Five Republicans will seek party backing at next month’s caucus for three seats on the Board of Education in November’s local election, officials say.
According to the New Canaan Republican Town Committee, Julie Reeves—currently serving out Hazel Hobbs’s unexpired term on the school board—will seek to retain her seat while four others also filed petitions prior to last Friday’s deadline. They are Carl W. Gardiner, Suzanne Harrison, Daniel LaGattuta and Bob Naughton, according to a press release attributed to RTC Chairman Patrick Donovan.
The slate means that Republicans Tom Cronin and Maria Naughton will not seek re-election to the Board of Ed.
Instead, Maria Naughton is running for Town Council. The legislative body will have an open GOP seat with Republican Christa Kenin’s recent announcement that she will not seek re-election this fall.
Town Councilmen Steve Karl, Cristina A. Ross and Mike Mauro all are seeking re-election.
Board of Ed and Town Council members serve four-year terms.
First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and Selectman Nick Williams announced their re-election bids jointly in April. No Republicans filed petitions to challenge them at the caucus.
Under the bylaws and rules of the RTC, candidates must obtain signatures from 25 registered Republicans living in New Canaan in order to seek party endorsement at the caucus.
The Republican caucus is to be held July 16—a specific time and location is yet to be announced, Donovan said.
Election Day is Nov. 5.
Here’s the full list of Republicans who petitioned to seek endorsement at the caucus, per Donovan:
First Selectman (1 seat)
- Kevin J. Moynihan
Selectman (1 seat)
- Nick Williams
Town Clerk (1 seat)
- Claudia A. Weber
Town Treasurer (1 seat)
- Andrew Brooks
Board of Education (3 seats)
- Carl W. Gardiner
- Suzanne Harrison
- Daniel LaGattuta
- Bob Naughton
- Julie Reeves
Board of Assessment Appeals (2 seats)
- David L. Hunt
Town Council (4 seats)
- Cristina Aguirre-Ross
- Stephen J. Karl
- Michael J. Mauro
- Maria Naughton
The RTC also has nominated the following to serve as constable (they don’t file petitions, under the RTC rules).
Constable (4 seats)
- Arvind Bajaj
- Darren Bruno
- Mary Anne Mercogliano
- Gregory Pepe
New Canaan Democrats take nominations from the floor at their own caucus. Town resident Craig Donovan, a Democrat, already has filed to run for first selectman. Selectman Kit Devereaux has said she is running for selectman. Among Democrats, Board of Ed Chairman Brendan Hayes is nearing the end of his four-year term on the elected body, while Town Councilmen Jim Kucharczyk and Joe Paladino also occupy seats that will be up for election this fall. The Democratic caucus also is to be held July 16.