NORWALK, Conn. – South Norwalk’s veteran councilmen are out of favor with the Norwalk Democratic Town Committee, but at least one of them is planning to put up a fight for his seat this fall.
Councilman Michael Geake (D-District B) said Monday night that District B is supporting Travis Simms and Phaedrel (Faye) Bowman for council nominations at Tuesday night’s NDTC convention. Geake said he will run without the party endorsement in the primary election. Councilman Carvin Hilliard (D-District B), who has been on the council for 11 years, is likewise out, but he said he isn’t sure if he will run for re-election.
Mary Geake, Michael Geake’s wife and a former NDTC member, attended the District B meeting Monday night and sent her husband the results by text. She said Bowman had eight votes, Simms had six votes and Geake and Hilliard each got four votes. Sharon Stewart and a woman whose first name is Dedra also got votes.
Michael Geake abandoned the Democratic Party shortly after his election in 2011 when his wife lost her seat on the NDTC in a primary. Geake remained unaffiliated and caucused with the Republicans, and recently re-registered as a Democrat. Hilliard kept his Democratic Party affiliation but has caucused with the Republicans.
Hilliard, a NDTC member, said he will go to the convention to vote for Harry Rilling for mayor.
He also said re-election may be difficult to achieve for the young Democrats on the council. They don’t understand how politics works, he said, and their partisan approach keeps them from getting anything done for their districts, which will be difficult to explain to voters when they seek re-election. All they have done is criticize Mayor Richard Moccia, he said.
Hilliard listed three achievements, things that he said he brought home for South Norwalk because he gets along with Moccia.:
• When Hurricane Sandy knocked out the power in Roodner Court, Hilliard spoke to Moccia right away and got one of the three electric crews in Norwalk on the scene, he said.
• When the council voted to outsource garbage collection, Hilliard made a stink about the stench emanating from City Carting’s Meadow Street transfer station. Shortly thereafter, there was a press conference, where the mayor announced that measures were being taken. Hilliard said the bio-agents that were discussed had the desired effect, cutting down the smell in the area.
• Hilliard said he has brought money to a program that helps South Norwalk’s disadvantaged children. He couldn’t remember the name of the program but said it is run by the Rev. Joe Newell.
“I haven’t really made a decision yet whether I’m going to run or not, but (the DTC endorsement) has no bearing,” he said. “I know I’m not their boy. Like I told you, the new Democrats, the young people, they’re not tolerant and all that. I’m not the type of person that you can just tell me go do this, go do that. Unless you tell me how it’s beneficial to the people I represent, not just the party, but the people I represent, I’m not going to do it.”
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