Candidates Ready To Square Off At Political Forums

Newtown residents will have an opportunity to hear the candidates for first selectmen and Board of Education at political forums next week, beginning with Pizza & Politics at 6 pm Monday, October 20, at the Fireside Inn on South Main Street.

Two days later, a first selectman candidates’ debate, “A Vision for Newtown,” will be held at The Homesteads at Newtown, 166 Mt Pleasant Road, on Wednesday, October 22, from 7 to 9 pm.

Pizza & Politics will begin with a pizza dinner. Tickets, $10 each, are available at Newtown Florist, 22 Church Hill Road; Clavette Josselyn & Company, 65 Church Hill Road; and the C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

Sponsored by the Newtown Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club and the Woman’s Club, Pizza & Politics will include First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, the Democratic candidate, and Bill Sheluck, the challenging Republican, as well as the school board candidates. The Republican candidates for school board, who are vying for two seats, are incumbent Andrew Buzzi, Paul Mangiafico, and George Caracciolo. There is one Democratic candidate, David Nanavaty, who is running for one Democratic seat.

The Homesteads event, which is free, will take place by the fireplace in the facility’s great room. Bill Wiemels, past president of the Rotary Club, will moderate the open forum debate. The candidates will be asked to describe their visions for Newtown –– where to go from here –– covering residential development, commercial development, growth in school population, open space issues, government responsibility to the people, Fairfield Hills, roads and traffic, taxes and spending, and other issues.

Audience participation will be encouraged. Following the debate, refreshments will be served and those attending will have an opportunity to speak informally with the candidates.

Herb Rosenthal, the Democrat-endorsed candidate, is seeking his third term as first selectman. He is a longtime resident of Newtown who served for many years as member and chairman of the Board of Education. Currently he also serves as chairman of the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials and is an officer and on the board of the Connecticut Conference of Mayors.

Bill Sheluck is a retired bank president and chief executive officer who has three daughters enrolled in the Newtown school system. He served as chairman of the last Charter Revision Commission and is involved in fundraising for the Newtown “300” committee organizing the town’s tercentennial and also for projects at St Rose Church.

Seating for the event at The Homesteads may be limited. Reservations may be made by calling 426-8118.