Ledyard Town Council chairman, a former sub base commander, nominated for Washington, D.C., post

Ledyard - The chairman of the Ledyard Town Council has been nominated for a seat on the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, a position in the U.S. Department of Energy.

Sean Sullivan, a former commanding officer of the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, said Wednesday he was asked a few months ago by the Obama administration if he would serve. He said yes, and the nomination followed.

Sullivan, a Republican, ran for Congress in 2008 but lost to incumbent Democrat Joe Courtney. In 2010, he lost a state race for the 19th Senate district to incumbent Edith Prague, who announced her retirement Wednesday.

"I'm excited about another opportunity to serve my country," Sullivan said. "I was asked to serve, and I'm looking forward to it."

According to the DNFSB website, the organization provides recommendations and advice to the president and the energy secretary regarding public health and safety issues at Department of Energy defense nuclear facilities.

Sullivan, who served for more than two decades in the Navy, was commander of the Groton base from 2004 to 2006 and retired from the Navy shortly thereafter. He has served on the Ledyard council for three years and was elected chairman in November.

His nomination was sent to the U.S. Senate by President Barack Obama on April 26. Sullivan's selection on the five-person bipartisan board is pending Senate approval.

Sullivan would fill three remaining years of a five-year vacancy left on the board by a member's resignation. His term would end Oct. 19, 2015.

As a DNFSB board member, Sullivan would be required to be in Washington, D.C., on weekdays. Sullivan said he and his wife, Sharon, have no plans of immediately leaving Ledyard.

Sharon Sullivan is a teacher at Ledyard Center School and plans to teach there again next year.

If he is selected for the position, Sullivan would have to resign from the Town Council.

j.hanckel@theday.com