running with entrepreneur Melinda Punkin Baxter.
Campbell, 66, said she and Baxter, 48, make a good team in part because of their age difference.
“She's reaching a sector of the community and Stamford as a whole that I wouldn't necessarily reach or have my ear tuned to. My ear is tuned to other things,” Campbell said. “And so we'll be able to collaborate and work together to be the change that the West Side needs and be the voice it deserves.”
After the 2017 primary, Campbell remained active in issues affecting the West Side. She advocated for the West Main Street bridge to be refurbished to accommodate cars, urged the Board of Representatives to reject a nominee for police chief, pushed back against a developer’s plan for a commercial village in her neighborhood and worked with the police department on a program to help residents experiencing homelessness or struggling with addiction.
Baxter said she decided to join Campbell in challenging DePina and Wallace after going on “Walk and Talk” tours with the city’s mayoral candidates.
“I've always been interested in my community and doing stuff to help people,” Baxter said. “But going on that walk … opened up my eyes to exactly what's going on in our community.”
One of their top concerns is development, with Campbell saying the West Side has become “too overcrowded.” Campbell and Baxter said they also want to see more affordable housing in their neighborhood as well as cleaner parks, more after-school programs and job-training programs for young adults.
Campbell said she believes the current representatives of the district have voted against the wishes of their constituents at times. For instance, she noted that DePina and Wallace voted in favor of appointing Chris Murtha as police chief.
Murtha, a deputy chief in Prince George’s County, Md., at the time, had been named in a discrimination lawsuit filed by Black and Latino officers. His appointment failed in a 15-23 vote.
Wallace, who has served on the Board of Representatives since 2009, defended her vote on Murtha, saying she came to the decision after she and other board members vetted him.
“He worked in a department (where) there were some issues, but he was not the originator,” Wallace said. “We looked at his qualifications, his credentials, without being biased and made our decision based upon that.
“We know that it was unpopular,” she added. “But sometimes being a politician and making the decision that you think is best for your community may be unpopular.”
DePina, who has been a city representative for more than three decades and is a deputy majority leader of the board, said there will always be some constituents who disagree with their elected officials.
“You have to go with the majority of people that come to you and give you their advice about what they want, and you try to do what the majority of the community has asked you to do — and that's what I've done,” DePina said.
Wallace said that she, DePina and their opponents share similar priorities, including ensuring affordable housing on the West Side. DePina and Wallace are the chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Board of Representatives’ Housing, Community Development and Social Services Committee, and DePina sits on the Stamford Affordable Housing Trust Fund’s board of trustees.
DePina said that she and Wallace have helped secure grant funding for housing and for Jackie Robinson Park, were part of a group that spoke with the Boys & Girls Club about taking over the troubled Yerwood Center and have pushed for roads in their district to be repaved.
“We have been working very hard to do what we can, and whenever someone calls us about an issue, we try to resolve that issue the best that we can,” DePina said.
If she is reelected, DePina said she will focus on public safety, push for more roads on the West Side to be repaved, look to improve parking in the district and explore the idea of reestablishing a Neighborhood Revitalization Zone.
DePina works in the office of U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., and Wallace works as a property manager.
The Republican candidate for District 5 is Sheila Williams-Brown. The general election is Nov. 2.
District 19
The current representatives of District 19 are Bob Lion and Raven Matherne. Both have decided not to run for reelection. Lion sought the Democratic nod for town clerk but lost the endorsement to incumbent Lyda Ruijter.
Don Mays, who works at Samsung as chief safety and quality officer, and John Pelliccia, who works for a financial technology firm, received the Stamford Democratic City Committee’s endorsement in July. Lion has also endorsed them.
“I think our leadership skills and our ability to work together and solve problems are second to none,” Mays said. “John and I have got very complementary skills, even though we're from two different generations.”
Mays is 66 and Pelliccia is 32. Pelliccia said he is running because he wants to ensure that development in North Stamford is “sensitive” to community needs, that kids “receive the tools that they need to be successful” while in school and that there is steady communication between residents and the city government.
Mays said their priorities also include improving roads.
“We have to stop thinking about Band-Aid approaches to our road conditions,” Mays said. “We hear a lot about people talking about, ‘Well, we'll be prompt to fill potholes.’ Filling potholes is not the solution. We need more long-term solutions.”
Their challengers, Jennifer Matheny and Pina Basone, have similar priorities, including keeping residents informed about happenings in the city and repaving roads. They said that in terms of development, they are particularly concerned about environmental impacts and don't want to see North Stamford become more dense.
Like their opponents, Matheny and Basone said their job skills make them well qualified to serve as city representatives. Matheny is the legal and compliance director of a financial company; Basone is a real estate agent and children’s book author.
But they said they stand out as candidates because they are longtime Stamford residents and volunteers.
“We know the issues. We know the city,” Matheny said. “We can hit the ground running. There’s not a long learning curve.”
“And the fact is both our kids are grown, and we just want to give back,” Basone said.
Mays and Pelliccia have only lived in the city for the past few years, but Pelliccia said they have been active in the community since they arrived.
The Republican candidate in District 19 is Kevin McMurchy. The general election is Nov. 2.