Patch Candidate Profile: Joseph Rondini, Brookfield Selectman

BROOKFIELD, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Brookfield and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Brookfield Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Joseph Rondini, 53, is running for election to the Board of Selectmen on the Republican ticket.

Education.

Bachelors of Arts Degree from the College of Mount St. Vincent Finance Major/Minor in Business Management

What is your occupation?

Narcotics Detective First Grade with the Town of Greenwich Police Department (20 years)

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

My wife, Krystie (also a Detective for the Town of Greenwich, Special Victims Section [SVS]), Nicholas 5th grade, and Kendall 3rd grade. Both my children attend the Brookfield Public School system and are very active in sports (Baseball, Football, Basketball, Cheer).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No previous political positions held, however both my wife and I have extensive government experience working in law enforcement. Both my wife and I have served with the Greenwich Police Department as Detectives for the past 20 years. Prior to that, I served with the City of New York (NYPD) for 3 years.

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

No

Why are you seeking this office?

I am seeking the position of Selectman to ensure that my hometown of Brookfield will continue to excel as a beautiful community to live and raise a young family and allow seniors to continue to live here. I have worked with First Selectwoman Carr over the past few years and I am extremely impressed with the direction of her leadership as the Chief elected official of Brookfield. I am honored to be her running mate to serve with her as our next Selectman. The issues that are important to both her and I are as follows; fiscal responsibility, curbing the tax burden for our local residents, investing in our schools and our police department, advocating for parental rights.

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

To address the very large amount of debt that First Selectwoman Carr was saddled with at the beginning of her administration. I look forward to addressing it with her and our local Board of Finance by placing a strong focus on paying down our debt obligations and being fiscally prudent on long term investments moving forward.

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

I commend my opponent's service to the town over the years. However, as a parent to students that are currently enrolled in the Brookfield Public Schools I believe that him and I have a very different vision of the importance of parental rights and listening to parents concerns as opposed to what school administrators may want or what may be politically expedient. Understanding that the Board of Education is separate from the Town of Brookfield, I will however always collaborate and respect the voices of my fellow parents in our local schools in anyway that I can in my position as Selectman.

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

The issues that I intend to address during my campaign as I previously mentioned are as follows; fiscal responsibility, curbing the tax burden for our local residents, investing in our schools and in our police department and advocating for parental rights.

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

As both an NYPD officer and a Town of Greenwich Detective with a combined total of 23 years, I have proven experience in leading in high stress and emergency situations on a continuous basis while navigating the critical governmental aspects of the job. Both roles involve municipal government in two very different communities. In my experience as a parent in the community coaching many different sports teams (baseball, football, basketball), I have gotten to know our town and many of its residents on a personal basis and therefore will be a strong advocate for all of them.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

That no matter who the person is, no matter where you are in your life and no matter where they may be in theirs, you can truly learn something from every single person you meet if you take the time to listen.

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

I have made it known since I announced my intentions to run for the position of Selectman, I am not a career politician but instead an individual that has dedicated a better portion of his life to community service and is committed to getting the job done. I offer the residents of Brookfield three things that I feel are important if elected, 1) Transparency, 2) Dedication and 3) Availability.