Voters Have Spoken: Middletown's South Fire Has New Commissioner

Former radio station general manager Edward Creem beat out businessman Mike Gaudino for Middletown's South Fire Board of Commissioners Monday night.

Creem garnered 155 to Gaudino's 97 in an election commission chair David P. Gallitto characterized as low-turnout.

"We always like to see more people come out and vote for these types of things, especially when they have the ability to vote," he said. "Turnout was even less than my election a couple of months ago," Gallitto said.

Original story:

Polls are open for today's special election for Middletown's South Fire District to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Commissioner Joseph Sarcia, who stepped down due to health reasons, according to meeting minutes.

Residents are casting their votes for retired radio broadcaster Edward Creem and businessman Mike Gaudino at South Fire on Randolph Road through 8 p.m., when the commission will vote on who sits on the board through next February.

Creem is a longtime attendee at South Fire District Commission meetings and frequently comments on district activities during the public comment portion of the meetings. He recently served as a citizen member of the Fire District’s Bylaws Committee.

He has lived in the district since 1990 and has been a property owner in the district going back to 1984 when the corporation he headed purchased the former WCNX Radio Station. During his time at WCNX, Creem held the dual roles of president/general manager and news director.   

Throughout the 1990s, Creem worked for  first as a residential agent in the Middletown office and later as a specialist in the firm’s Corporate Relocation Department in Shelton, where he was responsible for all corporate owned and bank foreclosed properties in New Haven County and portions of Middlesex County.

Gaudino, owner of a local computer services company, Iron Gate Security LLC, and lifelong resident of the district, was appointed to Mayor Drew’s Efficiency in Government Task Force team as the information technology advisor an also served on Mayor Giuliano’s Technology Task Force Team.

The current four-member board consists of David P. Gallitto, chairman; David F. Darling, secretary; William F. Gregorio, senior vice chairman; and Mary A. Bartolotta, commissioner.

For information about the duties of the Fire Commission, see the Charter of the South Fire District page.

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