Your West Hartford Republican Town Committee e-Newsletter No images? Click here MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Wednesday, September 8, 2021: Edition #7 Shawn Daly Dear , As the 2021 municipal campaign is underway, I thought I'd share a brief story. Last week, I attended the Knights of Columbus meeting at Saint Thomas the Apostle Church. As a member, I asked if the Knights would be interested in meeting with our candidates and learning about our platform. While they couldn't do it as part of their official meeting, they agreed to meet with the candidates after their meeting to get to the know them. The following day, Alberto Cortes and I met with the members of the Elmwood Business Association. It was a great way for them to get to know one of our candidates. While both organizations were cordial about providing access for our candidates, it was clear that these organizations were not interested in understanding where our candidates stood on issues as they did not want to appear "partisan." It made me think how sad things have become in our community when trying to talk about community issues becomes a fear of looking partisan. Nonetheless, we will continue to meet with groups like these so they get to know our candidates and we will find ways to spread the word on how our platform is very different from our opponent's with a track record of success. Your donations will be critical for us to be able to spread the word through advertisements, social media and other mediums so West Hartford residents can hear, loud and clear, why our candidates are the right choice for our Town. Please click on the button below to contribute now to our candidate's campaign! In that spirit, I must tell you that our municipal campaign is going very well. The candidates have been working hard putting together a strategy and platform to win in November. In addition to our great slate of candidates as announced in our August newsletter (Mary Fay, Mark Zydanowicz and Alberto Cortes for Town Council and Dr. Gayle Harris for Board of Education), we have a fantastic campaign team. Dennis Swanton is the Campaign Manager, Ethan Goldman is Treasurer (with Anthony Mancini as Deputy Treasurer), PJ Louis is our Public Relations Director, and Liz Santoro is our Volunteer Director. Also joining me as advisors to the campaign are Diana MacPherson and Bob Farr, two seasoned veterans who have provided sage advice and insight. Thank you to the entire campaign team! PLEASE REMEMBER: VOTE ROW B ONLY!!!! Want to understand what that's all about? Please read the article below in the newsletter. We've made sure that each of the candidates have provided a brief write up below for you to get to know them better. Please take a moment to read about each candidate. Each candidate also provided a "Letter to the Editor" in We-Ha.com last week. If you haven't seen them, we've included a copy for your reference below. We've also included this month a preview of our candidate's Four Pillar Campaign Platform, which we will be releasing to the press tomorrow. In addition, I'm proud to say that former State House leader and potential candidate for Governor, Themis Klarides, has provided an official endorsement of our candidates. A press release will be released with this announcement by the end of the week. Please see the press release below. In addition, we're working on other endorsements and will have their press releases very soon. We've also constructed a website for the campaign that went live early last week. Please see below for information about and access to the new website. From the website, you can donate to the campaign, request a lawn sign for your yard, and volunteer to help our candidates with their campaign. Need an absentee ballot for this year's election? Please see below for information on how you can obtain an absentee ballot. We will be happy to help you. We also have a Town Council update from Mary Fay and a State Central piece from Dennis Swanton. I can't stress enough how important it is to donate to the campaign today. Again, please click the button below to donate. Take care, Shawn Daly
We Need Your Donations Now!
With a new party being added this year, competition for municipal elections seats are going to be challenging. Your donations are critical to our continued success and are more important now than ever. Our municipal election is on Tuesday, November 2nd. Our candidates need your donations to help them win. Please click on the button below and help by donating to the West Hartford Republican Town Committee. Any donation amount is helpful and appreciated. Want to make it even easier to donate? Use your cell phone camera to scan the QR code below to take you straight to our donation site. It's as easy as ever to donate!
