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Clinton Voters to Weigh in on Candidates, Charter Changes

With Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 7, Clinton voters are gearing up to make their voices heard not only on what candidates are elected but on potential charter changes, too.

All Clinton voters can vote at the Andrews Memorial Town Hall. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. For questions concerning registration status and polling place, call the Registrars of Voters at 860-669-6436.

Absentee ballots are issued in the town clerk’s office starting Oct. 6. They can be dropped off in person or dropped in the ballot box located in front of Town Hall.

The Races:

The most notable race on the ballot is the contest for the four open seats on the Town Council. Voters can vote for up to four candidates. The candidates are Republicans Chris Aniskovich, Carol Walter, and Dennis Donovan, as well as Democrats Hank Teskey and Brian Roccapriore. All three Republican candidates and Teskey are incumbents. All elected council members will serve a four-year term.

More in-depth profiles of the Town Council candidates will appear in next week’s Harbor News.

For the Board of Education, voters can choose up to three candidates, but not more than two from one party will be elected. The candidates are Republicans Lawrence Pilcher and Catherine Staunton and Democrats Alan Samet and Jason Adler.

For the Planning and Zoning Commission full seats, voters can choose up to four candidates. The candidates are Democrats Jay Mandell and Zachary Plourde, as well as Republicans Edward Alberino, Dylan Walter, and Adam Moore.

For the Planning and Zoning Commission alternate seat, Republican Lawrence Edwards is running unopposed.

For the Board of Police Commissioners, voters can choose up to two of the three candidates, Democrat Paul Melanson and Republicans Bruce Farmer and David Carroll.

For the Board of Assessment Appeals, the voters can choose one of the two candidates, Democrat Margaret Testoni or Republican David Roberts. Republican Brian Manware is running unopposed for an alternate seat on the board.

For the Zoning Board of Appeals full seat, voters can choose up to two candidates. They are Democrat Thomas Shultz and Republicans Michael Shove and Robert Corson.

For the Zoning Board of Appeals alternate seat, voters can choose between Democrat Maureen Noonan and Republican John Harrington.

Charter Change

In addition to voting for the candidates for the various boards and commissions, Clinton voters will also be able to vote “yes” or “no” over proposed changes to the town’s charter.

The most significant proposed charter change is the ability to hire a town manager for a term not to exceed five years instead of the current three-year maximum.

A second substantial change would increase the amount of money the town can appropriate without a referendum to $700,000 from the current $300,000.

Other proposed changes would allow the town manager to hire, dismiss, and advertise for town employees without the approval of the Town Council first.

Further proposed changes to the charter would remove the requirement for the Town Council to appoint a search committee to fill the vacancies in town departments. The town manager would then be able to appoint or hire people for the roles. The changed charter would also cancel the annual town meeting held each January, where boards and commissions give updates on the previous year’s actions.