Category Archives: slate

Candidate for First Selectman, Don Lowe

From Town Tribune, Oct 19, 2023

First Selectman Don Lowe

I have been your First Selectman since 2018 and I am running for re-election. Lately, the Sherman School renovation project and subsequent failed referendum has been the number one issue in Sherman and it’s the number one issue for me, too – and then there’s about 25 other things I attend to that keep Sherman running smoothly.

In the clamor over the school, a few residents have forgotten how well Sherman has done over the last 6 years. Due to a teamwork approach, Sherman has never been financially stronger, the synergy between Town entities (SVFD, Public Works, Park and Rec, Senor Center, Library, etc.) has never been as efficient, and the effectiveness from the “lack of politics” over the last 6 years has been refreshing. Now, with the acrimony over the school, Sherman has had a taste of what it used to be like here on a weekly basis: Every issue a battleground, the borders drawn by a few extremists fighting unfairly to win their point. I. Do. Not. Want. To. Go. Back. To. That. And we won’t if I’m re-elected.

As I said the school vote results are on people’s minds and I have received criticism from No voters and YES voters alike for not supporting their point-of-view. There is a certain misunderstanding of the Board of Selectmen’s role here. Our primary function is to bring issues and projects to the voters. Yes, we can lobby one way or the other when it’s appropriate, but our primary function is to see that voters understand the facts, have access to them, and then to let the voters speak. This is called democracy, and I’m all for it! Sometimes, though, we don’t get what we want in a democracy. And if someone is mad at me over that, and willing to forget 6 years of success from an effective and responsive Board of Selectmen to be a single-issue voter, then so be it. But while they are mad at me over one issue, the rest of the Town needs safe-keeping.

Just a word about information from dubious sources on my wanting to be re-elected to keep my salary. Frankly, that’s offensive. It’s also wrong. Believe me, I can make more money doing many other things than working 60 hours a week on a Sherman First Selectman salary – by the way, among the worst salaries of Town CEO’s in the 169 Connecticut towns.

I want to be re-elected so that I can finish what I’ve started. I want to give Sherman voters an opportunity to vote on a fully functioning school facility, the opportunity to vote on a much-needed new Senior Center, and to vote on more docks at the Town beach. I want Wakeman Hill Road resurfaced this spring. I want to continue advocating that the State leave our zoning alone and let us manage Sherman the way WE want to manage it. I want to supervise the construction of the pickle ball courts this late spring in order to realize the grant that I received to build them. I want to oversee, now that we have so efficiently repaired and revived it, the development of Happy Acres into a thriving public entity. I want to continue to assist the excellence of our emergency services. I want to continue increasing our Park-and-Rec offerings. I want to continue our tree cutting efforts because it’s working.

This is enjoyable work for me and I’m good at it. That’s why you often see me with a smile on my face. It’s a privilege to come to work in a job I love and a job where I help people every day. Sometimes that help is with high level planning and projects, sometimes it’s in finding efficiencies that make life easier or less expensive for residents, and sometimes it’s in answering complaints and addressing individual needs. Heck, sometimes it’s chasing cows and pigs off a roadway. Every day is interesting. In six years I’ve taken seven days off.

One more thing: our Board of Selectmen always has the future of Sherman on our minds. We recognize the delicate balancing of retaining Sherman’s rural aspects, keeping taxes low enough to make us an attractive town to move to while also keeping our residents on fixed incomes living here, and in attracting a population that serves our volunteer needs (especially the SVFD’s needs). We also see value in adding to our commercial base. Sherman’s future depends on making us an attractive town for families to move to. This is why a strong school is necessary; this is why low taxes and all of the other components of Sherman success are necessary. Depend on me, Joel Bruzinski, and Bob Ostrosky, to keep our eye on Sherman’s present while never losing sight of the future.

Candidate for Selectman: Joel Bruzinski

Published in the Town Tribune on Oct 12, 2023

On Saturday, October 7th the voters of Sherman decisively voted “no” to the version of the school building project presented to them by the Sherman School Building Committee (SSBC).

