Patch Candidate Profile: Keith Vibert, Farmington Town Council

FARMINGTON, CT — Farmington Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Farmington resident Keith Vibert is running for the Farmington Town Council as a Republican.

The following is Vibert's questionnaire sent to Patch:

Name

Keith Vibert

How old will you be as of Election Day?

40

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.farmingtonctgop.or...

What city or town do you live in?

Farmington

What office are you seeking?

Town Council

If you are running in a district, you can specify the district here.

2nd District

Please give us your party affiliation.

Republican

Education

B.S. in Business Management, Entrepreneurship focus, CCSU. 2001 FHS Graduate

What is your occupation?

I am a small business owner. I have owned and operated my business (Mondo of Middletown, CT) for 13 years.

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

I have been married to my wife Nicole since 2012, she is also a lifelong resident of Farmington. We have 2 sons ages 6 and 4 and our daughter who is 1.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

Yes, I have served on the Farmington Town Council since 2021 and prior to that I was a member of Farmington Town Planning and Zoning Commission from 2019 to 2021.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am running for Town Council because I love Unionville and Farmington and I believe that it is important for members of our community to take active roles in our town’s future. I have appreciated the opportunity to participate in our local government these past 4 years. If re-elected I will continue to put the residents of our town first in every decision I am a part of. I am a 5th-generation resident with deep roots in town. I am a father of 3 kids, all of whom currently are or will soon attend Farmington Public Schools. I care about our town's history and, while we all know change is a constant, I will always work to make sure any changes are smart, and necessary and that they fit the character of our town. I believe strongly that it is the responsibility of the Town Council to keep our services top-notch and carefully monitor our spending. I grew up in Unionville, I am a product of Farmington’s 2nd District and I would be honored to represent it again as a member of the Town Council.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

This was my answer when I ran in 2021 and it will continue to be my answer as long as I serve on the Town Council. I believe the biggest issue the Town Council is tasked with by residents of Farmington and Unionville is that we continue to offer excellent town services and a first-class education to our children while maintaining a tax rate that is among the lowest in central Connecticut. Accomplishing that requires strong leadership, budgetary discipline and a clear vision for what we want Farmington’s future to be. The Town Council makes a lot of important decisions that have an immediate impact on the town, but they cannot be made independent of having a plan for our future. For years Republican leadership has provided our town with a path to success. I hope to further that legacy and continue my service on the Town Council.

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

Serving on the Town Council is an enormous commitment and one that I take very seriously. In addition to the required time commitment, you must keep yourself well-informed on a diverse array of subjects and form opinions on them for which you will be held accountable. Every individual running for any local office does so on a voluntary basis.

My strengths are that I have a demonstrated history of successfully managing a business and a deep understanding of the importance of budgetary discipline. In my time on the Town Council, I have consistently done everything in my power to keep spending in line with what we can reasonably anticipate in revenue without assessing new or increasing our current taxes. I want to see every tax dollar go as far as it possibly can, keeping in mind that we need to keep our standards for our schools and town services high. Having volunteered in town government for four years now, I have proven that I am a willing collaborator with my peers on both sides of the aisle. In times of disagreement, I am comfortable coming to a compromise provided it is in the best interest of the town. I am dedicated to our town and I am willing to continue to work hard for Farmington and Unionville.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

While I am not challenging an incumbent I do want to address something that I see as a place other current members of the Town Council seeking re-election and I differ. I am concerned that there is a thought process held by some that there isn't a problem in government that you can't simply spend away. That is just not true. The Town Council needs members who are willing to address problems we face today while always having an eye on and a plan for our future. That means understanding the need to properly fund our schools and services in a way that is sustainable for our community for years to come. As a part of the majority on Town Council these past 2 years, we have been mindful of our responsibility to continue to provide excellent schools and great services while budgeting for a future we can all afford.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

There are a lot of important decisions coming in the next few years that I have my eye on. The first of which is the new FHS which is currently on schedule and we need to make sure it arrives on budget. I would echo those sentiments for the forthcoming 1928 project.

