WATERFORD TOWN PARTIES ENDORSE 2017 BALLOT CANDIDATES

Waterford — The town Democratic and Republican committees endorsed candidates this week for seats on the Waterford Board of Education, Board of Finance, Representative Town Meeting and two other boards at their caucus meetings Monday and Tuesday, bringing several newcomers in town politics onto the ballot.

Waterford voters in November will decide who fills five open seats on the nine-member school board, three open seats on the seven-member Board of Finance, all 22 seats on the Representative Town Meeting, three full seats and two alternate seats on the five-member Zoning Board of Appeals and two open spots on the three-member Board of Assessment Appeals.

Four of the open school board slots are four-year terms, and the fifth is to fill a two-year slot that was filled by the Democratic Town Committee after Kevin Brunelle resigned from the board last year.

The Waterford Democrats nominated a slate of candidates at their caucus Monday.

They nominated Joanna L. Eldridge, Joseph M. Fillippetti and Glen M. Patterson for the Board of Finance. Incumbent Board of Finance member Elizabeth Sabilia will not run again for her open seat on that board.

For the Board of Education, the Democrats nominated incumbent Gregory A. Benoit, Joy M. Gaughan, Deborah Rosselli-Kelly, and Elizabeth G. Gonzalez. Miriam Furey-Wagner, who filled the seat left when Kevin Brunelle resigned last year, was nominated to run to fill the last two years of that term.

The Democrats nominated incumbent Joshua A. Friedman, plus John R. Morgan and Michele A. Kripps, to the Zoning Board of Appeals, and cross-endorsed Green Party candidate Darcy Van Ness for an alternate seat on that board. Michael Buscetto III was nominated to run for the Board of Assessment Appeals.

For the Representative Town Meeting, Waterford’s 22-member legislative body, the Democratic Town Committee endorsed the following people:

District 1: Jeremy E. Grabel and Jennifer S. Mullen, both incumbents, Christopher L. Bachant and Green Party candidate Andrew Frascarelli. District 2: Incumbent Sharon Palmer and Gregory E. Attanasio, Mark S. Olynciw and Amaryllis Rodriquez. District 3: Incumbent Marc A. Balestracci, Elizabeth Sabilia, newcomer Jason M. Kohl and Green Party candidate Joshua Kelly. District 4: Susan Driscoll and Julia Kushigian-Secor, both incumbents, Donald B. Blevins and Green Party candidate Carl D’Amato.

Each party may nominate up to four people for each RTM district.

The Waterford Republican Town Committee met Tuesday to nominate its candidates.

They nominated incumbents Ronald R. Fedor and Norman G. Glidden for the Board of Finance, as well as Mark E. Greer Jr.

For the Board of Education, the Republicans nominated Olga Bush, Chris Jones and Jewell Jones, all new faces on the ballot. Incumbent members Kathleen McCarty, the town committee chairwoman, and Anne Ogden will not run again.

The Republicans nominated Anne A. Darling and Paul Headrick to the Zoning Board of Appeals, and Warren MacKenzie and Danielle McCarty for alternate seats on that board. Gregg Swanson was nominated to run for the Board of Assessment Appeals.

For the Representative Town Meeting, the Republican Town Committee endorsed the following people:

District 1: Incumbents Timothy R. Condon, Calley Merriman, Valerie Muckle (currently representing District 3) and Michael T. Perkins. District 2: Incumbent April Cairns, plus John Appicelli, Michael Hannan and Tali Maidelis. District 3: Incumbents Steven Garvin, Paul Goldstein and Richard Muckle, and Barbara Panciera. District 4: Incumbents Thomas Dembek, Francisco Ribas and Michael Rocchetti, and Ivy Plis.

Ballek said the candidates have kept Lyme the way it is. He said Lyme has one of the lowest mill rates in the state, but still has been able to complete the Town Hall and library project, convert the landfill to a transfer station, and support the Lyme Land Conservation Trust and the Nature Conservancy in preserving open space, among other accomplishments.

“We’ve got experienced people who hopefully reflect the wishes of our town and do a good job keeping it that way,” he said by phone on Tuesday. a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, unanimously were nominated for the two available seats on the Board of Selectmen. Both candidates are military retirees and Boy Scout leaders. Chmielewski ran against incumbent First Selectman Kevin Lyden in 2015.

Members also voted Monday to endorse Linda Flugrad for town clerk, Pam Henry for treasurer and Cheryl Philopena for tax collector. Incumbent Board of Education Chairman Michael Siebert and incumbent members Sean Reith, Ryan Little and George Jackson will be running to retain their seats.

The Democratic Town Committee nominated its candidates on July 20.