2023 Greenwich Election Profile: Fred Camillo For First Selectman

GREENWICH, CT — Election Day on Nov. 7 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot in Greenwich.

Patch reached out to candidates for local office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing the town.

Name

Fred Camillo

How old will you be as of Election Day?

61

What city or town do you live in?

Greenwich, CT

What office are you seeking?

First Selectman

Please give us your party affiliation.

Republican

Education.

BA, Manhattanville College ( Summa Cum Laude ), Masters in Education,Manhattanville College

What is your occupation?

First Selectman, Town of Greenwich

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

CT State Representative, 151st District, 2009-2019

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 re-election in my hometown to continue working on public safety, pedestrian safety, public-private partnerships, preserving local control of zoning, energy policy, environmental protection, affordability, and promoting active lifestyles. Local autonomy has served Greenwich well and our focus on areas like public safety has led to our town being rated the safest town in CT and the 10th safest in the United States. Our other efforts have resulted in the lowest mill rate in the state, our designation as the first age-friendly town in the state, the first one to receive a dementia-friendly recognition, and the town being the municipality that people chose over all others when moving here from the city.

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

Preserving local control of zoning as the constant assault from the legislature in Hartford threatens to fundamentally change our town as well as add to the problem caused by overdevelopment all over the state. I will continue to work with stakeholders in town and the state to defeat these proposals as we have the past four years while leading by example with affordable housing that benefits the residents, and not developers who rely on a law called 8-30g that circumvents our local zoning commission. I was also elected to the board of Connecticut Conference of Municipalities ( CCM ) and serve as the vice-chair of the committee dealing with land use, which enabled me to successfully engage colleagues on the board in a defense of local control and did so in a spirit of cooperation and respect for each town and city.

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

I am born and raised in Greenwich, volunteered here my whole adult life, served on dozens of board, committees, commissions, and task forces over the years, and was the first ever Greenwich resident to serve on the RTM, in the state legislature, and as First Selectman. I know the town, the people, and its history. Another major difference is that every two years, I don't go at the voters and residents, I come from them. I have also started several small companies, taught high school History, worked as a real estate professional, and coached, umpired, and mentored thousands of kids in Greenwich since the 1980s. This institutional knowledge of and passion for my hometown is combined with a continued vision to enhance each area and facet of town to meet the growing demands of a faced paced and ever changing landscape.

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

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

Parking is an area where we have made great strides in our main business district by opening up 200 parking stalls in municipal lots off Greenwich Avenue so that employees that were meter feeding had other options that were cheaper and easier. We are also in the midst of opening up one more at the bottom of the Avenue for the same purpose as well as speaking with private property owners who may have the ability to partner with the town to provide more spaces as well as going over all surface lots to see where we could build into a grade to accommodate more parked cars without having an ugly stand alone parking structure. Flood control and storm preparedness as well as infrastructure upgrades will continue to be a focus. The endeavors to create bike trails, attain even more open space, provide safe roads and trails for all users will also continue. Task forces already in place or forming will be critical to furthering the progress that has already been made. Lastly, the new and vibrant downtown area will continue and similar efforts being made other areas of town will keep Greenwich being the number one destination on the tri-state area.

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

Long standing projects like the new Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center, decades in the making, and GEMS Station Four, an effort that predated my administration, came to a successful conclusion; Other public-private partnerships like the acquisition of 80 more acres of open space, close relationships with other private land acquisitions that promise a huge benefit to the Town, occurred in the past few years; A successful negotiation with our partners at One and Two Greenwich Plaza resulted in clarification of the value of our air rights there and a path forward to supporting a brand new transit hub on Railroad Ave. This could not have happened without dedicated members of a citizen task force I put together and the great working relationship with the private property owner that has a 130-year history of working with the town and being an excellent partner;

Energy and Environmental committees that I established in 2019 have made great strides and promise even more gains in the coming year; Naming rights policies that clarify the public-private partnerships we have been pursuing have been a helpful guide; A pledge to enact a Blight Ordinance was successfully accomplished and has resulted in several properties being cleaned up; and a successful navigation of the worst pandemic in over 100 years saw our Town emerge even stronger and more vibrant than ever before; and lastly, we have enhanced communications with residents on a daily basis as well as established an online presence that was not existent before.

A weekly e-blast has been very helpful in communication with our 63, 300 residents and our Emergency Operations Center and Director, Joe Laucella, have been crucial in many emergency situations.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Give and forget, receive and remember.

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

That I will continue to dedicate my life to my hometown and to listen to all residents, regardless of what section they live in, what their economic status is, and if they have a different take on an issue. Serving my hometown of Greenwich has been the honor of my life and I will continue to give 110% each and every day so that our Town will continue to be a destination the world over, and a municipality that all others look to as an example of good governance.