File Photo
Bob Imperato (pictured), a member of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the prestigious Board of Finance (BOF).
The Board of Selectmen (BOS) unanimously approved the appointment Wednesday night. Imperato, a Republican, will fill a vacancy created by the resignation of long-time BOF member Ken Kaminsky. At last month’s BOF meeting, it was announced that Kaminsky was leaving due to illness.
Prior to the BOS vote, Third Selectman Jack Ahern asked if Imperato would continue serving on the RTM. First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove said Imperato plans to participate in this Wednesday’s RTM and resign afterwards. He will be sworn in to his new position before the BOF meets at month’s end.The BOF term expires July 31, 2019.
Ahern also commended Kaminsky for his long service to the community. “He’s going to be missed,” he said.
Imperato has served more than five years on the RTM, having been appointed in May 2012 to fill a vacancy in the 4th District. He is currently the chair of the Public Services Committee, and a member of the Ways and Means Committee.
He has more than 40 years of experience in banking and finance.
At the Republican Caucus in July, Imperato sought the Republican nomination for tax collector, but was defeated by Sandra Kraus, a finance director at a local Branford company and a member of the Inland Wetlands Commission. Kraus faces Roberta Gill-Brooks, who is seeking the tax collector’s position on the Democratic ticket. Current tax collector Joanne Cleary, who has served for many years, had previously announced her retirement. In recent years, Cleary, a Democrat, was cross-endorsed.
Imperato Considered a Primary
In July, at the Republican Caucus, Ray Ingraham, the chair of the Republican Town Committee (RTC), announced Kraus as the winner of the paper ballot vote but would not disclose to caucus members a breakdown of the vote. But sources told the Eagle that Imperato lost by about 15 votes after Kraus launched a strong outside campaign and packed the house the night of the vote. She announced at the caucus that she became a Republican a day before the caucus.
In an interview last month before the August 9 primary deadline, Imperato told the Eagle he had thought about running in a primary against Kraus for the tax collector’s nomination. “I did think about it,” he said.
He decided against it, he said, because challenging Kraus “would split the party.” Imperato also understood that a split in the RTC might well have an impact on other campaigns. For example, Cosgrove is seeking the first selectman’s seat for another two year term this November. Cosgrove will be running against Lynda Mollow, the Democratic candidate. Ingraham is also the majority leader of the RTM and is also running for re-election.
In the end, Imperato decided to run for his RTM seat again instead of engaging in a primary fight. Then the BOF seat recently opened up and Cosgrove nominated Imperato for the post.
Also on Wednesday, the BOS unanimously approved the re-appointments of two current BOF members — Charles Shelton Jr., a Republican, and Victor Cassella,a Democrat, with terms to expire July 31, 2020.
The BOF is comprised of six members, and no more than three can be of the same political party. The first selectman is an ex-officio member, but cannot vote unless there is a tie.
One change was made on the Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) — alternate Eric Rose was unanimously appointed to full member status to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of Merle Berke-Schlessel. That means there is a vacancy for an alternate position on the IWC, which is comprised of seven full members and three alternates.
Marcia Chambers contributed reporting for this article.
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