<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=37i4ul_1GnoJINq00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=37i4ul_1GnoJINq00" width="218" height="985" ></figure>The very residents who railed against the Middletown Town Council for the last two years for what they called too much town spending, have now been elected to the council themselves. Husband and wife Terry and Michael Flynn, Christopher Rowe and Leon Amarant, who were consistently vocal against town spending and especially the Middletown Town Center project for the past two years, now replace longtime Council President Paul Rodrigues, longtime councilor Barbara Von-Villas, longtime Vice President Tom Welch and two-term councilor Peter Connerton.Connerton and Welch did not run for reelection this cycle. Incumbent Dennis Turano was the top vote getter. Incumbents Charlie Roberts and Chris Logan were also re-elected. The seven elected candidates split the vote evenly, with each of them receiving about 10 percent of the vote with mere decimals separating them. “There are a lot of folks who I’ve worked with as a team to make change on the council,” said Turano. “And the voters figured that out.” Residents were not happy with higher taxes due to many town projects, something Turano has railed against for four years. Turano, Roberts, and Rowe all cited the increasing municipal tax burden as a key factor in their decision to run. Rodrigues losing was the surprise of the election. “I have served a long time and if it happens, so be it,” he said at public meetings. Attempts to reach Rodrigues on election night were unsuccessful. Rowe, who currently serves on the zoning board and is a frequent presence at many Middletown public meetings, edged out Rodrigues by a narrow margin for the seventh, and last, council seat. “I’m ecstatic about the showing that I’ve gotten for my first time running for political office, no matter how the final result ends up,” said Rowe, who identified affordable housing as a key priority for the new council. The Flynns are a constant watchdog present at public meetings, charting where every dime is spent on the new schools, the new library, and other projects. They are now the first husband and wife team to serve simultaneously on a Middletown council. Terri Flynn, who previously served two terms on the council, identified as a priority for the new council to draft a new request for information to restart the process of developing the land originally slated for the Middletown Center project. “I’d like to bring the conversation to the table that this council consider preparing an RFI based on the original one that came out in 2021 and then add all the input they had from the multitude of public hearings. They’ve got so much fodder, there’s no reason why we can’t put a draft RFI together,” she said. Michael Flynn identified two other immediate priorities. “The priorities of the council in my mind moving forward would be term limits. That’s one of the things we want to look at. We would also like to look at the solicitor in the town and see if he’s the right guy for the job,” he told Newport This Week. Leon Amarant, who served well on the planning board, emerged as the second-highest vote getter. Amarant called this election a referendum, and said the results demonstrate that Middletown residents want change. “They want to be heard; they’re not noise,” Amarant said. “I think the current council made a lot of mistakes. I think it’s reflected in this vote, and I’m confident in the new council that was elected, and I think we’re going to change the direction of Middletown and put it on a more positive trajectory.” </div></body>

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The very residents who railed against the Middletown Town Council for the last two years for what they called too much town spending, have now been elected to the council themselves. Husband and wife Terry and Michael Flynn, Christopher Rowe and Leon Amarant, who were consistently vocal against town spending...

Middletown Elects Four New Councilors

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The very residents who railed against the Middletown Town Council for the last two years for what they called too much town spending, have now been elected

Middletown Elects Four New Councilors

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