NORWICH – With Nov. 7 quickly approaching, political matters have taken the forefront. This year, a mayoral election will take place to see who will fill the vacancy left by late Mayor Robert C. Raphael. Whoever wins this election will serve the remaining year of Raphael’s term before having to run for reelection next November. Running for this term are Democrat Michael Carnrike, Republican Joseph Maiurano, and Independent Vince Anthony.
Carnrike, born in 1953, has lived his whole life in Norwich. A graduate of Norwich High School, Carnrike went back to college and obtained his master’s degree in business and economics in 1999.
“This campaign is about my desire to bring the city back to life,” Carnrike said.
He will run a door-to-door, grass roots campaign, in an attempt to meet the people of the city, he said.
“I can remember when Norwich was a community-owned town,” Carnrike said. “Now it’s completely the opposite.” Carnrike said the city offers little incentive for young people seeking work. He advocates bringing more jobs to the area, so people will want to stay in Norwich. “There’s nothing to bring people back to work here,” he said. Carnrike pointed out that bringing in new industry is a difficult thing to do because you need the cooperation of the politicians, but stated that we need any industry we can get.
“You have to have income to generate growth,” Carnrike said, adding that right now Norwich has little of either. However, he is opposed to raising taxes to generate the needed revenue, saying that it would be unfair to put that burden on the residents. He pointed out 52 percent of people residing in the City of Norwich are renters, and few homes have been built since the 90s. “The city is going in the wrong direction,” Carnrike said.
Carnrike has an issue with the politics that run city government. “Forget politics. Forget national issues. Our focus needs to be here,” Carnrike said. He asserts that he will work with the people to solve the problems. “We need to work together, and focus on building up the city,” he said. According to Carnrike, the political walls need to be broken down. The focus needs to shift from who gets credit for what, and move to rebuilding, one step at a time, he said.
Carnrike admits that this is a difficult and lengthy process, and that it will not be done in one year, which is all this term guarantees. He does believe that major steps can be made during that time.
“I don’t foresee any big issues, other than bringing the city back to life,” Carnrike said. The Democratic candidate has worked in the community at the Benedict Corporation, Norwich Auto Parts, Nearing Dodge , Simmonds Precision, and Boise Marketing, among others. He also has experience as the president and business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Carnrike’s father was mayor, and Carnrike said he has been involved in politics, and surrounded by politicians from both sides for his entire life.
“Forget the party-line,” Carnrike said. “That just sticks walls in the way. You break down those walls by working together.”