Democrats Mix It Up on the November Ticket

Members of the Democratic Town Committee met Thursday night to endorse a slate of candidates for the municipal election in November that was as notable for its new faces as it was for those missing.

Only one incumbent on the current town council, Craig Nussbaum, was chosen by the four member nominating committee to seek reelection this fall. In addition to Nussbaum, the nominating committee tapped Rick Field, Josh Freeman, Jan Rubino and J.P. Olynyk to round out the town committee’s endorsed slate.

Three of the party’s remaining four town council incumbents, including Chairman Frederick M. Daniels, chose not to seek reelection. The other two are council members Francis Kennedy and Jack Flynn.  

The fourth incumbent, council Vice Chairwoman MaryAnn Delaney Tuttle, did not receive the party’s endorsement Thursday night, which didn’t come as a surprise to her.

Tuttle stayed away from the town committee meeting held at the Gehring Road home of local party Chairwoman Sara-Beth Nivison. Tuttle said she wanted to avoid mixing it up with fellow Democrats.

Although she didn’t name names, a written statement released by Tuttle before the meeting made it clear that she is at odds with a faction of the party that supports Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Michael Cardin.

Cardin, a former teacher at Tolland Middle School, recently gave up his teaching license amid allegations of improper behavior toward students although criminal charges against him were not prosecuted and may be dismissed.

“Over the past few months I have repeatedly expressed my dismay and concern to the leaders of the Democratic Town Committee concerning their continued support of another candidate whose apparently well-documented and degrading behavior towards women is in my view both at odds with the traditions of my party and personally repugnant to me,” Tuttle said in a prepared statement.

Cardin has denied the allegations of misconduct that were contained in the warrant that led to a felony child endangerment charge against him in the fall of 2010. In March, after reviewing the warrant and speaking with the student whose statements led to the felony charge, Assistant State’s Attorney Adam Scott declined to pursue the case in exchange for Cardin’s giving up his teaching license.

Cardin had also been disciplined by school officials after making a lewd comment to a female teacher and sending another female colleague a sexually-charged e-mail, which he apologized for later.

Tuttle had also crossed political swords with Cardin over the Tolland Village Area development plan that would likely increase traffic on Cider Mill Road in the vicinity of Crandall Park, the town’s main recreation area. Tuttle said she considers “certain aspects” of the project are “unsound, unsafe and will alter the character of Tolland drastically.” She has echoed Fire Chief John Littel’s concerns about the potential for development along both sides of Route 195 north of Interstate 84 to worsen traffic congestion that could hamper emergency vehicles in the area.

The commission under Cardin sees the development plan as a guide for future development that would allow for adjustments of roads and site plans to accommodate any additional traffic and emergency services needs.

Nivison, as local party chairwoman, served as an ex-officio member of the nominating committee who would vote only in cases of a tie among the four committee members: William Pakulis, chairman, and members Marilee Beebe, David Barrow and Robert Rubino. Beebe and Barrow serve on the planning commission with Cardin. Robert Rubino is married to Jan Rubino who the committee named to run for a seat on the town council.

Nivison sidestepped a question about the tension between Cardin and Tuttle, both members of the town committee. Nivison has said she welcomes Cardin’s bid for re-election to a four-year term on the planning and zoning commission.

“I have nothing but respect and admiration for her (Tuttle),” Nivison said. “But we needed to move forward with a cohesive slate.”

In the end, committee members voted 13 to 1 in favor of the slate put forth by the nominating committee. Karen Bresciano, an incumbent member of the school board who was named to the committee’s election slate Thursday night, was the lone dissenting vote was cast.   

“I’m uncomfortable with Mike Cardin being on the Democratic ticket,” Bresciano said in explaining her vote against the slate that included her own name. She declined further comment except to say that she only learned who would be on the party-endorsed slate Thursday night.

The full slate will be presented at the local party caucus that will be held the evening of July 26, the exact time to be determined, in the community room in the Hicks Memorial Municipal Center, at 21 Tolland Green. The caucus is open to all registered Democrats in Tolland. Under party rules, registered Democrats at the caucus are allowed to challenge the party-endorsed slate and may place other names in nomination, possibly forcing a runoff vote for a place on the ballot.

The Tolland Democratic Town Committee endorsed slate for the Nov. 8 municipal election is as follows:

Town Council: Rick Field, Josh Freeman, Craig Nussbaum (I), Jan Rubino and J. P. Olynyk.

Board of Education: Gayle Block (I), Karen Bresciano (I), Diane Clokey (I), Tom Frattaroli (I), and Brenda Falusi.

Planning and Zoning Commission: Michael Cardin (I), Dave Fluckiger, and John Hughes (Alternate).

Zoning Board of Appeals: Vincent A. Avino (I) and Peg Boyajian (I)