Enfield Candidate Profile: Wendy Costa, 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.

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

Name: Wendy Costa

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: BS, Fairfield University

Occupation: Retired CPA

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Enfield Joint Facilities Committee

The single most pressing issue facing our town is: In my opinion, the single most pressing issue facing our town is the impact to Enfield and its residents of the continued State of CT fiscal mismanagement. When elected, I will work with the entire Board to continue to ensure we have a financial strategy that includes close monitoring of the budget, tying results to spending, and a long range plan that contemplates a reduction of state funding should that happen. We will continue to implement and/or improve programs and policies that improve student performance, giving our youth the best educational experience we can afford.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post: Through years of experience, I have learned that the best teams include individuals that are diverse in education, skills, experience, upbringing, etc. The more diverse, the better. We embrace these differences, and the Republican slate of candidates is representative of this thinking.

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 am a CPA with several years experience in budgeting, expense management, expense reduction, and financial analysis. I also have participated in, or led, many cross functional teams in finance related projects. I concluded my career as CFO of the Retirement Services business of ING, demonstrating my leadership skills and breadth of financial experience. I am a true analytic, choosing to understand all sides of an issue and gathering facts before making a decision. I currently sit on the Enfield Joint Facilities Committee, where we are currently working on developing a plan for the best use of our municipal facilities, as well as addressing the current needs of our facilities, primarily roofs and windows for our schools.

The best advice ever shared with me was: My parents instilled in me the concept that working hard brings success. I credit a colleague for summing it up as Bloom Where You Are Planted. Know your end goal, but be the best you can be in your current situation.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions: I want you to vote for me, and give me the opportunity to lend my financial acumen and teamwork experience to the Board for continued student success.