Bruce Adams
Age and party: 60, Democratic, candidate for first selectman
Number of years in town: 36
Profession: Retired Kent Center School teacher
Up to five boards and/or commissions served on (and in what capacity) in the past five years:
Kent Board of Selectmen, Kent Firehouse Building Committee, Kent Center School Building Committee, Kent Park and Recreation (chairman), Kent Playing Fields Committee (chairman).
What can the selectmen do to revitalize the economy of the town?
Kent has a vibrant town center. That being said, there is always room for improvement. The chamber does a great job promoting a wide range of events. We look forward to supporting the chamber’s efforts.
We will go to Hartford and lobby for tourism dollars. The Board of Selectmen has joined the Regional Planning Collaborative for economic growth. We’re actively pursuing the addition of ATT to the cell tower. We will solidify our relationship with the private schools to identify and promote areas of mutual interest. We will explore the Maple Street sewer extension for light industrial use and village housing.
What can be done to maintain and upgrade the town’s infrastructure, especially at a time of diminishing state and federal grants?
We are fortunate that our roads, school and municipal buildings are in good shape. We have just received a grant to update the Community House. A key going forward for grants is going to be the green movement. We believe that there are environmental grants that will help the town update our sewer system with our conservation efforts while pursuing alternative energy options.
How do you define “affordable housing� and what can the selectmen do to increase it here without impacting the rural nature of the town?
Affordable housing is entry-level rental and purchase opportunities across the financial spectrum. There need to be options that cost no more than 30 percent of their income. We need to have affordable housing blended into existing neighborhoods. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation supports a coalition for affordable housing and we have the efforts of Kent Affordable Housing. We will also explore incentives for landlords offering affordable rents.
Why are you seeking office?
A vast array of experiences in life have prepared me to seek this office. My 34 years as a teacher included serving on numerous committees, working with hundreds of kids and parents, coaching teams and organizing trips and functions.
Beyond teaching, I have served on many committees in town and beyond. I have chaired many of those committees, developing skills that include listening, working with people and organizing people toward a goal. I feel there are great days ahead for Kent, which I want to be a part of. I look forward to serving as Kent’s next first selectman.
Karen Casey
Age and party: 54, Republican, candidate for first selectman
Number of years in town: 34
Profession: Real estate
Up to five boards and/or commissions served on (and in what capacity) in the past five years:
For the last five years I have served on the Board of Assessment Appeals as chairman.
What can the selectmen do to revitalize the economy of the town?
The selectmen need to aggressively market the town in order to continue to make it a destination for tourists, weekend home buyers and selected event producers. This is a task our town government has never done. That includes preparing marketing material, courting tour arrangers and tourism boards, meeting regularly with real estate professionals, and drafting proposals to targeted event producers — ones chosen to enhance Kent’s reputation as a cultural center. All this needs to be done in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce to assure a unified approach and that Kent can deliver what it offers.
What can be done to maintain and upgrade the town’s infrastructure, especially at a time of diminishing state and federal grants?
The selectmen need to form and then lead study groups to amass information that can be given to residents in town meetings. Choices need to be presented with detailed cost/benefit projections, and then residents can express their preference for competing long-range plans. Once the taxpayers — not the selectmen — choose a plan, it can be incorporated into the capital budget and financed through some combination of current funding and debt. A major effort by the selectmen should be to pursue federal, state and private grants that could reduce the taxpayers’ burden, whether or not today’s opportunities are plentiful.
How do you define “affordable housing� and what can the selectmen do to increase it here without impacting the rural nature of the town?
It is what makes a town a community, not an enclave of the wealthy. Young working people can afford it; seniors can maintain it. If residents agree with me on that, value it for the diversity it adds and are willing to support it financially, then the selectmen can propose taxing to assist it. The easiest path would be through grants to private charitable organizations, like Affordable Housing or the Community Fund. If the residents don’t see it that way, nothing should be done. The selectmen’s role is to educate voters on their choices, not make those choices for them.
Why are you seeking office?
I’m running to bring seasoned leadership to the board, to 1) preserve Kent’s natural resources — seeking grants to multiply tax dollars so the town could implement land acquisition plans, 2) protect our residents and businesses — but letting voters decide the scope of police protection, and 3) promote our attributes — like our charming retail center — to baby boomers seeking a retirement location, to tour groups and to cultural attractions seeking an audience, building Kent’s reputation as a cultural hub. I would lead a more active, but less intrusive Board of Selectmen — active teeing up choices, but having the residents decide policy issues.
