Southbury native… businessman and realtor Timothy O’Neil… has announced plans to seek Southbury’s first selectman seat… running as a Democrat. O’Neil released a statement in which he says that he is seeking to become the town’s top executive officer because he is concerned about the state of Southbury’s facilities and the long-term health of the community. He is the first Democrat to publicly announce plans to mount a campaign for the seat. Currently, the position is held by Republican Jeff Manville, who has not yet announced if he plans to seek a fifth two-year term. Manville was last reelected in 2021, when he garnered more than 58 percent of the vote.