By: Charles Stannard
DEEP RIVER– Town Democrats and Republicans have selected new town committees for the 2010-2012 term at party caucuses held this week. Democrats named a 28-member town committee that includes eight new members. Republicans picked a 20-member town committee with seven new members.
The town committee reorganizations come after a municipal election last year where Democratic First Selectman Richard Smith was uncontested for a record 11th term.
Republicans regained a seat on the board of selectmen that was lost after the local party failed to nominate candidates for the board in 2007. Republican Selectman David Oliveria outpolled Russell Marth, who had been elected to the minority seat on the three-member board in 2007 under the banner of the Deep River Independent party. Democrat Arthur Thompson, who had been serving as tax collector, was elected to the board, replacing former Selectman Richard Daniels Jr.
But the biggest change from last year’s election was the two-vote victory of Republican Amy Winchell for the position of town clerk over Democratic nominee Nancy Talbot. Winchell, whose four-year term began Jan. 4, replaces Democrat Jeanne Nickse, who had served as town clerk since 1994.
Incumbents returning to the Democratic town committee include Sarah Adams, John Bairos, Carmela Balducci, Leigh Ann Balducci, Richard Balducci, Mary Jane Daniels, Richard Daniels Jr., Nancy Fischbach, Joanne Grabek, Jonathan Kastner, Mary Maraschiello, Jeanne Nickse, Valerie Nucci, Alice Proctor, Jean Ressler, Donald Sampson, Smith, Patricia Strange, Nancy Talbot, and Thompson.
New members include Lisa Bibbiani, who was elected tax collector last year, John Dickson Jr., Bruce Edgarton, George Howard, Robert Jenkins Ann Joy, Mark Reyher, and David Talbot. Leaving the committee are Wendie Colvin, Fred Hellmers, Betsy James, Marilyn Malcarne, Shaun McNally, and Karol Tulp-Magee.
Incumbents returning to the Republican town committee include Gregory Alexander, Douglas Dopp, Margot Gamerdinger, William Harris, Town Treasurer Thomas Lindner, Oliveria, Rolf Peterson, Donald “Skip” Routh, Cleon Springer, Grace Stalsburg, Cynthia Stannard, and Rosemary Unan.
New members include Louise Cowen, Robert Edgeworth, Janice Kmetz, Joyce Metz, John Townsend, Winchell, and Mary Brownleen. Leaving the town committee are former Selectman Richard Faust. Frances Strukus, Kenneth LaRoche, Henry Hotkowski, Laurie Grieder, and Patrick Gilbert.
By Charles Stannard
DEEP RIVER— A recount conducted Monday confirmed Republican Amy Winchell as the winner for town clerk on a 703-701 vote over Democrat Nancy Talbot.
The recount conducted at the Deep River Puiblic Library polling place showed a one-vote gain for each candidate, but did not change the result recorded on election night, when Winchell led Talbot on a vote of 702-700. The recount process took nearly four hours, as poll workers checked each ballot by hand for anomalies or errors, and then ran each ballot through the optical scan voting machine.
Winchell, 48, will become the first Republican to hold the position in more than 30 years when she takes office for a two-year term on January 4. She replaces Democrat Jeanne Nickse, who has held the job since 1993. The position has a salary of about $42,000 per year.
Winchell, who currenly works as a pre-school program para-educator at Essex Elementary School, said she is “very excited” by the election win. “I am ready to start this new chapter in my life and I’m confident I can do a good job,” she said. A 40-year resident, Winchell is the mother of three children ages 12, 15, and 17.
Talbot, who works as the town’s park and recreation director/building department clerk, said Monday she is “definitely very disappointed,” by the result. “I hope people realize that every vote does count,” she said.
Talbot was the unanimous pick of the Deep River Democratic Town Committee for the open town clerk nomination, but faced a challenge within the Democratic Party from Stella Beaudoin, a clerk for the Essex judge of probate. Talbot was also endorsed by the July 26 nominating caucus and defeated Beaudoin on a 194-125 vote in a Sept. 15 primary.
Talbot said she believes the primary was a factor in the election result, while adding that “pointing fingers now is useless.” Democrats prevailed in most other contests on the ballot in an election where Democratic First Selectman Richard Smith was uncontested by town Republicans for an 11th term.
Arthur Thompson, the Democratic town chairman who was elected to the board of selectmen last week, said he is not certain whether the primary contest was a major factor in the town clerk result. “Both candidates worked very hard and one candidate got more votes than the other,” Thompson said, adding that he accepts the decision of the voters.
By Charles Stannard
DEEP RIVER— A recount is set for Monday in a close race for town clerk where Republican Amy Winchell led Democrat Nancy Talbot by two votes, 702-700, in the result from Tuesday’s election. The recount will be held at 10 a.m. at the Deep River Public Library polling place.
