By Edward Munster
(July 18, 2025) — Haddam Republicans caucused on July 15, 2025 at the Higganum Firehouse Community Room to choose their candidates for town offices to be decided in the upcoming November election.
The Republican Nominating Committee proposed Sean Donlan to run for First Selectman on the Republican ticket. Donlan is a former Democratic member of the Board of Selectmen who recently registered as an unaffiliated voter. Mark Lundgren was the Nominating Committee’s choice for Board of Selectmen. Incumbent Kate Anderson, who did not receive the Nominating Committee’s recommendation, was nominated from the floor to run for the other Selectman seat on the BOS.
Sarah Pytlik received the Nominating Committee’s recommendation for Town Clerk. Incumbent Robert Siegrist was nominated from the floor. Because there were two candidates for the position, this required a vote by the Republicans at the caucus (photos above and below).
Pytlik won that contest with 58 votes while Siegrist received 56 votes. After the caucus, Siegrist said that he would run a primary to retain his position as Town Clerk.
Nominated for the Board of Finance were Mark Adelberg, Scott Bowden and Wayne Rutty. For BOF alternate Alex Marconi was nominated. Nominated for a seat on the Board of Assessment Appeals was Craig Salonia.
For the Planning and Zoning Commission the nominees were Jamin Laurenza, Wayne LePard, Dan Luisi and Ed Waller. For P&ZC alternate, Larry Maggi was nominated. For the second available P&ZC Alternate position, the nominating committee did not have a candidate to present.
For the Zoning Board of Appeals, Tom Weglarz was the Nominating Committee’s candidate. However, a second seat on the ZBA was left vacant by the Nominating Committee. For the position on ZBA Alt., the Nominating Committee failed to present a candidate.
For the Regional School District 17 Board of Education, incumbents Corey Roberts and Joseph Centofanti were nominated. However, for the third available BOE seat, the nominating committee did not have a candidate to present.
Anyone interested in serving the town by running for one of the seats for which the Nominating Committee did not have a candidate is invited to contact Haddam Republican Town Chairman Gigi Simko gssimko@yahoo.com. She would be happy to provide more information about the positions and assist you in the process of getting onto the November 2025 ballot.
Those positions include: Planning and Zoning Commission Alternate member, Zoning Board of Appeals full member, Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate member, and a seat on the RSD 17 Board of Education. This BOE position will be crucial, as the BOE is in the process of considering a major building project.
Photos by Edward Munster
