East Haven Candidate Profile: Maurice Adams for Town Council

East Haven, CT —East Haven’s election season is heating up.

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

Maurice Adams, 41, a Republican, is running for election to the Town Council, Fifth District.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you'd be representing.

No.

Education:

Bachelor's Degree in Transportation Management

Occupation:

Engineer Training Officer - Metro North Railroad

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Board of Fire Commissioners 2008-2012

The single most pressing issue facing our town/district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Definitely our economy. We have to research and execute a plan to strengthen our economy, provide better quality of life, and build on local assets. Our current policies are not bringing the prosperity we need. For far too long we have been devoid of encouraging growth in town. We have to attract businesses that can thrive on a walk-able main street, and where families can live close to their daily destinations. We have to develop strong and diverse community leadership that is inclusive, collaborative, and connected, and not a partisan divide. Then we need to identify those local assets, and create and carry out a strategic plan based upon these assets that will kick start a chain of revenue source in perpetuity.

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

The only loyalty I claim, is to the residents of this Town. I have been raised and trained to respect different views, analyze problems, and identify the best solutions - not based on loyalty to political party, but rather based on what is good and right, and in the best interest of the Town as a whole. Having confidence in a political leader is about having faith or belief that he or she will act in a right, proper, or effective way. I'm not sure the families of East Haven feel that has been present here for quite some time now.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Education. Great schools have the power to close the opportunity gap and raise the bar for all students, so every child has a fair shot at success. But it starts at home. Parents are not involved enough. Of all the things out of the control of teachers, this one is perhaps the most frustrating. Time spent in the classroom is simply not enough for teachers to instruct every student, to teach them what they need to know. There must, inevitably, be some interaction outside school hours. The demands of careers and an over-dependence on schools put kids at risk when it comes to the lack of parental involvement in academics. School spending is stagnant, even in an improving economy. We are still using the teacher training methods of yesterday. Kids today arrive at Kindergarten with less naivety than previous generations. Teachers don’t, in other words, get a clean slate. Instead, they get young minds cluttered with random information and ideas, all of which need fostering or re-mediating. This is due to a lack of teacher education innovation.

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

Firstly, I have served 22 years in the Military. I enlisted in the Marine Corps when I was 18, and served 4 years Active Duty. I then went into the Air Force Reserve, where I can continue to serve currently. I served in Combat while deployed to Afghanistan as the Duty Officer for the largest Air Terminal Operation Center in the entire Dept. of Defense. Including conducting Mission Coordination under enemy fire. I have also worked for Metro North Railroad for 14 years (arguably the busiest commuter railroad int he United States), where at one point I was a Superintendent of Operations. I have dealt with crisis and multitasking too many times than i can count. Sometimes simultaneously. I have no doubt I can handle any situation presented.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

When setting expectations, no matter what has been said or written, if substandard performance is accepted and no one is held accountable—if there are no consequences—that poor performance becomes the new standard.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I swore to Support and defend the Constitution and I have never deviated. I promise to always stay informed of the issues affecting our community. I believe in the democratic process and will fight to maintain the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others. I will encourage participation from Constituents in our community, and I will always weigh the decisions I make based on the effects of our families not our ideologies.

Are you running for office in East Haven? Contact Ellyn Santiago at ellyn.santiago@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to East Haven Patch.