With less than four months to go before Valley voters head to the polls in November, the Democrats and Republicans will hold their nominating caucuses later this month to fill their tickets.
ANSONIA
In Ansonia, the Republican Town Committee has tentatively scheduled their caucus for 7 p.m. Wednesday (July 21), at the Ansonia Armory, 5 State St., Ansonia. According to GOP Chairman and Ansonia’s Corporation Counsel John Marini, this year’s campaign theme is “Progress with a Purpose.” Mayor David Cassetti, 61, is heading the top of the GOP ticket, seeking his fifth term in office. The father of five is touting a mill rate that’s “still lower” today than when he first took office in 2013.
“This theme is for the residents; where the tax rate is low, and the quality of life is high,” Marini said.
The Ansonia Democratic Town Committee will hold it caucus at 7 p.m. Tuesday (July 20) at the Norwood Athletic Club, 35 Maple St., Ansonia. According to DTC Vice Chairman Brian Perkins, while the Democrats, at this time, do not have a mayoral candidate, they do “have a great team of energized and reliable members” to run on the rest of their slate.
DERBY
In neighboring Derby, the Republican Town Committee is set to hold its caucus at 7 p.m. Wednesday (July 21) at the Hotchkiss Hose Co., 200 David Humphrey’s Rd., Derby. Mayor Richard Dziekan, 55, a retired police officer and U.S. Air Force Veteran, is seeking his third term in office. He’s determined to see the long-awaited widening of Route 34 downtown, along with several other downtown building projects in the works, finally come to fruition.
The Derby Democratic Town Committee will hold its caucus at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday (July 27) at the Veteran’s Memorial Building, located at the corner of Seymour Avenue and Atwater Avenue. Aldermanic President Joe DiMartino, 54, is seeking the nod for mayor. The longtime Derby Red Raiders Softball coach and 33-year veteran employee of the Derby Public Works Department, also hopes to see long-overdue progress downtown bear fruit.
SEYMOUR
Next door in Seymour, the Republican Town Committee is scheduled to hold its caucus at 7 p.m. Wednesday (July 21) at the Seymour Community Center, 20 Pine St., Seymour. First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis, 51, is officially seeking the nomination for the town’s top seat for the first time. Drugonis was elected by her fellow selectmen last October to fill the seat vacated by former First Selectman Kurt Miller, who left in the midst of his term for a job as Ansonia’s Chief Financial Officer.
Drugonis, who is vice-president and co-owner of an environmental consulting and safety company, wants to boost economic development in town, clean up blighted properties, like the former Housatonic Wire Co. and continue to keep taxes stable for residents.
GOP Chairman Richard Demko said as of now the only contested board lies with the Board of Police Commissioners, where only two seats are up for election, but there are five potential candidates vying for those seats.
The Seymour Democratic Town Committee will hold its caucus on Monday (July 26) at Seymour Town Hall, 1 First St., Seymour. DTC Chairman Stephan Behuniak said the party may “possibly” have a candidate to run for the top seat, along with a slate of candidates to fill the rest of the ticket.
Demko doesn’t believe the Democrats will have a challenger for Drugonis.
“My Intel has lead me to believe that they have no one, and that they are even having issues finding people to run for down-ticket boards,” Demko said. “If they run someone against her, it will be just a place holder, from what I am hearing. Annmarie has a very high approval rating amongst Republicans in town and amongst the Republican Town Committee members, and based on non-official chatter, she will more than likely end up with some heavy duty endorsements after the caucus.”
Behuniak declined to respond to Demko’s statement.
