November 6, 2013

City Council split between Democrats, Republicans

The Republican hold on the City Council slipped a bit Tuesday.
Ellen Zoppo-Sassu
Instead of holding five of the six council seats, the GOP emerged from Tuesday’s voting with three seats, two of them held by incumbents who sought reelection.
But with a Republican mayor, the GOP still has control of City Hall, if its members stick together.
Three Democrats won election to the council – Calvin Brown in the 1st District and two in the 3rd District, Mary Fortier and Ellen Zoppo-Sassu.
Mary Fortier
On the GOP side, incumbents Henri Martin and Eric Carlson won along with newcomer Rich Miecznikowski, the longtime chairman of the Board of Finance.
“We’re disappointed, yes, but we’re not down,” Martin said. “We took a hit here.”
He said the GOP councilors knew “we had targets on our backs” because they’d pushed an anti-spending agenda.
“We knew we were in the fight of our lives,” Martin said. “We surprised them two years ago. We knew they were going to come back and fight.”
One GOP incumbent, Derek Czenczelewski , fell short.
Calvin Brown
Jim Albert, a Republican who stepped into the race two months ago to fill a vacancy, said he’ll be glad to get his life back after nonstop campaigning.
Brown, 21, may be the youngest person elected to the council. He  said he worked hard in the 1st District to knock on many doors and reach out to many voters this year.
He said he is looking forward "to working with the entire new administration."
Bob Vojtek, a Democrat who ran unsuccessfully in the 2nd District, told party regulars at the headquarters after the polls that he plans to take another shot at the council in 2015.
Miecznikowski said he’ll resign from the finance board when he takes office as a council member.
“Hopefully I can do you guys proud,” he told Republicans at Nuchies.
The winners take office next Monday. Details of the swearing-in ceremony haven’t been worked out yet.

Copyright 2013 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

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