Branford first selectman faces more questions as he runs again

“My campaign, I think, has remained something I am proud of. I continue to run a positive campaign, if my opponent thinks he has a successful strategy in the way he’s run his campaign, I think we’ll let the voters decide.” Jamie Cosgrove, Branford first selectman

BRANFORD — In his quest for a fifth term as the town’s first selectman, Republican Jamie Cosgrove has had to fend off repeated attacks on his economic and emergency response policies from his rival, Democrat Tom Brockett.

This week, Cosgrove was again defending himself from questions, this time from Hearst Connecticut Media Group, over his family’s relationship with a landscaping company that receives town contracts.

Cosgrove has denied any wrongdoing, saying the landscapers' contracts went through a competitive bidding process.

It’s a change of pace for Cosgrove, who most recently won reelection in 2019 without any opposition, two years after he defeated his last Democratic challenger in a landslide. Still, the incumbent exuded confidence when he spoke recently to Hearst.

“My campaign, I think, has remained something I am proud of,” Cosgrove said. “I continue to run a positive campaign, if my opponent thinks he has a successful strategy in the way he’s run his campaign, I think we’ll let the voters decide.”

Cosgrove and his running mate for the Board of Selectmen, Angela Higgins, were nominated by the Republican Town Committee in July. The Democratic slate is made up of Brockett and his running mate, Ray Dunbar.

Brockett has made Cosgrove’s handling of community relations an issue during the campaign — particularly faulting the incumbent for not making greater use of robocalls and other forms of direct outreach during emergencies.

“There were no communications to the residents informing them of street closures,” Brockett said in an interview this month. “We had an active shooter situation six months ago and although some people in the immediate vicinity may have been notified by the first responders, the First Selectman didn’t notify the rest of the residents to stay away from it.”

“We think that with respect to communications that clearly Ray and I can do a much better job of keeping our residents informed,” Brockett said.

Cosgrove defended his office’s response to the active shooter situation in April, which he said was handled “to a tee,” by emergency management officials. Cosgrove said he would have run afoul of established procedures had he ordered further alerts.

“It’s been proven that the inundation of robocalls can actually lead to people not picking up or unsubscribing to that means of communication,” Cosgrove said. “Our procedure is to limit the use of robocalls to emergency situations.”

Brockett has also criticized Cosgrove for the decision to hire a part-time economic development coordinator, arguing that the job should be full time in order to better attract new businesses and grow tax collections.

“We’re falling behind on the grand list, we’re increasing our debt, we’re increasing our taxes and we need ways to look for more revenue,” Brockett said. “One of the ways is economic development.”

Responding to Brockett, Cosgrove said that many of the duties that could be performed by a fulltime coordinator are actually the responsibility of the selectman, such as creating an overall business-friendly environment. He noted that Branford has some of the lowest property taxes in the area, with a mill rate of 29.45.

We’re in a very strong financial position, and we have very strong budgetary management practices.

The back-and-forth barbs in the first selectman’s race were ratcheted up this week when Brockett called on Cosgrove to resign over news reports that a company he co-manages a building that leases space to a landscaper under contract with the town.

“Looking at the facts, why would I resign?” Cosgrove said Monday. “There’s nothing there.”

Cosgrove pointed to a number of large projects — such as the renovation of the Walsh Intermediate School, expansion of a local senior center and energy efficiency upgrades to town buildings — as evidence of his administration’s achievements over the last eight years.

If elected to the office of First Selectman, Brockett said he would start an initiative to expand the town’s trail system, add other recreational opportunities and market the open space in hopes of attracting younger families.

The election in Branford is on Nov. 2. In addition to selectmen candidates, residents will also select new candidates for town clerk, treasurer, tax collector, board of education, board of assessment appeals, constables and representative town meeting.