Democrats Maintain Control of Board of Directors, Board of Education

Democrats in Manchester maintained control of the Board of Directors and Board of Education Tuesday, although Republicans did gain a seat on the board of directors. A referendum question that would see the town expend $10 million on a series of municipal bonding projects covering everything from road repaving to sidewalk and parking lot repairs also passed overwhelmingly. 

On the Board of Directors side, Democrats maintained their majority with strong showings from incumbent Mayor Leo V. Diana, Jay Moran, Rudy Kissmann, Steve Gates and Lisa Paggioli O’Neill. 

"Nobody gave this to us. We earned it tonight through the hard work of banging on doors and making phone calls," Diana said during his victory speech at Democratic headquarters on Main Street Tuesday evening. "I'm just glad we were able to maintain the majority and I'm proud to come back as the mayor." 

Diana will begin his second two-year term as the town's mayor later this month. 

Republican newcomer Tim Devanney, vice president of operations at Highland Park Market, received the second most votes on the ballot Tuesday. Republicans Mark Tweedie, Cheri Ann Pelletier and Susan Holmes were all re-elected to their seats on the board of directors. 

Although Devanney received the second most votes of all candidates, Moran will maintain his position as deputy mayor because the majority party selects that position. Kissmann will become secretary of the board of directors. 

On the Board of Education side, Democrats Chris Pattacini was re-elected and will remain as chairman and Carl Stafford was returned to the school board after an absence for a three-year term running from 2013-2016. Republican Deborah Hagenow was also re-elected for the same term. Democrat Jason Scappaticci was re-elected for a three-year term on the school board from 2014-2017, Democrat Darryl Thames and Republican Mary-Jane Pazda will also be joining the school board for that term, with Thames winning re-election to also maintain his current seat which he assumed when Sarah Walton resigned in August. Pazda also won a vacant election to fill another vacant seat on the school board before her new term. 

Pattacini said he was glad that Democrats maintained their majority on the school board because there were a number of crucial decisions about the future of Manchester schools that would need to be made over the next several years, including the possibility of closing several elementary schools in town and expanding Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy into a fifth/sixth grade school. 

"We've made a lot of progress, but our work's not done," Pattacini said of the Democratic majority on the school board. 

The referendum question read as follows: 

“Shall the Town appropriate $10,000,000 to pay for improvements to roads, bridges, traffic signals, downtown parking and pedestrian safety, and Cheney Hall HVAC replacement, and for debt administration, to be financed by the issuance of general obligation bonds and notes of the town. YES/NO"

For election results, click here.