NORWICH – Nine-term City of Norwich Supervisor Linda E. Natoli has competition this election year.

Under the independent platform title, “Time For A Change,” City of Norwich Alderman Robert Jeffrey, a Republican, circulated and filed a petition for City of Norwich Supervisor for Wards 4, 5 and 6. His name will appear on the general election ballot.

Natoli, the veteran supervisor who was first elected in 1994, went unopposed in the Republican Party Primary last week, as Jeffrey did not file a designating petition with his party. The last time Natoli was challenged for her seat was in 2003 when Nancy Adsit, a Democrat, ran against her in the general election. Back then, the vote was 404 for Natoli, 233 for Adsit.

Jeffrey, who is 51, is currently serving the second year of a second, four-year term as city alderman for Ward 6. He said financial restraints prevented him from conducting campaigns for both the primary and the general election, and said his desire was to give Ward 4, 5, and 6 voters – regardless of their party affiliation – a choice of candidates for supervisor in November.

If elected, Jeffrey said he planned to work on improving involvement in the county for the City of Norwich and work on improving the quality of the neighborhoods in the city.

“Many of the issues that we are facing in the neighborhoods with absentee landowners and multi-family owners need county involvement to help improve them,” he said.