Patch Candidate Profile: Dan Polhamus, Avon Town Council

AVON, CT — Avon Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Avon resident Dan Polhamus is running for the Avon Town Council as a Democrat.

The following is Polhamus' questionnaire sent to Patch:

Name

Dan Polhamus

How old will you be as of Election Day?

43

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.avondems.org/dpolh...

What city or town do you live in?

Avon

What office are you seeking?

Town Council

Please give us your party affiliation.

Democrat

Education

PhD: Biostatistics

What is your occupation?

Principal Scientist, Statistical Modeling & Simulation
(13 years)

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My wife (Jaime) and I have three children who are, or are soon to be, in the Avon school system. We are also active foster parents: we believe deeply in building a thriving community by creating strong, caring individuals.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have served on Avon’s Town Council for the past four years, the last two as the leader/Town Council Chairman.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

My involvement in town government was seeded from my love for this town and community, and care deeply about its success. I enjoy volunteering my time to ensure its continued excellence as a safe, family-friendly, inclusive, and vibrant town.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ensuring public safety through well-functioning police, fire, and emergency services, and this is what I intend to do about it. In the past two years, we have made significant progress in these areas. In November we will have closed the loop on the emergency communication system, long recognized as the biggest liability facing the town, its emergency personnel, and its residents. We have hired a new police chief, a dedicated traffic-control officer, two new patrol officers, added a School Resource Officer, and joined a regional task force to combat the national rise in auto theft. We will also continue to prioritize the modernization of the Avon Fire Department. We have ordered and will soon receive a new pumper/tanker as well as a ladder truck, and we will look to implement the recommendations of the fire facility building committee over the next term. These recommendations will include critical investments and upgrades to our fire facilities.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

As the Chairman of the Town Council, I am an experienced leader of Avon who has consistently shown the ability to guide the town through controversial, intricate, but necessary issues. Under different leadership, much of the progress we've made over the past two years would not have been realized. These same skills will continue to be of high value as we look to continue the modernization of Avon as a well-connected, kind, compassionate, and inclusive community that looks after its own, welcomes the new, and celebrates its growing diversity.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

We have funded an unprecedented amount of roadwork in the past two years, greatly reducing future ongoing maintenance costs. Maintaining this momentum will be critical for the next council. The second phase of the Old Farms Rd project (including the bridges) is under design and will come to a referendum in the next term.

This project (and others) feature improvements that will continue to modernize Avon as a bike/pedestrian-friendly town. As the state has a renewed focus on bike and pedestrian safety, abundant grant funding is available for reimagining our connectivity. Leveraging this, we have secured grant funding for the Old Farms Rd project and the Country Club Rd reconstruction that will allow for the addition of sidewalks or multipurpose paths. Due to this aggressive pursuit of grant funding to pay for large portions of these projects, there will be minimal additional burden on taxpayers.

Responsible development and preservation of open space in the face of a statewide housing shortage will continue to be a prominent issue. I will continue to be proactive in attracting the redevelopment of existing properties, for example, the old Ana Grace CREC school at 20 Security Dr. which is now being converted to apartment living– as opposed to the development of open space, and will look for the town to purchase strategically important space as it comes to market. Responsible development also applies to our burgeoning commercial sector and I will aim to build on our recent success in welcoming new businesses and restaurants to the Route 44 corridor.

Equally important is our continued investment in public health and wellbeing. We will continue to seek grant funding for connectivity improvements as guided by our new Connectivity Plan. Recreation and Parks will be another focus for the next term. The timing to update our current Recreation and Parks Master plan aligns perfectly with our expectation to hire a new department head. It will be critical for the next Council to have the vision and willingness to invest and grow that department to meet the needs of the community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

The past two years are evidence of the success we can have in restoring funding of critical services and infrastructure. In working with our state representatives, town staff, and our regional governmental bodies, we have secured over $16M worth of grant funding in these areas. Avon is in a period of transformation. There is always resistance to change, but progress is necessary. At this point, I have an established track record of shepherding the town through newly apparent issues and also those that both predate my time -- the Old Farms Rd project goes back 50 years! These skills will be critical as the second phase of the Old Farms Rd project and fire, BOE, and recreational facilities will all be on the agenda for the next 2-year cycle.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?