Madison Candidate Profile: Peggy Lyons for First Selectman

MADISON, CT —Madison’s election season is heating up.

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

Peggy Lyons, 51, is a Democrat running for election as First Selectman.

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:

Cornell University, B.S.

The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, M.B.A.

Occupation:

I spent almost seventeen years working in investment banking, corporate finance and corporate development. Employers included Merrill Lynch, UBS, GE and Deloitte.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Current Police Commissioner. Former member of Madison's Board of Finance and Economic Development Commission.

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

Madison needs a fiscally responsible, community supported strategic plan that ensures we have a vibrant, thriving and sustainable future. A strategic plan will offer us a unifying vision to guide our decision-making, encompass all projects and demographics, establish a mechanism to evaluate and prioritize projects, and devise a fiscally prudent roadmap to bring them to completion.

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

I will build on my professional skills and experience to bring more effective leadership and improved management to our town government. As First Selectman, I will work to establish a government that is more transparent, collaborative, follows good business practices, listens to the people, and offers a vision for our future.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

I want to keep Madison affordable for all residents in the long run, while also maintaining and investing in our community assets - our schools and beaches. This includes working collaboratively to finalize an actionable plan for our school buildings that is pragmatic and affordable, and conducting a comprehensive review of our beaches to put us back on track with lifeguards and a functioning beach pass system.

In addition, I will improve transparency and accountability in Town government. This would include establishing an Ethics Commission to provide a mechanism for the public to inquire about conflicts of interest. And it would also include improved oversight of town operations and an overhaul of its communications strategy with citizens.

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

As a former investment banker, I successfully climbed the corporate ladder as a woman in one of the most demanding professions on Wall Street. This included working with clients and colleagues with all types of personalities, and from many different cultures. And then bringing these sometimes divergent groups together to solve complex problems with financially responsible solutions, often under significant time or market constraints.

In my volunteer life, I served three years on the Board of Finance during the nation’s financial crisis, a period of great uncertainty. We had to balance the need to continue to deliver necessary public services with an overall community uneasiness and distrust with government. I learned a lot about making tough choices while budgeting, and a need to listen more effectively to the public’s concerns.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

The Lyons family had a saying while growing up…”A” in effort, “A” in conduct. If you can follow that simple rule, you can look in the mirror every day with pride. My husband and I try to instill that same value into our children today.

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

I came to know Madison through my husband David, who was born and raised here. We bought his family home and chose to raise our children here because we love and appreciate all that Madison represents: educational excellence, spectacular natural beauty, and a strong New England community spirit. But without new leadership, I worry Madison won’t live up to its potential and will fall behind in an ever-changing Connecticut. I believe it’s time we had a First Selectman with the business experience, strategic planning acumen, and resolve to co-create a vision with our residents, and see it through—someone who listens and leads. We deserve better, and I believe I can deliver.

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