Stonington — In 1986, Rob Simmons and George Crouse found themselves side by side on the Board of Police Commissioners, trying to stabilize a police department rocked by controversy. 

The department had been criticized for not trying to shoot a man who had raped a woman at knifepoint and morale was low among officers. The board’s chairman murdered his wife and then took his own life.

Crouse, Simmons and the other board members brought in an outside agency to conduct a top to bottom review of the department and implemented many changes, including the hiring of a new chief.

Simmons, a Republican, went on to serve as state representative, three-term Congressman from the Second District and state business advocate.

Crouse, a Democrat, continued to teach and coach at the high school where his tennis teams have been perennial state championship contenders.

Now the two men are facing off in the race for first selectman. The race is expected to be a close one as both men are popular in town.

Crouse and Simmons were both serving on the Board of Selectmen last December when Ed Haberek resigned as first selectman after a string of controversies to take a job in Seattle, Wash.

The two men then agreed to have Crouse complete Haberek’s term and appointed Mike Spellman, who left the Republican party and became an unaffiliated voter on the day of his appointment, to fill the vacancy created when Crouse was elevated to first selectman.

The three men have since touted the “tripartisan” makeup of the board and have worked in a cooperative fashion on most issues.

Spellman, whose appointment by Crouse and Simmons has now been ruled a violation of state law by state elections officials, is being allowed to serve out his term under terms of a consent agreement. He is running against Democrat Kate Rotella for selectman.

The two highest vote-getters among Spellman, Rotella and the losing first selectman candidate will be elected as selectmen.

Crouse said that when he took office last December, he felt that the town “needed a lift in spirit.”

“My goal was to instill teamwork and put integrity and pride back into town government,” he said.

Over the past 10 months, Crouse said that he feels like he has accomplished a lot” and that his coaching background helps him see all of a problem and come up with a solution.

“I think I get the rookie of the year award,” he joked.

Crouse pointed out that during his tenure, the town passed a $69 million bond to renovate and expand Deans Mill and West Vine Street schools, passed the proposed budget at the first referendum, approved and is implementing recommendations in the updated Plan of Conservation and Development and helped bring a list of proposed charter revisions to a vote on the Election Day ballot.

He said the budget passed last spring will fill the long-vacant director of planning position and bring on board an economic development consultant, a grant writing consultant and a grant writing secretary. He said the latter two positions will bring needed revenue to the town.

Crouse said he also implemented a master leasing plan that will modernize town equipment while saving money in years when the town is looking at tax increases because of bond payments on projects.

He said that during his tenure the Masonicare assisted living project and Spruce Meadows housing project are being constructed, the Thread Mill is Pawcatuck is being renovated into apartments and the renovation of the sewer treatment plants was completed.

He said he is also proud of his work on the committee that has planned and overseen the renovation of the high school athletic fields and the installation of the artificial turf field.

He said a committee has been formed to come up with potential future uses for West Broad Street School when it closes, security cameras have been installed in downtown Pawcatuck and a Climate Change Task Force has been established to plan for the effect of global warming on the town.

“I get things done,” Crouse said. “What residents get from me is integrity. My first concern is always Stonington.”

Going forward Crouse said the challenge facing the town is to attract economic development that adds to the tax base but does not detract from the town’s character.

He said the town could use grant money to revitalize certain areas of town and clean up environmental contamination while utilizing new zoning regulations and incentives to lure new business.

Simmons said he is running because “there are things that need to be focused on and things that need to be fixed.”

For example, he said the town should have done a more professional job of advertising for a new director of planning when funding became available on July 1.

The first search was scrapped because of a lack of quality candidates.

Simmons said if he is elected, one of his first priorities would be to expand the search to produce a large field of quality candidates and to hire someone who is “highly trained, highly skilled and maybe highly priced.”

“But the payback for doing this right is astronomical,” he said.

Like Crouse, Simmons points to the passing of the school project and budget as achievements as well as the Plan of Conservation and Development in which he was at the forefront of a successful effort to convince the PZC to make changes that would spur business growth.

The selectmen also supported his plan for the town to work with the Trust for Public Land to buy a piece of riverfront land just north of Mystic Seaport for the Stonington High School crew team boathouse and public access.

