Government

Election 2017: Republican Candidates for First Selectman Debate Cell Service, Outback

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Candidates seeking New Canaan Republicans’ endorsement at the July 18 caucus on Tuesday night debated a wide variety of issues facing the town—from how to improve cellular coverage to what to do with the former Outback Teen Center building and how to open the lines of communication within municipal government—during a lively Republican Town Committee-sponsored debate. Incumbent First Selectman Rob Mallozzi, who has announced his intention to run for a fourth term, is being challenged by Cristina A. Ross, a 26-year resident and Town Council member who works as a professional architect, and who previously spent 10 years on the Parks and Recreation Commission, and Kevin Moynihan, a 36-year resident and retired former attorney for Merrill Lynch who also currently serves on the Town Council. The candidates fielded a wide variety of questions from New Canaanite Editor Michael Dinan and New Canaan Advertiser Editor Greg Reilly, who served as co-moderators for the event. Billed as a “debate,” the 2.5-hour session—50 minutes of which was dedicated to the first selectman candidates—featured politically charged if limited direct interaction among those seeking the town’s highest elected office (the video will be available here very soon). On the topic of how to improve cell service in town, Ross said the communication between the town and the residents with regard to infrastructure—including cell towers—must be improved.

Government

RTC Announces Two Republican Debates Ahead of July 18 Caucus; First One Next Week

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The New Canaan Republican Town Committee on Monday announced that the organization is sponsoring a pair of debates ahead of the party’s July 18 caucus—a widely anticipated day that will see candidates in three contested races seek party backing. Featuring all Republican candidates running in contested races for town government, the first debate is to be held at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, June 27 in the large meeting room at Town Hall, the RTC said in a press release. The second will be held July 12, also at Town Hall. Those running include:

First Selectman

Cristina A. Ross
Rob Mallozzi
Kevin Moynihan

Selectman

Christa Kenin
Nick Williams

Town Council (four seats open)

Roy Abramowitz
Tom Butterworth
John Engel
Mike Mauro
Richard Townsend
Penny Young

NewCanaanite.com and the New Canaan Advertiser are supporting the RTC debates. The debates will be broadcast by NCTV Channel 79, according to the RTC.

Government

Caucus Results: New Canaan Republicans Back New Candidates for Town Council, Board of Ed

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New Canaan Republicans on Tuesday night backed four candidates for Town Council and three for Board of Education—an incumbent from each elected group failing to garner the required votes for party endorsement—during the Republican Town Committee’s caucus at New Canaan High School. Officials said just 285 total ballots were cast during the caucus, which saw most voters exit the high school auditorium even before candidates had a chance to give their speeches. The hopefuls now eye the Nov. 3 local elections, to begin their terms on the Town Council and Board of Ed soon afterwards. “It’s a great civic duty on your part to attend this,” RTC Moderator John Ponterotto told those gathered at the caucus at the outset, prior to opening voting for those who wished to cast their ballots prior to candidate speeches.

Government

New Canaan RTC Announces Petition Candidates for Caucus in July

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Five Republicans will run for four Town Council seats in municipal elections this fall, and six GOPers are seeking three seats on the Board of Education, officials said Thursday. The New Canaan Republic Town Committee will hold its caucus on July 21 to endorse candidates for the Nov. 3 elections, the RTC said in a press release. The five petition candidates for the four Town Council seats are:

Cristina Aguirre-Ross
Kenneth D. Campbell Jr. (incumbent)
Stephen J. Karl (incumbent)
Christa Kenin
Roger Williams (incumbent). Incumbent Republican councilman Tucker Murphy is not seeking re-election.

News

Mallozzi, Williams and Jones to Seek Re-Election to Board of Selectmen

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The members of the Board of Selectmen—Rob Mallozzi, Nick Williams and Beth Jones—intend to run for their seats again this fall, the elected officials said Monday. The trio—Republicans Mallozzi, the first selectman, and Williams, a selectman, together with Jones, a Democrat—will seek to serve a third consecutive two-year term together. Asked what’s driving him to seek re-election, Mallozzi said, “Because I absolutely love this job.”

“I wake up every day and cannot wait to get to this office. Love the people I am working with. I’ve never had more satisfaction in my life than I have the last 10 years,” said Mallozzi, who had served multiple terms as a selectman prior to first selectman.