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McDonald Looking to Lead Deep River Forward

The last time Deep River had a new first selectman it was 1989 when Dick Smith was first elected to the position he held for 13 terms. With Smith’s death on March 25, the title has been passed to former Democratic selectman Angus McDonald, and although the circumstances are unfavorable, McDonald said his goal is to continue making progress.

“I am not Dick, but I will put every effort into moving the town forward, working with the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance, and the other town boards and commissions, as well as the residents, to keep the town going,” said McDonald, who has held political positions in Westbrook and Old Saybrook in addition to Deep River.

“This is a hard situation,” said McDonald. “[Republican Selectman] Dave [Oliveria] and I met to discuss this several times in a series of conversations and this is what we came up with as being the best solution to moving Deep River forward, at this time.”

Following Smith’s 26 year legacy as first selectman, McDonald knows that he will be compared to Smith often.

“The reality is I can’t be Dick,” said McDonald. “I can’t step into this position and have people expect it to be the same, because it won’t. I will do my best.”

Building on the framework set forth by Smith, McDonald said he plans to continue to work to bring business, industry, and commerce to town, and will seek out state and federal funding for town projects to upgrade infrastructure and add to the aesthetics of Deep River.

At this time, there is still a vacancy on the Board of Selectman. Currently, McDonald and Oliveria are reviewing a list of people who have submitted letters of interest and are determining how that new selectman will be chosen.

“Our board has always worked well together and we are hopeful that we will be able to continue to have a cooperative Board of Selectman in town, one that is looking to help Deep River prosper and grow,” McDonald said.

McDonald said he is proud to be a part of a town like Deep River and he was inspired by the outpouring of love and respect for Smith.

“How this town dealt with this situation is something we should all be proud of. It says a lot about the people here, the community and about Dick, and now we will all pull together and move forward,” said McDonald.

The next Board of Selectman meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Hall.