Republicans win control of Montville Town Council
Montville — Republicans wrested control of the Town Council away from Democrats on Election Day.
A number of familiar faces ran for Town Council this year, including, among Republicans, former council Chairman Thomas McNally, who will rejoin the council with 1,685 votes, current Councilor Colleen Rix, reelected with 1,866 votes, and former Councilor Wills Pike, who earned a council position with 1,753 votes.
Pike decided to stay on the Board of Education, giving Republican Alfred Mandler, who garnered 1,533 votes, a spot on the council. On the Democratic side, current council Chairman Tim May will remain with 1,534 votes. Current councilor Billy Caron will stay on with 1,755 votes. Lenny Bunnell will stay on with 1,540 votes. Republicans Robert Yuchniuk will join the council with 1,636 votes.
McNally, the Republican Town Committee Chair, said he was pleased with Tuesday's outcome.
"I am happy to see the town of Montville support the Republican team," he said. "The town liked a lot of the positive changes we made in 2017-2019, and we will continue to move the town forward in a positive yet fiscally responsible way."
May, who is the Democratic Town Committee Chair, spoke after results came in Tuesday.
"I'm pleased with our effort. We worked hard, made a lot of phone calls, did a lot of mailings," he said. "Quite frankly the Dems did not come out to vote today, and it's probably a reflection of the national temperature. We get a lot of good feedback when we talk to people, but for whatever reason they didn't come out today."
Most candidates agree that the town should remove the resident state trooper program and transition into an independent police department. Most candidates also said they see an opportunity for more affordable housing and for the town to capitalize on recreational marijuana.
Questions on mask and vaccine mandates, school programs and issues of transparency with the public were all a part of campaign season.
Five Democrats and three Republicans vied for five spots on the school board.
With five positions up for grabs, the winners were: Democrats Tara Crossley, who earned 1,451 votes, and Tim Shanahan, who garnered 1,446 votes, as well as Republicans Florence Turner, with 2,016 votes, Pike, with 1,683 votes and Tina Grove, who had 1,664 votes.
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