Hess gets nod for another run

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Naugatuck Mayor N. Warren ‘Pete’ Hess, a Democrat, addresses the Democratic Town Committee July 24 at Town Hall after receiving the committee’s endorsement to run for re-election. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

NAUGATUCK — As members of the Democratic Town Committee stood Monday night in Town Hall to nominate Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess for another run, they spoke of the accomplishments of the past two years — the energy the downtown festivals have brought to the borough, businesses opening or being built, and construction on the verge of starting on Parcel C.

“We have had improvement, we’ve had a lot of success,” said Hess, 68, after receiving the endorsement, before adding that success and growth must be sustained.

“The words like improvement, achievement, growth, they don’t mean anything. We have to continue it,” Hess added.

In order to continue that success, Hess, an attorney who is in his first term as mayor, is looking to the Chemtura property that stretches along the Naugatuck River at the end of Elm Street. He spoke broadly about a plan the borough is working on to develop the former Uniroyal site into a “transportation hub” by utilizing the existing infrastructure in place, the railroad. He said developing that land will be key to getting the borough’s tax base back and reducing the mill rate, which he considers his number one objective.

“As we move forward together, let’s just remember, let’s talk about what we did, but more so, let’s talk about what we’re going to do,” Hess told the committee.

The Republican Town Committee didn’t endorse a candidate for mayor last week, and as of press time no one had stepped forward to challenge Hess.

“What Pete possesses is wisdom, not just smarts — there’s a lot of smart people around. Pete has wisdom, and he’s bringing that wisdom to help reconstruct Naugatuck,” Democratic Town Committee Chairman M. Leonard Caine III said.

Hess will lead a ticket that has a lot of familiar names on it.

Democrats currently hold six of the nine burgess seats — the most one party can hold — on the Board of Mayor and Burgesses. The committee endorsed all six incumbents — Laurie Taf-Jackson, Carl Herb, Robert Burns, Rocky Vitale, Kathleen Donovan and Patrick Scully Sr. — for re-election.

The committee endorsed incumbents Jason Celozzi, James Scully and Ethel Grant for the Board of Education, leaving two spots on the ticket vacant. The school board has nine members, including the mayor. The most seats one party can hold is five, not counting the mayor’s seat.

The committee also left vacancies for the Planning Commission, Zoning Commission, and didn’t endorse a candidate for treasurer.

The deadline to fill vacancies was Wednesday. If a vacancy isn’t filled, candidates need to petition to get on the ballot.

The following candidates were also endorsed by the committee: Michelle Dowling, who was cross endorsed, for town clerk; Jim Goggin for tax collector; William Stopper for Zoning Commission; Anthony Whelan, who is chairman, and Raymond Krzykowski for Planning Commission; Michael Caron, Frank Parise, Floyd Traver and Michael Kuczenski for bailiff.