Patch Candidate Profile: Peg Berry, Canton Board of Finance

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

Canton resident Peg Berry is running for Canton Board of Finance as a Democrat.

The following is Berry's questionnaire sent to Patch:

Name

Peg Berry

How old will you be as of Election Day?

59

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

What city or town do you live in?

Canton, CT

What office are you seeking?

Canton Board of Finance

Please give us your party affiliation.

Democrat

Education

MBA, Business Management, Barney School of Business, University of Hartford; BA English Literature, Trinity College, Hartford

What is your occupation?

Chief marketing lead, Cigna Payer Solutions, Cigna Healthcare - 10.5 years; Previously self-employed marketing strategy, 10 years; Prior experience includes director of investor relations, public relations and marketing for a public tech company and advertising agency experience.

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

Married for nearly 28 years to my husband, Dave. Two adult children — daughter (26) and son (24)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

Canton Board of Education, 8 years, 2011-2019. During that time I served as Chair/Co-Chair of the finance committee for 3 years (2016-2019), Chair of the curriculum committee (2 years), Chair of the communications committee, and also served on the policy committee.

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?

I’m seeking this office because I firmly believe in the importance of serving my community and that we as individuals can have the greatest impact when we apply our talents and our passions in our home communities. I also possess a solid understanding of the financial and social challenges our community faces as well as the need to deliver excellence in education and community services that I would bring to bear as a representative on the board of finance.

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 political extremism and the resultant divisiveness. I think this is primarily caused by a lack of empathetic listening. Therefore, I intend to serve as an active and empathetic listener to my constituents Canton’s administrators, and my colleagues on the board of finance and Canton’s other boards to try to build consensus and better understanding.

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

I believe each of the other candidates seeking this post brings their own talents and passion to the role. I also understand that the greatest challenge we face, regardless of party, is our inability to find candidates willing to serve — so I applaud every candidate who is seeking public office for their willingness to commit their time to this important role. I believe I bring a history of public service that has afforded me a keen knowledge both of how Canton’s government works, and our priorities, and a history of getting things done for our town in my role on the Canton Board of Education.

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

The most important thing I can do during my campaign is to ensure I’m up to speed on the current issues so that I can get started immediately.

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

As chair of the BOE finance committee I worked collaboratively with the school administrators and other town officials to achieve budgets that balanced the needs of the schools and community as well as our taxpayers. I intend to use those learnings as an effective member of the board of finance for Canton.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

I have two, actually. The first is that your word is your bond. When you’re take with you is your good name so guard it carefully. The second is to always try your hardest at whatever you do. Things will not always go your way, but you will know you gave it your best effort.

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

I have strong opinions, and I’m not afraid to share them, but I also try to listen to others before coming to a decision.