The town’s Economic Development Commission Oct. 20 made the highly unusual move of endorsing three independent candidates for the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission.
The commission passed a resolution urging residents to re-elect Vinny Vizzo, Jr., Ed Hellauer, Jr. and Eric Tichy to the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission.
The commission also endorsed Democrat Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers as First Selectwoman and her running mate, Dave McKane, to the Board of Selectmen.
The final vote, taken after one commissioner worried whether the move would politicize the board, was 3-0 with two abstentions.
Click here to read minutes from the meeting, including a copy of the resolution.
William Lund, Peter Costabile and John Kozloski voted in favor of the endorsements, while Pat Blanko and Robert Saracino abstained.
The resolution passed by the commission reads more like an indictment of Republican August Palmer, the former First Selectman who is now trying to win a seat on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Herman Schuler, Oxford’s director of economic development, said Palmer and the town’s Republican Committee have disrespected the commission, landowners and business people in town “by misrepresenting and disrupting efforts to move Oxford forward . . “
Specifically, the resolution stated that Palmer puts the needs of himself and his party above the best interests of Oxford — and has intentionally misrepresented the town’s position on matters such as affordable housing.
The endorsement states than since 2007, Palmer has opposed the sale of town-owned lots, along with infrastructure improvements and an airport project that would create 300 jobs in the community.
Vizzo, Hellauer and Tichy were members of the Planning and Zoning Commission who had a falling out with their party. They are now running for re-election as independents.
While economic development commissioner Saracino worried the endorsement might politicize the commission, Schuler said Palmer has already done so.
When reached for comment after the meeting, Palmer said he was contemplating filling a complaint with the Ethics Committee over the endorsement.
“Schuler has a problem with the truth and gets carried away,” Palmer said. “He makes a ton of blunders and now we are seeing more blunder come to life.”
Republican Town Committee Chairman Tom Kelly attended the meeting Oct. 20 and said he found the commission’s decision “unfortunate, ethically challenged and dicey.”
“This should not be a political board, and they made it very political,” Kelly said. “Schuler is leaving himself open to look like a fool.”
Schuler, however, noted that Palmer is running for Planning and Zoning — a potential disaster for Oxford, he said.
“The P&Z Commission operates as a bipartisan effort,” Schuler said. “Palmer’s presence on the commission would turn it into a bi-weekly circus.”
Click here to read minutes from the meeting, including a copy of the resolution.
