Originally in the Journal Inquirer (www.journalinquirer.com)

ENFIELD — Thompsonville business owner Dominic Alaimo has been named Enfield’s Republican of the Year by the party’s town committee.

Republican Town Chairwoman Mary Ann Turner said that in just a few years, Alaimo has made a “whirlwind splash in local politics.”

“Dominic’s been involved with the town committee for just a short time, but as soon as he got involved, he got very involved,” she said. “Not only just as being part of the town committee, but being involved in how it works, and he jumped right in with fundraising and registering people to vote.”

Alaimo will be honored Friday, March 16, at the annual Republican 7th Senatorial District Lincoln Day Dinner at the Skyline Restaurant, located at 106 Ella Grasso Turnpike in Windsor Locks. The reception starts at 6 p.m., and tickets cost $30.

Alaimo, who has owned Freshwater Package Store on Enfield Street for more than 33 years, said he was “shocked” to learn at the last town committee meeting that his fellow Republicans had chosen him.

“It feels good to know that people are watching what you’re doing,” Alaimo said. “But I enjoy doing this. I don’t look for anything out of it. I like meeting people in the community. I like getting new people registered to vote. Meeting the people of Enfield, you find out what a great community you live in.”

Turner said Alaimo has helped the party’s local elections with a strong push to register more Republicans in town since joining the town committee in 2009. Already at over 400 new voter registrations, his goal is to continue on to 500, in the hope it may make a difference in future elections, she said.

“This is something no other Republican in Enfield has ever accomplished,” Turner said.

Alaimo is currently chairman of the Thompsonville Fire Commission and serves as an alternate on the Planning and Zoning Commission. He made unsuccessful bids for the District 2 seat on the Town Council in 2009 and 2011, trying to unseat longtime Democrat William “Red” Edgar, but fell short both times.

“Even though it didn’t go as he hoped, as a Town Council candidate, Dominic kept a positive attitude and showed he is the kind of man who will straighten his shoulders and go to work on the next election with a smile on his face,” Turner said.

Alaimo said Friday that he plans to run for a council seat again.

“It took Ronald Reagan three tries,” Alaimo said with a laugh, referring to Reagan’s unsuccessful 1968 and 1976 bids for the Republican presidential nomination before finally winning the party’s nod and the election in 1980.

Turner said Alaimo’s name was mentioned many times by committee members as a potential honoree.

“I must say, Dominic works hard for what he wants and he has used his energy for the good of the town committee,” Turner said.

Alaimo is a lifelong Enfield resident.

“I enjoy the people, my neighbors, and work hard to make things better in town,” Alaimo said.

Concerning Delegates and Integrity of Process at 2012 State GOP Convention

You may be unaware of this proposed resolution, (see below).  I have a strong opposition to this proposal and believe that the State Party does not have the right to tell town committees how to vote.  You may have another opinion.  

We will be discussing this at our next town committee meeting.

This Resolution has been proposed by Mark Pappa, Scott Veley and Martha Dean.

RESOLVED, that prior to selecting delegates to the State Convention, Town Committees shall ask appropriate questions of potential delegates concerning their paid involvement or business affiliation with any candidate’s campaign;

RESOLVED, that Town Committees should endeavor to avoid the appearance of impropriety by selecting delegates to the State Convention who are not on a campaign’s payroll or in a vendor or other business relationship with any candidate’s campaign; and

RESOLVED, that prior to selecting delegates to the State Convention Town Committees shall obtain the commitment of any prospective delegate to wear (if selected as a delegate) an appropriate disclosure, to be decided upon by the State Convention’s Rules Committee, in a conspicuous place at all times during the State Convention, which disclosure will identify the delegate as on the payroll of a specific campaign or in a vendor or other business relationship with a specific campaign.

During the past four years, under the leadership of Mayor Scott Kaupin and his Republican team, Enfield residents have benefited from NO property tax increases as roads have been rebuilt, school books purchased, recycling expanded, and public safety maintained.

