Stonington elects four new school board members
Stonington — Residents on Tuesday elected four new members to the Board of Education.
Democrats Sara Baker (2,485 votes), Daniel Kelley (2,455) and Chris Donahue (2,704) were elected as well as Republican Kevin Agnello (2,140). They will join Democrats Farouk Rajab, Craig Esposito and Republican Heidi Simmons, who were not up for reelection. The board, however, has a long history of bipartisanship and not voting along party lines.
Republicans Nicholas Tewell (1,785) and Jan MacGregor (1,722) were the unsuccessful candidates.
The four new members immediately will face the review of the proposed 2021-22 budget, decisions on how to spend federal COVID-19 funding and beginning the search for a new superintendent, as Van Riley has notified the school board he is resigning but will stay on board until his successor is hired.
In addition, residents elected four candidates to seats on the Board of Finance, which is responsible for not only developing the annual budget but shaping the town's fiscal policies. Those elected were unaffiliated incumbent Lynn Young (3,926 votes), incumbent Democratic Chairman Tim O'Brien (2,447), incumbent Democrat Michael Fauerbach (2,371) and Democratic newcomer Chris Johnson (2,401) were chosen for the four-year positions.
Longtime Republican incumbent Glenn Frishman (1,877) and Republican Faith Leitner (1,951) were the unsuccessful candidates.
The races here for first selectman and Board of Selectmen were uncontested, which means incumbent unaffiliated voter Danielle Chesebrough, who was endorsed by both the Democratic and Republican town committees, will serve as first selectman for the next two years.
Democrat June Strunk and Republican Deborah Motycka Downie, both incumbents, also will serve two more years, which means the makeup of the Board of Selectmen will remain unchanged. Their vote totals were not yet available late Tuesday night.
In the race for treasurer, Democratic incumbent Sandy Grimes defeated Republican Jill Beaudoin by a vote of 2,531 to 1,647.
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