As the selectman who has been put in charge of economic development, Simmons has been working on an effort to expand the uses allowed in the manufacturing zone to spur reuse of mills in Pawcatuck.

If elected he said he would first sit down and talk to all town employees and some school officials to see “how we can make Stonington better. How to make Stonington first.”

Simmons has also raised the issue of whether the town needs a Public Works Commission to oversee a 20-employee department that has been mired in several controversies over the past year.

He said the town also needs to look at employing an ombudsman or Ethics Commission to head off the lawsuits that have become costly for the town. He also wants the town to be more transparent when it comes to complying with Freedom of Information requests.

“The money we’ve spent defending FOI cases is not good,” he said.

Simmons also supports reimbursing residents who lost their 5 percent flood insurance discount after the town and state failed to address deficiencies in the town’s qualifications for the program.

“I love this town and I’m here to stay. I’m willing to bring my experience and enthusiasms to help out and make this town better,” said Simmons, whose license plate reads “GUNG HO.” “It’s the same as 30 years ago when I was on the police commission.”

Spellman, a retired state trooper who is now a Groton City police officer, is the son of the late James Spellman, a local political icon who served 24 years as first selectman.

“It’s been a very positive experience,” Spellman said about his last 10 months on the board. “It’s been good to get back and serve the town and help navigate it through a difficult period.

Spellman said he has not been “afraid to ask questions and take the heat,” a reference to questions he has raised about shoddy work on the closed girls soccer field at the high school and pesticide use on other fields after residents came to him with their concerns.

His questions about pesticide use resulted in Public Works Director Barbara McKrell charging that Spellman’s inquiries constituted harassment, a claim upheld by town Administrative Services Director Vincent Pacileo.

“These are not ceremonial positions,” Spellman said. “You have a responsibility to step up.”

Spellman lists as his accomplishments helping to bring charter review changes to a vote on the November ballot, and approval of the town’s new Plan of Conservation and Development.

If re-elected, Spellman said he and the board have to “reaffirm the trust in local government so people have confidence in their elected officials” after what he called “the blowback from the Ed Haberek years.”

He said the town has to expand its grand list and reduce the tax burden on property owners by bringing in “innovative and appropriate development” while “doing everything we can to help our existing businesses.”

Spellman said the town should capitalize on resources such as the Pawcatuck and Mystic rivers to develop an ecotourism industry that would generate revenue and jobs. He also supports expanding the uses allowed in the manufacturing zone to spur redevelopment of old mills in Pawcatuck.

Spellman said he would also work to make sure the town never again loses its flood insurance discount for residents. He said if the town has to reimburse property owners for the loss, “so be it.”

He said he would also work on an issue brought up to him by residents, changing the traffic light cycle at the intersection of Route 1 and Masons Island Road to eliminate a frequent backup.

Rotella, who works as the purchasing agent for the Town of Waterford, was the original choice of the Democratic Town Committee to run for selectman but stepped aside at the party caucus in July when former WPCA chairman Jim Sisk expressed interest in running.

When Sisk dropped out of the race because of health issues two weeks ago, the party endorsed Rotella and she agreed to run.

“I serve the taxpayers in the town where I work and now I want to serve the taxpayers where I live,” she said.

Rotella said it was a great time for her to get involved because of her professional experience. She said she has been through five school projects in Waterford and that experience will help as the town proceeds with renovating the elementary schools over the next several years.

“My experience will benefit the taxpayers and the project,” she said.

She said she has extensive experience with municipal budgets and projects “so I understand the need for transparency and efficiency. It’s what I do every day.”

When it comes to economic development, she said the town needs to do it “smartly” because “this is a beautiful town rooted in history.”

She said she wants to be involved in the school construction project and the implementation of the Plan of Conservation and Development. She promised to work tirelessly to do whatever it takes to support the needs of residents.

As for the possible disadvantage of getting into the race late, Rotella, who is the least known of the four candidates, said she is trying to play catch-up.

“I guess we’ll know on election night,” she said. “I think George and I will make a great team and achieve great things together.”

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas