East Hartford candidates face off for town council

Major party candidates for town council are squared off on the ballot and await voters’ choices on Tuesday.

Republicans are running under a banner that includes attracting businesses to broaden the tax base, reducing taxes, expediting Silver Lane redevelopment, fast tracking the new senior center and bringing back the Memorial Day Parade.

Anita Morrison, a former council and school board member, is challlenging Democratic Mayor Marcia Leclerc. Democrats and unaffiliated voters outnumber Republicans by wide margins, but Morrison _ a real estate agent who was raised in Mayberry VIllage _says feels obligated to challenge the incumbent.

Democrats hold a 6-3 majority on the council. Twelve candidates are on the ballot, six from each major party. On Election Day, voters choose any six, and the top nine vote-getters win.

The other Republican council candidates are:

_ Minority Leader Esther Clarke, a council member for 20 years, describes herself as a vocal advocate for the people.

_ Tim Siggia is a U.S. Navy veteran and a retired U.S. Postal Service worker. Siggia has served on the veterans commission, the zoning board of appeals and the board of assessment appeals. He also is a member of Vietnam Veterans of America and other veterans organizations.

_ Jon Petoskey described himself as a Native American and a community leader for a non profit organization who has more than 30 years of leadership experience in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. "I imagine being a part of a Republican-led town council that lets all developers know, ‘East Hartford is open for business!’ " Petoskey wrote in a letter about his candidacy.

_ John Morrison is vice chairman of the inland/wetlands commission and a member of the local Community Emergency Response Team. Retired from Otis Elevator, he is an active community volunteer.

_ Patricia Harmon has served on the council for 14 years and also is a member of the economic development commission and a school bus driver for 49 years.

_ Caroline Torres has served on the council for two years and has 27 years of experience in property and casualty and healthcare insurance.

The Democratic slate for town council is:

_ Chairman Rich Kehoe has led the council since 1997. An attorney, he is state director of the office of U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and formerly worked for the state Attorney General.

_ Connor Martin is a facilities employee and manager at Goodwin College. He also is vice chairman of the zoning board of appeals, coach of East Hartford High School’s football team and a member of the Opioid Crisis Task force for Leadership Greater Hartford.

_ Awet Tsegai says, “I love my town and I am grateful for all that living here has done for me.” Tsegai is vice chairman of the veterans commission and a member of the zoning board of appeals.

_ Don Bell is director of the Black Talent Initiative at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization. Bell has worked for Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal and as counsel to the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. He also is a member of the town’s inland/wetlands commission

_ Sebrina Wilson works as family community liaison for East Hartford schools and has been active in parent teacher organizations and organized book, food and clothing drives in the community. She is chairwopman of the board of assessment appeals and has worked as a grant writer on the Working Cities Challenge for East Hartford CONNects at Silver Lane Elementary School.

_ Angie Parkinson describes herself as “a proud public educator of nineteen years.” The high school social studies teacher also serves on the planning and zoning commission.

Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at [email protected]

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