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EASTON, Conn. -- C. Lee Hanson will not pursue the first selectman's seat after being defeated by Thomas Herrmann at the Republican Caucus on July 26.
"I didn't think I would win," said Hanson. "To mount that kind of campaign I would need a full-time campaign manager, a full-time campaign treasurer -- a core of people to spend a lot of time. I couldn't put that organization together."
He said he still plans to fight for better communication in town. "This town is essentially a one-party town. The danger in that is government doesn't have to communicate if it doesn't want to," said Hanson.
He plans to work toward having open town meetings where residents and officials can talk through different issues in Easton. One issue that could use more discussion is the future of the South Park Avenue property, he said.
"What if the prayer group decides not to buy -- we should let people discuss alternatives. I'm sure there are many points of view: to conserve the area, to sell it off as fast as we can," said Hanson. "If we all talk together we can come down to a few alternatives."
Along with opening town meetings for more discussion, Hanson also hopes specific rules can be made regarding when and how information is provided to the public prior to a town meeting. Specifically, he noted the recent passing of the purchasing ordinance, which is nine pages long.
"I challenge anyone to be able to read and understand it -- and yet we asked people to vote on it that night," said Hanson.
There's always a chance someone else will come along -- like an independent -- to challenge Thomas Herrmann for the first selectman's seat, he said.
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