The Killingworth Democratic Town Committee joined other town organizations in providing free activities for children and adults at the annual Christmas at the Farm event at Parmelee, December 6th. Our activity was a cookie decorating station under the pavilion.
It was a cold afternoon, but the atmosphere was warm and friendly. Parents and kids turned out for a day of holiday fun that included a visit from Santa, Christmas carols by the HK Middle School choral group, and wagon rides. It all culminated in the tree lighting.
The KDTC has offered the cookie decorating activity for at least four years now. We always enjoy the quiet seriousness with which children of all ages decorate their cookies. Some cookies get eaten on the spot while others are slipped into baggies “for later.” All are masterpieces of color and sweetness.
The KDTC would like to thank the Parmelee Committee for the work they did pulling this family centered event together. The children who waited patiently to see Santa and took part in the other activities definitely enjoyed their day.
On Sunday, October 26th, several of our candidates attended a gathering at the Beechwood Community Clubhouse. Residents’ concerns were discussed with candidates running for positions for the first time or seeking re-election. First Selectman Eric Couture went through the traffic issues being addressed, re-evaluation considerations for mobile homes, and the very pressing issues surrounding affordable housing. Both Eric and Annie Stirna, running for reelection to the Board of Finance, explained the workings of the mill rate.
Perhaps revisiting plans for the future of the Haddam Killingworth High School building received the most questions. Lisa Connelly, running for re-election to the Board of Education, explained the need for changes and the state requirements for reimbursement. She also stressed the importance of transparency as the process moves along. Lisa is a passionate advocate for HKHS’ excellent faculty and staff and the programming offered. Tara Amatrudo, a magnet school principal and running for the first time for the Board of Ed, concurred with Lisa and added her perspective as a member of the Board of Finance the last 4 years.
Bill Joyce, a candidate for Zoning Board of Appeals, addressed the issue of out of state corporations owning mobile and manufactured home parks and constantly jacking up the land rents well over the CPI. He discussed the progress being made by Fair Rent Commissions in the state. Cinny MacGonagle was introduced as a candidate for Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate. This is an area in which she had decades of experience while living in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
Donuts, cider, and beautifully decorated pumpkin cookies enhanced the afternoon’s ambience.
The Killingworth Democratic Town Committee is proud to announce the 2025 Democratic slate of candidates for town offices, unanimously endorsed by the Killingworth Democratic caucus:
First Selectman Eric Couture
Board of Selectmen Joel D’Angelo
Town Clerk Dawn Rees Mooney
Town Treasurer Donna C. Dupuis
Board of Finance Annie K. Stirna Steve Reeps
Board of AssessmentAppeals Matthew T. Stillman
Planning & Zoning Geoff Cook Lisa D’Angelo Stephanie Warren (alt)
Zoning Board of Appeals William Joyce Cinny MacGonagle (alt)
Fire Commissioner Michael Reimers
RSD17 Board of Education Tara Amatrudo Lisa Connelly Ben Sodergren
Several of these candidates are running for reelection and based on the integrity and commitment with which they have served.
In his first term as First Selectman, Eric Couture has worked hard to build relations with the state to allow us to address the most challenging problems we face. These include PFAS remediation, limited housing stock, and—as always—solid waste disposal. He will continue to bring his thoughtful approach to building a bright future for Killingworth.
We count on Selectman Joel D’Angelo to bring his steady focus and calm consideration to the way every issue affects the whole community. Those qualities have served our town well for eight years on the Board of Education and in his first term on the Board of Selectmen.
Dawn Rees Mooney has served as Town Clerk for almost ten years, after seven years as assistant town clerk. Dawn is certified as a Master Town Clerk. Her attention to detail is matched by her sense of humor and her love of our town’s four-legged residents.
Town Treasurer Donna Dupuis has shown herself to be a careful and conscientious monitor of the town’s accounts.
Annie Stirna is seeking reelection to the Board of Finance, which she currently chairs. Under her leadership, the board has unanimously brought forward fiscally responsible town budgets for the last two years.
We also have outstanding first-time candidates:
Steve Reeps is running for the Board of Finance for the first time. Steve is a graduate of Quinnipiac University and is now Senior Director of Business Transformation and Continuous Improvement at Intuitive, a major medical device company. He will challenge old assumptions and ask the questions that can lead to improvement in our town.
Lisa D’Angelo is running for Planning & Zoning Commission. With a bachelor of science degree from Loyola University in Chicago and a Ph.D. from Wesleyan, she is Associate Provost for Research at Yale. She is well experienced in thinking through complex problems and ensuring fair procedures.
Cinny Macgonagle, running for ZBA alternate, has a B.A. from Smith College and an M.A. from Rutgers. She taught grades K-8 for 42 years in New Jersey. As chair of her town’s Environmental Commission, she participated in lots of planning board meetings.
Look for more background on these candidates and the rest of our slate. They all show the energy and commitment that will carry Killingworth into a healthy future.
