BERLIN – The three incumbents up for reelection will retain their seats on the Berlin Town Council.
Councilmen Dean Burrell, Thom Gulyas and Troy Purnell will each serve another four-year term on the town council. The town’s October election has been canceled, as no one filed to run against any of the incumbents.
“I hope it says we’re doing a good job,” Gulyas said. “If we weren’t, somebody would have stepped up.”
The town’s election was scheduled for Oct. 2 but was canceled this week when the write-in candidate filing deadline passed with no additional candidates.
“With no write-in candidates filing before the 5:00 p.m. deadline on Tuesday, September 25, 2018, the Berlin Board of Elections Supervisors announces that the elections for the Districts 1, 4 and At-Large Council seats will be cancelled,” a town news release stated Wednesday. “Incumbents Troy Purnell, Dean Burrell, and Thom Gulyas, representing Districts 1, 4 and At-Large, respectively, are automatically declared the winners in the 2018 Berlin Municipal Election as per the Charter of the Town of Berlin.”
Gulyas, who will now begin his second term as a councilman, said he was looking forward to continuing in the role.
“Quite honestly I feel very humbled and honored the town will allow me to serve them again,” he said. “I enjoy working on the council and feel like I’ve done a good job. I appreciate the opportunity.”
He said he felt like the current councilmembers, as well as their predecessors, had done their best to help the town maintain its character and that they would keep working in that regard. Purnell, who has served on the council since 2008, agreed.
“I’m glad we’re keeping the gang together,” he said. “It’s a great group.”
Purnell said he expected the major issues facing the council in the near future to be the town’s infrastructure and securing an agreement with the Berlin Fire Company. Gulyas expressed a similar opinion.
“Parking, events and trying to work closely with the fire department,” he said. “Those are the hot topics at the moment. We’ll get there. I have faith we’ll get there.”
Gulyas, Purnell and Burrell, who could not be reached for comment this week, will be sworn in for their new terms at the council meeting scheduled for Oct. 9.