For almost two years I have served on the SSBC as the representative of the Board of Selectman. During that time, we have openly and actively encouraged our members to challenge each other, voice dissenting opinions, and embrace push-back and challenges from the community and town entities all in the interest of bringing the best possible options to the voters of Sherman. SSBC members brought a myriad of professional expertise and countless volunteer hours to work for the community they love and believe in. I could not be prouder of my fellow members of the SSBC and have been honored to be able to work with them. Sherman must now decide how to move forward with a solution to our critical school facility issue. I would encourage all of you, particularly if you were a “no” vote, to reach out to the SSBC at sbc@shermanschool.com and let us know your thoughts on how to deal with this issue in a manner that best serves Sherman.

Two recent occurrences in the lead-up to the referendum deserve some mention. The first is an anonymous email that was circulated to people who had not solicited it, from a list or lists the sender was likely not supposed to have. This email contained conspiracy theories about the school building project, vicious personal attacks on certain SSBC members, and even a swipe at special needs students. It was cowardly and divisive and did nothing to serve the needs or represent the values of our town. The author did lament the change that inevitably comes to a town like ours and, after 25 years of living here, I find myself grumbling about certain changes at times too. But change is inevitable. It is how we, as a community, choose to address that change that ultimately determines if it is a positive change or not.

The second instance involves a “Vote No” ad placed in the Town Tribune the last issue before the referendum. Most notably, this ad was from four former members of the Sherman Board of Education, and this surprised me because, despite their concerns, only one of the authors of this ad had engaged the SSBC in any meaningful way over the last two years, across hundreds of hours of public meetings and four community forums. Furthermore, at the root of its argument the ad cited a very alarming collapse of our real estate market and a complete “paradigm shift” in the world of education in Sherman’s near future as its core reasons to vote “no” to improving our school in the proposed fashion. Yet, these very reasons that necessitated this last-minute, the self-funded, full-page ad had never been called to the attention of the SSBC where they could have been discussed, addressed, and collaborated on. I genuinely do respect these four individuals for their many, many years of volunteer service to Sherman but am surprised and disappointed that they chose this most recent tact to influence the future of their town. Sherman is still faced with an immediate need to address our school facility. Moving forward this need will not be best served by cowardly, unsolicited, and anonymous emails and last-minute ads that don’t allow for the exchange of ideas or collaboration. Sherman can do better. We must.

Collaboration is, however, exactly what 1 have experienced over my first term on the Board of Selectman. I have greatly enjoyed working with our First Selectman Don Lowe. His 12 years of experience on the Board of Selectman are evident in his proficiency of service to the town. While Don and I have agreed on most issues we have had some hearty debate over a few things and have always come to a solution that has been in the town’s best interest. The ballot in November will, of course, show that I am running “against” fellow selectman Bob Ostrosky. While that is technically true, I am actually running to get back on the board with Bob. 1 have very much enjoyed working with Bob. His ten years as a selectman are plain to see in every facet of how he conducts himself on the board. Bob has both challenged me and encouraged me as I have learned the job of selectman. I feel we, as a Board of Selectman, have really found a one-off, collaborative balance of varied skill sets and points of view that serve Sherman extraordinarily well. 1 hope the voters will put me back on the same team with Don Lowe and Bob Ostrosky in November. Finally, I would like to thank Ruth Bums and Liz LaVia for their kindness, patience, and professionalism in bringing me up to speed over the last two years. They are both truly wonderful and absolute assets for the town.

Letter to the Editor: Richard Connell for Treasurer

I have known Richard Connell for many years. He is a very warm and conscientious friend.  I am thrilled that he has stepped forward to be a candidate for treasurer because I think he is uniquely qualified.

He has been an active Sherman citizen for over 23 years with his wife, Mary Jane Magoon, a prominent local artist.

Rich has had a long career on Wall Street including being head of Global Fund Administration for a $14 Billion Hedge Fund. His primary responsibilities had a heavy emphasis on compliance, due diligence, and budgeting. He’s also had major wins in instituting cost-saving systems and measures

I know Rich to be very detail-oriented and compelled to do any task to the utmost.  With Rich recently, retired, I bet he has more flexibility to devote all the hours needed to be treasurer than someone working full time.

