Ridgefield Democrats scored a big victory in Tuesday’s municipal election. For the Board of Education race, all four Democrats won for the four seats on the ballot. Tina Malhotra was reelected, and Amy Casey, Tom Colin and Selina Bell were elected to the Board of Ed. On the Board of Finance, where there were two seats up for election, the two Democrats, Mike Rettger and Andrew Okrongly, both won. They will continue to serve on the BOF.
There was only one seat that the Democrats didn’t win in this election. In the Board of Police Commissioners race, the state Republican party funded a large campaign push for long-time Republican leader John Frey and his slate-mates, Marcie Coffin and Patrick Walsh. Fortunately, with three seats up for election (and with two Democrats on the ballot for those seats), one of the two Democrats, Sharon Dornfeld, won a seat. The Republicans elected John Frey and Marcie Coffin. Incumbent Democrat Ralph Money ran a terrific campaign and he has served outstandingly as a member of the Police Commission. Coming into this election, 2 of the 3 Police Commission seats up for election were held by Republicans, and with Sharon’s win and Ralph not finishing among the top 3, the Democrats retained the current 3 to 2 majority on the Police Commission.
In other contested races, the Democrats won: Joe Pastore was reelected to the Zoning Board Of Appeals and Jeff Lundberg, the chair of the Board of Assessment Appeals, was reelected. Other Democrats, all unopposed, were elected: Terry Bearden-Rettger for the Zoning Board Of Appeals; and the three Democratic candidates for Planning and Zoning Commission—Joe Dowdell, Elizabeth DiSalvo, and Mariah Okrongly. On the Inland Wetlands Board, where the two Democrats ran unopposed, we elected Democrats David L. Smith and Chris Phelps.
Altogether, as now reported by the election officials to the CT Secretary of the State, 15 of our 16 candidates won. This is despite the presence of John Frey on the ballot and the large state Republican party spending that he brought into the campaign.
Overall, this was an excellent result for Ridgefield Democrats and for the Town of Ridgefield. It ensures Ridgefield municipal government, led by Rudy Marconi, will remain in strong, stable, well-informed and caring hands, and will continue to deliver results for Ridgefielders.
Sincerely, Joe Shapiro Chair, Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee