MAYOR

David Eldridge

David A. Eldridge grew up in Shelton, Connecticut and attended the public school system. David was an active member of the Shelton & Derby Boys and Girls Club and was named "Boy of the Year" in 1981. After graduating from Shelton High School he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp and proudly served our country for five years achieving the rank of Sergeant. David was awarded the Combat Action Medal for his service in the Beirut and Grenada conflicts.

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After completing his United States Marine Corp service, David went on for schooling at the Wentworth Institute of Technology for Airframe and Powerplant Operations and worked for Avco Lycoming until becoming a police officer for the City of Shelton in 1989. He served the local community in this role for 31 years and retired in July of 2020. During his 31 year law enforcement career, David was a Field Training Officer, a Crime Prevention Officer, served in the Valley Street Crime Unit, the Anti Gang Unit in Bridgeport and was an undercover officer for the Statewide Narcotics Division of the Connecticut State Police where he worked on complex cases involving narcotics trafficking. He is a qualified expert witness in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of narcotics. David received the "Life Saving Award" for jumping into the Housatonic River to save an individual that was thrown from the Shelton-Derby Bridge into the water. In 2019 he received the Connecticut Chief of Police "Officer of the Year Award" and in the same year he was named the American Legion "Officer of the Year".

David is known for his outstanding work ethic and in addition to his law enforcement career, he has owned two small businesses, Anna's Place in Shelton from 1991-1995 and Taylor's Floral Arts in Westport which was sold in 1999. He has also worked a second full time job at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford for the past 13 years and continues to be employed there today.

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Throughout his career he has served in elected and volunteer positions in the Shelton community. He was twice elected to the Shelton Board of Aldermen for Ward 2, He is a member of the Shelton Boys & Girls Club Alumni group, the American Legion Sutter Terlizi Post 16, and the Marine Corp League.

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David has rolled up his sleeves through the years organizing and participating in neighborhood clean ups and other efforts dedicated to maintaining a good quality of life in Shelton.

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David lives in the Pine Rock section of Shelton with his three daughters Emily, Megan and Giovanna and his Australian Shepherd, Lucy.

Paid for by David Eldridge for Mayor. Anne Gaydos, Treasurer. 

1st WARD ALDERMAN

David Gioiello

Dave and his wife have been residents of Shelton for 40 years. They have two adult children. Dave has been a scout leader, a Sunday Schools teacher, church youth leader and youth soccer coach. He holds a BS from the University of Detroit and an MS from Wayne State University. Dave has worked for GE, NASA and currently is co-owner of a consulting firm specializing in occupational safety and health. He has served on several national professional boards and is past president of a foundation that awards college scholarships within the occupational safety and health profession. For a number of years Dave provided consulting services to the Shelton Board of Education regarding asbestos, lead and indoor air quality.

Dave served two terms on the Board of Education (2015-19). While on the BOE he was committed to working to improve the academic performance of Shelton students, increasing their SAT scores and increasing the graduation rate. While on the BOE he participated in a number hearings involving student conduct and always worked to see that the student’s best interest was kept in mind.

As your alderman Dave will work to support proper funding for schools while ensuring that total City expenditures are used in such a manner that the City gets the most for their money. Dave will also work to see that the City Student Transportation Company is run as a business and if there are no real cost savings that the City gets out of the transportation business. Dave will work to establish a capital fund to build up cash reserves to make

1st WARD ALDERMAN

Wayne Bragg

Wayne Bragg and his wife Kate have lived in Shelton for 30 years. He is a local small business owner, Adjunct Professor at UCONN and a former Sikorsky executive. Wayne has become invested in the betterment of the community, serving as  a member of Shelton’s Board of Apportionment and Taxation  and currently a Corporator at Griffin Hospital.

Wayne is running for the Board of Aldermen because, as a past member of A&T,  he has seen and spoke out about the need for a strong finance board that provides needed checks and balances and  financial oversight to ensure our tax dollars are safeguarded. 

