Joseph Calabrese, an architect who is administrative assistant to First Selectman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers, said Wednesday he intends to run for First Selectman.
Calabrese said a formal announcement of his candidacy will take place June 26. The time and place will be announced before that date.
Calabrese, 55, deferred questions about his candidacy until he makes his announcement.
He’s a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and worked as an architect before taking the job at Town Hall in January 2010.
Calabrese is also a member of the ad hoc committee the First Selectwoman formed to investigate alleged wrongdoing by former tax collector Karen Guillet.
Drayton-Rogers, a Democrat, announced earlier this year she would not seek a third term.
Carol Georgette, chairwoman of the Oxford Town Democratic Committee, said Tuesday her party has a candidate, but an announcement won’t be made until sometime next weekend — around the same time Calabrese will make his announcement.
In his capacity as administrative assistant, Calabrese has played an important role in the Drayton-Rogers’ Democratic administration. It would seem natural for him to run as a Democrat.
However, Calabrese would not comment Wednesday on whether he is seeking the Democratic nomination.
Calabrese is not registered with the Democrats or the Republicans — and he says that won’t change.
Georgette wouldn’t comment as to whether Democrats plan to back him or someone else.
On the Republican side, George Temple has filed paperwork to run. Earlier this year Republican Tom Kelly said he was considering running for First Selectman, too. Another Republican, former First Selectman August Palmer III, also said he was thinking of running.
However, Republican Town Committee chairman William Neary said Tuesday that Kelly is not running — and that Temple is the lone Republican candidate at the moment.
