Two New Candidates Join Democratic Slate For Council

Mary Bartolotta and Todd Berch are the first new candidates running on the Democratic slate for Common Council in many years. They will join longtime council members Gerald Daley, Grady Faulkner, Hope Kasper, Ron Klattenberg, Robert Santangelo, and Tom Serra on the ballot.

Bartolotta was elected Fire Commissioner of the South Fire District last year. She said she has been attending municipal meetings such as the Public Safety Commission, and Planning and Zoning, and this had inspired her to become more involved. She expressed a desire to involve the public more in governance. Bartolotta declined to offer any specific differences between what she would do and what the council has been doing for the past two years, "I'm hoping that I can improve communication and move forward in a positive manner."

Berch has campaigned for other Middletown candidates, serving as treasurer for the campaign of Matt Lesser last year. He told me, "I've been wanting to serve the city for quite a while." When I asked him what his positions would be on the council, he said that he would first meet with the other Council candidates, "I don't wish to comment [at this time]."

There was unanimous endorsement of all but one of the Council candidates. Former Democratic Town Committee chair Dan Russo pointedly announced that he would abstain in the vote for the nomination of Klattenberg. Klattenberg was the only candidate not present at the convention, chair of the Town Committee Lisa Santangelo explained that he was sailing.