New appointments announced

Gov. M. Jodi Rell made some new political appointments this week and two of them have been from Wallingford.

Monday, Gaetano Zappala was nominated to the Elevator, Installation, Repair and Maintenance Examing Board. He will serve as the board's public member. Zappala is 71 and a self-employed hair stylist, and I'm gathering he's interested in elevators.

Today, Rell nominated Amalia Vazquez Bzdyra to be a commissioner of the state's Department of Public Utility Control. Since 2007, Bzdyra served as deputy commissioner of the Department of Social Services.

Rell's other appointment means a vacant Republican state House seat this January. Rell has also asked Rep. Kevin DelGobbo, a Republican from Naugatuck, to be a commissioner of the Department of Public Utility Control.

The minority party, which only holds 37 of the House's 138 seats, is losing someone who has served in the House since 1997. DelGobbo was a ranking member of the Appropriations Committee and was also a member of the Energy and Technology and Public Safety committees.

All legislative and executive nominations must be approved by the General Assembly.