Election Season Underway In Fairfield As Dems Nominate Candidates

FAIRFIELD, CT — Spirits were high Tuesday evening at McKinley Elementary School, where the 2021 Fairfield election season officially kicked off as town Democrats nominated their slate of candidates.

About 80 members of the Democratic Town Committee gathered to cast their votes for who should represent the party in November. The Republican Town Committee will nominate its candidates next week.

“The DTC will run a positive and civil campaign against our Republican opponents,” Chairman Steven Sheinberg said, vowing the party would take majorities on the Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting. “We will continue to hold the Republican administration accountable to the truth, to transparency, and to fiscal responsibility.”

For the Board of Finance, the party nominated former member Ken Brachfeld, Golf Commission Chair Craig Curley and Kevin Starke, who is involved in the Fairfield community as a Scout leader. Democrat board member Sheila Marmion, whose term is up this year, has chosen not to run again. In addition to Marmion’s spot, the candidates will be vying for seats currently held by Republicans James Brown — the body’s chair — and James Walsh.

Board of Education incumbents Jennifer Jacobsen and Carol Guernsey were nominated by the town Democrats to run, along with fellow party members Frank Sahagian, a former Fairfield Woods Middle School history teacher, and Peter Sibley, a local artist. The seats of Republicans Jeff Peterson and Vice Chair Nick Aysseh will be up for election in November, as well as those occupied by Jacobsen and Guernsey.

An enthusiastic Sheinberg speculated that the school board would retain its 5-4 Democrat majority. The party also nominated candidates for the Town Plan and Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Assessment Appeals, town constables, and Representative Town Meeting. Sheinberg was optimistic that the Democrats could gain seats in Republican stronghold town meeting Districts 8, 9 and 10.

Party endorsements for the upcoming election must be completed by Tuesday and challengers are required to submit primary petitions by Aug. 11, ahead of the Sept. 14 primary election date. The municipal election will be Nov. 2.

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Democrat nominees

Board of Finance: Ken Brachfeld (six-year term), Craig Curley (six-year term), Kevin Starke (two-year term)

Board of Education: Jennifer Jacobsen, Carol Guernsey, Frank Sahagian, Peter Sibley.

Town Plan and Zoning Commission: Steven Levy (four-year term), Fredda Gordon (alternate), Marc Andre (two-year term), Neal Fink (four-year term), Sarah Keitt (alternate)

Zoning Board of Appeals: Brian Avallone (four-year term), Cathy McElroy (alternate), Harold Zawadski (alternate)

Board of Assessment Appeals: Kathleen Griffin (four-year term), Lee Grubman (four-year term)

Constables: Kevin Flynn, Charlene Lebo, Ruth Smey, Jay Wolk

Representative Town Meeting

• District 1: Marc Andre, Ashby Dodge, Phil Dwyer, Sunila Fadl
• District 2: Bill Gerber, Cindy Perham, Erin Lopez, Hal Schwartz
• District 3: Sharon Pistilli, Scott Nickel, Jeff Galdenzi, Tom Lambert
• District 4: Laura Karson, Alice Kelly, Marcy Spolyar, Liz Zezima
• District 5: Will Diaz, Josh Garskof, Joe Siebert, Jay Wolk
• District 6: Lisa Havey, Steve Berecz, Andrew Graceffa, Neil Parzych
• District 7: Mark McDermott, Jill Vergara, Karen Wackerman, John Kuhn
• District 8: Kerry Berchem, Liam Burke, Rip Littig, Nhi Tran
• District 9: Dru Georgiadis, Christine Brown, Margaret Horton, Debbie Zieff
• District 10: Greg Alprin, Matt Ambrose, Kevin Lennon, Pierre Ratzki