Norwalk Election 2021: Richard Bonenfant For Common Council

NORWALK, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in town will be on the ballot.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 2, Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on a few topics.

Republican Richard Bonenfant, 70, is running for Common Council At-Large in NORWALK.

Occupation: Photographer

Family: Married to Maureen Bonenfant for forty years, three children (Keith, Kelly and Emily) all in their 30's and one granddaughter 16 months old.

Experience: Previous Common Council and Human Relations Commission

Family in government: No

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

High density overdevelopment is the biggest issue with the majority of people I’ve talked with in Norwalk. The results are traffic congestion, pressures on the school system, water quality concerns, parking strains, demands on public safety services and deterioration of our roadway infrastructure. Officials need to listen more to the public and not just disregard the required hearings and input as an annoyance when the decisions have already been made.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I’ve served as a Councilman under three different administrations and have learned to be informed on all sides of an issue before committing to a position. Representatives who push their own personal agenda when elected often don’t care who is hurt by their decisions. Of course you are expected to have passion and beliefs, but never forget that you represent people with opposing views too, and they deserve just as much consideration. I’m also involved with numerous organizations in the community and this helps me understand many people’s viewpoints about the city and its direction.

Accomplishments:

I’ve been elected several times to the Common Council and have chaired committees, been Majority Leader a couple of terms and have been involved in many city projects through the years. School expansions, firehouse construction, rebuilding parks, providing the tools for public safety, saving open space and protecting neighborhoods were some of the items that we worked on with officials, stakeholders and interested parties. Before serving on the Council, I was the Chairman of the Norwalk Human Relations Commission for four years which gave me the opportunity to learn more about various groups and affiliations.

Other issues:

We need to get a handle on enforcing the rules in our parks. The Recreation and Parks staff has all they can handle to prepare the fields for events and provide basic maintenance. They do a great job with the resources provided, but some pet owners have ignored the rules and don’t pick up their mess, so this has become a health and safety issue. Norwalk needs to figure out that balance, and the Zoning Department has to consider on site dog walking areas while approving thousands of units instead of their perceived indifference for the surrounding neighborhoods and recreation areas.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I enjoy participating in community events and helping to bring people and ideas together to move things forward or solve problems. Being a local professional photographer has given me the opportunity to connect with many wonderful individuals, groups and activities in our city.