2015 Darien Election

Before You Vote: Ballot Races & Candidates; Cans, Vaccinations, Girl Scout Cookies

Board of Selectman Candidates Respond to Darien LWV Question

Letter: Stevenson, Marks, Koons ‘Exceptional Individuals’

Three Candidates for First Selectmen Largely Agree on Issues

Darien Candidates Night Tuesday: A ‘Moderated Discussion’

Letter: Stevenson & Marks are Thoughtful, Work Hard, Research, Build Consensus

Letter: Selectman Candidate Koons Has Experience on Nonprofit Boards

Darien Republican Town Committee Platform: These Are Our Key Priorities

Decision Time Monday Night for Darien Republicans: Which 2 Selectmen Candidates to Nominate?

Selectman Susan Marks Says She’s a Team Player on a Successful Board

Selectman Candidate Kip Koons Says He’s Experienced in Business and a Team Player

Selectman Candidate Spencer McIlmurray Wants Concerted Effort Against State Interference

GOP Selectman Candidate Joe Warren Wants Long-Term Planning

Selectman Candidate Kip Koons’ Statement to the RTC

Letter: GOP Town Committee Asks Darien Republicans to Get to the Caucus Monday Night

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | November 3, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | November 1, 2015

Letters to the Editor

By David Gurliacci | October 21, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | October 20, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | October 20, 2015

Letters to the Editor

By David Gurliacci | October 20, 2015

Letters to the Editor

By David Gurliacci | October 18, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | October 15, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | July 27, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | July 27, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | July 26, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | July 26, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | July 26, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | July 26, 2015

Government & Politics

By David Gurliacci | July 22, 2015

When you go vote today, here’s where the races are and what to do to register — and you may be able to get a vaccination at the same place, or get Girl Scout cookies. Voting hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The candidates on the ballot

For most of the ballot, there are only as many candidates as there are seats available, with the exception of the candidates who will (or won’t) sit on the Board of Selectmen. The top five vote-getters among the eight candidates for both Board of Selectmen and first selectmen can sit on the board, so your vote matters. Republican incumbent First Selectman Jayme Stevenson is running for re-election. There is no Democratic Party candidate for first selectman, but Rob Werner and Chris Noe are both running as candidates unaffiliated with any party. Any of these candidates who are among the top five vote-getters will be eligible to sit on the Board of Selectmen if the candidate wants.

Four candidates for Board of Selectman are running in the 2015 Darien election on Tuesday. Here’s how they responded (in writing) to a written question posed to them by the Darien League of Women Voters.

From the League of Women Voters website:

Candidates for Board of Selectmen

Vote for Any TwoCandidates were asked to respond to this question:

How do you envision balancing redevelopment and infrastructure proposals while preserving our town character? Marc Thorne (D)
Recently, our town has received three new commercial/residential development proposals for downtown Darien and Noroton Heights. Of the pending proposals, it appears that Darien can expect a larger tax base, a more attractive and walkable town center, and new housing that will appeal to both younger and older people.

“Jayme Stevenson has done an outstanding job of providing forward-looking leadership to our town, including being a strong voice for Darien on regional and state matters.” _________________

To the editor:

Please join me in voting for Jayme Stevenson for First Selectman, and Susan Marks and Kip Koons for Selectmen on Nov. 3. Darien is fortunate to have these exceptional individuals to choose from this election. Jayme Stevenson has done an outstanding job of providing forward-looking leadership to our town, including being a strong voice for Darien on regional and state matters.

There were few differences of opinion between the three candidates for first selectmen at Tuesday night’s Darien League of Women Voters forum held in Town Hall. While Democrats did not put forward a party-endorsed candidate to oppose First Selectman Jayme Stevenson, a Republican running for re-election, unaffiliated candidates Rob Werner and Chris Noe will be on the ballot as alternatives. About 60 people attended the candidates forum in Town Hall Auditorium, and the event was broadcast live on Darien TV79. All three candidates agreed that state interference in local affairs, such as zoning, is generally a bad idea, that it would be good to get more affordable housing in town, particularly for those without more children who would be going into the schools. All three said cooperation between people from different political parties is a good idea.

