Groton — The Groton Republican and Democratic Town Committees have endorsed their slates of candidates for Town Council, Board of Education and Representative Town Meeting for the upcoming November municipal election.

Republican Town Committee

The Republican Town Committee this month endorsed a slate for Town Council that includes Lauren Gauthier, a special projects manager for an oyster farm; Angela McGuirk, Army veteran and branch manager for Navy Federal Credit Union; former Town Mayor Bruce Flax, a Mystic Chamber of Commerce board member; Eric Ossmann, an IT coordinator for a bank in Essex; Chase Foster, an Electric Boat engineer; David Preka, business owner and former chair of the Groton Economic Development Commission; Kenneth Richards III, emergency medical services administrator at The Westerly Ambulance Corps Inc. who ran last year for state representative for the 41st District; Jenn White, a former delegate on the Groton Charter Revision Commission with work experience in planning, financial reporting and expense management; and Former Town Mayor and retired Pfizer chemist Harry Watson, according to biographies provided by the RTC. 

"All are committed to working for Groton to enhance its potential and bring new life and ideas to the political process," Richards, who also is Republican Town Committee chairman, said in a statement. "This slate offers candidates with innovative perspectives while retaining those with a deep knowledge of Town and its workings which is exactly the type of quality and substance the Town can greatly benefit from in a Council."

For the Board of Education, the RTC endorsed incumbents Gretchen Newsome and Jay Weitlauf, as well as Bruce McDermott, Daniel Hetzel and Bonnie Nault, according to the certificate of party endorsement.

For Representative Town Meeting, the RTC endorsed Karin Adams and Kathy Chase in District 1; Ossmann in District 2; Foster, Taylor Salva, James Streeter and Irma Streeter in District 3; David Gauthier, Robert Bailey and Lauren Gauthier in District 4; Susan Deane-Shinbrot, Rosanne Kotowski and Diane Barber in District 5; John Piacenza, Thomas Frickman, McDermott and Flax in District 6; Paul McGuirk, Scott Newsome and Lynn Crockett Hubbard in District 7, the endorsement list states.

Democratic Town Committee

The Democratic Town Committee has endorsed its slate of candidates.

"We sought a broad spectrum of candidates that reflect core Democratic values, are equipped to vigorously challenge long held assumptions and will equally represent the entire Town and not just a single corner or neighborhood as we seek to build a better Groton for all of us," DTC Chairman Conrad Heede said by email.

The DTC endorsed for Town Council incumbents David Atwater, a former selectman in Maine; Aundré Bumgardner, former state representative for the 41st District who is employed by the state treasurer; Rachael Franco, business manager at Norwich Family Dental Associates; Town Mayor Patrice Granatosky, teacher at Ella T. Grasso Technical High School; Lian Obrey, Realtor and former RTM member; Juliette Parker, a former RTM member who works for the City of Groton Police Department; and Joe Zeppieri, an attorney and former member of the Zoning Board of Appeals in Groton City, according to biographies provided by the DTC. The DTC sought to add at least two new faces to the mix and endorsed Portia Bordelon, a member of the RTM and medical assistant and surgical tech, and Juan Melendez, a member of the RTM and Realtor, Heede said.

With more candidates than positions available for the Council, Board of Education, and some RTM districts, Town Councilors Heede and Rita Schmidt said they are not running for re-election to give new people a chance. Schmidt said she will continue to be involved in tourism, while Heede said he would like the opportunity to join a board/commission and also focus on census efforts.

"There are so many sharp young people that I believe they deserve the right to be represented on the Council," Schmidt said by phone.

"I am very proud of the challenges overcome and accomplishments achieved during this council’s term and feel strongly the Democratic nominees for Council will continue to move Groton in a fiscally responsible and socially/environmentally sustainable direction that will improve Groton for all of us," Heede said, adding that he definitely would consider running again in the future.

For Board of Education, the DTC endorsed incumbents Kim Shepardson-Watson and Rita Volkmann, as well as Elizabeth Porter, Dane Stevenson and Frances Whitney, according to the certificate of party endorsement.

For RTM, the DTC endorsed Wilmer Lambert, Roscoe Merritt, Sheila Perry, Ali Starkley and Nancy Vail in District 1; Bordelon, Syma Ebbin and Beverly Washington in District 2; Albert Colon, Autumn Hanscom, Stevenson and Jill Rusk in District 3; Nancy Driscoll, Kristen Powers, Shawn Powers, Judith Strode and Michael Whitehouse in District 4; Melinda Cassiere, Melendez, Gary Welles and Michael Whitney in District 5; Franco, Cindy Fortner, Jim Gustavson, Doug Monaghan and Kate Richards in District 6; and Clarence Casper, Jen Desillier-Fleming, Bruce Jones and Nancy Mello Miller in District 7, the endorsement list states.

k.drelich@theday.com