Elections are Tuesday, Nov. 7

#Middlebury #Elections #Vote #Region15

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

Middlebury voters head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 7, to vote on candidates for local offices and for the Region 15 Board of Education (BoE). Middlebury polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road.

Those who became qualified to vote due to age, citizenship or residency since Oct. 31, 2017 may register to vote Monday, Nov. 6, at the Registrars Office in Middlebury Town Hall between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Contested positions on the Middlebury ballot are first selectman, selectman, town treasurer, police commissioner, and board of education. Comments from the first selectman, selectman and BoE candidates follow.

First Selectman

Republican incumbent Edward B. St. John and Democrat Michael J. McCormack, a selectman incumbent, are competing for first selectman as they did in 2015. McCormack lost that race to St. John with 941 votes to St. John’s 1,230 votes.

St. John said he should be re-elected in part because he is the person who got the capital improvement plan in place, and he needs to see it through. He said, “I bring years of experience to the table on how to get things done with good fiscal management, balancing wants versus needs while keeping taxes stable.”

St. John has been involved with the town for 55 years and served as first selectman for 24 years before retiring and then successfully running for office again in 2011. Projects undertaken while he was in office include the greenway, senior housing, the transfer station, and regionalization of the town’s health district, communications system and health insurance.

McCormack said he should be elected because it’s time for a change, and he is well-qualified for the job. He pointed to his background and experience, noting that he served as chairman of the Public Works Commission for four years and served on the Board of Finance for 10 years, five of those as chair.

“I was intimately involved with the infrastructure of the town, so I know where we can improve the process,” he said. He said his background as a businessman gives him a different view from someone who has been in government their whole life.

Selectman

Democrat Stephen R. Ferrucci III is challenging incumbent Republican Elaine M. R. Strobel for selectman. Strobel has served as selectman for 20 years. She is running for re-election because this is her town. “I’ve always felt a duty and wanted to be part of the town’s climate and operations. I’m invested in the town. This is what I want to do, and I can’t see it any other way,” she said.

She said her experience makes her the best-qualified candidate. “I have been doing this for 20 years. I know how to run the town. I know the people on the boards and commissions and how to work with them. I know how to get things done,” she said.

She said she will continue to support the capital improvement plan: “We have accomplished a lot but it will take about two more years to complete.” She also will work to continue upgrades and maintenance of parks, roads, facilities and infrastructure and will address the need to improve the town’s computer systems to help expand services.

Ferrucci said he is running because he has always been a person who gave back to the town. He served as a police officer 44 years, 14 of those full time, worked on the Middlebury Ambulance many years. and served as chairman of the Board of Assessment Appeals.
He said he would work to keep Middlebury the unique and beautiful town it is. “I want our town to stay that way, and that is why I was for the capital improvement plan,” he said.

His biggest concern is making sure Middlebury seniors are not taxed out of their homes.”Now that I’m getting up there myself, I understand the problems. I’d like to see if we can get some sort of a tax abatement for them.” He also feels we need to be sure to provide affordable housing for younger residents who can’t afford $1- or $2-million homes.

Ferrucci said his experience as an arbitrator for 30 years and his service on the state board of mediation and arbitration help qualify him for selectman. In addition, he grew up in this town and went to school here. “I know the people and I know the place,” he said.

Board of Education

Middlebury Board of Education (BoE) Republican incumbents Paul Babarik and Richard Spierto are being challenged by Amanda Laprime and Christopher Evans. Babarik is finishing his second term while Spierto is finishing his first term.

Babarik chairs the Finance Committee, Pension Committee, and contract negotiating team, is treasurer of the Executive Committee and serves on the audit committee, medical pooling committee and enrollment and space committee. He said it has been a pleasure serving and he will commit himself to the students and taxpayers and his continuing promise to support Region 15’s outstanding reputation. He said, “Also, I am proud of our PTOs for all they do financially to help our school system and our students. They hold numerous fundraisers and help us reduce our budgets.”

He believes educating our children makes our nation stronger. “We have to educate them to the best level we can at a price taxpayers in our community can afford,” he said, noting he has worked hard to balance parents’ wants with what taxpayers can afford.

He said funding from the state and unfunded mandates will remain a challenge, and searching for a new superintendent will be an enormous job. His goal is to provide a quality education at an affordable price.

Spierto said his grandchildren went through Region 15. “I made sure I didn’t get on (the BoE) while my grandchildren were still in Region 15 so I couldn’t be accused of having a conflict of interest,” he said.

He’d like to continue serving because he loves the town of Middlebury and wants to give back to the town. “I’m a retired teacher and have been involved in education all my life,” he said. He said he developed a good understanding of students and learned how school systems and school administrations work during his 39 years as a teacher.

Spierto said uncertainty about the state budget is a major issue for the BoE and will continue to be until the state gets financial control of its own house and funding becomes more predictable. The BoE also will be responsible for hiring a new superintendent of schools.

Spierto’s goal will be to improve student education. “Even though we are a top school district, I want to be a little better than when we started,” he said, noting the district’s graduation rate is higher now than four years ago. “I want to see students succeed in life after high school,” Spierto said. “That’s the most important thing, helping the students succeed.”

Laprime, a Democrat, said she has two young children who will become Region 15 students, and she has friends and neighbors with children in the district. “I work in education and we moved here for the education. I watched during budget season and got concerned about some of the budget issues,” she said.

Laprime believes it’s important parents are represented on the BOE and feel they are part of the dialogue. She also believes it is important to collaborate with Southbury. She cares about the schools and success of the students and also about the success of Middlebury. “Sometimes it’s hard to remember towns flourish when they have a good school system,” she said.

Laprime has a Ph.D. in applied behavioral analysis and has worked for the last 10 years as a school consultant, both in general education and special education. She knows school systems and issues related to them. “I’m looking for thoughtful problem solving. I want to bring a thoughtful voice,” she said

She see three major issues for the BoE: Connecticut’s fiscal climate, the need to hire a new superintendent, and dealing with challenges such as enrollment and staying up to date with curriculum and best practices.

She plans to look for long-term solutions to the issues facing the BoE. “Let’s not just look at next year,” she said. “Let’s look ahead 10 years and choose solutions that create long-term stability with things like class sizes.”

Christopher B. Evans, an unaffiliated voter running on the Democratic ticket, grew up in Region 15, as did his two brothers and his sister. He also has two daughters and a niece and nephew in Region 15.

Evans said he decided to run as a parent of Region 15 students. “We (he and LaPrime) felt parents in Middlebury felt disconnected from the Board of Education and we wanted to reinstate that connection,” he said. He wants to serve because he believes in strong schools.

He feels having children in the school system makes him more in touch with the needs of the community. “I strive to be sincere and honest, very approachable, easy to talk to, and I’m going into this with an open mind,” he said. “I will listen to parents and be their voice.”

Evans also said there is too much tension between Southbury and Middlebury, and he wants to get away from the Southbury versus Middlebury mentality. He believes the major BoE issue over the next 10 years will be dealing with budget cuts.