An anouncement from the Darien League of Women Voters:

Tuesday, Oct. 20
Darien Candidates Night

Town Hall Auditorium
6:40 p.m. — Reception
7:00 p.m. — Program

The Darien League of Women Voters will once again sponsor this timed and moderated discussion involving our municipal candidates:

Contested races for 1st Selectman and Board of Selectmen. Important decisions to be made by Planning and Zoning and other Town Boards regarding the future development and character of Darien. Understand the background and positions of uncontested candidates for Board of Education and Board of Finance. Submit your questions live or on-line at lwv.darien.org

Be an informed voter!

“Jayme and Susan have always been hard-working and dedicated leaders who believe in thoroughly researching and evaluating every issue.” ___________________

To the editor:

We are writing to encourage Darien voters to cast their ballots on Nov. 3 for Jayme Stevenson, Susan Marks and Kip Koons. We have known Jayme and Susan for almost two decades and have had the honor of working alongside them during their years of volunteering at Royle School, Darien High School and on the YES DHS! Referendum Committee.

To the editor:

I have known Kip Koons for over 35 years. We first met when we were coaching Darien Youth Hockey. Since that time I have observed Kip serving in many capacities to benefit the people and town of Darien. From 1986 to 1992 he served on the Board of Darien YMCA as chair of the Finance and Nominating committees and then as president, and from 1993 to 2002 the Board of the Darien Red Cross as vice chair and chair of the Finance Committee. Additionally, since 1990 he has served on the board of the Family Centers as past vice chair, chair of the Merger Task Force and currently as chair of the Audit Committee.

Keeping local control and using town resources efficiently are among the “key priorities” in the 2015 election platform just issued by the Darien Republican Town Committee. The committee also urged voters to support its candidates in the Nov. 3 election in the following announcement:

The Darien Republican Town Committee endorses an excellent list of candidates who
exemplify the Republican Town Committee Platform as follows:

The Town of Darien is a mature, fully developed community consisting of several local commercial districts, a wide variety of low to higher density residential sub communities, a top grade public educational system, and a recreational infrastructure that
includes public beaches and parks as well as several private club facilities. As
the Town has evolved over many years, so has its utility and traffic infrastructure
much of which has been sized to accommodate existing residential density,
commercial development and transit related issues. Key priorities:

Maintain local control and efficient use of town resources;
Continue to actively engage with the newly formed regional Council of Governments;
Maintain the residential design and architecture of the town consistent with the Town
Plan of Conservation and Development and the zoning regulations;
Promote value-added redevelopment of outdated commercial, retail and residential
properties;
Promote the highest educational standards in our public schools including those
for special needs children;
Maintain and enhance existing town property resources consistent with community
needs;
Maintain and enhance Darien’s financial health and access to capital resources;
Promote a variety of residential housing for the community, including affordable
housing, consistent with the town’s zoning regulations and infrastructure
capacity.

There are four sides to this political contest in the Darien Republican Party, and every registered Republican in town can have a say in it by showing up at tonight’s GOP caucus in Town Hall. Four candidates for the Board of Selectmen are vying for two available seats. Selectman Susan Marks, who’s worked closely with First Selectman Jayme Stevenson, wants to be renominated for a second term. She didn’t get that at the last meeting of the Republican Town Committee, which chose Kip Koons and then Spencer McIlmurray as the two endorsed candidates. Former Selectman Joe Warren also applied for an endorsement, was rejected and — like Marks, submitted petition signatures to be considered in the 7 p.m. Republican Town Caucus.

A large part of the job of any selectman working with a first selectman in her own party is working cooperatively on the board together, and while other candidates may indicate they want to do that, Selectman Susan Marks has already been doing it for more than 18 months. A 26-year resident of the town, Marks says her strengths include being able to listen well and work cooperatively with others. “I think this current Board of Selectmen has worked extremely well together,” Marks said in a recent interview. “I think Jayme has done an excellent job as far as bringing the board together to get consensus.” Last winter, the board’s first budget vote was 3 to 2, with Democrats on one side, the GOP members on the other, she said.

