WILTON — A third Wilton selectman has set his sights on Augusta.
Selectman Russell Black is a candidate for representative for House District 90. He not the only Republican running for the seat so his quest depends on a June primary, he said Tuesday.
He faces Michael Wells of Wilton in the primary. The the winner will be on the November ballot with Wilton Selectman Irving Faunce, a Democrat.
Current state Rep. Tom Saviello, also a selectman, is prohibited from running again because of the term limit law. He said he intends to run as a Republican for the state Senate.
Black said several people wanted him to run a year ago but he didn’t feel he could at the time.
“They’ve come back and urged me to run,” he said.
Black has filed with the state as a Clean Election candidate and needs to collect 60, $5 checks and voter signatures. The money will be sent to the
state and a set amount will be returned to him for his primary and general election campaigns, he said.
He intends to start the collection this weekend.
Black is completing his second three-year term as a selectman and intends to rerun for the position in June when Wilton holds its town meeting.
He served 20 years on the Planning Board and is involved in numerous farm organizations.
A native of Wilton, he has been in business for 40 years. He said he would like to see state business done differently.
“State government has got to learn to live within their means. There are times you have to tighten your belt and stop spending, use common sense, thriftiness and try to pull in the reins. It means some hard decisions and some projects scaled back,” he said. He mentioned Wilton’s success with not increasing its budget the last two years in a time of declining revenues.
Black, owner of Black Acres Farm, runs a construction company and logging operation along with the farm.
“There’s never an idle day,” he said, while anticipating scaling back somewhat if elected, although winter, when the Legislature convenes, is a slower time for him.
abryant@sunjournal.com
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