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Bindelglass Runs for Second Term as First Selectman Dr. David Bindelglass announced that he will run for re-election to a second two-year term as Easton’s first selectman. A small group gathered June 3 at Town Hall to witness the ceremonial filing, including his wife, Gloria, who is a nurse at Bridgeport Hospital, and Selectman Robert Lessler. Incumbent First Selectman Dr. David Bindelglass signs re-election documents in his Easton Town Hall office. With him are his wife, Gloria, and Selectman Robert Lessler. — Nancy Doniger Photo As he filed the necessary papers, Bindelglass cited his administration’s accomplishments and goals. An orthopedic surgeon in addition to first selectman, Bindelglass is especially proud of Easton’s performance during COVID, when the senior center, the schools, and Town Hall worked together to continue providing services to residents. He described the additional challenges the town faced during his first term, including Tropical Storm Isaias and the resulting extended power outages. “I’m first selectman for all of Easton,” he said. “I took office in November 2019, and I’m very proud of our accomplishments over the last two years. We were ready from the start to bring good, effective governance to Easton and, because of that, we were able to handle unexpected challenges while accomplishing several critical projects. Easton needed to see results, and I am committed to continuing to deliver them.” Other significant accomplishments include completed construction of one bridge on Park Avenue and another one underway; improving health care delivery through joining the Westport-Weston Health District; creation of a representative task force that is examining options for the South Park property; and increased transparency of town government through weekly public updates to citizens. “Easton voted in May to fund the best education we can offer our children, restoring much needed resources that had been cut previously and addressing the need for additional services to help our students through the pandemic and its aftermath,” he said. “And the vote for the town budget is an endorsement of the good work our town departments are doing and the projects we have undertaken.” He additionally cited extended public comment at Board of Selectmen meetings, a Town Hall presentation for newcomers, brown bag lunches, and several other open forums. Bindelglass is also improving Town Hall procedures by streamlining the permit process, and expanding Park and Recreation Department projects for seniors. Engagement in local government grew tremendously during the pandemic, when people could watch and participate in meetings virtually from the comfort of their homes, Bindelglass said. He wants to offer hybrid choices for people to attend meetings in person and online going forward, but said they are still figuring out the technology to do it. Bindelglass, 62, is the first Democratic First Selectman in Easton since 1985 and is presiding over the first Board of Selectmen with a Democratic majority since 2005. “Most of our accomplishments have been supported by a unanimous board,” he said. “I intend to keep our work non-partisan and always in the best interests of all the people of Easton.” Lessler, a longtime selectman and fellow Democrat, said he hasn’t yet filed papers to run for another term. The filing deadline is July 28 for local elected offices, Town Clerk Christine Halloran said. Photo at top: David Bindelglass files papers with Town Clerk Christine Halloran for re- election as first selectman. — Nancy Doniger Photo What Matters Most to Easton: Jim Himes Responds 1. What do you believe is the single most important issue facing Easton voters and why? The first item on my agenda is stabilizing our health care relief system. As of Oct. 14, Connecticut has had over 60,000 cases of COVID-19, with over 4,500 resulting in death. In Fairfield County alone, we lost nearly 1,500 of our citizens to this virus. When the pandemic-induced recession hit in June, 6.9 million workers lost their jobs, and with them, their employer-sponsored health insurance. When we factor in dependents, 14.6 million people are struggling without health insurance. When someone in Easton loses their job because of COVID, we need to make sure employers provide subsidies during the initial job search, so people may keep their coverage despite unemployment. This effort will require coordinated intervention in order to keep our citizens healthy. This past year, I’ve secured $135 million for hospitals around the Fourth District. I’ve also encouraged bipartisan legislation to provide relief for our unemployed. But there’s still work to be done. We need Congressional support for unemployment insurance, for PPE and medical supplies and for our schools. I’ve supported every House attempt to negotiate with the administration and the Senate, and it’s imperative that we make a deal. 2. What is the second most important issue? Congress has a responsibility to support our citizens’ economic well-being as well as their physical well-being. I supported the $2 trillion CARES Act that stabilized our economy, provided necessary support to hospitals, assisted our states’ response, and approved loans for small businesses. I brought home over $1.4 billion in PPP loans for our district, assisting over 16,000 small businesses, 160 businesses and nonprofits, which protected over 140,000 jobs. Providing small businesses with much-needed capital during COVID-19 is crucial to keep our economy afloat. Supporting our local businesses, and the families and communities they serve is a top priority for me and for Easton. 