Being Treasurer is a perfect extension of his decades-long history of volunteering for Sherman. His financial sector experience, availability, and willingness to put in the time and energy make him uniquely qualified. I urge my fellow Shermanites to vote for Rich on Nov 7th.

Jeff Ginsburg, Sherman Oct 12, 2023

Meet the Candidate: Rich Connell

October 9, 2023

Hello Sherman Friends!

I am excited to share with you that I am running as a candidate to be Sherman’s next Town Treasurer.  I have had a long career on Wall Street including being head of Global ($14 Billion) Fund Administration. I am a full-time resident for over 23 years. You may know me from my many roles around town: serving on the Board of Directors for the Sherman Library, volunteering for Naomi, or being the husband of Mary Jane Magoon, a prominent local artist. I am proud of our family of three sons and seven grandchildren.

With the current Town Treasurer retiring and my own recent retirement, I can fully commit my time, experience, and education to serving our community and ensuring its financial security.

I am a fiscal conservative and believe that the Treasurer must operate in an impartial and non-political manner at all times. I am a registered Independent who has consistently voted on the merits of a candidate, not the party they belong to.  

Upon seeing my qualifications, the Democratic party was “excited” to ask me to run as the next Treasurer. To use their words, they felt I was “the right person at the right time”.

As head of Global Fund Administration for a $14 billion hedge fund, I performed due diligence on over 400 executing brokers while working with all the major domestic and international brokerage houses in the world.    Highlights of my  16  years in this area include identifying a  weakness in broker analysis and introducing a  platform that strengthened our commitment to the  Patriot  Act and reduced questionable trading. I also revamped a system for processing trade confirmations, saving over $180,000 in one year.

After leaving the hedge fund for work closer to home,  I became a  conflict resolution specialist for six years, resolving differences between my employer, one of the largest energy companies in the Northeast, and its large-volume consumers.

I have a bachelor’s degree in management from Western Connecticut State University’s Ancell  School of  Business.  To complete an additional degree in paralegal studies,  I interned at the Department of Justice where I researched case law and drafted Medicare fraud complaints for federal court.

As Sherman’s Town treasurer, through my career and even internship, I have developed strong skills for ensuring that our town’s finances are managed optimally and comply with sound accounting practices.

As a twenty-three-year resident, my passion is for making Sherman a better place to live, work, and play. Folks in town know me as one who cares deeply about our town’s quality of life.  I am well qualified in temperament, motivation, and experience to work with town officials, staff, and citizens to achieve our common goals and address our challenges.

Might I have your vote for Sherman’s next Treasurer?

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at RichardJConnellJr@gmail.com.

Ready on day one and fully committed,

Richard Connell

A Great BOS Team: Promises, Successes

By First Selectman Don Lowe in Town Tribune, September 28, 2023

(editor note: The title was added by the SDTC webmaster, not by Don)

Friends and Neighbors,

I have had the privilege of serving as your First Selectman since 2018. I’m asking for your vote to serve Sherman for two more years.

PROMISES: When I ran in 2017 and you elected me, all I had to offer were promises. I promised to keep Sherman financially strong, promised to budget prudently, to manage Sherman responsively and effectively, and to be actively engaged on issues concerning our seniors, our Sherman School, emergency services, public works, Flappy Acres Farm, Candlewood Lake, and other Sherman matters. And, as I will point out later in the column, all of those promises have been met and Sherman has thrived in the last six years.

SUCCESS: But I didn’t do this alone. This success has taken an entire team of good people working together. The only thing 1 can truly take credit for is my ability to get people to work together. I’m pretty good at that. When I started in 2018, I made a conscious decision to not be concerned about politics, to work in a non-partisan way that incorporates the skills of many amazing people. And it starts with my Board of Selectmen (BOS). I can’t say enough good things about both of the selectmen, Joel Bruzinski and Bob Ostrosky.