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Shelton’s Board of Aldermen is the city’s fiscal authority. They approve the budget and regulate debt and borrowing, a responsibility that requires strong management, leadership, and a financial background. Wayne holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut.  As  an Adjunct Professor he teaches Graduate Accounting in the Executive MBA program and works with veterans in UCONN’s Entrepreneurial Bootcamp.  Prior to teaching, he held numerous financial positions at Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. As Controller at Sikorsky, he directed the financial and capital planning and budgeting systems.  If elected, with these skills, Wayne is focused on: 

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1. Improving the adversarial relationship between the Board of Education and the Board of Aldermen.  
2. Restoring A&T’s oversight role and making them a business partner to the Aldermen.  
3. Bringing a strategic focus to the budget process by evaluating the city’s needs to deliver high quality services and a world-class education system.

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​As Alderman, Wayne will work to bring transparency to all the Aldermen’s financial decisions and change the budget process to one that holds  all  boards and departments accountable for both performance and spending decisions.   He is committed to work every day on bringing transparency to every business decision.

2nd WARD ALDERMAN

Kevin Kosty

Kevin Kosty is a Scientist living and working in Shelton, and is seeking to represent Shelton's Second Ward on the Board of Alderman. A resident of downtown Shelton for 13 years, Kevin’s vision is to lead the downtown redevelopment with a pedestrian friendly downtown and solve the parking issue to attract high quality restaurants and small businesses. 

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Kevin believes that efforts to transform Shelton and realize our city’s full potential start with building transparency and openness in our Municipal government and budget process. Kevin supports transforming Board of Apportionment and Taxation into a true Board of Finance with budgeting authority and the ability to perform a forensic audit and reforming the selection member process for the Board of Ethics to allow it to be a true watchdog ensuring our elected officials act in the best interest of all citizens.

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Kevin graduated from Nazareth College of Rochester with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and has worked as a scientist in environmental and materials labs, and as a training and technical support specialist. Having taken an interest in Science at an early age, Kevin will champion a strong S.T.E.M. educational program in Shelton schools to prepare our students for the advanced jobs of America’s future.

2nd WARD ALDERMAN
Michele Bialek

Michele is a third generation Sheltonite and 2nd Ward Aldermanic candidate. She and her husband Fred love their Coram Gardens neighborhood, where they are raising their 6 children. Michele was a successful small business owner in the heart of the downtown area for over 10 years, where she developed a deep relationship with the community in her beloved city. Michele’s vision for Shelton is one of cooperative governance, honorable and respectful growth, and care for all of its residents - especially those who cannot speak for themselves. She believes we can achieve this vision by building innovative industry partnerships to support continued grand list growth and taking advantage of infrastructure opportunities.

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Michele believes that Shelton is poised to become a vibrant center for Agro and Cultural Tourism. As a representative on the Board of Aldermen, Michele will fairly and honorably represent the residents of Ward 2 and will take the time to truly understand their needs and ideas. She will bring a cooperative, inspired, and productive energy to the Aldermanic table, and will work towards realizing her vision of a Vibrant Shelton.

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Michele was an active member in the chamber for 12 years, was a founding member of the Mary Schmecker Turtle Shell Fund (an annual high school arts scholarship), was the co-founder of Soupstock Music Food and Arts Festival, and is a member of the Shelton Farmer's Market Association, She joined the Shelton Public School Community Committee in 2018 and has been a mentor for two years.

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Approved by Michele Bialek Paid for by Envision Shelton, Laure Kovacs, Treasurer

3rd Ward Alderman
Michael Duncan

Michael R. Duncan has been a resident of Shelton for 5 years and volunteered with many non-profits to make Shelton a better place!  Michael currently works as a Sr. Channel Manager at Edgewell Personal Care, Financial Services Professional, and Real Estate entrepreneur.  He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Finance from Rutgers University and Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Saint Mary’s College of California.

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He has dedicated himself to improving Shelton and the Valley by volunteering and serving as a Board Member on non-profit boards.  Michael is a financial coach for the CT Association for Human Services (CAHS) where he helps individuals and families learn about financial literacy to become financially independent. He is on the Board of Directors for the CT United Way, Boys & Girls Club of Lower Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut Cancer Foundation (CCF) and previously served on the Valley United Way. Michael is also a member of the Shelton High School Advisory Board and the NAACP Education Committee.

