Milford Mirror

Democrats endorse slate for November election

Last Updated on Thursday, 21 July 2011 13:30 Written by Jill K. Dion
Thursday, 21 July 2011 12:53

Banners bearing the names Blake and Manning hung from an upper balcony at Milford City Hall as local Democrats endorsed their candidates for the November elections Wednesday evening.

Alderman Ben Blake, a local attorney, easily took the bid to run for mayor; Suzanne Manning, a former alderman, was nominated to run for City Clerk against incumbent Linda Stock, and a slate of names were approved to run for various boards in the city.

“Tonight marks but one milestone in the road to City Hall, a journey I began nearly seven months ago when I sat down with a few trusted friends to begin charting the course,” Blake said in accepting the nomination to run for the city’s top post.

“I committed to this race for one reason and one reason alone, because I believe in my very core that the time is now for a new perspective, a new generation of leadership in a city I grew up in, a city where I have chosen to raise my family,” he added.

Blake said he will focus on sound financial management, and said the city needs to balance its spending and priorities. He took a jab at city officials who voted to spend city dollars to support a Garbage Museum in Stratford after laying off city workers in the last budget deliberations.

“We must lead our city in the years ahead with a steady hand and a firm belief that we can and will provide better city services, more efficiently, more cost effectively than before,” Blake said. “We must seek out waste and inefficiencies, use technology and streamline processes and procedures so as to ensure we provide excellent services better, faster and cheaper — much like what the private sectors has been doing for a generation.”

State Sen. Gayle Slossberg, Charles Montalbano and Greta Stanford nominated Blake, highlighting his deep roots in Milford and pointing out that as an alderman he fought for lower taxes and, as acting mayor several years ago, issued a temporary spending freeze.

“We need a mayor who doesn’t just manage,” Slossberg said in endorsing Blake. “We need a mayor who will lead.”

Former City Clerk Alan Jepson and State Rep. Kim Rose nominated Manning to run for City Clerk, noting her knowledge of and dedication to the city. A former alderman, Manning is publisher of Milford Living Magazine.

Rose said Manning has the skills needed to do the job of City Clerk, including good communication and organizational skills, plus integrity, honesty, fairness and a good work ethic.

In accepting the bid, Manning said she plans to put more documentation that is housed in the City Clerk’s office online so people can access it from home.

“So much of our daily lives revolve around work done in the City Clerk’s office,” Manning said.

Not only did she talk about making the information more available, she discussed the importance of preserving the documentation in the office.

“For the city to grow and prosper, people must have faith in the records in the City Clerk’s office,” Manning said.

A number of incumbent Democrats were nominated to run again for various boards and commissions. Some new names on the list of candidates include Beverley Pierson, who will run for the Board of Education. Susan Glennon, a longtime education advocate, also will run for the school board.

Susan Shaw, currently on the Planning and Zoning Board, will run for a seat on the Board of Aldermen, and former alderman and one-time mayor candidate Frank Smith also is running for a seat on the aldermanic board.

Following is the complete list of candidates running for the boards of aldermen, education and planning and zoning.

Board of Aldermen: Greta Stanford, Raymond Arnold, Nick Veccharelli, Janet Golden, George Gasper, Frank Smith, Philip Vetro, Susan Shaw, Bob Nunno and Bryan Anderson

Board of Education: James Maroney, Peg Kearney, Tracy Casey, Susan Glennon, George Gensure, Chris Saley, Beverley Pierson, Earl Whiskeyman, Rachael Petitti and Dora Kubek.

Planning and Zoning: Luke Lynch, Ryan Parry, Dashiell Anderson, Benjamin Gettinger and Victor Ferrante.

Constable: Luke Lynch, Scott Barnett, Linda Hardiman and Joan Rousseau.

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