There have been some preliminary meetings about a proposed 3rd bridge from Monteith to New Britain Ave. While many residents are excited about that prospect, others have concerns about the impact it could have on their neighborhoods. If the proposed bridge is to be a benefit to all residents, we need to make it work without disrupting the surrounding neighborhoods that could be used as cut-throughs.

Lastly, sidewalks will be a major focus in the coming years. Many of the sidewalks in town are older, in disrepair, and need attention. Currently, the burden for the costs associated with sidewalk repairs falls solely on the property owner. I believe we should look to see if the town can lessen the impact of that cost on residents in hopes that we can begin to get the much-needed maintenance on those sidewalks done. In addition to repairs, I'd like to see even more of our town become walkable. We recently received a grant for sidewalks on Meadow Road and I look forward to seeing what other areas of town we can connect via sidewalks.

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

I am a graduate of CCSU's school of business and a 2001 FHS graduate. Beyond that, I have owned and operated a successful small business for 13 years (Mondo of Middletown, CT). Running a successful small business requires a combination of effective management, an understanding of your target market, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Additionally, you need to be able to build strong relationships with customers and maintain financial discipline. Lastly, you need to be able to roll up your sleeves and clean up a mess when necessary. I understand how to work within a community and build something great! Running that business taught me about working long hours for something that you care about.

I have served in local government for 4 years. I have been on the Town Council for the past 2. I have worked with the Retirement Board and as the Liaison for both Town Planning and Zoning and the Library Board. I have worked on the past two town budgets, one of which was done during a property revaluation in which we held spending to a 0% year-over-year increase. Before working on Town Council, I served on Town Planning and Zoning from 2019 to 2021.

I am a father of 3 kids 6 years old and under, so I've learned to be very patient! Sometimes that's what it takes in government, we can't do everything all at once so having a plan and being patient is something parenthood has taught me.

Lastly, I have been in town my entire life, and beyond just knowing a lot of our residents I understand how the town works and what makes it great. I grew up in Unionville going to church at First Church of Christ. My first job was at the Old Town Tavern in Unionville Center (now Dunkin). My Father grew up on Farmington Avenue and my mother on Webster Street. In addition to having the educational background and real-time, on-the-job experience of being on the Town Council, I think I know Farmington and Unionville better than anyone else running for this position.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

I've gotten a lot of great advice regarding running a business from peers in my industry. I have also had the benefit of receiving great parenting tips from my Mom and Dad. The piece of advice that sticks out to me that is most relevant for this setting is something that my Entrepreneurship Professor at CCSU told us in ENT100 and that was, "Be of service." I think in the business sense, he was telling us if you can be useful or helpful you are marketable and therefore will always have a product to sell, that being yourself. He was telling us that if you are going to be an entrepreneur you need people to understand that you have something to offer. He told us that if you are always in the habit of being in service to someone, some cause, or something then you will always be gainfully employed. That message is how I have approached volunteering for our local government. The first TPZ meeting I attended when I started and wasn't exactly sure what I could do to be most effective, I thought of Dr. Harris' advice, "be of service". In that context, it meant asking the questions a resident would want you to ask, and making the choice that reflects what you know the values of the town to be. I continue to take that approach into every town meeting I attend. I know I can continue to be of service to the residents of Farmington and Unionville.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have said this before, but it is always worth repeating; Farmington has given me a lot for which I am thankful. I was born and raised here, I met my wife here, and I am raising my family here. Farmington and Unionville have given me so much and it has been an honor to give back by volunteering on the Town Council, I hope to be able to continue that work.

Beyond that, I think I've said enough! I do hope that my friends and neighbors in Farmington and Unionville will come out and support me and all of my running mates on Row B this Nov. 7. If anyone has any questions for me I can be reached at kwvibert@gmail.com.