A GREAT SELECTMAN: Joel Bruzinski has been on the board for two years now and has made a tremendous difference with his good judgment and his conscientious work ethic. (Previous to this, Kevin Keenan was the democrat selectman and he served the town exceedingly well too!) Joel brings a hands-on business acumen and is an old-school conservative when it comes to spending tax-‘ payers’ money. He graciously stepped up as a committed member of the Sherman School Building Committee and has served as the BOS’s liaison for that critical project. He works cheerfully and honestly for Sherman, has a strong sense of planning and Sherman’s future, and I’m proud to call him a fellow board member.

ANOTHER GREAT SELECTMAN: Bob Ostrosky, on the Republican ticket, has served on the BOS for 10 years and is, in my opinion, an unsung hero for his repeated good judgment and for the care that he puts into his decisions. Bob brings corporate management skills to the table and keeps the BOS on track both procedurally and progressively. Like Joel, he has a vision for Sherman’s future and he bases many of his decisions on where Sherman will be in the near and the far future. Bob is exceptionally strong at creating budgets and finding the most economically sound ways to use taxpayers’ money to keep Sherman running well.

RESULTS: This is not some “rubber stamp” Board of Selectmen where all three plod along in sleepy lockstep with each other. Quite the opposite. We disagree but without the political backstabbing, we disagree to find the best solutions, and we disagree politely and constructively.. Consequently, this BOS has leveraged some favorable financial circumstances to save Sherman taxpayers money by budgeting tax decreases five years in a row. We also nearly doubled the Sherman surplus/rainy day fund, and overall, as taxes dropped services increased. As a board, we completely revived and repaired Happy Acres farm and we have shepherded successful capital projects on every single Sherman-owned entity. It’s been a good six years for Sherman. For Sherman’s well-being, I hope all three of us are back working together for two more years.

THE SHERMAN SCHOOL: Saturday, October 7 will be the referendum to fund a plan to renovate the Sherman School in order to fix the building’s severe infrastructure issues and to right-size the building for current and projected K-to-8 enrollment. If that referendum passes, it will be full speed ahead to make that building whole again. If the referendum fails, it will still be full speed ahead to make that building right again. As long as I’m the First Selectman, we will find a way. Sherman is greatly marginalized when its school building – its most expensive asset – is marginalized. An even worse scenario would be regionalization in which we send our young students to other schools. That’s unacceptable. Property values are dependent on a strong school and the Sherman School is a key part of our Town culture. I’m proud to have put three children through the Sherman School and am pleased that others, in years past, voted to fund the school for them. Now it’s time to fund the school to make it whole for new generations for years to come.

COMING UP: In my next campaign column, I will write about what is expected of a First Selectman to serve Sherman correctly. I will mention others who have furthered the collective improvement of Sherman over these last six years. I will outline, specifically, a list of successful capital projects completed over these last six years

Excerpts from Don Lowe’s Campaign Kickoff Letter

June 2023

Dear Sherman Friends and Neighbors,                        

Over the last six years, you have generously supported my three elections to First Selectman and that support has borne fruit. Yes, it’s been a wonderful six years for Sherman.  I will be running again this year…let’s keep a good thing going! 

Working together with other talented team members, these six years have seen historic financial good for Sherman:  Taxes decreased more than 12%, while our Rainy Day Fund nearly doubled to more than 5 million dollars, our capital fund has increased, all six budgets ended in the black, and Sherman is in the finest financial shape ever witnessed. 

But that’s not all: numerous critical capital projects were completed on time and under budget including the successful re-imagining of Happy Acres Farm, new bathrooms at Veterans Field, and significant capital repairs on every Town-owned building.  

In 2017, when I first ran, I promised efficiency and responsiveness.   The relationship between the Town and emergency services has never been stronger as we continue to improve responsiveness during all types of emergencies.   A wide range of accomplishments – big and small — point to efficiency and responsiveness, which has put Sherman in a better position financially, ensured the safety and well-being of our community, streamlined operations so that our facilities and public services are properly managed, and has lent an air of “things are good” to the Town.  

Another accomplishment has been the absence of “politics” in Sherman through a teamwork approach which includes members of all parties in decision-making as seen especially in the work of the Board of Selectmen. Selectmen Bob Ostrosky (REP) and Joel Bruzinski (DEM) are both excellent for Sherman and, thankfully, are both running again. 

