Litchfield GOP taps Sauer to challenge Raap

LITCHFIELD – A Republican in his first term on the Planning and Zoning Commission is the choice to challenge First Selectman Denise Raap in the November election.

Norman Sauer, 43, accepted the nomination during the GOP caucus Wednesday at Bantam Borough Hall.

Leo Paul Jr., the town’s former first selectman, nominated Sauer.

“His business experience, ability to lead, listen and communicate would serve him well as first selectman,” Paul said in his nominating speech. “His skills would be as asset to the community and I think he’d do a great job.”

Sauer, the husband of Republican Town Committee Chairman Stefan Krucker, worked in private business for more than 15 years and now is as an independent business consultant. He and his husband have lived in Litchfield for six years.

Raap accepted the nomination to seek a third term during the Democratic caucus Wednesday at the Northfield firehouse. She learned late Tuesday that Sauer would be posing a challenge.

“I like the idea of having the opportunity to be able to talk about what we’ve done the past two years and what we plan to do the next two years,” Raap said Wednesday of her pending campaign.

Raap’s running mates will be Selectmen Jeffrey Zullo and Jodiann Tenney. Both gained caucus endorsements.

In his acceptance speech, Sauer explained his experience in business management, his affinity for Litchfield and a view of where he believed the town is headed. He sees a town that is changing in a way not in keeping with its historical past, he said.

“Growing up in a small town in Northern California not unlike Litchfield, it, too, had historical charm, small businesses, a dairy farming community and a draw for tourism,” Sauer said. “It was ideal. However, I witnessed a rapid pace of change, a pace where the old was replaced with the new and commerce was put before community. I am concerned that I am witnessing the very same here in Litchfield.”

Sauer’s running mates will be John Bongiorno and Daniel Morosani. In a five-way race for endorsements to run for selectmen seats, Bongiorno and Morosani came out on top. Other candidates were Board of Education Chairman Matthew Terzian, and Board of Finance members Patty Dauten and Elliot Fuessenich.

Bongiorno served six years on the Board of Education, was Republican Town Committee chairman for four years and now serves on the town broadband committee. Morosani serves on the Pension Commission, served on the Board of Finance and is a lieutenant with the Northfield Volunteer Fire Company.

Protecting Litchfield from unrestrained growth, focusing on fiscal responsibility and working to attract young people to town would be priorities if he were to be elected first selectman, Sauer said.

“With my leadership, we are going to make Litchfield a leader once again in the state and the nation,” he said.

Republicans also endorsed Alan Landau as their candidate for town treasurer. Landau will look to succeed Francis Carpentier, who will be stepping down after six years. Democrats failed to nominate a candidate for treasurer.

Republicans also endorsed Peter Losee, Matthew Eucalitto, Roland Greenwood, Georgia Fuessenich and Coleby Bunnell for the Planning and Zoning Commission; Terzian, Daniel Clock and Morosani for the Board of Education; Cleve Fuessenich for the Board of Assessment Appeals; and Krucker and Matthew Tobin for the Board of Finance.

In addition to Raap, Zullo and Tenney, the Democratic slate includes Carol Bramley, Stephen Simonin and Robert Lupo for the Planning and Zoning Commission; Samuel Olmstead, Jennine Lupo and Matthew Dyer for the Board of Finance; Stephen Malo and David Pavlick for the Board of Education; and Daniela Larson for the Board of Assessment Appeals.