New Council, Mayor Start on Monday

Montville Town Clerk Lisa Terry says the changing of the municipal guard happens on Monday, at 8 p.m., with an organizational meeting in the Town Council chamber.

Terry will swear in the mayor and the new Town Council, and take nominations for the new council chairman.

The council will elect the chairman – who is not always the top vote-getter, Terry says.

Then she will step down, and the new chairman will open the voting for the vice-chairman.

And then the new council begins its new term.

ON TUESDAY, VOTERS ELECTED Democrat Ron McDaniel as mayor. They chose Billy Caron, Gary Murphy, Laura Tanner, Candy Buebendorf, Dana McFee, Chuck Longton, and Rosetta Jones as the new councilors.

McFee is a Republican. Jones is unaffiliated, and endorsed by the Republicans and Independence for Montville parties. The other five councilors are Democrats.

Caron, Murphy, Buebendorf and McFee are incumbents.

TOWN CLERK TERRY said on Wednesday that no one has asked for a recount.

The closest vote on Tuesday was between Rosetta Jones, with 1,466 votes, and Ellen Hillman, with 1,418 votes.

To have a recount, there must be a difference of 20 or fewer votes, or less than ½ of 1 percent of the votes cast – in this case, a difference of 16 or fewer votes. There was a 97-vote difference between the two candidates.

Turnout in Tuesday’s election was typical of Montville, Terry said, adding that “Thirty-some percent is average for us in this election.”

She says she wishes it were higher. ‘Don’t complain if you’re not going to cast your vote.”

TERRY SAYS THAT VOTING went smoothly on Tuesday, but in her opinion, it took too long - about an hour - to get the vote returns.

“I would like to see in the future an assistant registrar to carry the return to the head moderator as soon as it becomes available,” she said. “An hour was too long.”

Registrar Mary Clark-Wilson says she wishes the process were faster, too, but doesn’t know if that’s possible.

"It would be nice to have a way," she said. The vote tabulators can be connected to a phone line, she said, and transmitted electronically. Other states allow this, but Connecticut doesn’t.

The information could be faxed to the registrars’ office, she said. This would not give an official count, but would give people unofficial results earlier.

“I’d like to get out a lot earlier, too,” she said. “Last year, I don’t think I got out of there until 11:30. I would like to go to a victory party some time.”