FILE PHOTO
Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller
SEYMOUR — The Seymour Republican Town Committee nominated Kurt Miller for a fifth, two-year term Thursday.
All current GOP’ers on the Board of Selectmen — Al Bruno, Annmarie Drugonis, Trish Danka, and Robert Findley — were also nominated for re-election.
“All of the people from the team have decided to come back, which is great, because as you know I’ve always said this is a team effort,” Miller told The Valley Indy in a podcast interview recorded Friday.
The audio from the interview is posted below.
Miller was elected First Selectmen in 2011. He said this term, assuming he wins, will most likely be his last — but he’s leaving the door a bit.
“I do believe this will be my last term, yes,” Miller said. “But I mean there could be some extenuating circumstances that I might do one more, but (there’s) a very small (chance) that would happen.”
Miller’s stance on whether this will be his last go around has evolved since April, when he said this would be his last time running. Click here for a previous story.
Miller said his top priority is to work with town officials and the Board of Selectmen to get three bonding referendums on the November ballot — one for paving roads, one to maintain and upgrade emergency communication systems, and a third for a community recreational center in town.
More information — such as dollar amounts — will be forthcoming. Click this link to listen to a previous Valley Indy podcast during which Miller talks extensively about all three issues.
In a surprise move, Miller said Republicans in Seymour opted not to nominate Lucy McConologue for another term on the Seymour Board of Police Commissioners. The First Selectman said he did not think the vote was necessarily a vote on McConologue’s performance. More Republicans decided to run for the police commission, so the competition was tougher.
Also, school board chairwoman Jennifer Magri opted not to seek another term, Miller said. She has served 8 years, Miller said.
“She’s a very busy professional woman so adding that is like working a second job — unfortunately one you do not get paid for,” Miller said. “So she wanted to take a break for two years or so.”
Members of the Seymour Democratic Town Committee are scheduled to nominate candidates 7 p.m. July 22 in the bingo room of the Seymour Community Center, 20 Pine St.
Here is the list of GOP-endorsed candidates for the November election:
First Selectman
Kurt Miller
Board of Selectmen
Trish Danka
Al Bruno
Annmarie Drugonis
Bob Findley
Board of Police Commissioners
Bill Paecht
Dave Bitso
Kyle Kelley
John Duke
Board of Education
Jay Hatfield
Beth Nesteriak (Jennifer Magri opted not to run again)
Board of Finance
Jim Cretella (4yr)
Paul Wetowitz (Alt)
Bettyann Peck (Alt)
Planning and Zoning
Walter Birdsell
Joe Niezelski
Tom Lavranchuk
Library Board
Tom Shutte
Joyce Kozlowski
Debbie Wasikowski
Assessment Appeals
Chris Drugonis
Wendy Rossi
