Fairfield Candidate Profile: Brenda Kupchick For First Selectman

FAIRFIELD, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Fairfield and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Fairfield Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will continue covering the races as Election Day draws near.

Brenda Kupchick is running for first selectman as a Republican. She is a co-owner of Peter Kupchick Heating & Cooling Inc. and has been a Fairfield state representative since 2011. Kupchick has also served on the Representative Town Meeting and the Board of Education. She and her husband have one adult son and two beagles.

Are you running for office in Fairfield? Contact Anna Bybee-Schier at anna.bybee-schier@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Fairfield Patch.

Candidate responses appear as they were received and have not been edited by Patch staff.

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

I believe the most important issue facing Fairfield is leadership and accountability. For Fairfield to continue to invest in education and maintain town services while reducing the residential tax burden on seniors and families who are either just starting out or those in between, we must grow the grand list which has declined by 7.7% over the last 11 years. I will actively work with developers and business to diversify our tax base through "smart" economic development. I will create conditions and opportunities for public, private partnerships and technology while modernizing the town's permitting process and services.

We have an obligation to provide Fairfield's children the best educational experience, while also ensuring Fairfield remains affordable for seniors and working families who helped to build our community.

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

I believe the most critical difference is leadership. Whether it's a lack of leadership regarding Economic Development to reduce the residential tax burden or the absence of proactive leadership with the fill pile or with the everyday management of the town. I will work hard everyday to be the leader Fairfield can rely on..

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Education, seniors, public safety, fiscal responsibility, strategic planning are all priorities. However, the situation regarding the " Fill Pile" has illustrated a total lack of accountability, transparency and leadership from the top. I will work to restore the public's trust and put strict controls in place to make sure this never happens again. Trust in public officials is paramount.

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

I look back on my past and I believe every experience and challenge in my life has prepared me for this position. I grew up in Fairfield, I've been married for 34 years, invested and put down roots in my hometown with my husband Peter, where we bought our first home in Fairfield soon after we were married. Peter and I raised our family here and have owned and operated a successful small business in town for 30 years.

As a young woman, I attended college, worked a part time job, raised a child while starting a new business with my husband. I understand first hand the challenges that working families in Fairfield face every day.

It was never my intention to be involved in politics. I volunteered for my son's Pop Warner and Little League teams. I was a room mother and joined the PTA in an effort to enrich my son's elementary experience. As I became more active with the PTA, I saw a growing frustration from parents with local politicians ignoring their voices. I then founded a grassroots advocacy group called One Voice for Education. And that's where my career in public service began.

I ran for and won a seat on the Representative Town Meeting in 1999, where I served until 2003. While serving on the RTM, I fought for worked to reopen Fairfield's second high school to address Fairfield's growing student enrollment. I advocated and voted for funding to build a third middle school and a new Burr Elementary School.

Early in my first term on the RTM, I was alerted by a Mom whose child was suffering from seizures caused by mold exposure at McKinley School, I immediately took action as more and more students and staff became ill and worked every day to ensure the crisis was addressed. I successfully fought to have the town demolish this poorly maintained school and build a brand new school for the McKinley community.

In 2002 I was offered an unique opportunity to work for Congressman Chris Shays in his district congressional office.While taking on the position was a challenge with raising a teenager, running a business and serving in local office, I was excited for the new experience were I learned valuable skills and lessons during my seven years working for Chris Shays, that I still carry with me to this day.

In 2003, I was elected to serve a six-year term on the Board of Education where I chaired the board's first ever facilities committee, which included a long term strategic plan that prioritized capital school projects so the town could responsibly plan for the future.

I was elected to serve in the Connecticut General Assembly in 2011 and have worked hard to represent Fairfield and introduce and pass meaningful legislation that made a difference in the lives of the people of Fairfield for the past nine years.All of my life experiences, as a wife, mother, business owner, local elected official, congressional staffer, state representative, volunteer, education advocate and care giver for an elderly parent have afforded me a wealth of experience, knowledge and ability to juggle many responsibilities. Throughout my life, I have a unique perspective in understanding the issues that affect Fairfield residents, at the federal, state and local levels. I believe my life experiences have prepared me for the honor of serving the people of my hometown as their First Selectwoman.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

The best outcomes are achieved when all voices are heard. Whether it's sitting around a table for Sunday dinner or discussing town policy at a meeting. All opinions should be welcomed and valued.

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

For me, public service has always been a call to action to serve my community. My responsibilities if I'm elected to serve as First Selectwoman will to always be to uphold the public trust.