Republicans in small CT town beat the Democrats at their own game - and it's absolutely wonderful

FARMINGTON, CT- Tensions got high in this sleepy Hartford suburb last week when the Republican-led town council beat Democrats at their own game by appointing a Democrat of their choosing to a vacancy on the school board. 

The candidate of choice by the Democratic Town Committee, Matt Hutvagner, was bypassed in favor of a former teacher, Martin Skelly, also a Democrat, which sent local Democrats into a tizzy, according to the Patch. 

Democrats accused Republicans of violating precedent in bypassing the candidate chosen by them to fill the vacancy and failing to work in a bipartisan manner while also accusing the majority of “furthering a local political divide,” which is visible not only in Farmington but across the country. It appears that Republicans may have beaten the Democrats at their own game. 

Democrats on the town committee said Skelly had never been forwarded by other Democrats as a potential candidate for the vacancy and accused him of being “someone more aligned with the Republican party than his declared party affiliation,” the Patch said. 

Skelly’s appointment was one of a handful of votes on appointments during the Jan. 2 meeting, however, it was the most contentious. 

The vacancy was created when former school board member Patricia Boye-Williams, a Democrat, was elected to the town council. Her four-year term doesn’t expire until 2025; therefore, the town council was tasked with voting on her replacement. 

In fact, Boye-Williams nominated Hutvagner to fill her former position at the council meeting on Jan. 2. 

“I think he would be an excellent person to have on the board,” she said of Hutvagner. She noted she had worked with him on a number of projects and initiatives while she was on the school board. 

Councilman Dave Wlodkowski endorsed those remarks when he seconded her motion. He said Hutvagner was an experienced member of various boards and commissions and worked at ESPN in the accounting office. 

“There isn’t anybody that could meet the qualifications that Matt has as far as somebody who wants to contribute wholeheartedly to this community,” Wlodkowski said. Hutvagner is a former town council candidate who lost out during the 2023 elections. 

During the meeting, Brian Connolly, another Democrat, referred to Hutvagner as “a man of character.” 

“He brings that to his work. He brings that to his community. He is a caring man. There’s no other way to say it,” Connolly continued. 

That was not enough to dissuade council Republicans, who hold a 4-3 majority. Hutvagner’s nomination was defeated along partisan lines when the vote was conducted. 

Skelly was then nominated to fill the vacancy, and by the same 4-3 vote, he was appointed to the school board despite not being endorsed by the Democratic Town Committee. 

Councilman Keith Vibert, one of the Republicans who voted to appoint Skelly, noted he was a 30-year resident of Farmington, a town of just under 27,000 people located nine miles southwest of Hartford. 

 Skelly worked as a teacher in Middletown, Connecticut, for many years, Vibert said, and added that experience would prove invaluable as a school board member. 

“In addition to those professional credentials, Martin has also consistently volunteered to support his community throughout his life,” Vibert said, noting Skelly also served as a volunteer firefighter. 

“I cannot think of anyone more qualified as an educator, a professional, a volunteer, and recommend this appointment. I strongly endorse Martin Skelly for the board of education,” Vibert added. 

None of that mattered to Connolly, however, who angrily burst out, “I’m sorry, I don’t know this man.” 

“I’m wondering why our candidate was so unanimously turned down by the Republicans. I’m very disappointed by that and, honestly, a little shocked that that is how you are going to proceed with our very first vote on how we’re going to work together. I don’t see that as working together,” Connolly added. 

He said he respects the Republican members of the council but doesn’t feel the majority reciprocates. 

“And yet, I feel like politics has, somehow, crept into what we’re trying to do in terms of policy and the public interest. So that is very sad to say. It’s hurtful to say,” a visibly frustrated Connolly added. 

Wlodkowski also spoke out, reminding the audience that past practice has always seen the party that holds the vacancy also hold the right to fill the vacancy, not the majority and opposition party. 

“Our nominee there is somebody who has demonstrated, above all else, the commitment to this town, the commitment to making things better,” Wlodkowski said. “To categorically dismiss this is a tremendous disappointment.” 

He added that being appointed under such circumstances doesn’t do any favors for Skelly since nobody on the Democratic side of the aisle knows him, and that is whom he is expected to caucus with. 

“You’re not doing this person any service. This person is going to be an outlier on the board of ed,” Wlodkowski continued.

 However, Vibert said Skelly was a good candidate and emphasized the decision to bypass Hutvagner wasn’t a knock on him, although he did “have reservations about” him. He said he believed Skelly was simply a better option. He offered no reasons why he had reservations about Hutvagner. 

After the meeting, the angry Democrats issued a statement condemning the appointment due to its divergence from past practice. They also accused the Republicans of picking Skelly because they believed he was more likely to go along with the Republican majority on the school board. 

“This decision was made without discussion or debate during the public meeting. In addition to blocking the Democrat-recommended candidate, they went so far as to install an individual never discussed with any Democratic Town Council member or leadership of the Farmington Democratic Town Committee,” the statement read. 

They also said the GOP on the council violated a promise to work in a bipartisan manner with the minority party. 

“It is unacceptable that the Town Council Republicans decided to start the new term playing partisan political games with the public school system, Farmington residents, and the Farmington Democrats hold in such high regard.”