New London Democrats, Republicans Hold Caucuses On Tuesday

New London’s Democratic and Republican parties will choose candidates next week for this year’s local elections, but at least five officials do not intend to hold onto their seats.

Both the Democratic Town Committee and Republican Town Committee will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Senior Center. The caucuses will choose candidates to run for two-year terms on the Board of Education and City Council.

William Satti, chairman of the DTC, said the executive committee is meeting this week to interview candidates.

“It’s not like we’re scraping for candidates,” he said. “There are some very qualified people.”

The RTC is looking to increase the number of people in office after the 2011 election, which put only one Republican on the City Council and two on the Board of Education. Chairman William Vogel said the party’s platform will be worked out among the candidates, but that the campaign will likely focus on issues such as the city’s tax rate, the City Charter as it relates to petitions and referendums, and the school district’s move toward an all magnet school district.

“We anticipate that the town committee will nominate seven people to run for City Council. I’m not sure what the names will be,” said Vogel. “We’re still looking to fill Board of Ed seats.”

Not seeking re-election

The five officials who aren’t seeking re-election are leaving local government for a variety of reasons. Delanna Muse, vice president of the Board of Education who was elected in 2009, said she is unable to run again. An epidemiologist with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Muse said her responsibilities have changed in such a way that the position is now funded entirely by federal dollars and she is prohibited from running for public office under the Hatch Act.

“I know it was a challenging two years for the board, but I was still excited about what I was doing and advocating for the students of New London,” she said. “I will still do that but not as an elected board member.”

Board member Bill Morse, a Democrat, also will not seek re-election. 

“I’ve been on the Board for six years and I think the year and a half has been important in that we’re finally on the road toward a sustainable school system with the help of the state,” he said.

Board member Barbara Major, a Republican who was first elected in 2009, said election rules have made it more difficult to run for office while also serving as the Republican registrar of voters. Major said she has enjoyed working with the current Board, but that she was dismayed with the relationship between the Board and school administration.

“To tell you this has been a frustrating three years of my life, almost four years, would be an understatement,” she said.

Donald Macrino, a Democratic city councilor elected in 2011, also said the political divisions on the City Council and the pace of progress made it unlikely that he would seek a second term.

“Government moves so slowly that it’s quite frustrating, and I’m not used to solving problems in such a slow manner,” he said.

John Maynard, a Democratic councilor who served from 2007 to 2009 before he was returned to the Council in 2011, has also indicated he will not seek re-election. Maynard said the decision is largely due to personal reasons, but also said he was discouraged by the Council’s efficiency.

“It doesn’t seem like we can get anything done,” he said. “It’s always 4-3 votes. Which is fine, but my thing is I don’t see a lot of people voting with common sense.”

Hats in the ring

Council President Michael Passero, a Democrat first elected in 2009, said he would like to continue work on a number of projects, including the possibilities of a community center opening in New London and a redevelopment of the Martin Center.

“I’ll sort of have to wait until July 23 to see what the Democratic Town Committee does, but I’m throwing my hat in the ring,” he said.

Councilor Marie Friess-McSparran, who was first elected to the City Council in 2011, said she will run again, even if not endorsed by the Democrats.

“I think that as my first term on my council, a lot of the beginning term is a learning process, so I think I’m in the swing of things now,” she said. “I think I’ve accomplished a lot of good things in the Public Welfare Committee and chairing the School Building and Maintenance Committee, and I’d like to continue that.”

Jason Catala, Republican secretary of the Board of Education, will be seeking his sixth term. He said he wants to take part in the district’s improvement plan as well as the selection of a new superintendent upon the expiration of Dr. Nicholas Fischer’s contract in 2014.

“One of my big reasons is I want to be part of the new magnet district we’re taking part in,” Catala said. “I want to have a hand in the process. To me it’s an exciting time for New London.”

Margaret Curtin, Democratic president of the Board, will also be running for re-election.

“I’d like to finish what we started, especially with the magnet school,” she said.

Elizabeth Garcia-Gonzalez said the current board has gone through training under the state-appointed special master and that she intends to run again to help implement the strategic operating plan.

“We have a lot of unfinished business to do, and I would like, if elected again, to continue doing the work we were elected to do,” she said.

Some officials said they had not made a final determination. Council President Pro Tempore Wade Hyslop, a Democrat who has been on the Council since 2007, said he is unsure whether he will seek re-election. Adam Sprecace, the one Republican on the Council, said he hasn’t made a final decision.

“I am interested in running again but I can’t really declare that until I green-light it with the family,” he said. “We’ve been discussing it for several weeks."

Unaffiliated and other candidates

Ronna Stuller, secretary of the New London Green Party, said that as a third party the Greens have a later filing date for candidates. She said the party is planning to field candidates for both the City Council and Board of Education.

“We’re sort of at the moment fine-tuning our platform and reaching out to people but we don’t have anything really definite yet,” said Stuller.

City Clerk Nathan Caron said three residents have received nominating petitions to run as unaffiliated candidates. These candidates have to submit petitions to Caron or directly to the Connecticut Secretary of State by Aug. 7.

John Russell, who unsuccessfully ran for re-election to the City Council in 2011, has submitted a petition to run for the office. Carl Lee, who currently serves on the Police-Community Relations Committee and announced at a City Council meeting that he will seek the office, has also received a nominating petition to run for the Council.

Jason Morris, a member of New London Parent Advocates, has also received a nominating petition to run for the Board of Education.

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CORRECTION: The original article said Delanna Muse is a dermatologist at Ledge Light Health District. Muse is an epidemiologist at the Connecticut Department of Public Health.