Today is Election Day, Will You Be Voting? Take Our Poll!

Today is Tuesday, November 8th, Election Day. Everywhere you go you can see the signs:

Republicans Cleary & Szatkowski – “Buy Bethel First”

From their campaign website:

With the economy this tough, recycling yesterday’s solutions won’t move Bethel forward!

• Grow the Commercial Grand list to ease residential tax burdens and create local jobs
• Maintain Educational Excellence for our children’s future and to attract new businesses
• Continued Senior Citizen and Veteran Tax Relief / assistance
• Create a realistic road paving and maintenance program without bonding the future
• Execute a workable Economic Development plan; be pro-active to attract good development

Democrats Knickerbocker & Straiton – “Leadership Working For You”

From their campaign website:

Here is a partial list of what we’ve accomplished since taking office in December 2009:

Secured funding for Phase-1 of our comprehensive multi-year Road-Recovery Plan to put Bethel’s street back into good working order.

Relocated the Bethel Teen Center to a beautiful new temporary space at no cost to taxpayers while we seek grant funding to create a permanent center.

Created a new Economic Outreach Commission to bring businesses and shoppers back to Bethel.

Opened Bethel’s first downtown Farmer’s Market to provide fresh goods to Bethel residents as well as provide new business traffic for our village shopping district.

Put the completion of the long-delayed Bethel Public Library  renovation back on schedule.

The CT Tea Party Burke & Crnic – “Taxed Enough Already”

The CT Tea Party does not have a campaign website. Robert Burke in an earlier interview with Bethel Buzz said:  ”I don’t know how to use a computer.” Burke and his running mate Crnic have not returned repeated requests for comment from Bethel Buzz, so their stance below is quoted from an Oct. 22nd News Times article:

“Implementing cost-cutting technologies that increase productivity should also be a constant priority.”

“Pursuing available state and federal grants to fund or offset capital improvement costs must be emphasized.”

“Attracting new businesses to Bethel to increase our tax base and provide jobs for Bethel residents is a win-win for our community and can only become a reality if our tax rate is more competitive than other neighboring towns.”

“I would like to see our administrators and students convert to a textbook-free environment as soon as possible.”

So who will you be voting for? In our Buzz voting poll on Oct. 27, 52% of Bethel Buzz readers said the most important issue to them is economic development. Along Greenwood Ave. the numerous “For Rent” signs in the windows show that what our town desperately wants and needs is economic development and jobs. Click here to see the survey.

Which candidate stands for the issues you feel are most important for our town? Let your voice be heard. Vote today! Polling places are open until 8:00 p.m. this evening.

Click here to put in your street address and find your polling location.

The following is a press release sent in by Daniel R. Gaita–

TRIAL DATE NEARING FOR BETHEL FIRST SELECTMAN AND BETHEL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

BETHEL, CT:  Bethel Resident Daniel R Gaita, currently a self representing plaintiff in a two-year old civil suit recently defeated the defense council’s attempt to avoid trial.

It appears, based on the ruling, that the Superior Court Judge saw enough evidence in Gaita’s argument to allow the case to continue to trial later this month.

The charges of Gaita’s lawsuit against School Superintendent Dr. Gary Chesley and Bethel First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker include Defamation, Libel, Intentional Misrepresentation and Negligent Misrepresentation.

The additional counts are the result of information obtained during witness depositions conducted at the Bethel Municipal Center.

Gaita alleges that information obtained during the witness testimony leaves him with no doubt that the People of Bethel, including himself, have been craftily miss-led for over a decade by the defendants.

Gaita further alleges that the defendants’ emails to the Bethel Board of Education, accusing Gaita of using hate speech and violating the Military Code of Conduct were meant to destroy the credibility of both Gaita and his claims of malfeasance on the part of defendants Knickerbocker and Chesley.

Jury selection for this trial which had been previously scheduled for June 6^th, 2011 was continued at the request of the defendants until November 29^th.

Gaita’s full Motion and Detailed Memorandum in support of his Motion to continue to trial is available on-line here:http://www.scribd.com/doc/70534445/Objection-to-Motion-For-Summary-Judgement

In his legal memorandum, Gaita details Dr. Chesley’s professional chronology and highlights contradictions in his and Mr. Knickerbockers deposed testimony.

Daniel R. Gaita

Private Studio Fitness

www.bethelfitness.com