Bethel Schedules Special Election For First Selectman

BETHEL, CT — The town will hold a special election for first selectman on Feb. 7, the Bethel Board of Selectmen announced this week.

Expediting the decision for the election was a lawsuit filed against several Bethel officials by a Republican Town Committee member. The suit from Dan Nostin claims there was an abuse of process in the swearing in of Richard Straiton as first selectman in September.

Straiton moved into the first selectman's chair following the resignation of Matt Knickerbocker, who left Bethel government to take the job of town administrator in Wilton.

Nostin withdrew his lawsuit on Tuesday, coinciding with the Board's announcement of the special election, and its official appointment of Straiton as acting first selectman. The Town Charter specifies the Board of Selectmen name someone to be acting first selectman in the absence of the elected first selectman, but had failed to do so in November.