RTM Member John Blankley Wants Democratic Party Nod to Run for First Selectman

Democrat John Blankley, a District 10 of the member and its finance committee, is seeking his party’s nomination to run for First Selectman.

At the Board of Estimate and Taxation’s budget public hearing two weeks ago, the 63-year-old Blankley made an eyebrow-raising comment supporting the funding of the controversial Music Instructional Space and Auditorium project for Greenwich High School. As he stood at the podium, next to incumbent Republican First Selectman Peter Tesei, Blankley told the politically-split BET and an overflow crowd of about 200, “As the newly-elected first selectman, I plan to bring forward an emergency appropriation and fund MISA and get this project started.”

Blankley prefaced his comment with “it is rumored that I am candidate for first selectman.”

Blankley is seeking the nomination of the Democratic Town Committee which holds its nominating meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Town Hall.

“This is my first foray into elected politics,” said Blankley, who also has formed an exploratory committee that is seeking contributions for his campaign.

On his website, Blankley says, “I became involved in public life four years ago by joining the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), serving on two committees, Finance and Claims. Through these activities I have become aware that there has been some fall off over the years in the level of town services and especially the standard of public education. About a year ago I reacted very publicly to the idea that local property tax rates should be lowered because of the certain further deleterious effect that would have on the quality of life in our town. Simultaneously I joined the Democratic Town Committee as treasurer and have participated actively in the party.”

In an interview, Blankley said, he wants “to maintain, preserve and improve the Greenwich I came to 30 years ago. I can get things done.”

Blankley and his family emigrated from England 28 years ago. He adds, the family “chose to live in Greenwich because of the excellent public and private schools, the general standard of public services and of course the access to New York (where I worked as CFO of BP’s operations in North America.)”

Blankley said he now operates a “successful IT consulting business in Greenwich, Stratford and Hartford” that has created more than 20 jobs.

On his website, Blankley states as part of his platform that he will continue to support the high school project. “The Representative Town Meeting takes up the matter in May and I shall be arguing strongly for approval. After the elections in November however I shall be pressing for the original full funding of $28.8 million,” Blankley said.

If he receives the nomination, Blankley most likely will be facing Tesei, who is completing his second two-year term as the town's chief elected official. While Tesei has said he will not announce his decision on whether to seek re-election until after the RTM votes on the budget in May, party insiders say they expect the 42-year-old Tesei to run. His fellow Republican on the three-member Board of Selectmen, David Theis, already has announced his bid for a second term, as has Democrat Drew Marzullo.