Fairfield Candidate Profile: Sharon Pistilli For RTM

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.

Sharon Pistilli is running for Representative Town Meeting District 3 as a Democrat. She works as a senior compensation consultant, currently represents District 3, and sat on the Solid Waste & Recycling Commission for 10 years.

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.

Smart and strategic investment for the common good of all Fairfielders.

Everything that we do in government is for the common good of the people of Fairfield.We need to invest wisely in education, because this supports our children's future and directly impacts our real estate values. We need to invest in our infrastructure such as paving our roads and bridges so that the town remains attractive. We should invest in Senior Tax Relief so that those on fixed incomes can continue to afford to stay in Fairfield. We need to continue to engage with our business community in order maintain and grow our local economy.

We also have to protect our environment for the common good of Fairfield.

We have the most residential real estate at risk of all towns in Connecticut, threatened by the rising tides as a result of global warming. We need to continue to lead by doing everything we can to mitigate this. We also need to ensure that our residents' public safety and health and wellbeing are protected and that environmental policies are adhered to across town.

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

I have been devoted to community service for most of my life, starting with various 4-H citizenship projects during my primary, secondary and college career. Prior to being elected to the RTM, I was very involved in Jennings PTA, I served as Chairman of Solid Waste & Recycling Commission for ten years, I volunteered for the Fairfield Clean Energy Task Force, and also served on the Fairfield Earth Day Committee. I also volunteer in various capacities for the Fairfield Music Parents Association and through my job, have taught for Junior Achievement.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

I have proven that I take my commitment to the RTM very seriously, as I have had near perfect attendance for the last two years. My ten years of attendance at Solid Waste & Recycling meetings was near perfect, as well.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

We need to be thoughtful in how we ask our taxpayers to invest in our town. I am in favor of investment in education, in a manner that is strategic and efficient. I believe that as a town, we need to do everything we can to mitigate climate change through investments in clean energy and energy efficiency. I was a co-sponsor of the Reusable Checkout Bag Ordinance, and I look forward to proposing other initiatives that will reduce solid waste and our impact on the environment.

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

I am a very task-oriented individual. I take on tasks one by one in order to do my best to make our town a better place.

In my work volunteering for the Fairfield Clean Energy Task Force, I ran a sign-up campaign for the Connecticut Clean Energy Option program that earned our town a solar array that was granted with no cost to the town.

During my involvement in Jennings PTA, I served as a room parent, I was an organizer of the Jennings Variety Show, of the Jennings Garden, and I also served as a CANE, Mill River, and Art in the Classroom presenter. Volunteer hours not only benefit our children in their education, but models the behavior that giving back to your community by helping others, matters.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Many hands lighten the load. My grandfather used to always tell us this when we worked long hours on our family farm in Litchfield County. He was a big inspiration to me, as he served as Chairman and member of the Board of Education of my school district for 25 years while working two jobs, one in a pipe factory and the other running the family farm. As citizens, we should all strive to contribute to the greater good of our society, because many hands lighten the load. Everyone has something to contribute, and I feel it is our obligation as citizens to serve our community as best we can.

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

It is very meaningful to me to have the opportunity to serve our town, and I would be honored to earn your vote for re-election to RTM. I have a positive can-do attitude, I am a compassionate neighbor, and I rarely run out of energy.