Groton Candidate Profile: Conrad F. Heede For Town Council

GROTON, CT — Groton’s election season is heating up.

Groton Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Conrad F. Heede, 48, is a Democrat running for reelection to the Groton Town Council.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you'd be representing.
No

Education:

B.A. History/Economics/English, University of Texas at Austin
M.A. U.S. Foreign Policy and American Politics, American University, Washington D.C.

Occupation:

Area Director of Revenue Management
(Hotel Management)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Representative Town Meeting (RTM)
City Councilor (City of Groton)
Town Councilor (Town of Groton)

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

Climate Change and coastal resiliency.

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

Members of both parties running for council believe they will do the best thing for Groton, but that is a matter of both opinion and sources of information. That is why certain people lean right and others lean left. Policy preferences we differ on include what it means to be fiscally responsible and what is proper funding of our services? We should properly fund education, preventive infrastructure maintenance to reduce future costs, offer and fund pensions and benefits that are sustainable for the employee and tax payer and ensure the long-term ability of the Town to provide the services our Community requires. Properly funding does not mean writing a blank check. We must conduct vigorous oversight with an eye for policy outcomes is required to ensure we consider all options and find the best combination. I believe our competition for Council defines fiscal responsibility and doing the right thing as cut, cut and cut again. I also do not believe they will have a sustained and broad focus on environmental concerns, will not advocate as I do for open space and will ultimately fail to work well and equally with all corners of town.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
No response

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

Two years ago, we picked up where the previous council left off, listened to warnings about the Merritt Property land swap, acted quickly and maximized state grant funding to build a new middle school and two new elementary schools. When this project is done, Groton will be known not for the buildings, but for the programs and the children that pass through. In the process, we added several acres of open space and I hope to do more.

We promised to improve regionalization. In the past two years, we funded a major project to join the State Police radio system improving public safety, giving our police the tools to communicate and cooperate regionally and saving money. For the first time in Groton history, we have a radio system that works everywhere in Town and our officers can talk to officers in neighboring towns including Stonington.

We promised to work through years of division and distrust and find solutions that everyone can live with. We have joint meetings with the City Council and many of the councilors individually attend other board and commission meetings, volunteer their time and attend countless events and fundraisers all for the benefit of bringing the Town together. I can't tell you how often I walk into a meeting or event and been told no Councilor has ever attended before. That said, there has been a steep-learning curve and admittedly, not everything has been smooth, but things are getting better, everyone's voice is being heard, and I believe the outcome has been we are all better informed and able to do the right thing.

As we pursue efforts to market vacant schools and excess town properties, we need to be mindful of how to improve our community and enhance the quality of life. Some properties may be suited for commercial development, others for residential and still others may best serve the community by contributing to open space. To this end, we directed Town staff to develop a review policy that is fair to all.

Last year, the Council, at my urging, referred a plastics reduction study to the Conservation Commission. They accepted the challenge, researched the issues, presented to the Council, hosted a public education outreach forum last month and will now work with the Town Staff and Council to introduce a Plastics Reduction Ordinance that will help reduce pollution. While reducing waste is important for the environment, it is also be important because in the near future the cost for recycling and trash disposal is projected to increase significantly. We all need to do our part and we cannot wait for either Washington or Hartford to save us.

This Council went on to introduce a Coastal Resiliency task force to help the Town develop and plan infrastructure investments to help Groton transition to a much warmer climate and higher sea-levels. We also need to look at ways to reduce our energy usage. This needs to be a priority and WHO you vote for on November 5th will determine if this effort continues with the same urgency.
Finally, we have increased our Town's fund balance to 18%, improved the bond rating and this year held our taxes flat.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

Be kind.

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

I believe no single person has all the answers and this position requires the humility to know that and practice listening and adjusting positions. Further, it requires the ability to forgive and forget. That is, we agree or disagree on this issue. Do not make it personal and do not get offended. There will be another issue to follow. Politics can be hard and there can be a lot of drama and personality conflicts so we need people who are mature enough to get over the disagreements and conflicts and move on.


Are you running for office in Groton? Contact Ellyn Santiago at ellyn.santiago@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Groton Patch.