NEON steps away from having new board in place

NORWALK, Conn. – A special election will be held Friday in South Norwalk.

Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now (NEON) is inviting community members to vote for new members of the board of directors, who will join the newly reforming board as representatives of Norwalk’s low-income community, according to a press release.

The nominees are described in the release thusly:
• Robin Peterson, an active member of the Roodner Court Tenant Association who has volunteered with the Norwalk Police Department’s to help with annual events, including the city’s Christmas party and Norwalk Night Out.

• Katherine R. Williams, who has served the community for 19 years, volunteering at the Norwalk Public Schools that her son attended and participating with parent groups, and other professional parent activities. She is a graduate of the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) and has served on the Norwalk Public School Superintendent Search Committee.

• Rosemarie Michel, a marketing associate with more than 10 years serving the community. Michel started volunteering in high school, working with women and children in distress, and joined the Literacy Ministry at her church, where she currently serves as a member of the Parent Committee.

Ballot boxes are available between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. at:

• Neon’s offices at 98 S. Main St., Norwalk

• Nathaniel Ely School, 11 Ingalls Ave., Norwalk

• Ben Franklin Center, 165 Flax Hill Road, Norwalk

Fifteen new board members were elected Monday night at NEON, which merged with the Stamford-based anti poverty agency CTE in early October, NEON Inc. Communications Director Scott Harris said. Nine are elected Norwalk officials or representatives of Norwalk’s business and professional sectors, and six represent Stamford-area residents served by the agency. They are:

Representing the Greater Norwalk area

• TaShun Bowden-Lewis, attorney

• Vanessa Parker, analyst

• Alan J. Rossi, management consultant

• Christopher Ruzzi, finance/banking

• Susan Weinberger, educator/consultant

• William Westcott, attorney

• Dale Ferguson, clinical nurse researcher

• Rosemarie Michel, marketing associate

• Katherine R. Williams, unemployed

Representing the Greater Stamford area:

• Mike Meyer, educator

• Cynthia L. Bowser, social worker

• Terry Adams, professional

• Bishop Elizabeth Dukes, community/clergy/education

• John J. O’Dea, business/professional

• Angela Edwards, community/education/professional

The 15 new members of the NEON Board, none of which are holdovers from NEON’s or CTE’s current Board of Directors, will be formally installed at a Board of Directors meeting at a date to be determined in mid-March, Harris said.