Community Corner

UPDATE: It's Another Two Years for Vavrek!

All Republican candidates sweep to victories. Tax Collector Manny Cambra beats out Jerry Stevens, a popular challenger.

First Selectman Steve Vavrek campaigned on the progress he says the town has been making with improved maintenance of roads, a renovated police station and energy efficiency upgrades to Monroe's schools — and the voters listened.

Vavrek won a third-consecutive term Tuesday night, fending off Democratic party challenger Dan Hunsberger by a vote of 2,729 to 1,892 or 59.1 percent to 40.9 percent.

It was a clean sweep for Republicans as all of their candidates won contested seats on boards and commissions. Longtime incumbent tax collector, Manny Cambra, beat popular challenger Jerry Stevens 2,528 to 2,054 in one of the closest races.

"It was a team effort," Vavrek said. "We have a great record of progress in this town, a great record of results. I thank all the people who came out to vote."

"I never worked harder in any election before," he added. "I want to thank Dan for bringing some issues to the forefront that we have to work on. I agree to disagree on how he did it. He was a viable candidate."

Vavrek expressed his opinion that a lot of people are sick of partisan politics in a small town like Monroe.

"I'm very happy for all the people of Monroe who saw the progress being made," Vavrek said.

Hunsberger said, "It is what it is and during the next two years I think the Democratic party is going to raise the important issues that the townspeople need to be aware of, like economic development, legal issues and things we've raised during the campaign."

Monroe traditionally votes Republican and Hunsberger said he believes that factored into Vavrek's win.

"I think it's party politics verses the issues," he said. "It's hard to believe how people could vote for an administration that overspent a legal budget by a million dollars in three or four years except for the fact that it was a party vote."

The Official Results

All six Republican candidates won positions on the nine-member Town Council, including Deborah Heim (2,938), Enid Lipeles (2,855), Tony Unger (2,736), J.P. Sredzinski (2,637), Sean O'Rourke (2,634) and Frank Lieto (2,626).

Democrats winning the remaining three seats were Dee Dee Martin (2,436), Phyllis Kansky (2,297) and Raymond Knapp Jr. (2,210).

Democrats who didn't make the council were Nick Kapoor (2,172), Patrick Carleton (1,987) and Ken Wielk (1,901).

All four Republican candidates for the Board of Education won seats including Donna Lane (2,898), Christine Cascella (2,717), Darrell Trump (2,639) and George King (2,421).

The lone Democrat winning a seat is Amy Primorac with 2,334 votes.

Two Democrats not making the board were Jason Maur (2,232) and Steve Kirsch (2,155).

Both Republicans running for seats on the Planning & Zoning Commission, incumbents Patrick O'Hara (2,635) and William Porter (2,621) won. Democrat Leon Ambrosey was the odd man out with 2,320 votes.

Uncontested Candidates

Those who were unopposed include:

Marsha Beno, Town Clerk, 3,604 votes

Ronald Bunovsky Jr., Treasurer, 3,471

Michael Manjos, Board of Finance, 2,921

John Ostaszewski, Board of Finance, 2,442

Debra Dutches, filling a two-year-term on the Board of Finance, 3,157

Carl Ferraro, filling a two-year-term on the Board of Finance, 3,008

James R. Weinberg, two-year-term on the Planning & Zoning Commission, 3,201

Pedro Villanueva, P&Z alternate, 2,859 

Jane Benedict Flader, P&Z alternate, 3,190 

Cathleen Lindstrom, P&Z alternate, 2,592

Victor W. Yanosy, Constable, 2,260

Pat Tomchik, Constable, 2,017 


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