By Elio Gugliotti, Editor
PROSPECT — Mayor Robert Chatfield on Tuesday earned his 23rd term in office by a wide margin.
Chatfield, a 78-year-old Republican, received nearly 69% of the vote to hold onto the mayor’s seat for another two years, according to unofficial results.
Chatfield, who received 2,270 votes, fended off two challengers on Election Day. Democratic Town Council member Kevin O’Leary, 32, received 912 votes while Taryn Finley, a 36-year-old Independent write-in candidate, got 117 votes.
“I now throw the Republican banner away and I’m everybody’s mayor for the next two years,” said Chatfield, who thanked his wife, Ginny, and his family for their support.
Chatfield also thanked the Prospect Republican Town Committee, town employees and the citizens. He attributed his decades-long successful run to hard work and being available.
“I hold my head high and I treat everybody the same,” he said.
Republicans retained their 5-4 majority on the Town Council in spite of a clerical oversight that left longtime council member Stanley Pilat, a Republican, off the ballot.
Pilat ran a successful campaign as a write-in candidate, finishing eighth among the 10 candidates running for the nine council seats, according to unofficial results.
Voters also backed Republicans Richard Blanc, Jeffrey Slapikas and Megan Patchkofsky, all incumbents, and newcomer Michael Palmerie Jr. for the council.
Democrats Theresa Graveline, Patricia Geary and Larry Fitzgerald, all incumbents, and newcomer Kathryn Zandri were elected to the council.
Republican Robert Hiscox, an incumbent, and Democrat Karima Jackson, a newcomer, won seats on the Region 16 Board of Education, which oversees schools in Beacon Falls and Prospect.
Republican Michelle Lisowski won the race for town clerk. Voters re-elected Republican Brenda Martin for treasurer and Republican Anne Marie Burr for tax collector.
Republican Lisa M. Marasco and Democrat Renee N. Schwarzkopf were elected to the Board of Assessment Appeals.
In uncontested races, Democrat Gena Mann and Republican Alan Havican were elected to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and Democrat Leigh Carmody and Republican John Altson were elected to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Correction: Town Council candidate Stanley Pilat received the eighth most votes. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the place he finished in the race.
