The Official Turfgrrl Norwalk Voting Guide

No endorsements or Team Turfgrrl this year. Instead a recap of who is running and a short summary of why you may or may not want to vote for the candidate. Some candidates have a “pretty good” chance, which just means that I think they will likely win, whereas most candidates have a “good” chance meaning they might win.

Most of the races are in what we like to call “Too close to call.” Incumbents usually have an edge, and people with high community involvement and name recognition do too. Of all the races the Mayor’s race is easier to call, simply because there’s more data out there on predictors, the main one being financial support. It’s not hard to handicap a race when there’s such a lopsided difference in fundraising.

The Race: Mayor

Dick Moccia -R incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Him: In four years he’s been in office, the City of Norwalk has done okay.

Scott Merrell -I challenger

Odds of Winning: Scottie needs to be beamed up.

Why Vote For Him: You want to throw your vote away and are too chicken to vote none of the above.

Steve Serasis -D challenger

Odds of Winning: Steve who?

Why Vote For Him: In two years on the Norwalk Common Council he has mostly abstained. He also promised to take a furlough if elected. If you believe the city runs itself, he’s your guy.

The Race: Town Clerk

Andy Garfunkel -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Him: Has managed the clerk’s office into the 21st century.

Mary Roman -R challenger

Odds of Winning: good..

Why Vote For Her: You want to bring that Olympic experience back to City Hall.

The Race: at-large Common Council

Thomas Agosto II -D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: You want to see the average age on the Common Council go down, or at least get in better shape, Agosto is a martial arts physical trainer.

Fred Bondi -R incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Him: You know him. He knows you. Fred is Fred.

Amanda Brown -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Her: She represents the youth, the underserved and anyone not represented by anyone else in Norwalk including her Brien McMahon alumni.

Anna Duleep -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Her: A recent addition as a mid-term replacement, Duleep has shown she’s a quick study. Plus she wins the most informative campaign web site award.

Mike Geake -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: The most accessible council member and has techie street cred. Yet he hasn’t updated his web site since August. Follows his own mind.

Doug Hempstead -R incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Him: Doug is a seasoned Common Council veteran and actually reads his packet and thinks about things. Plus he’s the only candidate running a survey about what you think on his website.

Rick McQuaid -R incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Him: In his day job works for the Norwalk Public School System. Has that expereince to dissect all those BOE “special appropriations.”

Joanne Romano -R challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: She devotes much of her time to helping people in Norwalk.

Kate Tepper -D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: Has an English degree and might raise the bar on the quality of Council language.

John Tobin -R challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: He will make the tough decisions, no abstentions with Tobin.

The Race: Common Council District A

Erik Anderson -D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: Wants a more open and transparent government along with reducing property taxes and improving roads.

Rich Bonenfant -R incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Him: He ran for council to get out of the house at night.

Dave Jaeger -D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: Wants to do great things to improve Norwalk. You want to do great things too.

Diana Palladino -R challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: She’ll work hard at being a great responsive council member.

The Race: District B Common Council

Carvin Hilliard -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: A sure thing.

Why Vote For Him: You have no choice.

Travis Sims -D challenger

Odds of Winning: A sure thing.

Why Vote For Him: You have no choice. Plus you like boxing.

The Race: District C Common Council

Nick Kydes -R incumbent

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: You really want to be represented by someone who skips most meetings and doesn’t read his packet.

Laurel Lindstrom -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Her: You want to bring neighborhood concepts to City Hall.

Michael O’Reilly-R challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: You really do vote “row A all the way.”

Kevin Poruban -D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: You think the $200 million on Education building renovations was well spent.

The Race: District D Common Council

Chris Donahue -D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: Knows a thing or two about tourism and technology, plus he wants to make Norwalk better.

Clyde Mount -R challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: You want to bring business efficiency to the the council.

Marilyn Robinson-D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: You’d like to bring back that Knopp or Collins administration experience.

Kelly Straniti -R incumbent

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Her: The only Council member that has voted consistently against increasing taxes, spending, user fees and raising the cost of living in Norwalk. Now that’s a consistent voting record.

The Race: District E Common Council

Victor Cavallo -R challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: In his day job he practices law.

Andrew Conroy -R incumbent

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: He’s a smart guy.

Nora King-D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: You want a stronger focus on reducing taxes and curbing spending.

Chris Potts -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: You want someone on the Council to be a Physics major and play chess. He’s handy with a spreadsheet too. Most likey to compare and contrast anything by Dostoyevsky with Public Works Council Committee meetings.

The Race: Board of Education

Steve Collarossi -I challenger

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Him: You want someone who is passionate, detail oriented, involved and likes to communicate. And he’s a lawyer by profession.

Erin Halsey -R challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: She wants to change the BOE into a more responsive board.

Sue Haynie-R challenger

Odds of Winning: pretty good.

Why Vote For Her: You wants someone unfraid of asking questions, digging into the data and leaving no statement unturned. she believes that Norwalk should raise the bar and not just meet standards. She was a PTO leader.

Amy Jimenez -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: You want someone who is  a consensus builder. She buys into the one voice communication thing.

Artie Kassimis -R challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: You want someone who knows how to use technology to reduce operating expenses.

Heidi Keyes -D challenger

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: You want someone who knows how important early childhood education and literacy is, she wants better BOE communication.

Shirley Mosby -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Her: You want someone who likes to fight for issues. She thinks they communicate just fine.

Rosa Murray -D incumbent

Odds of Winning: good.

Why Vote For Him: You want someone who has been a steady presence on the board. She believes the board has things under control.

****

There are other races, but you are on your own.

Candidate web site listed below:

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  • Barnstorm

    Just read in The Hour (motto:”yesterday’s news first thing tomorrow”) that Merrell plans on standing by Exit 16 on Election day. Given his recent troubles with the tax collector, will he be just like all the others who stand there with a placard that reads “Homeless-please help”?

    • Secondhand Rose

      Now that Merrell lost, do you think he’ll finally be evicted? And hopefully this will be the end of his attempts at taking over the office of mayor…

      • Barnstorm

        If he is evicted, expect a new turf battle from Merrell- that patch of grass off Exit 16 for the “Homeless-please help” contingent.

  • V

    He was there. 10 -1 odds that his picture will be in the paper tomorrow. And he’s not homeless yet, thanks to our legal system. Love your Hour motto, Barnstorm.

  • Kurm Udgeon

    In Chicago, in the 60′s, we were attuned to the motto” Vote early and vote often”. In Norwalk, one can only hope that folks vote at all. Thank you for a splendid analysis of those people trying to attract our votes, and I say ” Read between the lines”!!!!!

  • Longtimer

    Great analysis.

  • Secondhand Rose

    Thanks, Turffie. That gave me quite a few chuckles.

  • OLD TIMER

    Merrel’s eviction is front page news in today’s hour. He missed the deadline to pay the new owner a court ordered “use & noccupancy fee” (rent ?) He may have some kind of case in court, but thumbing his nose at court orders is generally not smart. He still has other cases pending. He is being sued by the State. Ct DEP went after him for a stone wall he had built below the high tide line with no permits, several years ago.