Enfield Candidate Profile: Bill Salazar, Board of Education

ENFIELD, CT — Enfield's election season is heating up, and there are plenty of contested races with candidates eager to represent their town in November's municipal election. Enfield Patch asked candidates in the town council and Board of Education races to answer questions about their campaigns, and has been publishing candidate profiles each weekday as election day draws near.

Bill Salazar is running for election to the Enfield Board of Education as a member of the Republican party.

Name: Bill Salazar

Age: unanswered

Position Sought: Board of Education

Party Affiliation: Republican

Family: 2 children

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government: No

Education: BA, University of California Riverside and MBA, Pepperdine University

Occupation: Vice President of IT

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission

The single most pressing issue facing our town is: In my opinion, beyond the continuous fiscal mismanagement by the State, the most pressing issue facing our town is insufficient community involvement. When elected I will continue to pursue creative ideas, enhanced communications, and make every attempt to keep the community informed and foster a greater desire for involvement - certainly with the BOE but also at every level of city government.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post: Within our team we have different educational backgrounds, professional experiences, and ethnicities. While we embrace our individuality, we acknowledge that Enfield's success is achieved working as a team, fairly and responsibly evaluating options, and remaining open minded.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Achieving Excellence: The Republican-led BOE continues to make well-reasoned and responsible decisions for our students and taxpayers.

Education for All: Our children are excelling because we have provided “need-to-succeed” materials and technology in the hands of our teachers and students.

• STEAM Curriculum from Pre-K to 12, including Head Start.
• Outplaced special needs children will be educated in town at the new Eagle Academy, opening fall 2019.
• We have added more AP Classes and graduation rates are much higher at our high school.
• Our expanded music, arts and theater programs showcase our students talents.
• We have a multifaceted collaboration between Asnuntuck and Enfield High School.
• JFK Middle School renovation begins April, 2020.

Character Counts: Parents and students can rely on the Republican BOE team to listen, be engaged, and to serve with the utmost integrity.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job: I had my first management job two years out of college. Since then I have obtained over 20 years of experience leading people and managing multi-million dollar budgets and projects. I have managed projects and teams in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. My experience also includes successfully leading contract negotiations with vendors and governmental agencies from other countries. The qualities of Fiscal responsibility, understanding other points of view, breaking down significant problems into surmountable parts, and reaching fair compromises are all part of my skill set and background.

The best advice ever shared with me was: My father would always tell my siblings and I, "Al mal paso darle prisa." Loosely translated it means that whenever you know that difficult times are ahead (facing arduous tasks, difficult choices or circumstances) it is best to face them quickly so you can move past them, quickly as well.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions: I was born in Mexico. Came here as a high school student not speaking English and became a US Citizen while in college. As a very strong believer in education, I consider myself a good example of what can be achieved with a good education and the opportunities that our country presents. I love the USA dearly.