The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Democrats name election candidates
Members laud ‘surge of positive development’
WINSTED » The Winsted Democratic Town Committee met Wednesday evening to nominate a slate of candidates for the fall election and move forward with the hope of continuing a surge of positive development in the community, according to Mayor Althea Candy Perez.
Perez, Melissa Bird, Steven Sedlack and Jack Bourque — all incumbents — as well as newcomer Linda Groppo, were endorsed to run for the Board of Selectmen at the caucus.
Groppo is the daughter of former mayor and State Rep. John G. Groppo, according to the Democratic Town Committee and formerly worked in the attorney general’s office.
Every seat on the Board of Selectmen is up for grabs in each election cycle under the Town Charter. Democrats had a strong showing in 2015, as they won five positions on the seven-member board.
For the Board of Education, incumbent Democrats Michelle Hintz and Alexandria Propfe are seeking reelection. They will be joined by Cheryl Hefferman, an attorney who moved to Winsted in the last year,
according to the DTC.
Incumbent Town Clerk Sheila Sedlack is seeking another term, while Aubrey English and James Barber will run for constable.
Winsted Democrats are aiming to maintain a streak of positive developments in town, Perez said Thursday. She noted that the Board of Selectmen has worked well together and with Town Manager Robert Geiger and the town had regained a strong financial base.
Businesses had been moving into the community as well — she noted Five Elements Robotics, the ongoing Mad River Lofts project, and the recent opening of three restaurants as examples of economic growth in town.
“Winsted has forward momentum, and we would like to keep it going,” said Perez.
The hope, she said, is that Winsted could shed the partisan rancor that has characterized past politics, and continue to bolster its reputation. “We’re hoping all of that is over in Winsted,” said Perez.
Democrats, fresh from creating a budget that kept the tax rate level, in part through using a portion of the fund balance, are pledging to deliver “a similar notax increase for next year’s budget,” according to the committee website, continue road construction efforts, and aim to bolster the stability of the community, both financially and in terms of public opinion.
“The Winchester Democratic Candidates believe Winsted has made progress towards a better future,” wrote party officials on the website. “As has been demonstrated over the past two years, this is a community effort. All segments of our community have come together to build a strong foundation on which to move forward.”