Jacobson Seeks GOP Endorsement

Town Council Chairman Donna Belle Jacobson was one of two candidates who asked for the Republican Town Committee’s endorsement Thursday.

Jacobson is hoping to be Montville’s next mayor, a position she says she believes is “the ambassdor of the town.”

Daniel Reale, the other candidate who appeared before the group, is running for Congress.

The RTC was holding its regular meeting, which happens on the third Thursday of the month, in town hall.

In a letter, Jacobson had asked the RTC for its endorsement,  explaining that she was an unaffiliated voter, and a lifelong resident of Montville.

“It has been my honor to serve the town,” she wrote, “and the Republican voters.”

Speaking to the group, Jacobson said that in her capacity as council chairman, she had helped the town save close to $2 million in the current budget, and had worked “ardently” against the proposed sex-offender facility.

She spent time answering questions, discussing issues looming on Montville’s horizon.

The upcoming payments to Rand-Whitney comprise a major potential trouble spot, Jacobson said, and it would be her goal to begin preparing early for the $1.3 million payment coming up in the 2012-2013 budget.

The large payments coincide with end of federal help with the school department’s budget, Jacobson added. “What’s going to happen when it’s not there any more?”

She suggested starting to set aside a contingency fund to address these issues.

Jacobson also said she believes town employees should meet more often as a group.

Another issue she discussed is what she views as “a disconnect between town and state officials.”

“Those gaps have to be bridged in some way,” she said.

“We need to have a voice in our town,” she said, speaking about the town’s relationship with the state. “We are not this little Farmville any more. We have grown into a serious community. We have some strength.”

Reale, who said he has run for Congress twice, described himself as a Libertarian and a Republican. He said his focus is on cutting the size of government in a sensible and orderly fashion, while also cutting taxes.

He also said he has sworn under penalty of perjury to make good on his campaign promises.

For more about Reale, please check his website, RealeDealforCongress.com

Independents for Montville’s Dick Andriote visited the RTC, also. Andriote has declared his intention to run for a position on the town council, and said that he hopes the Independents for Montville and the Republican will support each other, as they did in the most recent election.

“I hope we can cross-endorse,” he said, “have a good election, work together, take the mayor’s seat and take the majority of the council.”

 In other business:

The RTC discussed openings on various boards and commissions, and ways to build or keep Republican majorities;

The upcoming state convention, scheduled for May 2;

The Memorial Day parade; and

Gov. Dannel Malloy’s Town Hall meetings in New London, March 2, and Norwich, March 9. The group hopes that as many members as possible will attend the New London meeting.