Hopeful and United, Farmington Dems Pick Slate

United and hopeful, Farmington Democrats met Tuesday to nominate a slate of candidates for the fall municipal elections.

Heading the ticket was the venerable Igor Sikorsky, for Town Council chairman. The Unionville resident and the son of the inventor of the helicopter, has lent his name to the slate but will probably not stay through the elections.

“If I were 20 years younger,” he told the assembled Democrats, “I’d be happy to stay with you,” adding that, “this party has to stand up now.

The party sought to return Mike Demicco to his First District council seat, and chose Dave Wlodkowski to join him. The newcomer is an architect and works with the state Department of Construction Services. He and his wife had three children in Farmington schools but the eldest, Dustin, has just graduated.

Demicco noted that Democrats have been attempting for years to get control of the council, adding that it makes a difference who is on that body. He said the other party is more willing to sacrifice some services to keep taxes low. He recalled that, when he was first elected to the council, he was one of three Democrats and together they were successfully able to push for tax relief for senior citizens, for economic development and the creation of a clean energy taskforce, now known as the green energy task force.

“We pushed and we got it through,” he said.

Now, he added, he was focusing on greater accessibility for handicapped persons and a dog park.

His chances of getting the Democratic majority he seeks may be closer than ever, since, for the first time, Farmington has more registered Democrats, 5,265, than Republicans, 4,389. But the Independents, with 7,036, are the people who make a difference in the election.

To woo them, Wlodkowski said,”this is a time to step up and bring new ideas.”

Democrats hope to return John Vibert, of the Second District, to his seat on the council and want Rob Huelin, a corporate attorney who served on the council from 2006 to 2007 to join him.

Vibert pointed to turnout in the last referendum, noting it hasn’t been good, and said the party’s job would be to get people excited.

At the Board of Education level, voters will be asked to return three veterans, Chairman Mary Grace Reed, Vice Chairman Betsy Kaplan and Heidi Steir.

Reed thanked the party for supporting her for the last 20 years and said her "heart, head and mind were more into this job than at any time since I ran,” noting the challenging times for school boards.

“You can choose to run or you can choose to run away,” she said. “This is not the time to run away,” she said.

But, she added, Farmington does not expect partisan politics from its Board of Education.

Perhaps, said caucus chairman Michael C. Daly, but the candidates must recognize what “our neighbors are looking for.” The Democrats are not the controlling party, he said. The message: “If you’re not happy, give us a shot.”

Other members of the party’s slate include Peter Bagdigian and Jack Matava, for Planning and Zoning from 2012 to 20126, Mary Jane Parlow and Todd Litchfield as TPZ alternatives; Katy Perry and Patricia Bagdigian for Zoning Board of Appeal from 2012 to 20126, and alternates Kerry Robair and Ned Statchen. Constable candidates include Riju Das and Robert Parker. Robert Bezz will stand for Board of Assessment Appeals.

As a kick-off to the fall campaign, the party plans a fundraiser on Thursday, Aug. 4 at the Green Tea Restaurant on Route 4. The meet-and-greet will feature both local candidates and candidates for the 5th Congressional seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy.