Patch Candidate Profile: Liam Enea, Brookfield ZBA

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.

Liam Enea, 21, is running for election to the Brookfield Zoning Board of Appeals as a Republican.

Education.

I am a senior economics major at the University of Connecticut and a 2020 graduate of Brookfield High School.

What is your occupation?

I am an intern (full-time after graduation) in an investigative unit at an electric grid operator.

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

I live in town with my parents and 16-year-old brother.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

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

I am the vice chair of the Youth Commission (2018-present) and secretary of the Energy Advisory Board (2022-present). At the age of 16, I recruited a slate, set a new vision, and convinced the Board of Selectmen to revive the Youth Commission, which sat dormant for decades.

Why are you seeking this office?

I watched Brookfield's land use practices evolve throughout my youth and care deeply about protecting our charm and open space. I want to provide a young person's foresight to the process of assessing variances, which should be granted sparingly, because their effects last generations.

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

Zoning regulations that impose a hardship on families with generational land. If elected, I promise a thorough, fair review of your situation and will seek an outcome that helps alleviate your hardship while upholding public safety.

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

I am the youngest person on the ballot; know how to assess a project's environmental impacts;
understand our history; always extend my hand across the aisle; and want Brookfield to retain my generation, not lose it to cities.

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

Although affordable housing is slightly out of the ZBA's scope, ensuring that any variances requested for subdivision-related developments are thoroughly reviewed is key to building the affordable stock while protecting neighboring properties, as many in my generation face limited opportunities to build wealth after school.

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

I’ve led a successful effort to change state law and helped young people become career-minded, civically-engaged citizens. In my six years of public service, I’ve balanced full-time school and work without missing a single civic obligation or meeting.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Never let your age define you.