Montville — Days after the municipal election, the Town Council returned Monday night with a Republican majority.

Returning members Democrat Tim May, Democrat Billy Caron, Democrat Lenny Bunnell and Republican Colleen Rix were joined in the Council Chambers at Town Hall by Republicans Thomas "Tom" McNally, an incumbent, and two newcomers, Robert Yuchniuk and Al Mandler.

An organizational meeting, the Town Council took their oaths and reassigned chairpersons, committees, liaisons and approved their first round of agenda items.

McNally was elected by the council as chairperson, regaining the title after he served as chairman of the council from 2017 to 2019. He said he is "glad" to be back as chairman and is looking forward to working with all the councilors on upcoming projects.

"With the help of COVID-19 money and now the trillion-dollar infrastructure bill, we are in a great place to repair, upgrade and replace roads and other capital projects," he said. "It will be challenging to balance the windfall with the future needs and wants of the town but I'm confident we will put Montville in a better place."

Settling into her second term, Rix said she was honored to be appointed deputy chairperson by her fellow councilors and is "ready to get to work."

"It's humbling to know that the citizens of Montville know me enough to trust that I will represent them," said Rix, who received the highest number of votes in the election.

She also will serve as the liaison to the Board of Education, Farmers Market Committee and the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Caron will continue to serve as the liaison of the Commission on Aging, Commission on Nonprofit Organizations and the Social Services Department. Bunnell is the liaison for the Library Committee, Parks and Recreation Commission and the Volunteer Firefighters' Relief Fund. May will continue as liaison for the Conservation Commission.

Officially stepping down as a member of the Public Safety Commission at Monday's meeting, Yuchniuk, an animal control officer in Waterford, still will serve as liaison for the commission, as well as for the Economic Development Commission and the Youth Services Bureau and Advisory Board.

Mandler was appointed as the Town Council's representative on the Water Pollution Control Authority.

For the committees, Bunnell, Mandler and Yuchniuk will be in charge of the Town Administration/Rules of Procedures Committee. The heads of the Finance Committee are McNally, May and Mandler. In charge of the Solid Waste Disposal/Public Works Committee are McNally, Caron and May.

Caron, Mandler and McNally will take the lead in discussing the town's American Rescue Plan expenses in the Ad-Hoc COVID-19 Impact Study Committee.

Before adjourning, the newly elected councilors congratulated one another and thanked the public for their election.

j.vazquez@theday.com