3. Why should Easton voters support you on Nov. 3? Over my terms in Congress, I have been a steadfast voice for common-sense, independent solutions to national and state challenges. I have advocated for our middle class and I fought for accessible and affordable health care for all. I have created opportunities for our working families, in times of both economic boom and economic stagnation. I’ve been a steady voice in support of our national security. Most importantly, I put the needs of all of my constituents over partisan politics, and I have consistently reached across the aisle in order to support both our state and our people. Letter: Shaban Led, Hughes Blamed (Response to Shaban’s Call for Leadership Is a Little Late, Aug. 19, 2020) I write to reply to the letter criticizing John Shaban’s article questioning the lack of state and local leadership during the recent storm. Sadly, Hughes tries to excuse her absence before and during the storm by claiming that she will now “call for legislation” after the fact to “hold Eversource executives accountable.” Hughes’ repeated attempts to blame “big business” and “the rich” for all of our problems isn’t leadership, it is deflection and political pandering. Calling Eversource and UI to task before the storm — as Shaban did for six years while in office — is what we needed, not more hind sighted legislation and finger-pointing. Notably, Shaban helped craft and pass bipartisan legislation in 2011 and 2012 that gave state and local officials the tools to address storms and power outages before and during the crisis. He also pushed for and passed the “Russ Neary Bill” (PA 13-204), named after one of Easton’s firefighters tragically killed in the 2011 storm, to help the families of fallen first responders. We need representatives in Hartford that focus on our towns — and take the lead before a storm and/or an important issue hits -— not the pandering and partisan politics displayed by our current freshman state representative. Wendy Bowditch Easton Republican Town Committee Chair Police Reform: Too Rushed or Too Delayed? Easton Delegations Tackles the Question Timing was the crucial question for Easton’s two state legislators, as they voted on police reform in the special session of the Connecticut General Assembly that convened last July 24 and adjourned July 29. The state House and Senate adopted the proposed law enforcement measure and Gov. Ned Lamont signed the bill, officially known as H.B. No. 6004, into law on Friday. The legislation, among its reforms, provides for an inspector general and municipal civilian review boards to oversee police behavior. The reform would also make it easier for municipalities to fire and decertify police officers. Disciplinary action by municipalities against police officers would become matters of public record. On the contested issue of qualified immunity, the legislation would enable individuals to bring civil suits against police officers for alleged denial of rights, subject to a court’s determination that the police officer in good faith believed that he or she was acting lawfully. In a party-line vote Wednesday, state Sen. Tony Hwang, R-28th, was essentially asking for more time to design law-enforcement reform, when he joined his fellow Republicans in voting against the police accountability and transparency police measure. After a 10-and-a-half hour debate, state Rep. Anne Hughes, D-135th, urged her House colleagues to support the police reform bill as an emergency response, without delay, to the decades-long trauma of systemic racism and rogue police behavior. “I agree there is a need to act and many of the elements in the bill are good, strong proposals. But rushing legislation does not do justice to the level of attention this issue requires. The hastily pushed approval may create sweeping unintended consequences,” Hwang stated in a press release. Hughes told her colleagues, “You better believe this registration is rushed because that’s what you do in an emergency. You rush to render aid, to intervene. And our colleagues have worked hard for years to prepare for this intervention. I resent the implication that this is sloppy.

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