Enrolled members of the Democratic Party of Killingworth, CT are hereby notified in accordance with the Rules of the Democratic Party and State election laws that a caucus will be held on Tuesday, July 15 at 7:30 pm at the Killingworth Library, 301 Route 81, to endorse candidates for the 2025 Municipal Election and to transact other business that may be proper to come before said Caucus.
Notice dated June 24, 2025 by the Killingworth Democratic Town Committee, Catherine Iino, Chair.
Below is a letter to the editor that appeared in HKNews and The Source.
June 26, 2025
I am writing to express my strong support for the RSD17 School Budget. The Board of Education has approved a responsible budget with unanimous consensus.
Until now, the Board has been able to make cuts that have avoided direct impacts on student learning. However, we are now at a critical point where further reductions could adversely affect our children. We have seen other districts lose essential programs such as middle school sports, art, and music programming. It is my belief that we should protect these valuable offerings in our schools.
It’s worth noting that each budget referendum costs our towns approximately $5,000 to $7,000 and the July 8 th referendum will be our third this cycle. Investing in our children’s education is both a financial decision and a profound commitment to the future of our Killingworth community as a whole.
By voting Yes to pass this budget, we continue our commitment to invest in the promise and potential of all our young learners.
The referendum on the school budget will be held Tuesday, July 8th at KES. Voting hours are 6 AM through 8 PM. Absentee Ballots may be obtained at the Town Clerk’s Office at Town Hall during office hours. (Due to the shortened time, Absentee Ballots will not be mailed out but must be obtained at the Town Clerk’s office.)
Vote yes for Killingworth’s future. This school budget does not increase our mill rate, but it does uphold our educational standards.
As you probably know, a second referendum on the school budget is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, June 6, 2025.
There are arguments about specific expense lines, and you can read the Board of Ed’s responses and explanations to many of them here. Thank you to the Board of Ed for putting out this information.
It’s hard to compare statistics across districts—budget categories are different; staff functions are divided up in various ways; student populations have different needs. The bottom line is that our school board members spend many, many hours trying to provide as good an education as possible for as reasonable cost as possible. Since our schools are highly successful and our per pupil costs are well within the range of other Connecticut districts, I trust that the board made careful choices in constructing the budget. They have continued to refine it, and they will monitor it throughout the year.
Please join me in voting yes for a strong education for the next generation.
Every vote counts!
Cathy Iino Chair, Killingworth Democratic Town Committee
Whether this is your first visit or one of many, we want to assure you that there are things we can do to save our democracy in these unprecedented times. Our Town Committee acts on the principle that good policy and politics begin on the local level. With that in mind, we seek out and put forward municipal candidates we believe will best serve the Killingworth community and support democratic principles, locally, statewide, and nationally. Our municipal elections will be held this November 4, 2025. There will be more about our candidates and our election activities from late spring through early fall.
With the White House and the GOP-controlled Congress throwing us into chaos, it is easy to be discouraged. But we can do many things to let legislators know how we feel and to make sure they know that they will be held accountable for bad faith actions. There are groups out there fighting legally and morally to preserve the rule of law under our Constitution. We may not be able to stop every unlawful act or terrible policy, but we can surely try to win a few battles.
There are many organizations you can support with donations and/or actions. A few suggested at our last KDTC meeting were:
Common Cause
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
A statewide organization that has national affiliations is DWA (Democracy Women in Action). You can find the group’s mission statement and learn what they do at info@dwaindivisiblect.com.
Calling and texting your national legislators, The White House, House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer becomes part of a chain of such calls. It is never just one voice. They all have websites and local offices.
In the coming months we will be posting relevant articles from legislators and others that explain what is going on and how the Democrats are planning action going forward. We hope you find them useful. And, of course, you can join us on the Killingworth Democratic Town Committee or stop in for one of our meetings. KDTC meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at 7 pm, in the Killingworth Library meeting room.
Our Connecticut national legislators’ phone numbers are: Chris Murphy 860 549 8463 DC phone number 202 224 4041
Richard Blumenthal 860 258 6940 DC phone number 202 224 2823
Joe Courtney 860 886 0139 DC phone number 202 225 2076
We hope you will join your own voice to so many others in support of this democracy we share.
The Killingworth Democratic Town Committee was once again happy to participate in the seasonal celebration, Christmas at the Farm. This year our cookie decorating activity included sharks as well as trees and the same smiles from children of all ages.
Christmas at the Farm is a wonderful site-wide event sponsored by the Parmelee Committee. It brings families to the farm for several free activities, including a wagon ride and a visit to Santa, and dovetails perfectly with the Historical Society’s Christmas Fair. It then all winds down at sunset with song and the tree lighting.
This is one of many gatherings in this village of ours where neighbors come together to enjoy an event, and where a corps of volunteers keeps things running smoothly. Kudos to Killingworth. May we always find reason to gather as neighbors in friendship and fun.
Killingworth Democratic Town Committee 