Your Contribution Will Make A DifferenceUse your cell phone camera to scan the QR code above. The code will bring your cell phone directly to our donation site where you can donate to the campaign. Otherwise, you can click on the button directly below. VOTE ROW B ONLY!!!You'll be hearing and seeing this phrase often between now and Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 2nd. But what exactly does it mean and why is it important? For Town Council in West Hartford, each voter is allowed to cast up to but not more than six votes with one vote per candidate. However, there is no regulation that requires a voter to use all six votes. With our three candidates running for Town Council (Mary Fay, Mark Zydanowicz and Alberto Cortes) if you use three of your votes for each of them and use your other three votes for non-Republican candidates, you actually hurt our Republican candidate's chances of earning a seat on the Town Council. This same holds true for the Board of Education voting. Bottom line - if you want Republican candidates to win in November, then please, only vote for the Republican candidates, which will be located on the ballot in Row B. We have confirmed that the Republican candidates will be listed on Row B for your ballots (we won't bore you with the details of why that is but trust us, our candidates will all be on Row B). So, please remember, whether you vote in-person or by absentee ballot this year, if you want our candidates to win their seats for Town Council and Board of Education, please remember to only vote row B! Below is a sample (not actual) voting ballot so you can see what me mean Meet The CandidatesMary Fay Incumbent Town Council Minority Leader and Candidate for 2021 Town Council Election Mary M. Fay, incumbent and minority leader 2021 endorsed Republican Candidate for Town Council Mary M. Fay, a resident of West Hartford for over 20 years, is a Financial Services Senior Executive. She has held several senior business leadership roles, including Senior Vice President and General Manager of Sun Life Financial, where she also chaired diversity and inclusion employee resource groups and served on Sun Life boards. She was elected to the council in 2017, and was the endorsed candidate for Congress, district 01 in 2020. Mary has also served as Senior Vice President of GE Capital, and Senior Vice President of ING. Starting out as a financial analyst, Mary has also held executive positions at Travelers, Hartford HealthCare, The Hartford and AIG. Mary was raised in East Hartford and attended public schools. She went on to graduate from Skidmore College, with a B.S. In business/accounting and a minor in government. She played basketball and started the women's softball team at Skidmore. Mary earned an M.B.A. From Rensselaer*Polytechnic Institute.* Active in her community, Mary was appointed to the West Hartford library board, was a frequent volunteer at Morley school, was active in Concerned Citizens of West Hartford and Save our Water, CT. She coaches in the West Hartford girls basketball league. She also serves on the board of overseers for Newton-Wellesley hospital, and was named a "Top Woman in Business" by Hartford Business Journal. Mary has served as an alumni admissions correspondent for Skidmore College since graduating. Mary was an inaugural member of West Hartford's first Parent Leadership Training Institute, where she was elected class speaker at the state wide graduation at the state capital. She is a member of the Irish American Home Society and The Thistle Lawn Bowling Club, and is a parishioner at St. Timothy’s. Mary is married and has an 11 year old daughter, Katie. Mark Zydanowicz Incumbent Board of Education Representative and Candidate for 2021 Town Council Election I’m excited about my candidacy for West Hartford’s town council this November 2nd. I’ve spent the last 9 years as your elected Board of Education representative and bring a tremendous amount of experience to the table through: • Union negotiations • Complex municipal budgets • Controversial issues • School security concerns after Sandy Hook • Hiring our current superintendent • Collaborating and negotiating viable issues with the majority party Professionally, I was an owner and third generation family member of Guida’s Dairy, employing 260; it was one of the largest independent dairies in New England. We’ve since sold the business where I helped transition with the new ownership. My business experience provides me with the acumen vital to understanding the importance of solid leadership and accountability to staff and clients; characteristics I considers critical in any role. I’m a retired Engineer officer of 25 years in the Connecticut Army National Guard. I’m an Iraq war veteran where I earned the Combat Action Badge and Bronze Star It has been one of my greatest honors to serve the community and seeing my three children thrive in our school system. It’s been rewarding both as a parent and board member. I want to bring that same passion and experience to the town council. West Hartford is a vibrant town with a great community. But my philosophy is one of continuous improvement. We have our challenges like anywhere else, but the best decisions come from respectful discussion and being open to ideas and solutionsgrown in an environment of different viewpoints. Keeping the community safe is a priority, take for example the recent carjacking by gunpoint near Bishops Corner, cops call it a problem of “catch and release” and often see the same juvenile criminals over and over again. To ensure a safer community, we must have open dialogue with our state legislators and press them to change the laws that will make our community safer. Allowing juvenile criminals to be released after 6 hours with drawn-out court dates is something that needs to be changed. It’s essential for a safer community. Additional items critical to bring forward for discussion to continuously improve our community; • Improve transportation infrastructure • Support local business everywhere, not just certain areas • Reduce crime, support our police and promote community safety and security • Support the school systems for long term plans in education and infrastructure • Protect the town and tax payers by not adding new debt • Allocate resources to DPW to maintain parks, sports fields and safe sidewalks • Ensure property taxes are business friendly and treated equally • Create long term town planning, not short term, e.g.when something comes up for sale • Keep zoning local • Don’t just provide “affordable housing”, make West Hartford affordable I want to thank everyone for the support over the last 9 years in my role as your Board of Ed representative and I hope to have your support again this November.
