By Jody Dietch
Orange Democratic Town Committee
Jody Dietch
A new generation of Orange Democrats was voted into office in January. While many of the current Orange Democratic Town Committee members remain, we are excited for the 15 new members who were elected and will take office in March.
The Orange Democrats made great strides in 2025 and will build on that in 2026, leading up to the 2027 municipal elections.
What are we doing in the interim? The ODTC will be working in the interim to ensure the election of Democrats, including many of our representatives from Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro to the state offices. They are the front line in protecting our rights. We need these people to continue to protect the interests of all Connecticut residents.
The ODTC will continue its outreach to all residents of Orange. Via our social media or our monthly newsletter, we work diligently to keep the residents informed on issues around town.
Orange is a great place to live but it isn’t without its issues and needs. If you are not currently receiving our newsletter, you can sign up for it via our website at OrangeCtDems.org. We have a great team that keeps our website up to date with relevant information.
We are proud that the current administration heard our voices during the 2025 campaign. We were pleased to see many of the issues we brought to light are now part of the capital campaign released at last month’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting.
There is much more work to be done. Our elected representatives on the various boards as well as those appointed will continue to be your voice. As much as some try, we will not be silenced. It is imperative that our elected officials speak up when they know something is wrong.
A perfect example is when our first selectman chose not to reappoint longtime Selectman Mitch Goldblatt to the Pension Board for purely political reasons. I urge the other Board of Selectmen members to speak up publicly and right this wrong.
Civic engagement comes in all forms. Some people attend meetings; others watch the meetings on Orange Government Access Television via their YouTube channel. All meetings are listed on the town website at orange-ct.gov, as are town agendas and minutes, listed under “Boards and Commissions.” We hope many of you get updates from our social media, website and newsletter.
This past year we saw many new people come to meetings and speak up. Many were frustrated at the January Board of Selectmen meeting because of a self-imposed rule by the Board of Selectmen. This rule does not allow for public comment on agenda items. Many people came to the January meeting to speak on Fred Wolfe Park and they were silenced for the time being.
The Board of Selectmen imposed this rule with the unfortunate thought process that someone speaking during public participation on an agenda item, may have their questions or concerns answered when the board discusses the issue during their meeting. We encourage the board to rescind this rule and allow the public to speak.
If you are interested in getting involved with the Orange Democrats, please reach out to me at JLDOrange@yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Jody Dietch is the chair of the Orange Democratic Town Committee.