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07/31/2017 12:00 AM

Shoreline Green Party Fields Two in Clinton


The Shoreline Green Party has endorsed Hugh Birdsall for a seat on the Board of Education and James Connolly for a seat on the Planning & Zoning Commission.

Birdsall is a teacher of English to speakers of other languages and has 25 years in education according to a press release. In that release Birdsall said he will focus on “holistic education, civics, and social skills curricula; full-service schools; restorative behavior management practices; and truly public education in an era where fly-by-night, predatory private education companies are poised to take over Connecticut districts, as they have done in other states to the detriment of all learning.”

In the same press release, Connolly called the recent controversial CVS decision “a key element in his decision to run.” Via the release, Connolly states, “Planning and zoning decisions in Clinton should no longer be completely controlled by people who have been handpicked by either the local Republican Party or the local Democratic Party. Insider and ‘old boy’ connections are ruining planning processes here in our beautiful town, which would have so much to offer if only decisions were being made for the greater good rather than the profit of a few.”

Birdsall will be running against Democrats Erica Gelven, Jason Adler, and Kimberly Russo and Republicans Doug Traynor and Todd Pozefsky. Connolly’s competition for a spot on the Planning & Zoning Commission are Democrats Ellen Dahlgren, Aman Singh, and Michael Rossi and Republicans Adam Moore, Michael Hughes, and Drew Richards.

While Clinton has seen previous Green Party candidates seek election, this is the first election cycle for the Shoreline Green Party, which was formed in March. The chapter comprises 14 towns along the shoreline and in the Connecticut River Valley.

According to voting records, there are 4,159 unregistered voters in Clinton, compared to 2,840 registered Democrats and 2,494 registered Republicans. Election Day is Nov. 7.