Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo Announces Reelection Campaign

GREENWICH, CT — Standing at the site of what will eventually become the new Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, First Selectman Fred Camillo on Monday evening officially announced that he will run for a third term.

Republican Selectwoman Lauren Rabin, who has been Camillo's running-mate since the pair was first elected in 2019, also announced her re-election campaign, as did Town Clerk Jackie Budkins, who succeeded her mother, Carmella Budkins, in 2021.

The civic center construction site served as an appropriate location for the launch of Camillo's campaign — a symbol of progress, he said, since he first announced his intention to run in 2019.

"Four years ago, we stood at the Arch Street Teen Center and we started to run on a vision. Four years later, here in Old Greenwich, we're running on a record," Camillo said to a crowd of about 50 people.

Camillo highlighted some accomplishments over the last few years, such as public safety improvements and pedestrian safety upgrades around town; the establishment of a sustainability committee and an energy policy; enhanced communications with the public; the completion of a new Greenwich Emergency Medical Services Station 4 on King Street; and, of course, public/private partnerships, evidenced by the new civic center which was aided by a large donation from the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation.

Public/private partnerships were a major theme of Camillo's past campaigns.

"Part of our record is over my shoulder. When some of us were playing basketball in the 1980s, they were talking about redoing [the civic center]. It was nice for a while, but many times there were attempts to get this thing going," Camillo said. "They made some great progress, but it never got to fruition. One of the things we said we wanted to do was bring some of these longstanding projects over the finish line. We did that through a public/private partnership."

Camillo said the town has come a long way in four years, despite challenges brought on by massive flooding events, bills from Hartford aimed at controlling local zoning decisions, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Because of all of you, we overcame that, and we came out of it in a way that instilled a silver lining," Camillo noted, adding that he believes downtown Greenwich is the most vibrant it's been in years with outdoor dining now a fixture.

"History won't remember anything I say tonight, or anything that any of us say, but future generations will remember things like this behind us," he said, pointing to the construction site. "It's things like this that will continue to keep Greenwich affordable and having the lowest mill rate in the state — and that's great. But if we don't do things like this, that's not going to matter."

Rabin said she's "grateful" to be running for another term, especially with Camillo and Budkins, and hoped to continue momentum the town has built over the last four years, especially when it comes to building a new Central Middle School.

Rabin serves on the CMS Building Committee. The project has become a hot-button topic in town.

Behind the three candidates on Monday was a campaign banner, with the words "Unity Through Leadership" and the names of Camillo, Rabin and Budkins. Rabin recalled advice she received from the late David Theis, a former selectman, who told her, "If you want to win in the field, you're not going to win if you're fighting on the bench."

"As a community, we have to stop fighting. As a party, as groups of people. That's why I love our sign, Unity, because that's what we need right now," Rabin said.

Budkins said the town clerk's office made some advancements over first term, and she looks forward to making more if reelected.

"Keeping together is progress, and working together is success," Budkins said, quoting author Edward Everett Hale. "We are a good team, and together we do work well. I think if we all keep working together, we will be successful."

Former state Sen. Scott Frantz spoke briefly and introduced the candidates on Monday.

"Every once in a while, people come along like these three here, who have great passion for the town," he said. "They have great interest in the offices they're serving in, and they do a fantastic job."

Camillo, Rabin and Budkins are the first three candidates in town who have formally announced campaigns for November's election. Camillo won soundly in 2019 over Democrat Jill Oberlander, and in 2021 over Democrat Bill Kelly.