The apparent town clerk result, and another victory for a Region 4 Board of Education seat, were bright spots for town Republicans in an election where Democratic First Selectman Richard Smith was unopposed for a record 11th term, and Democrats won most other contest races on the ballot.
Talbot, who currently works as the town’s park and recreation director/building department clerk, had won the Democratic nomination in a September 15 primary over Stella Beaudoin. Talbot had been the unanimous pick of the Deep River Democratic Town Committee to replace Democratic Town Clerk Jeanne Nickse, who is retiring after holding the office since 1993.
Smith received 1,088 votes Tuesday. Democrat Arthur Thompson, ther current tax collector, with 716 votes, and Republican David Oliveria, with 401 votes, were elected to the board of selectmen. Oliveria outpolled incumbent Selectman Russell Marth, an unaffiliated voter who ran on the Deep River Independent Party line. Marth, who received 313 votes, was elected in 2007 after town Republicans did not nominate candidates for first selectman or board of selectmen.
Democrat Lisa Bibbiani was elected tax collector over Republican John Townsend on an 873-521 vote. Thompson has served as tax collector since 1993. Republican Town Treasurer Thomas Lindner was returned for a new term, defeating Democratic challenger John Dickson Jr. on a 996-421 vote.
In the Region 4 contest, Republican Laurie Ann Tomlinson, who served previously on the board in the late 1990s, defeated Democrat Patricia Conwell on a 707-628 vote. Conwell had been appointed to the regional school board last spring to fill a vacancy.
Incumbent Democrats George Eckenroth and Richard Balducci were re-elected to new terms on the board of finance, with Democrat Nichole Coutant winning a two-year vacancy term on the finance board over Republican Joyce Metz on a 702-634 vote.
Democrat Leigh Ann Balducci was elected to a full term on the board of assessment appeals, defeating Republican Darlene Pollock on a 692-644 vote. Democrat Mark Reyher was uncontested for a four-year vacancy term on the board of assessment appeals.
All four candidates for the Deep River Board of Education will be seated on the board, including Democrats Elizabeth Tracy and Arthur Robbins, and Rpublicans Mark Malcarne and Karen Nelson-Oliveria. Democrats Alice Proctor, James Davis and Mary Maraschiello were elected as library trustees, with Republican Rolf Peterson elected to a two-year vacancy term as a library trustee.
By: Charles Stannard
DEEP RIVER— Town Republicans have nominated David Oliveria for selectman while leaving Democratic First Selectman Richard Smith apparently uncontested for a record 11th term.
Oliveria, a planning and zoning commission alternate who drives an electric vehicle and video tapes board of selectmen meetings for the Deep River Taxpayers Association, was unanimously nominated at the party caucus Tuesday. His nomination sets up a contest for two seats on the board between Oliveria, Democratic candidate Arthur Thompson, and incumbent minority Selectman Russell Marth, who was elected in 2007 under the banner of the Deep River Independent Party. Marth filed for re-election on the Deep River Independent Party line earlier this month.
But the caucus results leave Smith, who was first elected in 1989, uncontested for a record 11th term. Smith was also uncontested for re-election by town Republicans in 1995 and 1999.
Town Clerk Jeanne Nickse said Wednesday any other prospective challengers to Smith, including anyone seeking to run on the Deep River Independent Party line, must file petition signatures representing one percent of the total vote cast for first selectman in 2007 by an Aug. 5 deadline.
Republicans nominated Amy Winchell, a 12-year resident who works as a special education aide in the Region 4 preschool program, for town clerk. Winchell will compete with the winner of an expected Sept. 15 Democratic Primary between caucus-endorsed candidate Nancy Talbot and challenger Stella Beaudoin.
Republicans nominated incumbent Town Treasurer Thomas Lindner for a new term. Lindner, who was first elected in 1989 and has been uncontested by town Democrats in recent years, faces a challenge in the Nov. 3 vote from Democrat John Dickson. Republicans nominated John Townsend for tax collector, a position that is is left open this year as the Democratic incumbent, Arthur Thompson, runs for board of selectmen.
Republicans nominated William Ballsieper for a full six-year term on the board of finance, with Joyce Metz nominated for a four-year vacancy term on the finance board. Laurie Tomlinson was nominated for Region 4 Board of Education. She served previously on the board in the late 1990s.
Incumbent Mark Malcarne and Karen Nelson were nominated for the local board of education that supervises the operation of Deep River Elementary School. Darlene Pollock was nominated for board of assessment appeals.
Incumbent Louise Cowen and Janice Kemetz were nominated for library board of directors, with Rolf Peterson nominated for a two-year vacancy term on the library board.
