Southbury Republican Challenger: ‘We Can Do a Better Job’

Republican candidate John Monteleone decided to run for First Selectman for two main reasons – out of his love for the town, and the growing concern that it may be on the wrong track.

Monteleone announced his candidacy last month and will challenge Democratic incumbent First Selectman Ed Edelson for Southbury’s top office in November.

“The current administration has been in place for a short time, so we really haven’t had too much opportunity to evaluate them,” said Monteleone. “But I’ve been made aware of certain things that indicate we can do a better job than what we’re currently doing.”

Monteleone said he’s been approached by a number of citizens who are seriously concerned about the direction the town is headed and felt that he needed to step up to the plate and take action.

“These are hard times,” he said. “I think we need to respect the employees of the town of Southbury and the volunteers who make Southbury a wonderful place to live.”

Monteleone, who acknowledges that his views are very different from Edelson’s, said he greatly respects the position he is seeking and the challenges that come with it.

“Being a First Selectman is a tough job, it requires a lot of skills,” he said. “I think I’ve got those skill sets because I’ve proven that in my professional career, and I’d like to bring those skill sets to the community.”

Monteleone says he has been meeting with several groups of Southbury residents in the weeks since his announcement and is in the process of assembling a campaign team.