Stortz and the Republicans

It says something that most of the Republican ticket came together in the hope that incumbent GOP Mayor William Stortz would call it quits this year.
Joe Geladino, who is running as a Republican in the 2nd District City Council race, said Thursday he'd been talking with the party chairman since January about the possibility of leaping into the fray. He got in because he liked what Ken Johnson, a GOP mayoral hopeful, had to say.
"I'm thrilled that Joe responded," Johnson said.
Johnson has assembled a ticket that includes council contenders Geladino, Ken Cockayne and Bob Merrick. He's also on good terms with incumbent Republican Councilor Mike Rimcoski, who is seeking another stint in the 1st District.
What's interesting is that nobody in the GOP seems to know if Stortz will run again, and the mayor himself remains mum on the topic.
Johnson said he sent Stortz a note recently. He hasn't heard back yet.
Johnson said, though, that he's hoping to avoid a Sept. 11 primary with Stortz. The Republican Town Committee is likely to back Johnson, since it's never had any great love of Stortz (who had to get the mayoral nomination in 2003 by defeating an unknown that the party picked over him).
Republican Chairman Art Mocabee said he doesn't have any idea whether Stortz intends to seek another term. He said the mayor will probably decide at the last second.
Geladino said he personally "values the mayor's friendship" and doesn't have any criticism to level at Stortz.
"He's done the best he could" given the Democratic-controlled council, Geladino said.
But what Bristol needs, both Johnson and Geladino said, is "a team of business people" in order to offer voters something different than what they've seen at City Hall for a long time.
Mocabee, who's working closely with Johnson and the candidates who have declared so far, said that he's been trying to recruit candidates who are "Bristol-first kinds of folks."
He said he wants candidates who are ready to compromise in order "to move the city's agenda ahead."