Cindy Lignar is a professional businesswoman with experience in strategic planning and  implementation of budgets and programs, as well as the successful former co-owner of Squared Circle Studio in Deep River.  She is also the former president of the Deep River Merchants Association.   

Cindy is a  registered nurse with a varied clinical background that includes public safety and health management experience. In previous positions as vice president of Operations and director of Clinical Services at area home care & hospice agencies, she was responsible for budget development and implementation; staff supervision and professional development; continuous quality assessments and improvement of patient care and outcomes; coordination of services and programs; and collaboration with local, state and federal departments and officials.  
A tireless volunteer, Cindy serves on Chester’s Economic Development Commission and was on last year’s ad hoc Chester Governance Study Committee. She continues to act as the team lead on the Chester Sustainability Team and as a member of the Regional Planning Committee of the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Cindy volunteered as a Connecticut Medical Reserve Corps professional. She was hired as a public health nurse for the Middletown Health Department and continued to work as a frontline leader providing vaccinations and COVID-19 testing. 

With Cindy’s professional business background in project management, communications, emergency preparedness and more, she’s ready for the challenges facing Chester, whether it’s meeting the goals and objectives of the current Plan of Conservation & Development, fulfilling the strategies proposed in the Affordable Housing Plan, or delivering balanced budgets and fiscal accountability. 
Cindy has a deep passion for and authentic connections in our community, and she believes she is the professional needed to sustain Chester and move it into the future.  

Cindy has lived in Chester for over 19 years and is happily married to her husband, Ken. She has a wonderful adult daughter, Rachelle, who lives in Queens, New York, as well as two dogs, Bowie and Ollie. Cindy is an outdoors and fitness enthusiast, who enjoys hiking, boxing, reading, history, arts and culture. 

Patricia (Pat) Bandzes is the 2023 candidate for Selectperson in Chester, CT.  An Unaffiliated candidate, Pat was endorsed by Chester Democrats. 

A former business professional, Pat has a varied background and a diverse set of skills, including project management, community and government relations, strategic communications, outreach planning, and emergency preparedness. Most of her career was spent in the energy industry with a focus on communicating key energy-related matters to regulators, government officials, business and community groups, employees, media, and the public. Over the years, she has worked on several high-profile energy infrastructure projects in CT, PA and New England. For a brief period, she worked in corporate communications for a national healthcare company.  Pat completed her career as a Community Relations & Economic Development Specialist where she was the lead utility company contact for numerous municipalities in central and eastern CT.  She has served as the team lead for coordinating emergency restoration outreach for CT municipalities during major storms and outages.  As a result of these experiences, she knows how to listen, be empathetic, and how to find and share resources.  Over the years, Pat has cultivated a network of business, community, and government contacts in Middlesex County and the region that will serve Chester well. 

A life-long volunteer, Pat currently chairs Chester’s Economic Development Commission.  She was the liaison to RiverCOG for the town’s first Affordable Housing Plan and now serves on their Regional Housing Committee.  She was a member of the ad-hoc Governance Study Committee and she is part of the team helping to create a safer, more sustainable Chester.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pat volunteered with the Chester Food program and was part of the vaccination call team.  Pat previously served on the Board of Finance and Board of Selectmen in the Town of Middlefield.  She was a long-time 4-H leader and currently volunteers with veterans in the Horsefeathers Program at the Ray of Light Farm in East Haddam. 

Pat has been married to her husband, Bob, for more than 40 years after meeting in Italy where he was stationed in the U.S. Army and she was on summer break from college.  They have two married adult sons.  Over 10 years ago, they moved to Chester to “live the dream” of having a small horse farm.  Pat loves most outdoor recreation activities and doing anything that involves horses.  She enjoys theater, reading, and is an avid wellness/fitness enthusiast.