Fairfield Candidate Profile: Tom Flynn For 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.

Tom Flynn is running for selectman as a Republican. Flynn is a senior director and management consultant who has served on the Board of Finance for 14 years. He has three children, as well as three dogs.

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.

The most pressing issue is the fill pile contamination and public corruption scandal. The Board of Selectman must take charge and insist on an independent environmental professional to manage contamination testing, the remediation process and re-testing of remediated sites. There has to be frequent and transparent communication with citizens and town bodies by the Board of Selectman as well as the independent environmental consultant. Proper and complete financial control has be be managed through an independent outside review and assistance by the town's Board of Finance. Town leaders must also ensure the town's police department and any and all town personnel requested are working with the State Attorney's office to bring legal issues to appropriate conclusion. Lastly, the Board of Selectmen must initiate an independent and thorough review of the processes, oversight and policy failures that allowed this scandal to occur to restore faith in town government.

Other than the immediate contamination/corruption scandal, Fairfield needs to balance affordability, (taxes), with quality services. A key is to diversity our tax base through smart economic development while maintaining the character of the town. The Town's Long Term Strategic Plan must be completed and inform a revision of the Town's Master Plan, (zoning / usage and development), to support economic development objectives.In addition, the Town Administration must be easy to do business with by being more efficient in prioritizing town services; leveraging public/private partnerships and implementing technology solutions.

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

My government and professional experience.

I have been on the Town's Board of Finance for 14 years and Chairman for the last 10 years.In addition, I have served on two statewide commissions, the first was a State Property Tax Cap Commission and, for the last 6 plus years, I have served on the State of Connecticut Green Bank Board of Directors supporting alternative energy investments throughout the State.

I have executive level business experience as a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for over 25 years. Presently, I am an executive level management consultant with an international consulting firm, (Alvarez & Marsal), advising companies on strategic initiatives, transformations, mergers & acquisitions, reorganizations and restructurings.

I graduated from Syracuse University with dual degrees in Broadcast Journalism from the Newhouse School of Communications and in Accounting from the Whitman School of Business. I am a Price Waterhouse trained Certified Public Accountant. I also completed an Advanced Leadership Study Program at Cambridge University in the UK.

It's Experience that you can trust to make the right decisions for the town.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Investment in quality education; Supporting private property rights/values; Preserving the character of the town and neighborhoods; Continued support of public safety; Revised and simplified senior citizen tax relief; Strong financial management and long-term strategic and financial planning to preserve the quality of the town for the next generation.

We must be pro-active, not re-active, in addressing issues and opportunities.

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

As Chairman of the Town's Board of Finance, I helped guide the town through the fiscal crisis of about a decade ago; the ongoing and almost annual reduction of State Aid; championed the audit of the Metro Center project; insisted on long-term financial planning; advocated for Senior Citizen Tax Relief; lowered the rate of spending growth to control taxes; supported appropriate investment in schools and infrastructure; conceived and chair the town's annual capital planning workshop; maintained the town's Triple A credit rating; insisted on funding long term obligations for pensions and retiree benefits; and supported environmental initiatives.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

My Mom and Dad: "Do not do what is expedient or easy, do what is right."

Harry S Truman: "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."

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

I thoroughly enjoy public service and see it as just that 'service to my community'. I am a fiscal conservative, (especially when spending others' money), and am moderate on non-financial issues.

I approach issues, challenges, opportunities and problems with an open mind and make decisions based on the best available information and facts, not political ideology.

My pledge is to do what is in the best interests of the entire Town of Fairfield, (as I have throughout my years of service on the Board of Finance), not what is always the most popular or politically expedient for myself.