Alberto Cortes Candidate for 2021 Town Council Election Hello Friends of the Republican Town Committee, I am running for Town Council because as a long-time resident of West Hartford I am concerned about the fiscal reality of this town and the impact it’s having on families in our community. Our budget continues to be unsustainable and we will have a financial crisis making this town even more unaffordable if this trend does not stop. Public safety is also another concern. Crimes in town are starting to get more violent we need to change the policy and culture created by our elected officials that are directly responsible for this increase in crime in our town. This starts with better community policing programs, supporting our police with the appropriate resources they need to prevent crimes, enacting ordinances and guidelines that can address these crimes in a more tactical fashion. Since I last ran for Town Council, I stayed involved in the community serving on the West Hartford Veterans Affair Commission and most recently serving on the Civilian Police Review Board. I love West Hartford and I will work hard to ensure that this community is affordable for families and retirees who choose to live in this town. Thank you for your continued support through the past couple of years and for believing in Us. As a team we will cross the finish line victoriously!
Dr. Gayle Harris Candidate for 2021 Board of Education Election I’m excited to be the endorsed candidate for the BOE in West Hartford. As a resident of West Hartford since childhood, I’ve watched our town grow and prosper over the last 50 years. I’ve raised my four children here and they all thrived from the educational opportunities in our local public and private schools. I believe education is the steppingstone to almost everything in life. When we commit to an outstanding education for our kids we commit to the future. Youth that obtain excellent educations will ultimately do better in our ever growing competitive world. As a student in area schools, I remember the home town feel of our local schools and the push for excellence from my teachers here. That push helped me ultimately become a physician. Our world is quite different now from when I attended school. I am concerned that our schools like most everything else now is being influenced by the bitter divide in our country. This does not benefit our students parents or teachers and ultimately will force everyone to take a side. We can watch across the country and even in Connecticut as school boards become screaming matches between parents and board members and lawsuits take hold. Schools should be a no go zone were we keep the angst and bitterness out. It’s a place where we can start a healing process. I want to work for the West Hartford citizenry and students to keep this divisiveness out of our schools and to focus on teaching kids skills of critical thinking and academics that will help them succeed in life. I am humbled and excited by this opportunity and look forward to serving as your BOE member We-Ha.com: Candidate Letters to the EditorAs part of our media strategy, last week, each candidate submitted a "Letter to the Editor," which was published in We-Ha.com. Please see the headlines below and click on the buttons to reach each candidate's submission. We-Ha.com Letter to the Editor: Town Council Candidate Mary Fay Announces EndorsementWe-Ha.com Letter to the Editor: Mark Zydanowicz Hopes to Use Board of Ed Experience in Role on Town CouncilWe-Ha.com Letter to the Editor: Alberto Cortes - Something Must Be Done About CrimeWe-Ha.com Letter to the Editor: Board of Education Candidate Gayle Harris Presents PlatformOur Candidate's Four Pillars PlatformHere is a preview of the Four Pillar Platform that our slate of candidates have put together for this election. We're confident this is a solid plan for West Hartford. THE FOUR PILLARS 1. Improve Roads, Transportation and Infrastructure – Help Support Our Local Businesses 2. Enhance Support of Our Schools 3. Reduce Crime and Promote Community Safety and Security for Our Neighborhoods 4. Demand Fiscal Responsibility
