Community Corner
Republican David Bauer Declines Realistic Balance Nod
The former Middletown common councilman says his former political colleagues, whose performance he disagreed with, never proposed legislation of their own.
Former Common Councilman, Republican David Bauer submitted a letter to the Town Clerk on Sept. 12 declining to run for Common Council on the Realistic Balance Party line on the Middletown ballot for the Nov. 5 election.
The Realistic Balance party nominated its slate of candidates for municipal offices Aug. 28
“I was pleased to run on the Realistic Balance Party ticket in 2011 when there was a bipartisan selection of candidates. Sadly, the character of this year's Realistic Balance candidates is dominated by the inclusion of candidates Joseph Bibisi and Philip Pessina," Bauer said.
Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"I was part of the Middletown Republican Town Committee selection process that rejected both Phil and Joe's application to the GOP slate. My personal reason to reject their applications was my disappointment in their performance in the current term of the Common Council.
"Philip Pessina and Joseph Bibisi hold the minority leadership positions, so they must take responsibility that the council minority did not advance a single resolution to the council agenda in the entire term, and rarely, if ever, even met in caucus. They let the council majority do all the work of the council, and simply postured their opinions on the majority's legislative resolutions.
Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"An entire third of the council was rendered ineffective, and I consider that unacceptable. The council minority did show up at meetings, but they showed up empty-handed,” Bauer said.
“If our local government is to work its best, all our elected officials have to work. I am pleased and confident that the Republican slate has made such a commitment, and they are the team I wish to associate with, and they are the team I hope the Middletown Voters will support on November 5th.
"We will reward your trust with hard work and innovative legislation to improve Middletown's services and financial stability in a sustainable manner, insuring that the 'checks and balances' that make our democracy so great, are consistently there the entire term.”
On Sept. 5, Working Families Communications Director Taylor Leake said the independent party board nominated longtime Republican Middletown Councilman Phil Pessina but "passed on" Councilman Joseph Bibisi, also a GOP member.
Phil Pessina and Joseph Bibisi, longtime councilmen whose Republican failed to nominate them at their party's conventionand who subsequently earned enough petition signatures to appear on the November ballot, secured the Realistic Balance nomination for Common Council, along with Republican David Bauer and Realistic Balance Chairman Fred Carroll, who ran unsuccessfully two years ago on the same ticket.
Linda Szymkowicz, Sheila Daniels, Brian Kaskel and Bill Wilson were chosen for Board of Education and Stephen Smith, Jeremy Clark and Stephen DeVoto, who forced a Democratic primary for the third Planning and Zoning Commission seat, were endorsed Tuesday as well.
Realistic Balance secretary John Kilian earned his party's nomination to run against Democratic Mayor Dan Drew in November's election.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
