Groton Democrat Primary: Melinda Cassiere Seeks Nomination

GROTON, CT — Tuesday Sept. 14 is the Democratic Primary For Groton Town Council for a two-year term which runs from Dec. 7, 2021 to Dec. 5, 2023. Voters must be a registered Democrat in order to participate in the primary.

Groton Patch contacted primary candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Melinda Cassiere, 35, is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for Groton Town Council.

Occupation: Stay-at-home parent/ Former Police Officer

Family: Matthew, husband Son, 7 Daughter, 6

Experience: Representative, RTM, and District 5

Family in government: My husband is a Police Sergeant in a local municipality that is not in Groton.

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

I believe the single most pressing issue facing our town is our investment in our future. By that I mean, we have a lot of issues that have been brought up in the past couple of years about housing shortages, lack of affordable housing, sports field shortages, infrastructure issues with bridges that are out and have been for long periods of time, adequate recreational opportunities and space for all parts of town, steps forward in police reform, etc. I believe it is important to take those steps forward for our future to improve Groton so that there is ample affordable housing, adequate space for recreation on all parts of Groton, sports fields for ALL ages and types of sporting, and finally fixing our infrastructure so that every part of Groton is safe and thriving. As a mom, and I want to invest in Groton's future as I am raising my own family here and am fully invested in our town's future.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I think the biggest difference that I would bring to the council is my unique public safety experience in both police and fire. When I was elected to the RTM two years ago, I had no idea how relevant my public safety experience was going to be over my term in office. Now more than ever with conversations regarding police reform, re-shaping our police department to fit community needs, and oversight, it is truly important to have a voice on the council who has experience in the area. I was also a volunteer firefighter while I attended college. This experience has shaped how I view issues such as the North Stonington bridge outage. I understand the Fire Chief's concerns about emergency response times with the outage. Also, and I understood the necessity for supporting the budget for the new fire training facility behind the Town Hall Annex. I also would be the only parent on the council of elementary-aged students. It is really important to have the representation of a parent in conversations such as those that we are having in regards to sports fields and other issues that will affect our children as they grow.

Accomplishments:

When I was hired as a police officer just a few months after I graduated from earning my B.S. in Criminal Justice, I believed I was dedicating my life to public service. When I left my career to raise my family, I was devastated to walk away from opportunities to help the community I worked for. Two years ago, the people of Groton gave me the opportunity to give back to a community once again when they elected me to the RTM in the town that I have made my home and decided to raise my family in. I believe that my dedication to public service is evidence of the fact that I am stepping forward to serve as a Town Councilor for the right reasons. I also believe my time on the RTM as Town Council Liaison, a member of the Public Safety Committee, and and a member of the Civilian Oversight Research Committee has demonstrated that I understand the inner-workings of Groton government and that I am ready to perform from day one.

Other issues:

I would like to continue my advocacy for supplementing the police department with more paid social workers and community policing positions. I would like to obtain funding for the North Stonington bridge to finally put an end to the decade-long battle of getting it repaired. I would like to continue to focus on economic growth so that Groton continues to bring in businesses and fill empty storefronts. I think we need to plan and prepare for our steps forward in resiliency and sustainability. I want to ensure that Groton is an affordable and safe community for our Groton families.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I am a runner and now marathoner, an avid reader, have lived in Groton for a decade, and look forward to continuing to serve our community. I believe that government is best when it serves the people and therefore, and I will make myself as accessible to Groton residents as possible.