Dispute over move to fill Serra’s seat

MIDDLETOWN — Democrats on the Common Council have begun the process of filling the seat of Councilman Thomas J. Serra, the dean of the council’s Democratic majority.

But already the process is mired in controversy. Serra, an educator, former mayor and mentor to students and colleagues alike who commanded respect from Republicans as well as his fellow Democrats, died Feb. 10.

Last week, Mayor Daniel T. Drew issued a Declaration of Permanent Vacancy, officially signifying Serra’s position is vacant. Under the city charter, the council is responsible for filling the vacancy at the next council

meeting, which will take place April 1.

Democratic Town Committee Chairman Robert Blanchard said Tuesday he was prepared to issue a call for anyone interested in filling the position to step forward and make their interest known.

But earlier Tuesday five Democratic councilors, led by Gerald E. Daley, stole a march on Blanchard and put forward a candidate of their own: the Rev. W. Vance Cotten, pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church.

Daley was joined by councilors Carl R. Chisem, Grady L. Faulkner Jr., Eugene Nocera and Deputy Mayor Robert P. Santangelo.

In a release, Daley made a motion that the nomination be added to the council agenda, in effect forestalling any other possible candidate from stepping forward.

Blanchard said Tuesday evening he was disappointed by Daley’s action, but added his objection was not a reflection on Cotten, who is “a voice in the community.” Rather, he said Daley’s approach is an exemplar of the politics of the past and not of a process that is both “open and transparent.”

“The traditional way to go is, if you’ve got a vacancy, you go to the town committee and poll the membership and we then take a vote,” he said.

When residents read or hear about Daley’s action, it will “only make them more cynical about politics in Middletown,” Blanchard said.

Not surprisingly, Daley disagreed – emphatically.

“In my recollection … we have never solicited interest or consulted with the town (Committee) chair when filling vacancies in elected office,” Daley said in an email Wednesday afternoon. “That said, as a member of the Democratic caucus, Rob Blanchard has been aware for several weeks that some of us were recommending Bishop Cotten.”

Undeterred by Daley’s action, Blanchard encouraged any Democrat interested in serving on the council to reach out to him and express their interest in the seat.

Blanchard said he has received emails in support of Cotten’s nomination. But he has also received emails calling for the town committee to recommend Bobbye Knoll Peterson, the former executive director of the North End Action Team.

Blanchard said he believed there might be “one or two” other potential candidates who might be willing to step forward.

For his part, rather than choosing a candidate who would just serve out the balance of Serra’s term, Blanchard would like to seat someone who would run for a full term on the council in November, he said.

Appointing such a person to the council now would enable that person to “get a head start and get some experience and go through their first budget.”

Daley said he is not sure – and has not had any discussion — about Cotten serving out the remainder of Mr. Serra’s term or deciding to run in November.

If he did want to run in November, Cotten “would need to go through the same process as anyone else. There is no guarantee that any member of the council will be nominated,” Daley said.

“Middletown is a diverse city,” Blanchard said, and he wants a council that reflects that diversity. “It helps to have people of different backgrounds.”

On a purely practical political level, Blanchard said with Councilwoman Mary Bartolotta announcing on Tuesday she is a candidate for mayor, there is no other female Democrat on the council.

There are, however, two Republican women serving on the council.