While taxpayers throughout the state begin to suffer under $3 billion in tax increases voted by Governor Malloy and State Representative Kiner and Tallarita, the Town of Enfield shines like a beacon of light in the dark storm clouds created by Democrats in Hartford.

Enfield deserves two more years of Republican leadership for the Town Council and Board of Education. Senior citizens who own homes have benefited tremendously because Mayor Kaupin and his team eliminated waste of your tax dollars.

When we look at what happened in Hartford, where Malloy and fellow Democrats chose to raise 77 different taxes that hurt taxpayers in order to maintain big government misuse of tax dollars, it is not hard to imagine what would have happened had Scott Kaupin and his Republican team not been in place effectively serving the taxpayers of Enfield.

It is important that concerned citizens and taxpayers vote for Scott Kaupin and the Republican team in the next election. We can’t afford it otherwise.

ENFIELD –Enfield Republicans will be having a change in slate for the upcoming election in District Four. Clem Dumont who was endorsed by the Town Committee back in July has submitted her letter of removal from the November ballot to Chairman Mary Ann Turner.
 
Ms. Dumont has been a Town Councilman since 2007 and is well known in her district as a personable and outgoing public servant.  “I have enjoyed serving on the Enfield Town Council, but my personal commitments have increased in the last year and I find I am unable to continue the level of service I have provided to my District neighbors,” Dumont said.
 
Ms. Dumont won her first campaign in 2007 by 5 votes.  During that race Dumont had promised her constituents to be their voice. She learned quickly how to help people with their problems and get things accomplished.   She was the Chairman of the Leisure Committee and worked with the Enfield Dog Park Action Committee as they proceeded from an idea to reality.  The park will open in September.  
 
Dumont will be leaving a strong slate of people on the Republican Council, Scott Kaupin, Joe Bosco, Bill Lee, Carol Hall, Jake Keller and Ken Nelson.  “It has been an exciting four years and I have enjoyed working with the other council members as we continued to make Enfield a great place to live,” Dumont said.
 
Chairman Mary Ann Turner said, “I’m sad to see Clem go.  She always had a smile for everyone and worked hard to solve problems for her neighbors.  Clem was our “little train that could” and she was not one who would ever say no, when we needed her.”
 
The Executive Committee of the Republican Town Committee met and interviewed a few people interested in the position and it was decided to add Tom Kienzler to the slate in District 4.
 
Mr. Kienzler is well known in Enfield as part of the Thompsonville Little League where he was a board member for many years, as well as a coach.  Tom was very much involved with the purchase of the new lights for the field behind Asnuntuck and is a member of the Enfield Dog Park Action Committee.
 
Kienzler may be new to the political arena but he isn’t new to working with teams of people. He is an Insurance Sales Manager for Colonial Life and has lived in Enfield for 18 years with his wife, Kathleen and their four children.
 
“I look forward to joining the council and adding my experience to this strong slate of candidates.”  “I have seen how creative this council has been saving the taxpayers money but not losing necessary services.  I have always been impressed how the Republicans work so well together and listen to what the public has to say.  I have attended the public forums of town employees and elected officials and Scott Kaupin leads by example.  I plan to do the same.”
 
“Tom will be a great addition to our team.  He is thoughtful and articulate and I can see that his innate teamwork abilities will be just one more positive to an already excellent group of council members,” Turner said.

On Saturday, August 13th I had the opportunity to be on the stage with some pretty impressive speakers at the Grassroots East Campaign Workshop. For a just $10 – you got continental breakfast and a plethora of campaign information.

George Gallo, Sarah Clark, Pauline Kezer, and Mary Ann Turner – gave a cross training of campaigns, how to win, what it takes, and a sense of humor.

More than 100 people started the day and was worth the trip to Colchester on a beautiful Saturday.

I’m told – hand-outs of the presentations are going to be on the Grassroots East website (grassrootseast.org). I went and looked and the website isn’t updated – yet – but I’m sure they will get to it soon.

If you want information, please just e-mail me and I’ll be happy to get you copies of the slides and other available materials.