I look forward to serving Sherman for a fourth term and will be forever grateful for your support. There are challenges ahead – the Sherman School repair, unfunded state mandates concerning housing, a demand for more parks and recreation programs, and an increasing senior population that needs increased services.

As we had with past challenges, the current Board of Selectmen (Bob, Joel, and myself), if elected to another term, will continue at full strength.  

Callahan and Ginsburg, running for 108th District, share Candlewood Lake as priority but little else

Callahan and Ginsburg, running for 108th District, share Candlewood Lake as priority but little else

by Kendra Baker, Oct 7, 2022

Patrick Callahan and Jeff Ginsburg have little in common, aside from their love of Candlewood Lake.

As they seek to be elected state representative of Connecticut’s 108th House District this November, the candidates present distinctive perspectives on how to improve the state and cite different priorities from addressing youth crime to supporting senior citizens.

Callahan is a longtime New Fairfield resident, seeking a second term in the seat he’s held since defeating Democrat Dannette Onofrio in the 2020 election.

“I’m looking forward to how productive I can be with the relationships I’ve taken the past two years to develop,” said the Republican incumbent, who has served on the legislature’s Education, Environment, Judiciary and Juvenile Justice Policy & Oversight committees.

“You’re getting your feet wet your freshman first two years,” Callahan said, “and I feel like I’ve made some really great connections and working relationships with both sides of the aisle.”

Ginsburg — a Democrat who’s lived in Sherman for nearly 20 years — said he decided to run for the 108th House District seat for several reasons.

“I realized that the towns have a number of common interests, and I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I like advocating for those interests,” he said. “I have a threshold of experience working in and with local organizations, and I think it’s time that I start giving back.”

In addition to serving as chair of the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, Ginsburg is a founding member of both the Sherman Artists Association and the Great Hollow Photographers Club. He’s also a member of the board of directors for the Candlewood Yacht Club in New Fairfield and chairs the organization’s finance committee.

Whoever is elected in November will represent a slightly different 108th House District. As a result of recent changes to Connecticut’s voting district lines, the 108th will include a larger number of New Fairfield constituents as of 2023.

The town’s southwestern corner — which currently belongs to the 138th House District — will become part of the 108th, joining all of Sherman, a section of western New Milford and part of northern Danbury.

Candlewood Lake

Both candidates said Candlewood Lake would be among their top priorities if elected or re-elected representative of the 108th House District.

The issues they say they would focus on, though, are different.

Ginsburg said serving on the Candlewood Yacht Club’s board of directors for the last 10 years has given him a greater understanding of the lake, as well as the impact it has — and could have — on the area.

“The five towns on the lake — four of which are in the 108th District — do not have a commission where they work together to enhance the economy as the lake contributes to that,” he said. “That would be something … that I would advocate for from my position.”

Ginsburg said such a commission would differ from the Candlewood Lake Authority in that its primary focus would be the “economic aspect” of the lake.

“The lake is very important to me. I live on the lake, I recreate on the lake and I know that it’s a critical economic force for our area’s economy,” he said.

Callahan — who served as chairman of the Candlewood Lake Authority for 10 years — said Candlewood Lake is “always a top priority,” and he also has concerns about Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield.

“The issues we’re having at Squantz with the influx of out-of-staters through the summer months on the weekends have to be addressed,” he said. “I’m also really concerned about people parking their cars wherever they want and walking with children down Route 39 to Squantz Pond when it’s full.”

It’s been a safety concern for years and town officials have tried to restrict people walking along the road to get to the park — either by asking the state to restrict walk-ins or cracking down on illegal parking in town — but the problem persists.

Callahan: Affordability and juvenile crime

If re-elected, Callahan said some of his other priorities would be affordability and juvenile crime.

“Affordability is the top one,” he said. “In the past two years, Democrats have passed a couple of new gas taxes that are going to cost us a lot of money on the highway use tax and the diesel tax.”

Driven by wholesale fuel prices that more than doubled over the past year, the tax on diesel saw a 9.1 cent increase in July — six months before the imposition of Connecticut’s new highway use tax on large commercial trucks, which is expected to cost the industry millions of dollars per year.

