FAIRFIELD – The Board of Selectmen on Thursday not only picked a date for the first selectman special election for a Republican challenge to Democrat incumbent Christine Vitale, but it also appointed Vitale’s replacement for her vacant selectman seat.
Marcy Spolyar, a Representative Town Meeting member serving District 4 and acting as moderator, was named to the selectman post by a vote by Vitale and Republican Brenda Kupchick at Thursday’s meeting.
At the same meeting, the board chose Tuesday, Feb. 3 as the date for the special election, when Republican state Sen. Tony Hwang is on the ballot opposite Vitale.
“Congratulations to Selectman Marcy Spolyar!” the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee wrote on its Facebook page. “We are proud to congratulate Marcy Spolyar on being voted on and sworn in to fill the Town of Fairfield’s vacant Selectman position for the next two years.
“Her leadership on the Education and Recreation Committee and her thoughtful service on Public Works and Planning reflect her ability to listen, collaborate, and build consensus across party lines.”
In a letter to the Board of Selectmen, Spolyar wrote: “I believe I have the assets needed to jump into that role (as selectman) and move the Town of Fairfield forward while working in collaboration with both of you and the other Town boards.”
She has served on the RTM for eight years. Her roles there have included secretary of the Public Works Committee, chair of the Education Committee, a member of the Senior Disabled Tax Relief Committee and the Redistricting Committee, deputy Moderator and currently as moderator. Spolyar’s term will run through November 2027.
The first selectman post is up for election following the death of Bill Gerber, who served less than half of his term after being elected in 2023. When he found out he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, he chose Vitale to be acting first selectman. After he died earlier this summer, Vitale attempted to have the Board of Selectmen to name her permanent first selectman but she was rebuffed by Kupchick. Vitale then was elected by a group of 10 Democrat elected officials, as allowed under the town charter, and assumed the first selectman role in late August.
However, Republicans successfully collected enough signatures by the Sept. 9 deadline to force the special election with Hwang announcing he will run as a candidate.
With all the politicking around the first selectman position, Jessica Gerber, the late first selectman’s widow, decided to write a Facebook post explaining her take on the special election.
“I don’t want a special election,” she wrote. “I never wanted one. Christine was appointed per the town charter. The rules were followed and the person best suited for the job, the job she has been doing since June 29, is doing that job each day. She should be able to focus on the work of the town. That would be ‘healing’ and ‘unifying.’
“But now that the RTC has forced a special election we should follow the state statute in terms of the timing of the election. Just as the RTC used the state statute in petitioning for the election.”
