Republicans gain in Cromwell

CROMWELL — Republicans Tuesday strengthened control of the Town Council, while placing a Republican in the town clerk’s office.

Enzo Faienza outpolled his Democratic challenger Scott Lamberson, to retain the largely ceremonial post of mayor.

The vote was 2,358 for Faienza to 1,237 for Lamberson.

In the other major race decided in daylong voting, Republican JoAnn Doyle beat back Democratic challenger Julie C. Petrella to become the town clerk by a vote of 1,808 to 1,718.

The clerk’s position was open with incumbent clerk Joan Ahlquist having chosen not to seek reelection.

The new Town Council now has five Republicans and two Democrats. The previous council was split 43 Republicans.

Voters returned incumbent Democrat Allan Waters to a 10th term on the Board of Selectmen/Town Council.

With the retirement of Deputy First Selectman Richard R. Newton, Waters now becomes the longest serving active member of the sevenmember council.

He collected 1,630 votes. In addition to waters, fellow Democratic incumbent James Demetriades, with 1,698 votes was also returned to the council, as was incumbent Republican Jennifer Donohue, who pulled in 1,997 votes.

Donohue had filled out the unexpired portion of Councilor Samantha Slade’s term on the council and was running for her first full term.

Slade, who is a captain in the U.S. Army, is currently deployed overseas.

Voters put Republicans Patrick Ahlquist, with 1,964 votes, Stephen Fortenbach, with 1,704 votes, and John A. “Jack” Hene

han, with 1,902 votes, on the council, as well.

Henehan is currently chairman of the Board of Finance.

He will resign from the board prior to the swearingin ceremony that will take place at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Town Hall gymnasium.

Ahlquist – who is the husband of the retiring town clerk – was a longtime officer on the Cromwell Police Department retiring as a sergeant.

Edwin L. Kosinski Jr., who was captain on the department, failed in his bid to claim a seat on the council.

Kosinski is the husband of town clerk candidate Petrella.

Two incumbent Democrats, Daniel T. Kelly and Edwin J. Maley Jr., were reelected to sixyear terms on the Board of Finance. They were unopposed.

For the Board of Education, two incumbent members, both Democrats, ran for reelection this year and both won.

They are John M. Flanders, the former first selectman, and Laurie Cantwell. Flanders won 1,852 votes and Cantwell won 2.079.

Joining them will be Republicans Kathryn Ross, with 2,388 votes, and Dipti Post with 2,151.

In all, slightly more than 10,365 people were registered and eligible to vote in the Salafia gymnasium at Cromwell High School. About 3,595 people voted.