Kip Koons (Charles A. Koons), was recruited to run for selectman by First Selectman Jayme Stevenson and Susan Marks, and all three are supporting each other as a (currently unofficial) ticket for the GOP Caucus on Monday night. The business consultant and just-about lifelong resident (he moved to town as a young child), said he was speaking with Stevenson after an April meeting of the Board of Selectmen in which state Sens. Bob Duff and Carl Leone gave the board what he considered a weak response to local concerns about state meddling in what are traditionally town concerns like zoning in the business districts. “My first task is to assist First Selectman Jayme Stevenson in maintaining a lean, responsible form of government,” Coons said in a recent interview. He then quoted from his statement to the Republican Town Committee on the night he was endorsed.

Darien town officials need to counter state interference in local taxing, zoning and housing decisions with strategies that show state lawmakers that Town Hall is addressing problems better than the state can, says Spencer McIlmurray, one of four GOP candidates for selectman. Registered Republicans will meet 7 p.m. Monday at a town caucus to select a nominee from four candidates. McIlmurray and Kip Koons are the two candidates endorsed by the Republican Town Committee. Koons, however, has said he’s running on a “ticket” with First Selectman Jayme Stevenson (who is unopposed within the Republican Party) and incumbent Selectman Susan Marks, who was not endorsed. Joe Warren is also a candidate for one of the two spots.

Joseph Warren, a member of the Board of Selectmen a decade and more ago and well-known in several roles around town, is again running for a seat on the board. If elected, one of Warren’s biggest goals for the next two years would be to make sure the town takes a long-term, integrated look at where various projects are headed, particularly the major redevelopment proposals for Noroton Heights and downtown Darien. “What I am looking at is some long-term planning — what the long-term implications of the decisions we make are going to be,” Warren said in an interview on Saturday. For the Palmer family’s proposal in Noroton Heights and the David Genovese/Penny Glassmeyer proposal for downtown, as well as for another expected proposal for the east side of Noroton Heights, Warren said:

“How are we going to manage storm runoffs? How are we going to manage sewage disposal?

On July 8, Kip Koons and three other candidates for the two Darien Board of Selectmen seats up for election this year answered questions and spoke before the Republican Town Committee. He made his application and prepared remarks available to Darienite.com. Koons and Spencer McIlmurray were each endorsed by the town committee. Two candidates who did not get the endorsement — Selectman Susan Marks (running for re-election) and Joe Warren (a former selectman) have filed petitions to challenge the endorsed candidates at the Republican Town Caucus, open to all registered Republicans in town. The town GOP caucus takes place Monday, July 27, at 7 p.m. in Town Hall Auditorium, 2 Renshaw Road.

« August 2022 »

To the editor:

The Darien Republican Town Committee announced our slate of nominees for endorsement at the July 27 Republican Caucus, including 25+-year resident Spencer McIlmurray, former RTC member currently on the RTM; along with life-long resident Kip Koons as our Republican representatives for Board of Selectmen. The RTC also nominated: Jayme Stevenson/First Selectman; Donna Rajczewski/Town Clerk; Joan Hendrickson/Town Treasurer; Kathleen Larkins/Tax Collector; James
McLaughlin and James Palen, for Board of Finance; Sarah Schneider-Zuro and
Elizabeth Hagerty-Ross for Board of Education; Richard Dolcetti /Board of Assessment Appeals; Susan Cameron and Richard DiDonna for Planning & Zoning Commission; Joseph Tarnowski and Louis Calastro for Constables. We hope all registered Republicans will join us in endorsing this exemplary and well-balanced slate and show your approval with your votes on Monday, July 27t as we move forward with new, highly qualified nominees complementing the returning candidates, to work through the difficult issues facing Darien’s future. Nanci Natale
Co-chair, Publicity Committee,
Darien RTC

Editor’s note: Darienite.com publishes letters to the editor and will accept letters about the GOP contest for the two selectmen seats up until 5 p.m. Friday, July 24. Email letters to the editor or proposed opinion articles to dave@darienite.com.