Karren J. Garrity
Age and party: 47, Democratic, candidate for Board of Selectmen
Number of years in town: 21
Profession: Individual and family therapist
Up to five boards and/or commissions served on (and in what capacity) in the past five years:
Board of Education, (chair, November 2001, member since 1997), Kent Energy and Environmental Task Force (chair, February 2009 to present), Kent Library Association (board member, January 2008 to present).
What can the selectmen do to revitalize the economy of the town?
Kent has a vibrant town center. That being said, there is always room for improvement. The chamber does a great job promoting a wide range of events. We look forward to supporting the chamber’s efforts.
We will go to Hartford and lobby for tourism dollars. The Board of Selectmen has joined the Regional Planning Collaborative for economic growth. We’re actively pursuing the addition of ATT to the cell tower. We will solidify our relationship with the private schools to identify and promote areas of mutual interest. We will explore the Maple Street sewer extension for light industrial use and village housing.
What can be done to maintain and upgrade the town’s infrastructure, especially at a time of diminishing state and federal grants?
We are fortunate that our roads, school and municipal buildings are in good shape. We have just received a grant to update the Community House. A key going forward for grants is going to be the green movement. We believe that there are environmental grants that will help the town update our sewer system with our conservation efforts while pursuing alternative energy options.
How do you define “affordable housing� and what can the selectmen do to increase it here without impacting the rural nature of the town?
Affordable housing is entry-level rental and purchase opportunities across the financial spectrum. There need to be options that cost no more than 30 percent of their income. We need to have affordable housing blended into existing neighborhoods. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation supports a coalition for affordable housing and we have the efforts of Kent Affordable Housing. We will also explore incentives for landlords offering affordable rents.
Why are you seeking office?
My experience with budgets, contract negotiations, building projects, personnel issues, intraboard relationships, program reviews, policy, grants, volunteer coordination, special events and community outreach prepares me well in serving the town as selectman.
There are exciting opportunities ahead for Kent. I have the experience, dedication and follow-through needed to move issues forward. It is this combination of timing and opportunities that has compelled me to offer my services to the people of Kent.
George Jacobsen
Age and party: 66, Republican, candidate for Board of Selectmen
Number of years in town: 20
Profession: Investment management
Up to five boards and/or commissions served on (and in what capacity) in the past five years:
For the last five years I have served on the Board of Finance in Kent, as chairman for most of it.
What can the selectmen do to revitalize the economy of the town?
It’s all about traffic. The selectmen should work with the private schools to stretch parent visiting time, and with the merchants to cover the needs of students. They should hold a town hearing to listen to the residents’ suggestions for events and then meticulously track down organizers of those that would be popular. They should provide more amenities at such events, including Sidewalk Sales Days — things like a public tram to circulate around the entire business area. The selectmen should include funds for restroom maintenance in their budget and work to build another facility at the north end of town.
What can be done to maintain and upgrade the town’s infrastructure, especially at a time of diminishing state and federal grants?
First, the selectmen need to find out what is important to residents and what is not, at a town hearing. Then a 20-year capital plan that includes everything the town will probably need should be drafted and approved at a town meeting.
It should definitely include the financing options and, if grants are part of that picture, whether or not they determine the scope of the programs or just reduce the taxpayers’ burden.
Then the selectmen need to negotiate with vendors for the best terms, while implementing a grant strategy to dovetail with the capital plan.
How do you define “affordable housing� and what can the selectmen do to increase it here without impacting the rural nature of the town?
I would define it as lodging that requires financial subsidy or code exemption to make it available to a person earning the state’s median wage or less, either temporarily or permanently. I see it as a critical part of the structure of the town, but because of its dependence on public assistance, should be treated by the selectmen in a manner parallel to infrastructure, following the same approach as outlined in my answer to question two.
Why are you seeking office?
I am running to persuade residents to pause and consider a town manager, before it’s too late.
I see us at a crossroads with a 50-percent chance that in 10 years Kent will be a booming suburban community, a 40-percent chance Kent will be an enclave of the super rich, and only a 10-percent chance that it survives as a rural New England town. To preserve that will take work! If the Board of Selectmen continues to focus on administrative tasks, the members simply will not have the time or energy to accomplish something more important. Change is needed, now.
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