Eastonfirstselectman nominated for third term as Republicans back RTC chair

Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·2 min read

Aug. 6—Wendy Bowditch was endorsed for first selectwoman by the RTC, which she chairs. Republican Selectwoman Kristi Sogofsky will campaign for reelection as Bowditch's running mate, also bringing experience from the Library Board of Trustees and Library Building Committee.

Bindelglass was first elected to the town's top seat in 2019, heading Easton's first Board of Selectmen led by a Democrat with a Democratic majority in 30 years, according to a release the DTC issued last week. Easton voters reelected Bindelglass in 2021, and he launched another reelection campaign earlier this year with plans to build a new base of emergency medical services operations and improve Easton's emergency communications.

Bindelglass traveled to Ukraine earlier this year to visit Easton's sister city of Sviatohirsk, touring the war-torn infrastructure and meeting with Mayor Volodymyr Ribalkin.

Bowditch, the Republican nominee who's listed as an "inactive" member of the Board of Finance, said Republicans should looks to preserve Easton's rural space.

"It's time for Easton to be led by a proficient team who fully understands how the town operates and who is capable of guiding the vital decisions to put Easton first," Bowditch said at the meeting, according to an RTC release issued last month. "We can be doing so much better."

Republicans nominated eight other incumbent town officials for reelection — Town Clerk Debbie Szegedi, Treasurer Christine Calvert, Tax Collector Krista Kot, Board of Finance member Michael Kot, Board of Education members Jeff Parker and Alicia Young, Board of Assessment Appeals member John Miranda and Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Thomas Dollard.

In addition to Bindelglass, Democratic-nominated incumbents included Board of Finance Chair Art Laske, Region 9 Board of Education member Karen O'Brien, Board of Assessment Appeals member Scott Charmoy, Library Board of Trustees member Renee Neiger and constables Irv Silverman, David Katz and Raymond Martin III.

The Region 9 Board of Education manages Joel Barlow High School, which serves students in Easton and Redding.

The DTC also nominated Michael Gutowski for the Board of Finance, according to the committee's release. He currently serves as an alternate on the board.

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The Democratic non-incumbement nominees were Leny Wallen-Friedman for the Board of Zoning Appeals and Whendi Cook Broderick for town clerk. The DTC also nominated Beth Natt for the Board of Education and Board of Education member Jon Stinson for the Region 9 Board of Education.

Republicans nominated Adam Dunsby and Darin Bershefsky as nonincumbent members for the Region 9 Board of Education. The rest of the Republican slate of nonincumbent candidates included Mark Mulvaney for the Board of Finance, Peter Dacey for the Library Board of Trustees and Anthony Battaglia, Anthony Farmer, Chris Peritore and Darrin Silhavy as constables.