First Selectman David Bindelglass will not run for a fourth term in November. The announcement was made today by Easton Democratic Town Committee Chair Nanette DeWester.
Elected in 2019 as the first Democrat to serve as First Selectman in 40 years, Bindelglass won each of his three terms with strong majorities. During his three terms in office, he made local government more transparent and accessible for residents and resolved critical local issues including the permanent preservation of the Mill River portion of the South Park tract and the renovation of the EMS headquarters, often working with staunch political opponents to find policy solutions to some of Easton’s biggest challenges.
Bindelglass’s first term was marked by unexpected challenges including extensive power outages from a tropical storm and the COVID-19 pandemic. He led the move to join the local health district just in time for the pandemic, a merger that increased collaborative health services that helped maintain vital town services and continued operation of the senior center. Bindelglass also led the initiative to fly the PRIDE flag over town hall in 2020.
In 2022—23 Bindelglass led the effort to sell a 19-acre parcel of town land located on South Park Avenue to the Aspetuck Land Trust which was overwhelmingly approved (65%) by town referendum. He described the sale as significant not only because it ensures that one of the most environmentally fragile pieces of land in Easton will be permanently preserved under the Land Trust’s stewardship, but also because the sale marked the first time Easton voters were able to decide the fate of town property by referendum as required by the Land Use Ordinance passed in 2021.
Bindelglass made headlines in 2023 with an historic visit to Easton’s Sister City in Ukraine, Sviatohirsk, as part of the first-ever delegation of US officials to set foot in the liberated territories in Donetsk.The trip, designed to foster a new era of cross-cultural collaboration, was organized by Ukraine Aid International.
“I have so enjoyed working with the people of Easton these last six years, and I’ve been honored by their support,” said Bindelglass. “Certainly, the beginning of my term was something that I could never have imagined with the onset of the pandemic. Together we survived COVID and fared better than most towns. With bipartisan efforts in town hall, in our boards and commissions and within the community as a whole, we have simultaneously preserved what makes Easton so wonderful and also moved our town forward through ever changing times. We have built new bridges, figuratively and literally, on our roads and between our people, and preserved farms and open spaces.. We’ve settled generational issues like the fate of the South Park property. We continue to provide a great education for our children and great services to our seniors, while still remaining fiscally responsible.”
“Easton has benefited from Dave’s leadership in so many ways. By spearheading the efforts to take Town Meetings to referendum and by working for approval of the Land Use Ordinance, he ensured that everyone can have a voice in important issues in town, said DeWester. “From his very first term, he has prioritized open and honest communication, from his popular weekly newsletter to his initiatives to provide residents with detailed information about important proposals. Although he’s stepping off of the Board of Selectmen, we look forward to Dave’s continued positive influence and strong voice of leadership in town.”
Nick D’Addario, who currently serves on the Board of Selectmen with Bindelglass said, “It has been a real honor to serve alongside Dave, and to work with him to find solutions to issues that have challenged Easton for decades. Dave’s willingness to solicit all opinions and work across the aisle is truly an inspiration in our current political climate.”
“What I am most proud of,” said Bindelglass,“ is that we have governed with transparency and integrity. Working together, we’ve preserved our farms, our lands, our schools, and our town’s heritage. This is complex work and openness and transparency have enabled us to achieve much of what we set out to do. Serving the residents of Easton has been a tremendous honor.”