Improve Transportation, Roads and Infrastructure – Help Support Our Local Businesses · Keep zoning local · Allocate budget to improve our local roadways · Use town and school buildings more efficiently and effectively · Leverage Economic Development Commission to be more proactive · Create a long-term vision for transportation and business projects · Treat businesses in town more equally – not based on zones · Improve parking for business customers, employers and employees · Ensure property taxes are treated equally for businesses · Complete cycling development plan · Provide separate fund to handle MDC sewer/water issues
Enhance Support of Our Schools · Get schools back to the basics of teaching Reading, Writing and Arithmetic · Develop a long-term vision with a focus on building improvement and better technology · Ensure limited and one-time federal funds are spent responsibly · Teach Equality not Equity · Keep both high schools intact and keep their names
Reduce Crime and Promote Community Safety and Security for Our Neighborhoods · Support Police with the appropriate resources to reduce crime · Encourage development of community policing · Enact ordinances and guidelines that address aggressive panhandling/vandalism/littering/loitering/carjacking/violent crime · Reinstate the town parking ban · No marijuana sales and no use in any area where minors may be present · Allocate resources to DPW to maintain parks, sports fields and safe sidewalks
Demand Fiscal Responsibility · Develop property tax structure that is fair and equal to all residents · Protect the town from adding new debt · Don’t just provide “affordable” housing – make housing more affordable · Enact solutions that eliminate West Hartford’s pension obligations
THEMIS KLARIDES, FOMER STATE HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER, ENDORSES WEST HARTFORD MUNICIPAL CANDIDATESFeels Candidates are Strong – Poised to Win in NovemberHere is a preview of the press release that will be going to press in a few days about the endorsement of our candidates by Themis Klarides. West Hartford, CT – Themis Klarides, the former State House Republican Leader and potential candidate for Governor announced her endorsement of the Republican slate of candidates running for Town Council and Board of Education this November. “This is a strong group of candidates for West Hartford” said Klarides. “With current Town Council Minority Leader, Mary Fay, you have a candidate who has made a career focused on things we need more of in Connecticut, sound economic policies and government reform. It’s also great to see two solid military veterans on the ticket as well with Alberto Cortes and Mark Zydanowicz, the current Board of Education representative. Their experiences bring a unique perspective that will help West Hartford grow responsibly while protecting the security and safety of the town. And Dr. Gayle Harris has impeccable credentials as a medical physician and her work in social services, providing a value-added benefit to West Hartford’s Board of Education.” “Themis has been such a great friend to West Hartford and a fantastic supporter of our campaigns,” said Mary Fay. “With 20 years in state leadership, Themis has proven herself as a bright, articulate champion of solutions that Connecticut and its municipalities need to regain our top standing in our nation. Her leadership and mentorship are important factors in the success of our West Hartford campaign.” “An endorsement from Themis is great for our campaign,” said Mark Zydanowicz. She’s been a resilient legislator who knows how to navigate and get things done for Connecticut. It’s great to see the confidence she has in our slate.” Alberto Cortes was “thrilled to have the endorsement of Themis.” “She spoke at our Lincoln/Reagan Dinner a couple of months ago and was an amazing motivator.” Dr. Gayle Harris looked at the Board of Education perspective. “Ms. Klarides has always been a strong supporter of education improvement and reform in Connecticut,” said Harris, “I know her endorsement helps the West Hartford voters realize our slate is the right team for the job.”
