Hamden Candidate Profile: Schomaker For Legislative Council

HAMDEN, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Hamden and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Hamden Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Kathleen Schomaker is running for election to the Legislative Council in the 6th District as a Democrat.

Education:

• Edgecliff College of Xavier University (summa cum laude), Cincinnati, OH.
• Ohio State University, M.S. Sociology (minor in Law), Columbus, OH.
• Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Master of Environmental Management, New Haven, CT.

Fellowships (continuing education):

• Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) Training Program, Pace University Land Use Law Center: technical and process tools for local leaders to create patterns and policies for development and conservation.
• Green Faith Fellowship (https://greenfaith.org/) inspires, educates, organizes, and mobilizes people of diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds globally for environmental action.

Occupation:

• Columbus (OH) College of Art and Design, Prof. of Sociology (1983-1992)
• Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Director of Alumni Affairs (1998-2010)
• Hamden Energy Efficiency Coordinator and POC Sustainable CT (2017-- )

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

• Natural Resources and Open Space Commission, 2003-2005
• Hamden Legislative Council from 2005-2017, during mayoral terms of Craig Henrici, Scott Jackson, and Curt Leng, At-Large, then 5th District representative.

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

The single most pressing issue facing Hamden is our fiscal stress and the incivility that accompanies that stress. In response, I intend to:

1) assure close budget review based on my knowledge of many parts of our municipal budget and the working relationships I have with department heads;

2) listen attentively to newer members of Council to understand their perspectives and aspirations for Hamden, as I readily share my reflections gleaned from experience; and,

3) maintain respectful interactions with Hamden professional staff who are our partners in pursuing necessary fiscal constraints in our tight budget environment.

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

I take the statewide agenda for the 21st Century laid out in SustainableCT.Org as guidance for addressing specific challenges to Hamden’s urban to rural landscape.

I have education, training and experience—both inside and outside of government—to inform my public service.

I take the statewide agenda for the 21st Century laid out in SustainableCT.Org as guidance for addressing specific challenges to Hamden’s urban to rural landscape.

I have education, training and experience—both inside and outside of government—to inform my public service.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

1) Civility in public discourse as identified by voters all around the District.

2) Hamden sustainability—fiscal, social and ecological—for the 21st Century in the face of unique challenges from changing weather patterns, demographic transitions, and economic shifts.

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

I previously served 12 years on Hamden Legislative Council (2005-2017) during the mayoral terms of Craig Henrici, Scott Jackson, and Curt Leng. First elected as an At-Large Council Member, and then as a representative of the 5th District, I also served in Council leadership for 6 years as Democratic Majority Leader.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Learn from successes and failures; embrace both my talents and my limitations; learn to dance in the dark. When I graduated from high school, my parents wished me a world to match my dreams and my godmother gifted me a book that inspired a dream that has sustained me over time.

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

Serving on Legislative Council creates a possibility to weave relationships between citizens I represent and their town government. This service is all about building, fostering and stewarding relationships between people and their government. Empowered citizens create empowered governance—that is a crucial part of municipal sustainability.

Campaign website:

KathleenSchomaker.com.