Rosenthal Will Likely Face Councilman For First Selectman

By John Voket

The top of November’s local political ticket, at least for the two major parties, will likely feature experienced elected officials. It appears that incumbent First Selectman Herb Rosenthal and Selectman Joseph Bojnowski will accept the Democratic Party’s unanimous endorsements next Tuesday, July 24, at the party’s caucus.

On the Republican side, it appears that Legislative Councilman Joseph Borst will lead the ticket, with retiring school board member Paul Mangiafico seeking a Board of Selectmen seat. By Charter stipulation, this board must retain minimum party representation, meaning at least one Democrat or Republican must retain a seat.

The candidates receiving the second and third highest number of votes round out the board. Any unaffiliated candidates who may run would also factor into the mix.

According to Registrar of Voters LeReine Frampton, the final makeup can include two Democrats, two Republicans, two unaffiliated candidates, or one from each group.

Local Democrats were quick to endorse the incumbent officials at a general Democratic Town Committee (DTC) meeting in June, and the remaining slate is expected to be announced Monday, July 23, the night before the caucus. After The Bee went to print Thursday, July 19, the Republican Town Committee (RTC) candidate’s committee was expected to finalize and recommend its slate of candidates for its caucus, which is also set for Tuesday, July 24.

The RTC will hold a general meeting to announce its slate July 23 as well.

Mr Rosenthal, who was presumed to be running for another term, said Thursday that the withdrawal of Republican Selectman William Brimmer, Jr, from the fall race was among the primary concerns that kept him from formally announcing his intent to seek another term.

Mr Rosenthal said he would accept his party’s nomination if it was forthcoming at the caucus, and would follow-up with a detailed statement regarding his candidacy after July 24.

“The DTC urged us both [he and Mr Bojnowski] to run and endorsed us unanimously,” Mr Rosenthal said. “I will have my name as one of the nominations at the caucus.”

Mr Rosenthal said he still enjoyed the job of first selectman, and wanted to run for another term because, “there is still work to be done.” If reelected, it will be the first term Mr Rosenthal will serve without both Mr Bojnowski and Mr Brimmer as his fellow selectmen.

An RTC source said it would be surprising if the top of ticket choices included anyone other than Mr Borst and Mr Mangiafico for first selectman and selectman, respectively. Contacted at home Thursday morning, Mr Mangiafico who serves on the RTC candidates committee said it would be inappropriate to comment on developments until his committee had completed interviews for all positions on the GOP ticket.

Those interviews are scheduled to be completed July 19. Mr Mangiafico did admit, however, that a Borst-Mangiafico team was one of his committee’s considerations.

Pressed further, Mr Mangiafico said if he was to pursue a seat on the Board of Selectmen, that he would do so with a plan to address myriad issues he sees facing the town over the next two or more years.

“I would be interested in a broad range of issues,” he said. “There are a slew of things that need to be changed.”

Mr Borst said he could not face another election where the incumbent first selectman ran unopposed.

“I feel a lot of people, like me, believe things are not going as well as they should, and they are looking for a change,” Mr Borst said. “All I know is [the RTC] can’t leave that slot blank, it’s not appropriate.”

He said if the party is lacking another viable candidate for first selectman, “I’m going to do it.”

Sources in the RTC said local businessman Matt DeAngelis requested to be interviewed for a selectman’s seat as well. It is unclear whether or not he is being considered by the RTC.

Last week, Mr DeAngelis said he had been interviewed by two other parties for a November seat as well.

The newly formed committee that hopes to become the authorized Independent Party of Newtown (IPN) has already identified two Legislative Council hopefuls, but has otherwise not finalized which affiliated members will run for particular offices. Those council hopefuls, Po Murray and Gary Davis, initiated the formation of a bona fide minor political party following more than a year of special interest lobbying as the co-founders of an education advocacy group WeCAN (We Care About Newtown.)

Ms Murray told The Bee Thursday that affiliates of IPN are waiting to see what the outcome would be from the two political caucuses next Tuesday evening.

“At that point, we will decide whether we want to run an [IPN] candidate for the first selectman’s seat…or cross endorse a candidate from the other political parties,” she said via an e-mail from the newspaper seeking comment.

In another late-breaking development, First District Democratic Councilman Francis Pennarola announced he will seek another term. In a one-line e-mail response to questions about his future political service, Mr Pennarola replied, “I have decided to run, since we are losing a number of veterans on the Legislative Council.”

The Democratic caucus is scheduled for Tuesday, July 24, at 8 pm, in the lower meeting room at Edmond Town Hall. The RTC caucus is set for 7:30 pm July 24 in the Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall.