Ellington Candidate Profile: Mary Cardin, Board Of Selectmen

ELLINGTON, CT — The 2023 municipal election season is heating up in Ellington, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Ellington-Somers Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Name: Mary B. Cardin

How old will you be as of Election Day? 59

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

https://www.elldtc.org/

What city or town do you live in? Ellington

What office are you seeking? Board of Selectmen

Party affiliation: Democrat

Education: J.D., University of Connecticut School of Law; B.A., Mount Holyoke College

What is your occupation? Attorney - Privacy & Cybersecurity law

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

My husband Mike Taft is retired from a long career as a Roads Foreman with Vernon Dept. of Public Works. We have his two grown children and three grandkids, and our son Joe Taft, who graduated from EHS in 2013 and works in Downeast Maine for a land conservation organization.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Not currently, but I grew up in a family where public service was very important - both of my parents served on boards for many, many years.

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

I currently serve as an alternate on the Planning and Zoning Commission (since 2022) and I served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for more than ten years, and was chairperson for most of my tenure on the ZBA.

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 care very much about our great community and I want to bring more transparency and communication to our town governing bodies, and help make the best decisions for the future of our town.

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

Keeping the town affordable for all town residents and transparency from our town boards/government. I will do everything I can to ensure the Board of Selectmen hears and understands residents’ concerns and that residents have access to all information that should be available to the public. Decisions should be made in the best interest of our town.

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

I want to hear from and will listen to my fellow town residents. Also, I am thoughtful and will work hard to ensure the best for our town.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

There needs to be a willingness to be open with and engage with the public; it’s unfortunate that residents are prohibited from making public comment on the board’s agenda items. This prevents residents from having a say in important decisions being made by the boards.

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

It’s important for our board to have a plan for keeping the town affordable for all residents we need to be creative to address taxes and still support our schools and other important services. Also I would like the board to address how to balance the use of our open land for solar with preserving the land needed for our farms/farmers.

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

Throughout my many years serving on the ZBA and now on the PZC, I have always listened, done my homework and asked questions to fully understand an issue before making decisions in the best interest of the town and our residents.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Listen first and speak later. Also, keep an open mind.

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

If you elect me to serve on the Board of Selectmen I will listen, fight for transparency, and make decisions for the benefit of our town.