GOP Wins Control Of Council
By LARRY SMITH
Courant Staff Writer
November 7, 2007
ENFIELD -- Republicans took control of the town council for the first time in six years, and the board of education Tuesday, unofficial results show.
Scott Kaupin, council minority leader, faced no opponent in his re-election. Before the election, Republicans said if they regained control, they would name Kaupin mayor.
"We worked hard as a team," Kaupin, who was elected to his eighth term on the council, said. "I tell you this campaign was a total team effort. People want to give us the opportunity, now the hard work begins."
Democratic Deputy Mayor Kenneth Hilinski, an at-large council member who lost his bid for a second term, said the Republicans got their message out better than the Democrats.
"It looks like people in Enfield were ready for a change," Hilinski said.
Republican newcomer Joseph Bosco defeated Democratic incumbent Brian Peruta. Republican newcomer Clemence Dumont defeated incumbent Democrat Douglas Maxellon in District 4.
At-large Republican council incumbents William Lee, Kenneth Nelson Jr. and William Ragno were all elected to second terms. Republican Jason Jones, who served on the council in 2002-03, was also elected.
Democratic incumbents re-elected were: William "Red" Edgar, running unopposed in District 2; and Patrick Crowley and Cynthia Mangini for at-large seats. Democratic newcomer David Kiner won the at-large spot being vacated by Mayor Patrick Tallarita.
Republicans had presented a unified effort in trying to regain control of both the council and the board of education. Both council and board of education candidates said if the Republicans gained control, they would institute better fiscal restraint than the Democrats.
Republicans incumbents on the board of education who were re-elected were Andre Grecco, Chuck Johnson and Susan Lavelli-Hozempa. Republican newcomers Patrick Droney, a police department lieutenant, and Gregory Stokes, pastor of Cornerstone Church, were also elected.
Incumbent Judith Apruzzese-Desroches and Joyce Hall were re-elected to the board of education. They were the only two Democrats to seek re-election.
Democrats who were elected with Apruzzese-Desroches include incumbent Joyce Hall and newcomers Thomas Arnone and Vincent Grady. Hall had served four years until 2003, and then ran for re-election in 2005. Arnone is the president of the Thompsonville Little League, Grady is a commissioner for the Enfield Fire District and Beverly Mangini-Pajor, a political newcomer and daughter of town council member Cynthia Mangini, was not elected..
The board of education was destined to see new leadership after the election regardless of which party gained the majority. Chairwoman Sharon Racine, vice chairman Al Harrison, treasurer Sam McGill Jr., all Democrats on the board, and secretary Donna Corbin Sobinski, a Republican, did not seek re-election.
Contact Larry Smith at lsmith@courant.com
5 comments:
Now that the Republicans have won the opportunity to clean house, I hope they actually will.
The first place to begin is to roll back residential property taxes, at least to the level they were at before the last increase. To make up the difference, they should start going after the commercial taxes that are in a constant state of arrears.
With all the shopping centers we have in Enfield, we should have just about the lowest property taxes in the state. Unfortunately, due to either laziness, ignorance, malfeasance or stupidity or just a lack of guts, Enfield's taxes are among the very highest.
We need a town government that is smart, creative and dedicated to minimizing the downside of the coming recession. There's a lot of real estate on the market and there's going to be a lot more before this is over.
Up to now, Enfield's residents have been sold out by town government in favor of the large, commercial property owners. I hope that the new regime doesn't take forever to correct this situation.
I, for one, am confident the new council will take their jobs seriously. We have to remember, they are dealing with a lot of "clean up issues" that were dumped on them and it wasn't created overnight. I'm guessing it will take some time to fix, but I have faith in our newly elected officials - they know they have their work cut out for them.
Until Enfield's election "recount" is completed, there's nothing anyone can do but sit tight. Because should the recount "tip" a Council seat, or BOE seat, or two, who knows if the Republicans will be in control.
Let's hope that the JI is wrong, since the newspaper seem to believe that a recount will automatically go in favor of the Democrats. Who says a recount won't turn up more votes for the Republican winners?
While folks in Enfield are waiting for the election day recount, had to chuckle @ a 11/7 JI caption.
The page 2 photo showed 3 very somber looking Enfield Democrats on election evening.
One person was identified as Dep Mayor Hilinski (who hopefully will lost the recount to a newcomer), another was Pat Crowley (close friend of Mayor Cocoa Puff, and brother of DiPace), and an "unidentifed man".
Boy, how quickly one is forgotten in the Enfield world of politics, cuz that "unidentified man", was no other than Enfield's esteemed Mayor Cocoa Puff. Perhaps the somber expression on his face is what made him "unidentifable" to the JI photographer. The JI is used to seeing his more bash persona. That caption was priceless.
Yes, I too enjoyed the Weds JI photo caption, listing Enfield's current Mayor as an "unidentifed" man. Too funny for words.
Quite a 180 from 2 years ago when Mayor "Tat", Pat Crowley and Cindy Mangini were mugging it up for the JI cameras, and smoking their victory cigars.
Regardless of what the recount finds, its clear that Enfielders were disgusted with the current Democrats, and how they conducted
themselves the last couple of terms. Even if the Democrats should win back a seat, they need to change their attitudes. The people of Enfield have spoken loud and clear!
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