Town Tribune Article,  October 12, 2017. In our campaign for Selectman and First Selectman of Sherman, Don Lowe and I have adopted an approach that states we will pursue, among other things: (1) Better and more efficient budgeting, and (2) Proper stewardship of facilities and infrastructure. Achievement of these goals is more of a necessity now than ever before because of Hartford’s inability to pass a state budget. Imagine a budget without state funding – The Town of Sherman will be on its own.

In Sherman the Board of Selectman acts as the Board of Finance. So in addition to the general budget requirements (e.g. salaries, insurance, debt service) the heads of certain departments and the Board of Education present their budget requests to the Board of Selectman. The BOS reviews, alters and eventually recommends the budget for a Town meeting. The citizens and taxpayers of Sherman ultimately approve the budget based on the review of our Board of Selectman. The First Selectman, as the chief executive officer, must be aware of what is needed for the town to operate efficiently, achieving this through regular communication with the people who make Sherman run.

With that said, consider that the Board of Education returned (i.e. surplus) close to $400,000 from the 2016 -2017 budget year. The previous year, 2015-2016, close to $300,000 was returned to the town. This surplus money goes into the town’s general fund, which can then be diverted into other accounts, usually upon recommendation of the Town Treasurer. The money can be used for capital non-recurring expenses. Incidentally this is a reason for the upcoming October 21 Town meeting. It is nice to have this money on hand considering the state budget situation, but is it efficient? Transparent?

The second part of our platform (proper stewardship of facilities and infrastructure) is intimately involved with the first part (better and more efficient governing) because as we all know smart management of facilities protects us-the taxpayers-from careless overspending. Two small capital projects have been completed in the town in the last six years. But have they been pursued efficiently? In my business when I am asked to bid on a project I make my best effort to estimate the cost of labor and material to produce a price, attain the job, and make a profit. That is the nature of business.

Why not run the Town of Sherman as a business? Well there are things in the public sector that do not apply to the private sector, like open bidding. Generally any project or service rendered to the Town must be advertised so everyone has an opportunity to provide a price. Is it efficient? No not necessarily. It takes time, you do not know who is bidding or their quality of work. It is better to go with a vendor you have used before because you know what to expect. The upside to open bidding is you can get a better sense of what the job is worth. or an answer to the question “Am I about to spend taxpayers dollars the best way possible?”

Another reason for the October 21 town meeting is a request from the Board of Selectman to appropriate $32,000 from the capital non-recurring fund for the Fox Run detention basin. This situation dates back to the previous administration and involves upgrading/renovating a detention basin on a town-owned road that is presumably silting in a Candlewood Lake cove. Perhaps some additional research should have done for the Town’s benefit but that is “water under the bridge.” What you can take issue with is that since this “problem” came up. three engineers have reviewed the plan-most recently our newly hired engineer. The grant from the State of Connecticut to renovate the basin was $60,000. The recently received low bid to do the work was $67,000. The town is being asked to spend an additional $32,000, of which $25,000 amounts to unbudgeted engineering costs. Is that efficient?

I have a construction and planning background both of which will serve the Town; Don Lowe has the leadership capabilities. The Town of Sherman has employees and a plethora of citizens who are capable of initiating and monitoring a project. Together, we can produce the efficiencies that will make Sherman an even better place to live.

Town Tribune Article,  October 5, 2017. As I write this, our nation is once again confronted with a senseless mass killing in Las Vegas, this time the largest one in our history. In the coming days, many issues will come into play as the shooting’s facts are revealed. We will again seek answers for the motives behind this horrifically violent event, but time and again they remain beyond comprehension. Here in Sherman, we must remember that the smallest acts of kindness, the consideration and generosity of our neighbors, can make all the difference in the quality of life in our community. I am proud to see how good we are to each other, delivering meals to families who are grieving, driving those who can’t drive themselves, finding ways every day to reach out and lend a hand to those in need. In an election year, it is no small thing to be reminded that while we may disagree on certain issues, we are all in this together, and we are very lucky to live here in Sherman.

In the spirit of those who help others, Sherman is blessed to have an outstanding Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD). These super dedicated men and women are first on the scene for residents’ emergencies and that’s reassuring. Having dedicated emergency service volunteers is not only a positive for our safety and well being, but it’s a tremendous cost savings for the town. I had the privilege last week to witness a car fire drill and have it explained to me by Chris Fuchs. a firefighting professional who devotes time and good energy to the SVFD. My goal is to learn all I can about the SVFD in order to better serve them whether I win the race for First Selectman or not. We can all support the SVFD through donations and also by filling out an application to join the organization. If you join. you’ll meet some of the nicest people in Sherman.

For the coming weeks you will hear the phrase “pay as you go” by my fellow Board of Selectmen members. Clay and Bob tout this frequently. It’s in reference to managing the funding of town capital projects. Both Clay and Bob are fine fellows and can be excused for ginning up an issue or two during election season. In reality, however, this is a false claim. There has been nothing in Clay’s six years that the town wouldn’t have paid as we go. In six years, we have had only two primary capital projects and not very lofty ones at that. One is the wash station up at public works. The BOS had to go to the taxpayers, hat in hand, and ask for an extra $100,000 to complete that one. ( I voted “no” on the extra money hoping we could discipline ourselves to build it with the original state grant.) The other capital project was refurbishing the tennis courts. Even as a Selectman I still don’t know how much we paid for that. No transparency. We did pay nearly $27,000 for 312 hours of engineering to complete the project, which was advertised to the public as “pre-engineered.”

The solution to the mix-up with both projects is to communicate clearly with all parties before the project begins, follow through, and then be transparent with the process at every stage so that taxpayers can understand where their money was spent. I will do that. Of course, we’re lucky: These aren’t huge capital projects. But we might have one in our future depending on what voters decide to do about the K-Wing portion of our Sherman School. This is why I am delighted to have Kevin Keenan as my running-mate. As a professional builder with infrastructure expertise across the board, Kevin will be the most talented Sherman Selectman on capital projects since Mr. Ken Grant. Together, Kevin and I are prepared to successfully manage whatever projects come Sherman’s way.

At the last BOS meeting, I made my proposal for an ad hoc Reliable Cell Service Committee. Clay and Bob needed more time to think it over before voting on whether to approve so it’s in limbo. The committee will be comprised of the diligent Sherman folks who have researched this issue and made recommendations to our present First Selectman. The purpose of the committee, which I will serve on, is to make sure that the good work of the reliable cell service people is followed up on and acted upon. If you elect me as your First Selectman, “Following up and acting upon” will be the hallmark of my term in office and a big improvement to the town. I have no other higher political aspirations: the office of First Selectman will be my job, not a stepping stone to higher political office.