On Tuesday, residents will have a chance to decide the future of Seymour and its direction for the next two years.
With races for not only First Selectman, but for the Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education being contested, people will have a say as to what they would like to see for our community.
Do they want to stay with a proven track record of success that has defined a clear plan for the future, or do they want to take a chance with a very young and inexperienced newcomer that has shown no real platform of ideas and has relied heavily on rhetoric and innuendo?
But to be fair, I wanted to address some of the things that have been put out by my opponent so the residents of Seymour truly understand and can make their decisions with all of the facts.
My opponent has been stating that he would open Town Hall five days a week.
I agree with him that that is something that Seymour should have. What he didn’t know, or failed to mention, was that the language to do so was never put in the union contracts.
Because of this, the Board of Selectmen had no true mechanism to go back to a five day work week.
Just yesterday I signed the final union contract that contains the specific language to allow this to happen, should the Selectmen choose.
This provision was something that was identified as part of our contract negotiation strategy two years ago. Had the previous administration of Mr. Roy taken this step, we would not be in this position today.
My opponent and his team have brought up the First Selectman’s position raise several times over the last month or so.
What they fail to mention is the fact that the First Selectman’s salary increase was proposed by the Democratic Chairman of the Board of Finance, approved unanimously by a bipartisan committee consisting of two Democrats (one of which was the former Democratic First Selectman) and two Republicans, and then was unanimously approved by the Board of Selectman, including the Democrats.
I was at no time involved in the conversation.
Everyone agreed this was what was best for Seymour.
When asked in an interview if he would accept the raise should he win, my opponent said he would have to discuss it with his team and get back to them.
If it is so outrageous, why didn’t he just say no on the spot?
I fully understand that a campaign is about defining the difference between two people. I think the differences between myself and my opponent are quite clear and distinctive.
I hope that you agree that my proven track record of success and my vision for long term prosperity is what is in Seymour’s best interests for the long term.
I ask for your support for not only myself, but my entire team on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The writer, a Republican, is seeking re-election as Seymour First Selectman.
