RTC Endorses Zartarian for Mayor
NEWINGTON - Newington resident Roy Zartarian, a former town employee, got the nod from the Republican Town Committee to run for the position of chief elected official this coming November. The official caucus will be held in July. A candidate for the Democrats has not yet been named.

       Zartarian is leading a Republican slate that includes newcomers Tim Manke and Gayle Budrejko--candidates for Town Council--as well as Steve Silvia, who is running for a Board of Education position.

       Zartarian says that he had considered running since last September.

       â€"I think it was probably the aftermath of the September referendum on the town hall,” Zartarian said. â€"I started realizing that if I really wanted to make a difference, I needed to step up and run for office.”

       And discussions regarding the Town Hall renovation continue almost a year after the failed Sept. 9 referendum that saw a majority of Newington voters say ‘no’ to a $30 million proposal that would have constructed a new Mortensen Community Center in Mill Pond Park.

       The current Project Building Committee is reviewing a number of tentative blueprints for a renovated town hall and community center within the footprint of the existing site, but cost projections are currently coming in at around $37 million for a demolition and rebuild.

       â€"My mind is still open on it,” Zartarian said. â€"One of the big challenges is going to be the final price tag. I don’t know how well that will play out with the taxpayers and the voters at referendum.”

       Speaking of taxpayers, addressing the challenge of curbing property tax increases in the face of a stagnant Grand List is another focus of his campaign.

       The town might be able to save some money through exploring options for shared services, Zartarian said. He emphasized what he feels is the importance of collaboration between the Town Council and Board of Education.

       â€"If our team is elected, those parties will meet on a regular basis,” he said. â€"I see the two groups coming together to find common issues. Can we combine functions? Can we do things in a more economical way?”

       And then there’s the Grand List. While bringing in new revenue should be a priority, any development needs to be a good fit for the town, Zartarian said.

       â€"There’s been a lot of talk about Transit-Oriented Development and high density housing,” he said. â€"I prefer to redefine TOD as Town-Oriented Development.”

       For Newington, that means projects that add to the tax rolls without creating a greater demand for its services, Zartarian said.

       On his chances, he says he’s optimistic, citing last year’s referendum and the election of Republican Gary Byron to the state legislature.
MORE NEWINGTON NEWS  |  STORY BY MARK DIPAOLA  |  Jun 30 2015  |  COMMENTS?