Kiner's Korner: Meet the Democratic At-Large Candidates

Here it is, 7 p.m. Sunday evening, and we have had power now for one hour. Before I go into my final column before Election Day, I must express my (and the citizens of Enfield) gratitude to Scott Kaupin. Realizing that there was not much anyone in political office could do to actually restore power, Scott did what he should have done. He kept us all posted with the latest news on power outages in Enfield. He was also personally in touch with CL&P, but it was the communication that we wanted and that is what we got. He didn't "politic" around town, he simply told the people what was happening and what he hoped CL&P was going to do. Thank you Scott Kaupin!

I think the last thing that people want to hear right now is political negativity. All I would like to do is to continue what I have done the past two weeks, and that is simply to acquaint you with the Democratic candidates ideas and their backgrounds. I have already written about the district candidates and the Board of Education candidates. This last issue will cast some light on the Democratic At Large candidates. Unlike the other columns that were in interview format, I have, for this column, simply asked the candidates for their statements.

Thank you for understanding.

Patrick Crowley

Taxes are a major concern of mine, with the position our state and country is in. We as a town have depleted most of our resources by cutting our budgets in the recent past. We have not adjusted our taxes with the cost of doing business. We are cutting all aspects of our departments, and the funding of future projects.

Now the last big target out there is education and as long as it is protected by MBR, set in place by the Legislature, the council will be mandated to  fund what was funded last year, hence forth another cut. Should that not be required by the state, I believe the education budget will be targeted and further cuts will be made under this council.

One of our greatest benefits of living in Enfield has always been our quality of life in this town. I truly believe our community supports a certain standard and I want to continue to provide that to our residents.

BOB LEMAY

I have been a resident of Enfield for 48 years. My wife Laura and I just recently celebrated 31 years of marriage. We have three adult sons who were raised and educated in town. I belong to Holy Family Church.

Occupation: Regional Sales Manager

Employer: Prism Analytical Technologies Incorporated

Civic Involvement:

* Current Vice President of the Enfield Community Development Corporation

* Current Member of the Board of Directors of the Independent Transportation Network (I.T.N.)

* Current Member of the Enfield Democratic Town Committee

* Current District Deputy for the Knights of Columbus

* Past Inland Wetland and Watercourse Agent for Enfield

* Past Chairperson for the Independent Transportation Network (I.T.N.)

* Past President for the Enfield Soccer Club and Top Soccer Program for children with disabilities.

Bill, I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share my concerns with your readers. I have been a resident of Enfield for 48 years and my wife Laura and I truly enjoyed raising our own family here as well. Our three sons went through our school system and have done very well for themselves because of that. My concerns stem from the many unoccupied office and industrial buildings we have in town along with critical issues our school system is now being faced with.

It is vital that we communicate with our local business community so that we are aware of any concerns that they may have as well as taking an active role in helping those who need to expand their business, stay in town. We also need to explore ways of attracting new businesses to Enfield that would create job opportunities and begin the process of utilizing our vacant office and industrial buildings. Business plays an intricate part in Enfield from jobs, to local taxes as well as their community involvement. Many charities in Enfield have benefited from their support. We need to be sensitive to their needs and by working together, Enfield will remain a great place to do business in.

Our student population is on the decline which presents new issues of concern. With the downsizing of our school buildings, we are now faced with some challenges that need addressing. We can not afford to jeopardize the quality of our education. With people moving out of Enfield to go elsewhere for their child's education is not acceptable. And now a rise in applications to magnet schools just sends the wrong message here at home. Our town budget for our school system must reflect our continued support for a great education and opportunities without our students paying the bigger price. We need to take the necessary time needed to layout a plan that not only makes financial sense, but one that will guarantee a great educational experience for our students.

Cindy Mangini

I have three grown children and one grandson. I have lived in Enfield for over 40 years. I graduated Enfield High School in 1972. I earned my Bachelor of Arts from the University of Connecticut in 1994 with a Political Science major. I am a Licensed Realtor and a Licensed Claims adjuster. I am currently serving my seventh term as a Councilman at Large. I teach second grade CCD at St. Bernard's Church. I am a member of the Enfield Rotary Club. I play polo as a sport.

Here are my two areas of major concern:

1- What municipal services are the people of Enfield willing to give up? We no longer do leaf vacuuming as that service was eliminated in last year's budget. I have heard from many residents that they want that back and some are willing to sacrifice in other areas. I think it is important to ask the question as I am sure it will generate many different responses.

2- We are fortunate to have a fantastic social services department in Enfield. I wonder how many believe that the programs falling under this department are fully-funded or self-contained. Are people aware that we have to apply and reapply for grants and state and federal monies on a regular basis? I have heard from some that they thought social services was just "there".

Tom Arnone

I am 50 years old and I grew up in Thompsonville and Hazardville. I raised four children and all have attended Enfield Schools. I have a background in Construction Management, Building Maintenance, Public Works and Environmental Science. I am the past President of Thompsonville Little League and I coached children’s sports for over 10 years. I am a former vice Chair of Enfield Inlands Wetlands. I am a former Board of Education member, having served on the Finance Committee. I am the founder and President of Kids First children’s charity. I am Chairman of The Enfield Together Coalition which tries to  prevent teen alcohol abuse though education and enforcement.

Our federal and state elected officials, along with members of the town council and board of education, must ensure that Enfield tax payers get the most out of their hard earned tax dollars. I am a father of four, and my family, like many families in town, depends on two incomes to survive. I know how hard it is to make ends meet in these difficult economic times. Therefore, I believe we need to keep our education standards high so our children can compete in today’s global marketplace. We need to repair our town’s infrastructure in order to attract new businesses, and at the same time we must make Enfield a place where our seniors can live in dignity so that they can enjoy their grandchildren growing up.

Our population, according to the 2010 Federal Census and the J.I, declined 1.2% while surrounding towns grew, such as Manchester at 6.4% , Vernon at 4%, and Tolland County at 12%. Mansfield, Union, and Ellington experienced more than 20% growth. Enfield businesses must be alarmed at that kind of local population decline. We need to mount an aggressive campaign to attract people back to Enfield and encourage residents to stay here. This can be done by promoting and supporting our educational system, our cultural arts, our parks and walking trails. We need to promote the quality of our public safety system, and we need to advertise that Enfield is a great community to live and raise a family.

The author is a member of the Enfield Democratic Town Committee.