Monroe Democrats Celebrate Parks and Recreation Commissioners and 2013 Municipal Candidates

On September 27, the Monroe Democratic Town Committee held their annual Jefferson-Jackson Recognition Gala.  The MDTC honored Angelo Lisis, Tino Modaffari and Jerry Rookasin, three members of the Monroe Parks and Recreation Commission with a combined 60 years of service to the Commission.  Our parks and trails would not be the same without the ideas and hard work of these three men.  The Monroe Democrats sincerely thanked them for their continued service to the Town of Monroe and their hard work and dedication to the Monroe Democratic Party.

Along with honoring the three honorees, the MDTC celebrated the fifteen candidates running for office this year and fired up the crowd to get ready to work in the last 38 days.  “We are running fifteen qualified, interested, energetic and enthusiastic candidates for municipal office this year.  The goal of every single Democratic candidate is to make Monroe the best Monroe it can be right now,” said MDTC Chairman Nick Kapoor.  “Our town needs short and long term planning along with logical, business-friendly economic development and an overhaul in the managing of our legal fees.  We will work hard and show the citizens of Monroe what we can do in these coming days and be victorious on Election Day,” said Dan Hunsberger, Democratic candidate for First Selectman. Other candidates for office include: Jerry Stevens, Tax Collector; Nick Kapoor, Dee Dee Martin, Ray Knapp, Ken Wielk, Patrick Carleton, Phyllis Kansky, Town Councill; Amy Primorac, Jason Maur, Steve Kirsch, Board of Education; John Ostaszewski, Board of Finance; Leon Ambrosey, Planning & Zoning Commission; Cathleen Lindstrom, Planning & Zoning Alternate; Pat Tomchik, Constable.

            Also joining the Monroe Democrats was Connecticut’s Senior United States Senator Richard Blumenthal.  Senator Blumenthal discussed the obstruction of a small group of Senators and Representatives who are trying to halt the Congress from compromising on funding the government after Monday, September 30.  The Senator also thanked the hard work of the three honorees at the local level and thanked all Monroe Democrats for their efforts and dedication to get Democrats elected at the local, state and federal levels.

Along with citations from Senator Blumenthal, the honorees received citations from: State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, State Attorney General George Jepsen, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, State Senator Anthony Musto and the Connecticut State Senate, and Congressman Jim Himes.

            The Monroe Democrats also recognized Former Monroe First Selectwoman Karen Burnaska who is the winner of the 2013 Connecticut Democratic Party Ella T. Grass Leadership Award.  Burnaska served as Monroe’s First Selectwoman from 1995 to 2001.