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Recently appointed as a Commissioner on Shelton’s Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA), Michael is working hard to ensure the city of Shelton’s collection, transportation, and disposal of contaminants does not affect the cleanliness or purity of any water.

Michael is seeking election for 3rd Ward Alderman because he understands the needs of the community!  He has strong leadership, management and financial background to help guide the city of Shelton into

3rd WARD ALDERMAN

Matt McGee

Matt McGee is a lifelong resident of Shelton, a graduate of Shelton Public Schools, and is currently a full time commuter student at Southern Connecticut State University studying Political Science. He is passionate about strengthening our community and is running to represent you as your Alderman from the 3rd Ward. He has been very successful as a community organizer, co-founding organizations such as SHS Students For Change and Envision Shelton-- the latter being the bi-partisan group that led the "Vote No on Charter'' campaign during last year's general election. Matt has served as Envision Shelton's Treasurer before moving into his current position as Field Director, and is immensely proud of the work Envision Shelton has done to bring people together around shared interests and common goals. He plans to use the skills and experiences he acquired while organizing these groups when serving on the Board of Aldermen.

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In his free time, Matt is an AmeriCorps Volunteer at the East End NRZ Pop Up Market & Café, working to end the issue of food insecurity that plagues Bridgeport's East End community.

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“Being a community leader is about bringing people together to achieve common goals. Together, we can keep taxes low, fairly fund education, and open up City Hall to truly be the people’s hall once again.”

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Approved by Matt McGee, Paid for by Envision Shelton, Laure Kovacs, Treasurer

4th Ward Alderman
Michelle Laubin

Michelle Laubin for Ward 4 Alderman:
Michelle Laubin has been a resident of Shelton since 2006, a member of the Board of Apportionment & Taxation since 2018, and is now seeking to represent the 4th Ward on the Board of Aldermen.

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Michelle is a graduate of Wells College and Northeastern University School of Law, and has practiced education law with the firm of Berchem Moses, P.C. in Milford, representing Connecticut school districts since 1996. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN), a member of the Shelton Democratic Town Committee (DTC), a member of the Shelton Racial Awareness and Cultural Education (RACE) Committee, and the Valley NAACP Education Committee.

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In her role as a member of the Board of Apportionment & Taxation, Michelle has been an advocate for fair funding for education and city services, as well as fiscal responsibility and accountability. When the Charter Revision Commission proposed to eliminate the Board of A&T in 2020, she worked on the DTC campaign to oppose the Charter Revision, which was soundly defeated at the polls. Michelle believes  that the Board of A&T has an important role to play in the budget process and should be strengthened, not eliminated.

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Michelle’s vision for Shelton includes a high-performing school system, fair wages and treatment for City workers, smart development, protecting public safety by restoring the integrity of the City’s police department and making it a place where highly qualified officers want to work, and developing Shelton’s potential as an historic and cultural destination in the Naugatuck River Valley.

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Approved by Michelle Laubin, Paid for by Envision Shelton, Laure Kovacs, Treasurer

4th WARD ALDERMAN

Amanda Kilmartin

After 4 years of service on the Shelton Board of Education, Mandy Kilmartin knows that to affect meaningful and positive change in the community, change must first come to the leadership at City Hall. 

Fed up with the current “us vs. them” approach to governance, Mandy is running for 4th Ward Alderman to represent the un-heard and underrepresented voices of Shelton residents and families.

Mandy is a tireless advocate for transparent and collaborative communication.  Some of her most recent accomplishments on the BOE include spearheading the widely praised 2020 SHS Graduation Committee and helping to draft- and pass- the new Student Representative policy. She is also a member of the BOE Finance and Policy Committees and serves on the Executive Committee of the Shelton DTC.

Outside of her community work, Mandy works as an Associate Director for Planetree International, where she coaches healthcare leaders and providers on the implementation of person-centered practices across the U.S. and around the world. She is a former Booth Hill School PTO Treasurer, a busy Lacrosse Mom in the Spring, a rowdy Football Mom in the fall, and has lived in Shelton for 15 years with her husband Doug and their two children.

