An Eye on The Eye at Republican Headquarters

When the Mayoral and Council vote totals were posted at Republican headquarters, there was celebration of Seb Giuliano's win, and of wins by the incumbents Phil Pessina, Joe Bibisi, and David Bauer, and the challenger Deb Kleckowski. This was temporarily augmented by puzzlement, however, when the Republican runner from City Hall reported that challenger Matt Scarroza had outpolled Bauer. I checked with our correspondent down at City Hall by phone, and Ed stood by the numbers he had already posted. Sure enough, the next Republican runner brought back numbers that agreed with The Eye's.

The dominant mood at Republican headquarters was one of jubilation at Giuliano's victory. Kleckowski was overjoyed at her own surprising victory, in her first council election; she attributed it to her record on the Planning and Zoning Commission, and her work in the community. Kleckowski left the Democratic party after challenging the Democratic leadership of both P&Z and the Democratic Town Council. I asked her if she would be voting along Republican Party lines now on the Council, and she said, "Don't expect me to change on the council, we won't be forced to vote along party lines."

The assembled crowd anxiously awaited word on the Board of Education and the Planning and Zoning races. When they finally came, it was through The Eye. Giuliano read them off of the computer and Ryan Kennedy wrote them on the board. There was cheering when Sheila Daniels outpolled every other candidate on the Board of Ed, and surprise and disappointment when Democratic Town Committee Chair Dan Russo was the top vote getter for Planning and Zoning.