The Bethel Democratic Town Committee (BDTC) is the official local organization of the Connecticut Democratic Party in the town of Bethel.
Mission Statement: The Bethel Democratic Town Committee builds an inclusive, forward-thinking, socially and environmentally responsible community in Bethel.
We fulfill the mission by:
- Electing Democrats for Bethel boards, commissions, and offices,
- Supporting Democratic candidates for State and National elections.
The bylaws of the Town Committee govern the BDTC’s operation and selection of members and officers, and govern the conduct of the Democratic Party in the Town of Bethel. The BDTC typically meets the third Monday of every month at the Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center at 7:00pm. Below are our 2024 meeting dates, with changes from the typical schedule noted:
- May 23rd, 7:00pm (day and time changed for Democratic Caucuses)
- June 17th, 7:00pm
- July 15th, 7:00pm
- August 19th, 7:00pm
- September 16th, 7:00pm
- October 21st, 7:00pm
- November 18th, 7:00pm
- December TBD (holiday party)
What We Stand For:
- Supporting and electing candidates who share our vision of government as a force for bettering the lives of all citizens
- Maintaining transparency and positive communication between Town government and the people of Bethel
- Demanding the highest ethical standards on the part of our public officials
- Ensuring the highest quality of education for our children
- Standing for responsible, measured development–both commercial and residential–to ensure the protection of our land and resources for all future generations
- Supporting sound financial planning and budgeting, and ensuring our town’s AAA bond rating is not compromised
- Maintaining our town both through the support of municipal projects (e.g. road maintenance and tree trimming) as well as through BTDC volunteer efforts to remove litter, clean up our parks, and beautify our downtown streetscape
- Advocating for positions that are true to our Party’s principles
- Encouraging our fellow Democrats to volunteer, and play an active role in our town
The officers of the Town Committee for the March 2024 – March 2026 term are:
- Matt Knickerbocker – Chairperson
- Penny Kessler – Vice Chair
- Rob Stowell – Treasurer
- Kelly Clark – Secretary
The members of the Town Committee for the January 2024 through January 2026 term are:
- Raghib Allie-Brennan
- Kelly Clark
- Myra Drucker
- Karen Foster
- Don H. Goodrich
- Gabriela Hernandez
- Rebecca Hussey
- Alice M. Hutchinson
- Penny Kessler
- Stanley Kessler
- Matthew S. Knickerbocker
- Terry Letellier
- Allison Lynch
- Amy Mannion
- David R. Olson
- Patrick M. Perrefort
- Nancy J. Ryan
- Cathy Schaefer
- Darius Shekari
- Allison Stowell
- Rob Stowell
- Richard C. Straiton
- Richard Tibbitts
- Nicholas W. Vitti, Jr.