Darien Election 2021: Sarah Neumann For Board of Selectmen

DARIEN, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in town will be on the ballot.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 2, Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on a few topics.

Democrat Sarah Neumann, 49, is running for the Board of Selectmen in Darien.

Occupation: Office Manager

Family: James (52), Emma (19), Abigail (16)

Experience: Board of Selectmen and RTM

Family in government: No

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

Going forward, I strongly believe that Darien needs to focus on solutions to the extensive flooding issues. We failed our residents by waiting too long to address these concerns. We need to keep our residents safe. These flooding issues in town are serious and need to be addressed immediately.

The following are a few of the recommendations that were first presented to the town by the Flood Mitigation Strategy Committee and by the firm Malone and McBroom, and should be implemented immediately:

1. Maintaining critical watercourse channels for flood waters.
2. Allocating additional staff for floodplain management and stormwater runoff.
3. Support the town purchase of properties within the floodplain.
4. Separating the Flood Erosion Control Board from the Environmental Protection Commission.
5. Site-specific locations in the most affected flooding areas involve additional channel widening, dredging, and increasing culvert sizes, and replacing bridges.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I am the only incumbent candidate this year for the Board of Selectmen. I have worked incredibly hard and effectively with residents and other elected officials, regardless of party affiliation, in the town over the past two years. I take the time to listen to our residents. This role is an honor and a privilege to me, and I take the time to be thoughtful, respectful, and represent Darien well as I vote on the Board of Selectmen.

Accomplishments:

Keeping our residents safe and well-informed will always be at the top of my agenda. When Covid hit Darien, I worked to ensure our residents had the information they needed. I also called seniors to let them know when the vaccine was available. I have volunteered at our town’s COVID-19 clinics and organized food drives for Person to Person. I have represented everyone as the Board of Selectmen’s representative to the Thriving Youth Task Force.

I am currently working on the Town’s upcoming pedestrian safety campaign and will be the Board of Selectmen’s representative on the committee for the exciting Hindley, Royle, and Holmes schools building projects that are about to begin. Communication and knowledge is incredibly important to our residents in Darien. I proposed a new position in Town Hall: a communications director that will fill that gap. The position was approved for the 2021-22 fiscal year, but I have yet to see that position appear.

I foresee that position working with all town departments, including the parks and recreation, health department, planning and zoning, and building departments, and to get out to our residents the information they need.

Other issues:

In addition to looking at our infrastructure to deal with our extensive flooding issues and I would like to focus on safety for our residents and coordinate with local and state officials regarding our infrastructure and sidewalk safety. I also look forward to continuing to work with the different boards and commissions in our town to give our residents the best parks and programs that residents will enjoy.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I have lived in Darien for over 17 years with my husband and two daughters. In addition to my current service as a member of the Board of Selectmen, I have served on the RTM. I am a past co-chair at both the Hindley and Darien High School PTO’s, and among my many volunteer positions in town I have also served as the president of the Junior League of Stamford-Norwalk, which is headquartered here in Darien.

Over time, I have learned that communication is the key to success. I strive to be available to speak with every resident about any concern they may have. I ask that you re-elect me to Darien's Board of Selectmen.