Ledyard Republicans endorse Finkelstein for mayor, all six incumbent councilors

Ledyard — During the Republican Town Committee’s caucus Tuesday night, members voted unanimously to endorse retired Ledyard Police Lt. Michael Finkelstein for mayor.

Finkelstein, who retired in February, formally began his campaign June 8, almost a month after Mayor John Rodolico announced he wouldn’t seek re-election.

Mike Cherry, chairman of the Republicans’ nominating committee, said the committee did “make some inquiries” into people who’ve previously had positions on the Town Council, the Board of Education or both.

“Out of all of them, Mikewas the best candidate,” Cherry said.

Rodolico, who spoke in favor of Finkelstein Tuesday night, said Finkelstein regularly demonstrated communication and management skills and had compassion and integrity while working with the Ledyard Police Department.

“I’ve always had a great passion for this community,” Finkelstein said, briefly recalling his days at Ledyard High School. “I think it’s an incredible town and would like to continue in the role of mayor in leading this community forward.”

Finkelstein has said he plans to, among other things, streamline services and champion transparency should he win this fall.

In its school board nominations, the caucus mixed things up.

While the Republicans unanimously endorsed incumbents Mimi Peck-Llewellyn and David Luke and appointees Steve Shuttleworth and Michael Brawner, they didn’t endorse current Chairwoman Julia Cronin or appointee Doreen Soldato — the two didn’t appear on the Republican Town Committee-endorsed slate.

Cherry acknowledged last week that Cronin — a board member since 2007 whom the school board has unanimously chosen as its chair the past two years — would “probably be chair again” if elected.

Citing a need to “advance Republican ideals” such as being fiscally conservative and appointing solely Republican committee chair people, he said the committee’s only choice was to not nominate Cronin.

Cherry said Soldato — who has two liaison positions, is the Policy Committee chairwoman and is a member of the Strategic Planning Committee — “didn’t make the cut” in a field of nine people vying for six spots.

Cherry said the committee selected Andra Ingalls, who home- schools her children, largely because of her belief in fiscal conservatism. Anthony Favry is the other newcomer who got the Republicans’ nod.

Both Ingalls and Favry said on Tuesday that they want to bring a “fresh perspective” to the board, in part by analyzing what works and how to make it better, as well as what doesn’t work and what to do about it.

As for the Town Council, the caucus unanimously endorsed all six Republican incumbents: Fred Allyn III, John Marshall, Kevin Dombrowski, Stephen Eichelberg, Chairman Linda Davis and Thomas Malone, who was appointed in January to fill the vacancy left by state Rep. Mike France, R-Ledyard.

Cherry said all six incumbents said they were willing to run again when he asked earlier this year. When no one else came forward, he said, “that’s where we stopped our search.”

“The sense of the RTC and the nominating committee is that they work very well together,” he said. “They have served us well, some over many terms.”