Visit the New Candidate Slate Website!!!We've built a great website for the candidates that's interactive and informative. The website currently has great information such as how to donate to the campaign, information about the candidates, how to volunteer for the campaign as well as the campaign platform, press releases, an events calendar and other important information. Click on the button below to see the website. Want to Volunteer for the Municipal Campaign?Our Candidates need many volunteers to help us win this November. During the campaign, we need volunteers to help deliver lawn signs, canvass neighborhoods and drop off palm cards, make phone calls and assist with distributing and collecting absentee ballots. On Election Day, November 2, 2021, we will need volunteers to help stand with our candidate signs for an hour shift at one of the polling locations in West Hartford. Won't you please volunteer for the campaign? Click on the button below to volunteer. Need to Vote by Absentee Ballot This Election???Make sure your vote is counted!!! If you're unable to make it to the polls this November, we can help. GET A LAWN SIGN FOR YOUR YARD!!!Please help our candidates win in November. Show the Town of West Hartford that YOU VOTE REPUBLICAN and you're proud of it!!! Click the button below to order our candidates lawn signs for your yard. Our volunteers will deliver the sign, place it in your yard and take it away shortly after the election!!! It couldn't be easier!!! Town Council ReportTown council will be in full swing, as we have our next meeting September 14. Over the summer, we held a public safety forum in August, with Chief Riddick, Chief Priest, and most of the council present. It was extremely disappointing that more of the public did not attend. The forum is available on WHTV for replay or click on the button below to see the replay. I believe it is worth watching. We need to be vigilant about crime. In Ellington, over the weekend, there was a home invasion, where the couple was tied up, and money and jewelry were stolen. Fortunately, no one was injured or worse. We continue to have new construction developments coming forward. The next construction development will have a 7:00pm ET public hearing on September 14. The hearing will be for a 9 unit townhome development at 405-409 Prospect Street. We still have the UConn property to contend with (sold to an unnamed developer), both in terms of maintenance, and development. The council has not seen plans for the site. Remember, this property is zoned single family, with an exception for education (UConn). Please be prepared to speak out should a large multi-family or commercial complex be part of the plan. Please submit items of concern, and I will keep you updated on items coming forward.
Board of Education ReportThe Board of Education’s last meeting was Tuesday, June 1 and we will not meet again until the first week of September. We’ll update the monthly newsletter once we’re back to our regular schedule. Of course if anything comes up we’ll email the group. Have a great summer!
Registrar of Voters ReportSeptember 22nd is National Voter Registration Day! First observed in 2012, National Voter Registration Day, is a nonpartisan day dedicated to celebrating our democracy. Nearly 4.5 million voters have registered to vote on this holiday to date. According to U.S. Census data from 2020, as many as 1 in 4 eligible Americans are not registered to vote. Every year, millions of Americans find themselves unable to vote because they miss a registration deadline, don’t update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register. Don’t miss your chance to exercise your precious right to vote on November 2nd! Register online via the CT Secretary of State website and the West Hartford Registrar of Voters website. Click on the button below to access the West Hartford Registrar of Voters website. State Central ReportThe Republicans recently celebrated a tremendous win in Connecticut with the successful campaign of Ryan Fazio in the 36th State Senate District. Fazio won in the special election on Tuesday, August 17. What made the win even more amazing is that it was in a district where Joe Biden won by nearly 25 points in the recent Presidential election. This win has provided a renewed energy to the Republican Party in Connecticut and could be a positive omen to a red wave in the upcoming mid-term elections. Click on the button below to see an article from WTNH-Channel 8 about the event. In addition, Ben Proto is really doing a great job as our new State GOP Chairman. Recently, Ben has come out with some great articles and press releases shedding a spotlight on some of the issues facing our state and our country and he's not afraid to call out our state leaders. We're starting to see a great deal of support at the local level here in West Hartford from our State GOP. The support is only the beginning. Recently, Ben provided a great press release outlining some of the issues concerning our country's exit from Afghanistan. Click on the button below to see the press release.
Want to See the WeHa RTC Platform?The objective of the West Hartford Republican Town Committee is to help enhance the resident experience for all West Hartford citizens in an economically sustainable manner while helping candidates get elected who share that vision. If you haven't seen our newsletter before or haven't had a chance to look at the West Hartford Republican Town Committee Platform, please click on the button below to download your copy from our website. How Do I Get Involved?Would you like an opportunity to really contribute to the town? We have a few spots still available for membership on the West Hartford Republican Town Committee. Please click on the button below to see how to join our committee. If you're interested in attending one of our Town Committee meetings, please email our Town Committee Chairman, Shawn Daly at chair@whgop.org and he will provide you with the details. How Can I Get Even More InformationClick on the buttons below to visit our West Hartford Republican Town Committee Website or you can click on the button to learn about our volunteer opportunities or donate to the West Hartford RTC.
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