Democrat Dan Hunsberger Announces Candidacy For Monroe First Selectman

MONROE, CT — Dan Hunsberger, a Democrat and current member of the Town Council, Monday announced his candidacy for First Selectman of Monroe.

The longtime resident, who has also served on the Board of Finance and Inland Wetlands and EMS commissions, will face Republican and fellow Town Council member Ken Kellogg.

Four-term incumbent First Selectman Steve Vavrek in January announced he would not seek re-election. Hunsberger unsuccessfully ran for the post in 2013.

Below is Hunsberger's full announcement:

Today I am announcing my candidacy for First Selectman. When elected, my administration will be centered on solving today’s problems, while keeping a clear focus on our future. With the challenges that Monroe currently faces--and will face in the next 10 years due to a changing economy and uncertain state budgets--it is clear that we need new thinking in our Town Hall to put Monroe on a healthier, more stable path for our future.

Change is never easy. Yet the coming November election provides Monroe with an opportunity to begin building a visionary plan for the Monroe we call home. Ten years from now, we must be able to look back and say that during each year we made Monroe better. We grew our businesses, lowered our taxes and supported our award-winning Blue-Ribbon schools.

We can only accomplish a healthy, desirable, and active Monroe by working together. We must embrace residential and business development by examining every regulation and service the Town provides. We must become a friendlier, more responsive government, reengineering how we do things to work smarter. We must continue to look for new and innovative ways to support and enhance our outstanding school system, one of our greatest assets.

I look forward to the coming months of the campaign and, with your vote, working together to build a better well-planned future for Monroe. Our vision of Monroe must be: MONROE 2027: “WORKING TODAY - PLANNING TOMORROW”.

Photo: Dan Hunsberger, left, and wife Karin Wynkoop. Photo credit: Contributed