Seymour Republicans endorsed two-term incumbent W. Kurt Miller as their candidate for First Selectman Thursday during a nominating caucus attended by about 35 people.
“I know I had initially said I was going to commit to two terms and run just the two times,” Miller said during his acceptance speech. “But, to be honest with you, I’m having so much fun. We’re getting so much stuff done as a group that I wanted to run at least one more time to continue the hard work and the dedication we’ve been putting in.”
Miller was first elected to office in 2011, and won re-election in 2013.
In November he will face Zani Imetovski, a 23-year-old University of New Haven graduate running on the Democratic ticket.
“Irregardless of his age, irregardless of his inexperience, we need to treat this as a serious campaign,” Miller said to the Republican Town Committee Thursday.
Miller pointed to his record with the town’s finances and with programs to improve roads as two successes during his tenure in office. The town received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association last month, for example.
In an interview after the caucus, Miller responded to questions about Tri-Town Plaza, Housatonic Wire and Seymour Lumber — three stagnant properties that are perennial campaign issues in Seymour.
Part of the issue getting the properties developed “is the properties themselves,” Miller said. Tri-town Plaza is out-dated and the other properties make the most sense sold as one unit, Miller said.
He pointed to new small businesses opening downtown as a sign that Seymour is otherwise improving. He said the small businesses are often the ones that “truly make a community go.”
The Team
Miller spent the bulk of his acceptance speech praising the other Republicans who are running on the ticket and who have helped him with their goals over the past four years.
“It takes a certain kind of person to put your name out there to run a town, to expose yourself to that kind of challenge we go through every day,” Miller said. “And I want to thank every one of you for doing that.”
He noted long-time volunteers, such as the many incumbents running for re-election.
And he called out newcomers, such as Rory Burke, an assistant in town hall who is running for his first elected position, on the Planning and Zoning Commission. Aileen Baldwin, a clinical practice manager at the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at the Yale School of Medicine, is also running for the first time, for a spot on the Board of Finance.
Baldwin said her experience with the budget in her department at Yale — which she said was more than $50 million — would help her on the Board of Finance.
“I found it to be an incredible opportunity to help lead our town to the future,” said Baldwin.
Baldwin previously owned a medical billing company in Seymour, where she has lived since 1996.
Burke, a Seymour native, has been the administrative assistant in town hall for the last two and half years, and has started getting involved as a liaison to boards and commissions and some appointed roles. He decided to try for a spot on the Planning and Zoning Commission after learning about land use in town through his job.
“If you look at the mix of people we have tonight we have a nice mix of young and old. Some with a lot of experience. Others with not so much experience,” Miller said. “It’s a great group of people and I’m truly honored to lead this group of people.”
The Republicans started the caucus with a moment of silence for longtime active Republican Edward Wasikowski, who died July 13. Wasikowski was a member of the Board of Finance at the time of his death, and had previously served on the Board of Police Commissioners.
The Republican Slate
An asterisk denotes an incumbent.
FIRST SELECTMAN
W. Kurt Miller*
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Al Bruno*
Annmarie Drugonis*
Len Greene Jr.*
Nicole Klarides-Ditria*
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Jay Hatfield*
Jennifer L. Magri*
BOARD OF FINANCE
Aileen Baldwin
Jim Cretella (current alternate)
Heather McDaniel*
BOARD OF FINANCE ALTERNATE
Richard Demko
Irene Jecusco
Bob Pagliaro
BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS
Bruce Baker*
Chris Drugonis*
LIBRARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS (7 members, serving 4‑year terms)
Tom Schutte*
Debbie Wasikowski
PLANNING AND ZONING
Jake Holly (2‑year vacancy)(current alternate)
Walter Birdsell (4‑year vacancy)*
Rory Burke (4‑year vacancy)
POLICE COMMISSION
Lucy McConologue*
Bill Paecht
Dave Bitso
