Cheshire Election 2021: Jennifer Dillon Running For Town Council

CHESHIRE, CT — The 2021 municipal election is heating up in Cheshire with plenty of races on the ballot.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 2 and cast their ballots for seats on the Town Council, Board of Education, Planning and Zoning Commission and more.

Cheshire Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Democrat Jennifer Dillon, 36, is running for election as Cheshire Town Council At-Large.

Occupation: Educator

Family in government: No

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

The most pressing issue in Cheshire is livability. Livability is a host of issues that makes living in small to medium sized communities great. Specific to Cheshire, livability means investing in new schools that are amazing places to teach and to learn. It means ensuring that our open spaces are well maintained, safe and accessible for all. It means looking to include sustainable practices in our building and zoning practices to save money and protect the local environment. Livability includes working in partnership with neighboring communities to plan for and mitigate hazards and vulnerabilities. Livability means working with private business and non-profit institutions to create networks of action and growth. True livability means including all residents, young and old, and new to town and lifers in all aspects of governance. As we look to attract both new residents and new investments these are the issues that the families and corporations of today are looking at when considering relocation.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

A key difference between myself and my opponents is 21st century vision. I will bring a fresh perspective to issues and the ways in which we can approach both challenge and opportunity. Just because something has been done a certain way for a number of years doesn’t mean it’s the best, or the most cost-efficient way. I have had the opportunity to create a professional career across a number of different sectors working with community activists, and Fortune 500 CEOs, along the way. I will look to bring these experiences, connections and the multitude of best practices they offer to bear if elected.

Accomplishments:

-Member of Cheshire Sustainability Team that received bronze certification for town with Sustainable CT

-Board Member and Coalition for a Sustainable Cheshire

-Led a full LED light retrofit and solar installation at my work place

-Initiated book giving program with Cheshire Food Pantry and Advent Giving Tree

-Ran national programming at Keep America Beautiful; largest waste reduction and recycling non-profit in the country

Other issues:

Representation- For our community to continue to thrive, our elected leaders should truly represent the people. As a young professional in town I do not feel represented by the current council and this led to my entering the race. I want to ensure that women are better represented and that young professionals and young families are represented in town decisions.

Municipal Solid Waste- Certainly not the most glamorous of topics! We habitually bring our garbage and recycling to the curb, but don’t think about the cost or where those materials go. It used to be that municipalities could make money on recycling, but that is no longer the case. With fees for recycling increasing, coupled with the closure of Connecticut landfills and waste to energy plants, our trash will have to transported to states as far away as Alabama. This will result in increased tipping fees for the haulers that will inevitably be passed to the town and tax-payers. I want to look at all possibilities for waste diversion so that our costs can be held constant, if not decrease, amidst these challenges. Having prior relationships with the major players in this field will ensure that our community understands all possibilities for action so the council can be the most fiscally responsible while maintaining a clean Cheshire.

Transparency-It is vital that all residents of Cheshire have a direct understanding of the actions of your local government. If elected I will continue weekly web video updates about important issues before the council, conduct more informal listening sessions and come to you the residents where you are, and i.e. the playing fields and the coffee shops.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

The importance of getting involved and giving back to the community has been a part of my life since childhood. If given your vote and the opportunity to serve, I look forward to hearing from all Cheshire residents about your ideas, as well as your concerns.

Together we can ensure Cheshire's bright future.

Are you running for office in Cheshire? Email vincent.salzo@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile on Cheshire Patch.