After opinion pieces were written and calls for a mayoral debate were made on social media, two debates will be held. Tonight is the first debate between Mayor Laura Hoydick and Dr. David Chess, the Democratic mayoral candidate, at the Oronoque North Clubhouse. It is a debate sponsored by The League of Women Voters of Connecticut and the Oronoque Village Condominium Association from 7pm-8:30pm. The questions posed during the debate will be from the League and Oronoque residents only.
Next week, on October 16th from 5:30pm-7:30pm, a public debate, open to the public, will be held at Stratford High School. You can learn more about what to expect and how to submit your questions here.
The deadline to register to vote in mail or online is October 17th!
Things are heating up as Election Day nears, with two recent blows to Mayor Hoydick’s campaign in a very direct and public way. Stratford’s first responders, both the police and fire departments, have officially endorsed Chess for Mayor.
In early September, and after the untimely firing of two firefighters hurt on the job, an endorsement for Dr. David Chess was made by the Stratford Professional Fire Fighters Local 998 in a letter posted on their Facebook page.
Less than a month later, on October 8th, the Stratford Police Union Local 407 announced in a letter on their Facebook page, that in part, states, “Town Hall has repeatedly chosen to cut corners and lower standards rather than tackle the real staffing crisis head-on. Stratford has become known as a revolving door, a training ground for officers who depart as soon as they can find fair pay and professional respect elsewhere. These issues are not isolated; they are echoed by our brothers and sisters in Stratford Fire Local 998, who also share grave concerns about the direction of public safety under this current administration.” The letter ends with “The time for change is now.”
We spoke with Dr. David Chess just after the police union’s endorsement, and he shared with us,
“I’m honored to receive the endorsement of Police Union Local 407 and Firefighters Union 998. I stand firmly with our Police and Fire Unions, and I am committed to addressing the injustices they’ve faced on the job in recent years. Public safety is the backbone of a thriving community, and I will always fight to ensure our first responders have the respect, resources, and support they deserve.”
In full transparency, the Stratford Police Union Local 407 posted the update below on their Facebook page.
Early Voting begins on October 20th, and if you’re not yet registered to vote, it’s not too late. You can visit the Secretary of State’s website to register online. The Early Voting schedule and locations can be accessed on the Town’s website.
Whoever our next mayor is comes down to who votes and for whom, of course.
