North Branford voters once again showed overwhelming support for seasoned public leader Michael Doody, who earned the title of Mayor with the most votes of any Town Council candidate -- 1409 -- on Election Day.

A Republican, Doody will lead the nine-member Town Council, the town's top governing body, for the next two years. All serve without pay. The council also directs the actions of the Town Manager, a hired executive (currently Michael Paulhus).

"I'm very appreciative for all the people who voted; I'm humbled and grateful," Doody told Zip06.

This isn't the first time Doody has held the title. Prior to the 2013 municipal election, the North Branford native had served on the Town Council as Mayor for two terms, Deputy Mayor for two terms and a term as a Town Council member. 

Doody also served with the town's police department for 34 years. In 2011, he retired from his post as Deputy Chief of Police, following the Police Commission's decision to cut the Deputy Chief position. The commission said the cut was made in response to the then-Town Council's request to reduce the police budget by $110,000.

After the North Branford Republican party failed to endorse Doody for Town Council re-election in 2013, Doody decided to retain his Republican affiliation, but to run as an Independent Town Council candidate. Doody earned a comfortable margin of winning votes in 2013, but, due to Town Charter, could not join the council as a seventh Republican member. Town Charter allows a maximum six members from any one party.

This time around, Doody was endorsed by the Republican Town party as a Town Council candidate on the 2015 municipal ballot.

Sitting out the last two years didn't dampen Doody's interest in serving  his town, and, judging by this week's poll numbers, the hiatus didn't diminish voters' enthusiam for having him in office.

"I really do enjoy working with the town and I enjoy working for the people," Doody said, in an exclusive post-election interview. "Everybody said, before I even ran, 'You've got to run.' People didn't like the way the government was going over the last couple of years. I saw that."

Doody said North Branford has to lessen its tax burden and do more to help those who live here. He said the past administration's excessive spending on road improvements was a bad decision at time when the town should have been concentrating on paying down debt.

"We didn't need it all," said Doody of the road repairs. "We don't pay down our debt -- we spend money. I think it's time to get more conservative values. It's time to get our taxes down. I have senior citizens coming up to me everyday saying they can't afford to live here."

Doody said North Branford also needs to "establish a business-friendly attitude" to help "lessen the burden" on tax payers; including reviewing zoning regulatory and appeals practices to create a more welcoming business environment.  He said something also needs to be done to rein in rising education costs, including many brought by state mandates even as school enrollment continues to decline.

"These are experiences that are happening throughout the state," Doody added. "Connecticut is the only one losing people, with citizens and businesses going to other states. We have to do something to change that, and if we don't start at the local level, it's never going to get to the state level."

While voters selected Doody, a Republican, as Mayor on Nov. 3, voters also carried the Democratic party back into majority rule on Town Council, toppling a three-term Republican majority led by former Mayor Anthony Candelora, who was elected Mayor for 2009-11, 2011-13 and 2013-15.

The council's new Democratic majority includes Deputy Mayor Joseph Faughnan with  incumbents Marie Diamond, Daniel Armin and new members George Miller and Chris Manna. Republican Town Council members include Doody and incumbents Candelora, Rose Marie Angeloni and Al Rose. Also of note: Republican incumbent Joanne Wentworth, who served as 2013-15 Deputy Mayor and was re-elected to the Town Council through several decades (including terms as Mayor), did not win her bid for re-election on Nov. 3.

Additionally, North Branford will be holding a recount on Nov. 7 for the ninth council seat, currently won by Manna, who edged out Republican candidate Shawna Pappa-Holzer by five votes (http://www.zip06.com/news/20151104/north-branford-recount-is-on-)

Regardless of whether Manna retains his seat or Pappa-Holzer is declared the winner (which would swing the Town Council majority back to Republican), Doody said he feels the 2015-17 Town Council is going to be one of the best for North Branford.

"I honestly I think this the best Council make-up that I've seen in years," said Doody. "I think there's some fresh blood, some new ideas, and a lot of people that are going to bring stuff to the table. We're nine people that all have an opinion, but I'm sure we're all going to work together."