Orange Candidate Profile: Jody Dietch For First Selectman

ORANGE, CT — Election day in Orange is drawing closer, and there are two candidates running for the First Selectman's post, Democratic challenger Jody Dietch and Republican incumbent Jim Zeoli.

To help residents make an informed decision on Nov. 5, Orange Patch asked the two candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and the issues in town.

Dietch, 56, is Chair of the Orange Democratic Town Committee, and previously served on the Orange Board of Education.

She has been an executive director for 12 years, and is married to husband Jeffrey, and they have two sons: Howie age 26; and Mike age 21, a senior at University of Maine Orono.

She was recently endorsed by the Political Action Committee Ella's List, and her campaign website is http://www.dietchforfirstselectman.com.

The single most pressing issue facing Orange is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Continually increases in taxes is the overwhelming topic I hear going door to door. We need to do more to share resources with our neighboring towns to help control expenses and have the opportunity to increase revenue. The first area to achieve this is to expand Amity to a kindergarten through grade 12 school system. We have three towns and four superintendents, four directors of curriculum, four business managers, etc. Once we consolidate this into one, we then have all of our three towns elementary schools teaching the same curriculum the same way so when our children reach Amity in 7th grade they are ready to learn, vs teachers having to get them prepared for the high school curriculum. One system allows all of our children to be on the same page. A child’s current school, teacher, principal, even bus, doesn’t change.

Amity’s Board of Education unanimously and in a bi-partisan way, voted to pursue this option. At a recent meeting at Amity High School with the State Board of Education to discuss this issue, not one republican member of the Orange Board of Education attended...not Bill Kraut, the chair; not Jeff Cap, vice chair and not the Orange First Selectman. What we learned was that once Amity completes their study of the K-12 expansion, the topic goes to referendum in the three towns. If Bethany and Woodbridge approve it and Orange does not, Orange, by statute, is no longer part of the Amity School System and Orange becomes a town without a high school. We can designate Amity as our school. That means our children attend as tuition students which costs us more and we lose representation. This costs us all control and just think of what it would do to our property values. An Amity K-12 school system makes us a stronger district and saves us money.

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

The incumbent wants the status quo we have had for 14 years. I want to improve the quality of life for our residents. Walking trails, as opposed to hiking trails, more environmental opportunities, helping our seniors stay in their homes (not just talking about it), working with our neighbors, not being isolationist. In the 14 years he has been in office, what has he done to improve the lives of our residents?

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Let’s do more to help our seniors. Fieldstone is a wonderful community but not everyone can afford it. We have less than 200 senior rental units. Let’s start an Adopt a Neighbor program where neighbors volunteer to help their senior neighbors who want to stay in their homes. Change a light bulb, an hour or two of yard work on a Saturday or Sunday, provide a ride to an event or even the train station.

Let’s make Orange “green”. Let’s work with a solar company to help our residents who want to, to get solar. Why don’t we have town charging stations for electric vehicles? The gas company is based here. Let’s work with them to expand the access to natural gas, a cleaner burning fuel than oil. We should require recycling for all events on town owned property.

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

I have proven leadership in my previous roles on the Race Brook School PTA and 8 years on the Orange Board of Education. I have been an executive director for 12 years in a leadership position in the nonprofit segment. I have also been the leader of the Orange Democratic Town Committee for four years.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

“Listening is as important as doing.” And another is “Don’t tell me no, tell me how”

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

I want to bring the stakeholders to the table. If we are talking about the Amity K-12, educators should be part of the conversation. If we are talking Economic Development, let’s bring in our business owners for their input. If we are talking environmental issues, experts in that field. Helping our seniors? Let’s hear from them. Bring them to the table too.