Dunn declares Brookfield Democrats won't rest on their 'laurels'

By Scott Benjamin

BROOKFIELD – Democratic First Selectman Steve Dunn says that too often when you win you just want to celebrate instead of analyzing what made you successful and how the circumstances might be different the next time.

“I think we won for a completely different set of reasons in ’15 than we did in ’17,” said Dunn, who is seeking a third, two-year term in the November 5 municipal election.

Dunn said in an interview that the “strife” in Brookfield was a major factor ’in ‘15 in his roughly 2-1 victory over one-term Republican incumbent Bill Tinsley, who had taken office two years earlier just weeks after pleading no contest to charges of taking receipts while working at a Vermont liquor store. The News-Times of Danbury reported that Tinsley called his plea a “financial decision.”

Also during this period there was friction over the size of the education budget and leaders of the local Republican Party had sought to remove two of its members from the party’s registration.

Dunn said in 2017, the Democrats’ message was, “This is what we told you we’re going to do and this is what we did.”

They're using a similar strategy in this year’s campaign: The approval at referendum in March of a new Huckleberry Hill Elementary School (HHES). . . The emerging 198-acre Town Center of Brookfield near the Four Corners of Federal Road . . . Branson Ultrasonics is building a 140,000-square foot manufacturing center in Berkshire Corporate Park. . . Standard & Poor’s has given Brookfield an AAA bond rating . . . The municipal boards are more harmonious.

Dunn faces the Republican nominee, Economic Development Commission member Mel Butow, in the November 5 election.

In 2015, the Democrats posted lawn signs: “Save Our Schools” – apparently in response to complaints of inadequate funding during Tinsley’s administration.

Have the schools been saved?

“It’s an ongoing process,” Dunn said. “You have to fund your schools at a level where you can provide an excellent education to your students.”

He said the proof that Brookfield has accomplished that comes from test results and the number of Brookfield High School (BHS) graduates attending esteemed colleges.

However, WashingtonPost.com reported in 2008 that in Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District – which includes Brookfield – only 29.9 percent of the residents 25 years of age and older have at least a four-year college degree.

Isn’t there reason to believe that a number of BHS graduates never get a four-year college degree?

“I don’t think that’s as much the case in Brookfield” as in other areas of the congressional district, Dunn replied.

He said that all four of his children graduated from four-year colleges, as did dozens of their friends.

Parent Marty Ogden said the school district has “top-notch teachers,” as Dunn canvassed neighborhoods on a recent afternoon with Democratic Selectman Sue Slater, who also is seeking a third term.

Resident Mike Wang indicated his support for the HHES project, saying, “I know that the schools have to be upgraded.”

Dunn and Slater visited “persuadable” voters from a micro-targeted list.

“[We go] to those voters that we think that we can get out to vote and would lean toward us,” said Dunn. “If they have very firm beliefs, it’s almost impossible to get them to vote for the other guy.”

“The great majority of people are in the middle and they’re willing to look and listen to people,” he said.

He said house parties also have been effective “both in meeting people and asking them to support us financially.”

“It is not as frenzied as canvassing neighborhoods where a resident may be preparing lunch or they are watching their children in the back yard,” Dunn added.

“At a house party people are coming with the expressed purposed of talking to the elected official and getting to know him better,” he said.

Telephone banks have been a hallmark of the last two Democratic municipal campaigns, but Dunn said, “Phone calls have become a lot more difficult in that a lot of people don’t have land lines anymore or they don’t answer their phones because of all the spoofy and scam calls that come. “

Dunn said he agreed with Danbury Republican Mayor Mark Boughton that the social media has become the broadcast network of the 21^st century.

“You have to be actively engaging people on all the social media sites,” he said “You want to present, fair, true messages: What are we doing with the Four Corners. What are we doing with southern Federal Road.”

On southern Federal Road, the state Department of Transportation is expected by as early as next summer to spend $6 million to install new lanes and traffic lights to reduce the “friction points” near Chick-fil-A and reconfigure Old New Milford Road to eliminate the odd-angled intersection.

Dunn also said although he has been pleased with the work over the last four years of Danbury attorney Thomas Beecher as the town counsel, the selectmen will seek requests for proposal in November or December.

“Every four or five years you should go out and see what is in the market and see what the prices are and see what services are available,” he said.

Beecher also served under former Frist Selectmen Jerry Murphy, Bob Silvaggi and Tinsley.

On another topic, Dunn has been critical of the reduction in state aid to Brookfield under Gov. Ned Lamont (D-Greenwich) and former Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-Essex), but acknowledged that Lamont is taking positive steps by “trying to make structural changes in the way we do our state budgets, and it’s difficult.”

The governor has restricted the state Bond Commission agenda in order to save $700 million a year.

Dunn said Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz (D-Middletown) has been in regular contact, noting that he has discussed issues with her four times, including twice “one on one.”

He added, “She has even called two or three times just to check in.”

Dunn said he is enthused about the possibility of a third term, indicating that Brookfield could take significant steps in boosting commercial development, which currently makes up 16 percent of the grand list.

He added, “You can’t rest on your laurels.”