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Approved by Amanda Kilmarton, Paid for by Envision Shelton, Laure Kovacs, Treasurer

PLANNING AND ZONING

Jimmy Tickey

Jimmy grew up in Shelton and attended Shelton Public Schools. A graduate of Fordham University in New York City, Jimmy studied Business Administration and Economics. He is Chairman of the Valley United Way’s Community Campaign and serves on their Board of Directors, as well as the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley Board of Directors and Griffin Hospital Board of Corporators. 

Jimmy never stops thinking about Shelton's future. He is a forthright advocate for balanced development, and speaks honestly about the need for smart growth. That's why Jimmy has consistently and effectively fought against high-density developments.

Jimmy believes in a business-friendly community that maintains a stable tax-rate. He supports developments that bring good jobs with rising incomes to Shelton. Jimmy is thoughtfully planning for our future, taking into consideration our road and infrastructure needs, while focusing on a more vibrant downtown Shelton.  

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Jimmy was previously elected to the Board of Apportionment and Taxation,

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PLANNING AND ZONING

Nancy Dickal

Nancy Dickal has been a resident of Shelton for the past 42 years. She and her husband Alan have two daughters, Dawn and Lisa, both graduates of Shelton High School. Her youngest daughter Lisa is an active state licensed wildlife rehabilitator, and a Shelton/Derby animal control officer. 

Nancy is a former member of the Board of Apportionment & Taxation, former Planning and Zoning Commissioner, and currently a Planning and Zoning Alternate.

Nancy recognizes the need for continued commitment and attention for Shelton to achieve a balance of growth and address the ongoing residential, conservation, traffic concerns.

Nancy actively volunteers in her spare time helping senior citizens, assisting her daughter in animal rescues, Shelton Earth Day Sweeps and has 'Adopted A Street' to help keep Shelton litter free. As a Planning & Zoning Commissioner, she promises to continue in passionately advocating for thoughtful planning and beneficial development to help protect the character of Shelton.

PLANNING AND ZONING

John Uysal (Alternate)

John’s top priority is to maintain and improve the quality of life for the people of Shelton. John grew up in Shelton and is a product of Shelton Public Schools. He is a graduate of Emmanuel College in Boston with a degree in Political Science. You may recognize John from Scooter’s Deli Mart, a small business in Shelton owned by his family for 22 years.

Giving back to the community is important to John. With the experience of running a locally owned business and being a lifelong resident of the city, John will add a valuable perspective to the Planning and Zoning Commission. He supports sustainable and balanced development that will allow the city to maintain low taxes. John is optimistic that the full potential of our Downtown area can be unharnessed to become a regional center of commerce.

As a Planning and Zoning Alternate, John will be a straightforward advocate for the interests of his constituents. He prioritizes issues such as the conservation of green space and the improvement of traffic conditions. John, like everyone else, wants to keep Shelton a place you can call home."

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Kate Kutash

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Patti Moonan

Patti Moonan has been a resident of Shelton for 7 years and is currently seeking re-election to the Board of Education for a second term. While serving on the Board of Education, Patti has been a committee member of the Policy and Teaching and Learning Committees. Some of her accomplishments include advocating and helping to draft the Student Representative Policy and collaborating with the Teaching and Learning Staff around the district’s Social Emotional Learning program. Patti is a firm believer that the role of a BOE member is to advocate for a strong education system that is well funded for the betterment of Shelton’s students.

Patti earned her BA from the University at Albany and a MA from Fairfield

University. She has worked in the legal and financial fields, as a Paralegal at a large NYC law firm and as a Corporate Lending Officer for Chase Bank in

Manhattan. After the passing of her husband, Patti changed the focus of her life’s work and is currently a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist working with Adolescents and their Families in the Town of North Haven.

She is on the Leadership Council at Adam’s House and volunteers as a FIG (Friend in Grief) for the organization as well.

Patti is a mother of three grown children and a grandmother of two.

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Diana Meyer

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Joan Littlefied

Joan Littlefield has been a resident of Shelton for four years and an active member of the Shelton Democratic Committee as Volunteer Coordinator.  She is a single mother of two and is the proud mom of a Shelton High School grad.

