Many thanks to Lance and Edie Chernack for hosting a meet and greet at their wonderful home last night.  The candidates had a great chance to talk to local voters and I think we all appreciated it.  Here are some pictures from the event.

Claire Janowski’s Nomination Speech

Nancy Wyman’s Nominating Speech

The Town Council has our returning members Marie Herbst, Mike Winkler and Polly Schaefer. They have proven themselves time and again keeping Vernon first. Joining them will be Steve Taylor, Bill Dauphin, Jim Sendrak, Terilyn Rogers and James Krupienski.

Steve and Bill are Vice-Chairmen of the VDTC and have led the way for positive change.
Jim has cut his teeth on the Rockville Community Alliance and brings a message identifying the top 10 issues, fixing them and replacing them with new ones. Terilyn has had many years of experience in the business world and has a burning desire to share what she knows to help all. Last but not least is James. He has to be one of the most knowledgeable people in town who really knows how it all works and what we need to do to achieve greatness.

Best of all, we are reintroducing Michele Arn to the world of town government. Her experience on the BoE and in the business world allows her the ability to see through the “bull” and make the right decisions for All of Us. She will bring solid leadership and civility back to Vernon.

Now for the sales pitch: The cost of an election is extremely high. Each candidate has made a substantial contribution to the treasury to help pay for signs, brochures and advertising.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!

Please consider making a donation to the campaign. We REALLY could use money to pay for targeted mailings and spot ads. Needless to say these are all expensive and we do request your help to defray the costs.

Your can send a check to me 
Tom DiDio
112 Box Mountain Dr,
Vernon, Ct 06066

or

give it to me or Jim Swicklas at the Sept. 23rd meeting ( 7pm Police Community Room, Gary LeBeau guest speaker).

On behalf of our Democratic Team:  THANK YOU!

Tom

Joining Courtney in support of Arn’s nomination, State Comptroller Nancy Wyman praised her as a person of “integrity, honesty, hard work; a woman that understands the issues that are in front of her, understands a wide range of issues. … And there will not be any problem with energy; this is a woman with a whole lot of energy.”

State Representative Claire Janowski recalled Arn as a person who gave her advice and encouragement early in Janowski’s political career. “She also has a great reputation for not only just getting things done, but not alienating people,” she said. “She works with people; she respects and embraces those she deals with. You can believe her when she says she will restore civility… as well as fairness.”

Former State Representative Thomasina Clemons told the crowd that she was delighted when she heard Arn planned to run for mayor. “We really need you, Michele,” she said. “The town needs you, Michele. … Michele Arn is going to be the best mayor Vernon could have.”

Accepting the nomination, Arn told her fellow Democrats, “There’s no doubt that we are bound together by our desire to make Vernon a safe and affordable haven for families and businesses.” Looking forward to the campaign, Arn promised, “We will be honest about issues; no deceptions. We will be clear in our purpose; no personal agendas. And we will take the high road.” Arn promised a focus on transparency and civility in government, saying, “We will strip away secrecy; we will strip away deceit; we will strip away disrespect … we will debate, we will disagree, but we will decide, always with Vernon’s best interests at heart. We should approach our campaign with a serious eye on Vernon’s needs, a serious ear to Vernon’s citizens, and a sense of adventure.”

Joining Arn on the Democratic slate are Town Council incumbents Marie Herbst, Pauline Schaefer, and Michael Winkler, along with returning candidate Steve Taylor and new faces Bill Dauphin, James Krupienski, Terilynn Rogers, and James Sendrak. The Board of Education slate includes returning candidates Terri Goldich and Paul Stansel, joined by Kyle Percy and Christopher Prue.

 “We’re thrilled with Michele and the whole team,” said Democratic Town Committee chair Tom DiDio. “We can’t wait to start taking our message to the citizens of Vernon.”

 “Energy policy is going to be critical to the town’s future,” said Arn. “If we do it right, we can not only save the taxpayers money and protect the environment, but also bring new jobs and tax revenues into Vernon.” In addition to the direct EECBG grant, Vernon would be eligible for regional bonus grants if we could partner with one or more other towns and put together a proposal by October 15.

 Both the direct EECBG proposal and the competitive regional bonus plans must meet specific federal criteria to be eligible for funding, and careful planning will be required to ensure Vernon leverages these grants for the maximum long-term benefit. At a recent multi-town meeting in Vernon, current mayor Jason McCoy said he would be meeting with “his staff,” but to date no public hearings or Energy Efficiency Committee meetings are scheduled. “Someone should be asking the public what they want,” said Arn, “and if the administration won’t, the Democrats will. Residents who have ideas about how they’d like to see Vernon implement energy conservation and efficiency measures should e-mail me at michele@vernondemocrats.com. Also, let me know if you’d be interested in attending a public meeting on this topic.”