NORWALK, Conn. – We are seven weeks away from the July nominating conventions for Norwalk’s political parties, and a slate of candidates is beginning to form. Here’s the latest:
- Harris looks to rejoin Norwalk BoE
- McQuaid reports 12 candidates have filed papers
- Newbie District A Dems look to join Common Council
- District B Dems endorse McQuaid
Harris ready to reenter fray
Former Norwalk Board of Education member Sherelle Harris was endorsed by District B Democrats on Monday as their BoE candidate.
“She is good at what she is doing, she is dedicated to the district and dedicated to kids’ education,” District B Chairman Bobby Burgess said. “She is the right fit for the right time.”
Harris, Norwalk Public Library Assistant Director, served on the Board of Education from 2013 to 2017 and was excluded by then-Chairman Mike Lyons from email communications, along with other minority members, according to court documents.
“I love Norwalk, I love the children,” Harris said Wednesday, declining to comment further on her effort to rejoin the Board.
She would, if elected, replace Erik Anderson, whose attendance has been spotty for the last year. Her election would end cries of an all-white Norwalk Board of Education.
Who’s filed papers?
Town Clerk Rick McQuaid on Tuesday provided NancyOnNorwalk with a list of people who have filed papers to run for elected office. They are:
Council in district – A
- Kadeem Roberts (D)
- David Heuvelman (D)
Council in district – B
- Ernest Dumas (D)
Council in district – D
- Tom Keegan (R)
- Carl Dickens (R)
Council at large
- Glenn Iannacone (R)
Third Taxing District
- Charles Yost (R)
- Deborah Goldstein (D)
Town Clerk
- Rick McQuaid (R)
Mayor
- Harry Rilling (D)
- Lisa Brinton (U)
- Darnell Crosland (R)
Who was that, again? (Democrats)
So you noticed some new names on that list. Most notably, David Heuvelman and Kadeem Roberts are looking to replace incumbents Eloisa Melendez and Chris Yerinides, who are in the same party.
Yerinides and Melendez declined to comment.
Roberts has run before, forcing a primary two years ago and coming in third behind Melendez and Yerinides. He’s announced his candidacy early via Facebook, on Jan. 22 writing, “2 years ago I ran my first campaign and it was grassroots and a success in many citizens eyes, since then I have done so many great things in my city. Two years later it’s time to get back and give the city of Norwalk something that they have least expected!!!!!! Will he run again? What is he Running For ? ROBERTS2019 yesss.. coming soon.”
“’The journey is just as important as the destination.’ I told my city it’s a marathon, now I’m gearing up to run my Laps!” he wrote May 24.
He’s a lifelong Norwalker now in his 20s, who graduated from Virginia Union University in 2014. He attended law school and then spent time at Fairfield University, seeking a graduate degree in Public Administration; it’s unclear where that stands, as his Facebook page doesn’t say.
Heuvelman is a member of the BoE’s Ad Hoc Special Education Committee and is co-chair of both the Naramake Elementary School Governance Council and Norwalk SpEd Partners. He’s on the Zoning Board of Appeals as an alternate.
Professionally, Heuvelman is Director of Operations at Essay Video LLC, according to his LinkedIn page, which says he does production management and technical direction for the event industry and scenic design and construction for the theater.
“I am a detail oriented, very organized problem solver,” his LinkedIn page states. “Utilizing my knowledge of the many areas of scenic design, technical direction, project management, and site management I am able to plan and execute the production needs of large scale events where coordination of all vendor and client interests funnel through my team. I manage the site from the first day of the install until all equipment is picked up.”
Both are Democratic Town Committee members.
Dumas was appointed to the Council to replace Faye Bowman, who moved out of Norwalk.
Who was that, again? (Republicans)
On the Republican side, both Keegan and Dickson were outed recently as candidates by District D Republican Chairman John Romano.
Keegan is a former member of the Greenwich Police Department and president of the Norwalk Athletic Association, according to his Facebook page. He’s from Greenwich and in his mid-60s.
Dickens is president of Jack Wolf LLC, a media consulting firm.
“Carl is an accomplished Senior Executive with more than 45 years of success spanning TV & Radio, Media, and Branding,” the Jack Wolf website states. “Leveraging extensive experience managing growth and turnarounds, Carl is an invaluable asset for a company encountering a period of stagnant or declining revenue and is seeking operational transformations and process improvements to reduce costs and drive sales as well as profitability. His areas of expertise include new business development, marketing, consulting, talent development, market research, strategic planning, branding, strategic market positioning, and customer relationship management.”
Iannacone should sound familiar, as he is a former BoE member and former Council member.
More on B Dems
Also on the list of candidates are incumbent Council member Darlene Young, David Westmoreland for reelection to the Third Taxing District and Manny Langella, who will seek a Council at large seat.
That’s all according to Burgess, who listed them as among Monday’s endorsements. District B Dems also endorsed Mayor Harry Rilling and McQuaid for reelection, and Dumas.
Langella has sought a Council seat previously, as an in-district candidate.
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