WALLINGFORD - Republicans won a resounding Town Council victory Tuesday, wresting control from Democrats and gaining a 6-3 majority, the most possible under minority representation rules.

Packaged with the re-election of Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr., gaining a majority on the Board of Education and rejection of charter revision, the outcomes were a pleasant gift to the GOP from voters.

"I thought we had a shot at 5-4, so this is wonderful," said a re-elected Bob Parisi, who has served on the council for so long that even he can't remember (he's served 17 non-continuous terms since 1970).

Parisi said he thought the victory had something to do with charter revision, seen as an effort to rein in the power of the mayor, but also "something to do with the Choate issue," he said. The Democrat-controlled council had clashed with the prep school over a proposal to close part of a town road.

"We took the high road," said Parisi.

The Republican victory puts council control back in the hands of the GOP for the first time in four years.

Along with Parisi, Republican incumbents winning re-election were Rosemary Rascati, Jerry Farrell Jr. and John Le Tourneau. Newcomers Craig C. Fishbein and Vincent Cervoni also won seats. Cervoni ran unsuccessfully for the council in 2007.

Winning Democrats were incumbents Nick Economopoulos and Vincent F. Testa Jr., and John J. Sullivan. Democrats Michael Brodinsky, the council chairman, and Michael Spiteri did not seek re-election.

"It's a tough night, no doubt about it," said Vincent Avallone, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee.

"I think the charter revision question had a lot to do with it, and I think we got hurt by not having a mayoral candidate," he said.

Sullivan paid a visit to the Republican celebration after the results were in. "I think it could be several things," he said, when asked to explain the outcome. "It could be not having a mayoral candidate at the top of the ballot. I can't put my finger on it. I really can't."

Earlier in the evening Avallone had also bemoaned the low voter turnout.

"It's sad," he'd said. "You're going to have people running your town based on a very few votes."

Dickinson has proven invincible as a candidate for mayor since he was first elected in 1983. Democrats are finding it increasingly difficult to find a candidate willing to spend the time, money and effort to challenge him.

"There's some coattail effect," said David Gessert. "We've got a very popular mayor."

Gessert is a member of the Public Utilities Commission, a former Republican town chairman and former chairman of the Town Council. He called Tuesday "probably the biggest win we've had in a long time."

"I thought the charter was a very important issue," said Dickinson. "Fortunately, people in town saw that and understood it and wanted to keep the charter the way it is."

Even before the results started coming in, the writing appeared to be on the wall. Democrats gathered in an upstairs office of a building on Center Street and held a rather solemn meeting of no more than 50. Republicans, more than a hundred, were at Brother's Restaurant, serving food and drinks and sharing loud conversation that became increasingly boisterous as their ascendency became clear.

Republicans also won in terms of high-tech, using computer projection of results, while Democrats stuck to the old-fashioned method of marker pen on poster board.

"With the majority comes responsibility," said Farrell, as early results were coming. It was an observation repeated often after it became clear the Republicans had won.

Parisi said he thought the town was comfortable with its mayor, and needed stability and reassurance at a time when both are scarce.

"The council's a funny thing in Wallingford," Parisi said.

"The first thing I think we want to do is sit down and see what goals we're going to set and not try to set the world on fire," he said. "I don't think the public wants it."

jkurz@record-journal.com

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