Kupchick to Moderate GOP 1st Selectman Candidates' Debate

State Rep. Brenda Kupchick, R-Fairfield, will be the moderator for Monday night's debate among three Republican first selectman candidates.

"I'm looking forward to participating in our process and hoping that people can come away with any information they need to make an informed decision at the caucus," Kupchick said Saturday morning.

The debate, to start at 7:30 p.m. in Fairfield Public Library, will be a "Town Hall-style" format, in which audience members ask questions directly to the candidates. Kupchick's job is to ensure order is maintained and that candidates don't take an extraordinary amount of time answering questions.

James Baldwin, chairman of the Republican Town Committee in Fairfield, asked Kupchick to serve as moderator.

The three GOP candidates for first selectman are Robert Bellitto, Jr., vice chairman of the town's Board of Finance; David M. Becker, a District 1 member of the Representative Town Meeting; and Hugh Dolan, a Fairfield firefighter.

The Republican caucus, in which all Republican voters in Fairfield can head to the polls to endorse candidates, is on July 19.

The Republican candidate for first selectman likely will face Democratic First Selectman Mike Tetreau in the Nov. 8 election. Tetreau became first selectman on June 9, after Selectman Sherri Steeneck and Selectman James Walsh couldn't agree on who should fill out the remainder of former First Selectman Ken Flatto's term.

Flatto resigned from office May 3 to take a job in Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration. Steeneck served as first selectman from May 4 to June 9.