Vowing to dedicate more time to working in town hall and listening to residents, Zani Imetovski formally accepted the Democratic nomination for First Selectman in Seymour Thursday.
“My vision for Seymour begins with promoting the downtown area, restoring it to its historic roots. We will work to brand Seymour as a place where families from the surrounding area will want to spend the day,” Imetovski said.
He’ll be challenging Republican First Selectman Kurt Miller, a two-term incumbent.
Imetovski, 23, is a 2010 graduate of Seymour High School. He is employed at the state capitol as a legislative aide with the House Democrats.
But don’t call him young and inexperienced, said state Rep. Theresa Conroy, the Democrat who nominated Imetovski in front of about 25 fellow Dems in Seymour Town Hall Thursday.
She pointed to young mayors in New Britain and Torrington who’ve made a big impact leading their communities.
Imetovski, whose parents own Zani’s Pizza on Wakelee Avenue in Ansonia, will do the same in Seymour, Conroy said.
“He’s not doing this because somebody is telling him to do this. He’s not out there for the wrong reasons. He’s out there because he cares about this community,” Conroy said.
Karen Stanek, a retired teacher and incumbent member of the Board of Selectmen, has known Imetovski for years. She also gave a short speech to support the Democratic candidate.
“At Seymour High School he was a member of my criminal law class and my civics class. So I know he knows something about government,” Stanek said.
Imetovski’s speech didn’t sound like a political novice’s words. He had a prepared statement, but he went off script while describing his passion for the town where he grew up. He seemed comfortable and relaxed.
In addition to marketing the downtown Seymour business district, Imetovski vowed to open Seymour Town Hall five days a week, “so businesses know we are ready to serve them.” Currently town hall closes on Friday.
Imetovski also promised an expanded tax relief program for Seymour senior citizens, and to re-establish an energy committee to save money on energy costs.
Any savings would be used to invest in education, another issue Imetovski stressed several times during his acceptance speech.
He said he envisions a “Seymour that continues to invest in its education system and not just a bare bones budget.”
Imetovski’s nomination was unanimous, as was the rest of the Democratic slate.
It includes at least two young gun political newbies — Michael Boroski, who is running for a seat on the Board of Selectmen, and Gary Vasas, Boroski’s lifelong friend.
Vasas, 30, is running for a seat on the planning and zoning commission.
“Seymour was a perfect town growing up, and that seems to have changed,” Vasas said. “If there’s anything I can do to get it back to the way it was, I’m willing.”
Here is the Democratic slate, as distributed by the Democrats Thursday:
First Selectman
Zani Imetovski
Board of Selectmen
Karen Stanek (incumbent)
Phil Wilhelmy
Stephan Behuniak
Michael Boroski
Board of Finance
Melanie Kalako
Tyler Ryff
Board of Education
Kristen Harmeling (incumbent)
James Garofolo
Board of Assessment Appeals
Thomas LaPaglia
Randy Bruce
Board of Police Commissioners
Martin Dadio
Library Board of Directors
Jean Uhelsky
Michael Flynn
Planning and Zoning Commission
Joseph Ziehl
Gary Vasas
