No GOP candidate on tap for clerk seat

CROMWELL » Republicans will not run a candidate for town clerk after all.

Initially, Board of Education member Julie Fitts-Ritter, who will not be seeking re-election, was nominated to run against incumbent Democratic Town Clerk Joan Ahlquist.

But earlier this month, FittsRitter withdrew from the race.

Now, Mayor Enzo Faienza said the party will not contest Ahlquist’s quest for re-election. In fact, Faienza said, it was never the GOP’s intention to challenge Ahlquist, who was elected clerk in 2015 following the retirement of veteran clerk Darlene DiProto.

With the party not planning on mounting a challenge to Ahlquist, the GOP assumed Democrats would not contest Republican Douglas A. Sienna’s bid for reelection as tax collector/collector of revenue, Faienza said.

“We thought we were going to get the same courtesy from the other side of the aisle,” he said. Both Ahlquist and Sienna “have

worked so well for so many years” that “these two positions basically cancel each other out,” Faienza said.

The cross-endorsement of candidates for the two offices has been a common feature in several recent elections in Cromwell, and is common elsewhere in the state as well.

However, when the Democratic Town Committee caucus nominated Charles Epstein for collector last month, the GOP saw it as a shot across their bow and responded accordingly, Faienza said. “The caucus wanted to leave the option open and Julie volunteered to be a placeholder” in case a candidate came forward.

When no one did, Fitts Ritter withdrew, saying, “I like Joan.”

Ahlquist had worked as assistant clerk for a dozen years before she stepped up to run for the clerk’s position.

Sienna, who has an extensive background in financial matters, including serving as comptroller for waste management, has been collector since 2011.

This could be the last time residents vote to elect the collector and the clerk. The Charter Revision Commission has proposed that the collector and clerk be appointed to their positions, as are other department heads in town government.

The commission has drawn up the proposal so the incumbent clerk and collector will be appointed to the positions.

Faienza, meanwhile, saluted Fitts Ritter for her 16 years of service on the Board of Education. “She’s done a wonderful job on the board and I greatly appreciate all she’s done,” he said.

“Julie’s a wonderful person. She has a great heart and she will be dearly missed,” Faienza said.

Those sentiments were echoed by Board of Education Chairman Michael J. Camilleri. “Julie has been a passionate leader on the board, who has always made sure that all voices of our community are heard,” he said in an email.

“I know she will never back down from a neces- sary fight and will speak her mind without hesitation. Her passion for our students is always at the core of her decision making,” Camilleri said.

“I’m proud to serve by her side, and our board — and our community — will miss her,” he added.

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