Naugatuck GOP backs slate for November

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By Andreas Yilma, Staff Writer

Naugatuck Republican Town Committee Chairman Seth Bronko, right, talks with his father, Burgess Michael Bronko, during the committee’s nominating convention July 21 at the Naugatuck Event Center. -ANDREAS YILMA

NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck Republican Town Committee on July 21 endorsed its slate of candidates for the November municipal election without a nominee for mayor to top the ticket.

Chairman Seth Bronko said no one was interested to run for the mayor’s seat, which is held by Democrat Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess.

“It’s a tough job because it’s a full-time position,” Bronko said. “It’s hard for people who are employed full time to just leave a job for the chance of winning an election and working for two years and who knows what.”

For burgess, the committee endorsed incumbents Robert Neth, Mike Bronko and Jan Mizeski. The committee also endorsed newcomers Meghan Smith, George Mudry and Dorothy Neth-Kunin, who is currently on the Board of Education.

There are nine burgess seats on the board and one party can hold up to six of them.

Neth, who is the longest sitting burgess on the Board of Mayor and Burgesses, thanked the committee for the nomination to run for a 13th term. He felt the committee should cross-endorse Hess for mayor.

“I think that he would be a tremendous asset to the Republican ticket,” Neth said. “That’s just my opinion and I know that the opinion may vary a lot with committee members. I’m just throwing it out there.”

For the Board of Education, the committee endorsed incumbents Diana Malone, Marilyn O’Donnell and Jeffrey Litke, who is the board chairman, as well as newcomers, Aaron McCool and Alicia Makowski.

The school board has nine members, including the mayor. The most seats one party can hold is five, not counting the mayor.

The committee endorsed incumbents Town Clerk Michelle Dowling and Treasurer Judy Anderson for re-election, and backed Helen Northrup to challenge for tax collector.

The committee endorsed incumbents Eileen M. Bronko and Attila “AJ” Bordas for Zoning Commission. The committee backed Richard O’Donnell for Planning Commission, and Seth Bronko, Steve Loban, Dan Renzoni and Kristi Pistarelli for bailiff.

“I’m really excited. We have a great group of people. I know they’re ready to work hard and campaign. It’s a passionate group,” Seth Bronko said about the ticket.

He said he looks forward to working together as a team on the campaign trail.

“We look forward to a hard-fought campaign and we’re looking forward to some Republican victories,” he said.

 

1 COMMENT

  1. Who do I contact about running for Mayor?
    I’ll run. I got time. I need a job. Not like there’s many jobs in town these days anyway…
    Not counting those business who are only paying minimum wage…

    Sure, Hess has done a some good for the town but has also allowed a lot of stupid things to continue.
    As have others who have been in office in this town for far too long.

    It is also disgusting and a shame to the election process that ANYBODY runs “unopposed”.
    Seriously? Unopposed? Does nobody have another opinion of what’s been done right and what’s been done wrong in Naugatuck?

    Here’s a few things we can debate about:
    Why are the taxes in Naugatuck so damned high?
    We get that bridge fixed yet?
    How’s that solar panel system on the high school roof doing?
    Who in the hell made $250,000 on a “study” to put in a rotary on Rubber Ave?
    Who approved that “study”?
    Who really thinks the rotary will be a good idea?
    How much is that going to cost the town to change back after they build it and see that it is a bad idea?
    Are we going to hire a company that won’t exist when it needs to be “fixed”? That shouldn’t even be a question, but given the town’s history of hiring companies to do certain jobs one needs to ask if support will be available for poor workmanship.

    Speaking of poor workmanship, what are the qualifications of the town engineer? Because approving that much that has gone wrong is a bit of a red flag…

    Would also be nice to have a bulk trash pickup day again instead of a recycling day that doesn’t really recycle anything…

    Again, Who do I contact in order to run.