“We use diesel to heat our homes and any tax you put on a truck delivering goods is going to get passed down onto the consumer,” Callahan said. “We continue to tax people that serve us and it continues to drive up the cost of living in Connecticut — even more so than inflation.”

Callahan — who worked in law enforcement for almost 30 years — said juvenile crime is still a problem, and one he would keep fighting to address if re-elected.

He said part of the ongoing juvenile crime problem is that the courts go too easy on youthful offenders.

“In the pre-trial process, there’s no accountability. There’s nothing being done to curb it,” Callahan said. “There has to be consequences, and right now there aren’t.”

Even though Republicans presented “several different solutions” in the past two sessions that all got voted down, Callahan said he’s determined to continue trying.

“I’ve worked with so many different groups of people and kids to turn their lives around,” he said. “If they’re not getting disciplined and not seeing consequences early on, they think they can keep doing this forever and it escalates into larger crimes — and then they wind up in jail.”

Ginsburg: Senior citizens and zoning

If elected, Ginsburg said one of his other priorities would be “ensuring that senior residents have good options for staying and enjoying the area.”

He said he would focus on what can be done financially and organizationally at the state level to “improve what’s going on for the seniors.”

When asked if housing would be part of his focus, Ginsburg said he would work with the towns “to see what resources are available from the state level,” but the decision would ultimately be up to them.

“I would certainly be in the mix, asking questions and making sure people are making decisions very explicitly — but the towns would have to drive it and decide to what extent,” he said.

Ginsburg said he knows several older residents who had to move out of the area due to a lack of alternative, smaller-scale housing options. He also knows the topic of housing development can be controversial.

“With some people, there’s that not-in-my-backyard kind of syndrome — and others say, ‘Look, people are moving out,’” he said. “It’s going to be a compromise, but I think the platform of being a state representative might help bring attention to that, and I think it’s something worth looking at.”

Ginsburg — who manages residential apartments in the Danbury area and has helped tenants obtain emergency rental and other types of assistance over the years — said he gets his passion to help people from his dad.

“My father had the biggest drug store in Danbury, and he always went out of his way to provide outstanding service and help customers,” he said. “That has inspired me to do that with my tenants and in my career.”

Ginsburg said keeping zoning regulations within the control of the towns would be another priority of his as a state representative.

“Each town is different, so I want to make sure they have the autonomy to determine their own zoning regulations because that affects the quality of life in a town,” he said.

Callahan said that is something he, too, feels strongly about.

“I want to make sure that control over zoning remains local, and I always vote that way — to protect our communities and our ability to handle our own zoning,” he said.

2022 election

Callahan said he believes he’s done a good job representing the 108th district and hopes voters re-elect him in November.

Seeking Person to be the Democratic Assistant/Deputy Registrar

The current Democratic Assistant/Deputy Registrar, Carol Muska, will be stepping down soon.  Anyone interested in this post or knows someone who may be, please email shermandems@gmail.com.

This Deputy position will be appointed by the Democratic Registrar.

Carol says, “It is a pleasant, nonpartisan environment working with the Republican Assistant/Deputy Registrar and both the Democrat and Republican Registrars.”

Assistant/Deputy Registrar’s duties vary depending on the time of year. December through March are quiet times and office hours are minimal, if at all. Generally, June through September are also quiet requiring few office hours, unless it is a year with voting event(s). Occasionally,  the Registrars may need office coverage in their absence for vacations or extra office work.
The regular Registrar of Voters’ office hours are on Thursdays, 10 am – 1 pm.
During the six weeks prior to the following voting events: primaries, elections, and referendums,  the Deputy would work the regular office hours.  During each day of the voting event, the Deputy with a team, would work the entire day and coordinate poll workers, test ballots, and set up for the vote.
Carol emphasizes, “It’s a wonderful opportunity to serve our community through this very important privilege of voting.  I have enjoyed my position immensely and would be happy to provide more information to anyone interested. Being part of the town’s voting process was an experience I’ll forever savor.”