This past year she worked hard with volunteers to defeat the proposed charter revision so that transparency and accountability in City of Shelton government can be maintained.  She is a member of the Shelton RACE Committee, bringing her experience as the mom of African immigrant children to encouraging conversations around issues that affect us all.  

With much of her professional focus on improving the wellbeing of children and adolescents, Joan looks forward to supporting excellence in public education for all Shelton families.  She began her career as a NICU nurse and is currently Director for Asia & Eurasia Programs at Americares Foundation based in Stamford.  She spent 30 years providing technical assistance in Africa, Latin America, and Asia to develop leadership in quality of care, equity, efficiency and accountability in public sector health systems. 

Having grown up in Trumbull and returning to the area 4 years ago, Joan is dedicated to Shelton and its vibrant, multicultural community. She has a B.S. in Nursing, and was a NICU nurse. She also holds a Master in Public Health and Master in Business Administration from Columbia University.  

BOARD OF APPORTIONMENT AND TAXATION

Joe Knapik

Joe Knapik has always been active in civic affairs and is seeking a fourth term on the Board of Apportionment & Taxation.   As a long time Shelton resident, he has held a seat on the Shelton Board of Education, the Conservation Commission, and most recently the Board of Apportionment & Taxation.  Joe also served on the Griffin Hospital Community Council.

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Joe has worked in both education and industry, and has been a member of Connecticut and National Education Associations and Teamsters Local – 1150. He holds a B.A. degree from Quinnipiac University and an M.S. and Sixth Year from Southern Connecticut State University.  

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Joe believes A&T should be supported by the administration and that, currently, it is not.  Minutes should be provided in advance of meetings, monthly financial summaries should be supplied and transfer requests should be timely.  He also believes that department heads should appear to support their yearly budget requests and that contrived surplus' should be questioned.  If re-elected, Joe will continue to support our low tax rate, advocate for more effective use of the city’s cash flow, and fight for greater fiscal accountability.

Board of Apportionment and Taxation
Jarrett Frazier

My name is Jarrett Frazier and I am a new resident to Shelton who is running with a group of qualified Democratic candidates for Board of Apportionment and Taxation. I believe my experience in the corporate world and volunteering in local politics and on local campaigns helps me understand the role of service for my fellow residents in Shelton. I'm ready to work for Shelton and invest in Shelton's future.

I'm a proud husband to my wife Lauren and a proud father of our son Amias, born the week of the global pandemic in 2020, and baby girl coming this September 2021. I work at NBC Universal for the digital streaming app Peacock as Director of System Engineering and Reliability for Direct to Consumers. My family and I are very happy to be new residents who are ready to give back to Shelton.

Since joining NBC for the 2012 London Olympics, I have had the opportunity to grow and develop my skills as an operator, engineer, manager and director. During the Sochi and Rio Olympics, I lead teams coordinating schedules and developing system workflows. As a corporate manager, I have overseen the transmission engineering and operations for multiple large-scale events on various NBC Sports properties such as Super Bowl LII, the PyeongChang Olympics, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Sunday Night Football and recently the launch of the new Peacock streaming app in 2020.

BOARD OF LIBRARY DIRECTORS
Jean Cayer

Jean Cayer was born in Bridgeport, CT. She earned a BS and MS in Biology at the University of Bridgeport and started her career at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. Jean began as a Medical Technologist and finished her career as the Laboratory Director before retiring in 2016.

Jean moved to Shelton in 1979 where she raised a son, while working and becoming involved in the community. She has been an active member of the Shelton DTC for over 20 years and has served two terms as an elected member of the Shelton Library Board. During her tenure, the board bought land and provided a new parking lot for Plumb Memorial Library patrons. The board also paid for major renovations of the Plumb meeting room, the children’s section, and the historic area.

Jean has been actively volunteering since her retirement. She gave time weekly to several kindergarten classes and volunteered at the Valley United Way, CIRI in Bridgeport, and recently became a board member of St. Vincent DePaul in Derby. 

In keeping with her civic spirit, Jean is running for her third term on the Library Board. There is much to be done, and she is ready and eager to continue her effort to support and improve the Shelton
Library System.