Oxford First Selectman Cites 6 Reasons Why He Should Be Reelected

Oxford First Selectman George Temple’s Acceptance Speech Tuesday night at GOP Caucus.

When we took office almost six years ago we made some promises. We wanted to 1. Maintain fiscal responsibility. 2. Expand economic development, enhance our quality of life, upgrade our infrastructure, replace antiquated equipment, provide a responsive administration and maintain a low and stable tax rate.

These are the promises we made to the people of Oxford.

Let me address these promises one at a time. 1. Fiscal responsibility. We now enjoy at 2AA rating with Moody’s. We have paid off $10 million dollars in total debt even after funding our new projects. In fact Moody’s commented that the town is well run financially. We have always budgeted a fund surplus in excess of the 10 percent recommended by Moody’s.

2. Expand Economic Development – We have been very successful in economic development. In fact our grand list has grown by 4.55 percent even after our revaluation – which significantly reduced property values.
Some of the significant economic development is the Stilh Corp., CPV, Adam Equipment, Kovac Construction, Balfour, Executive Aircraft Interiors, Greenleaf Energy, Burns Construction Pheasant Run, XAL, Guerrera Construction, RBC and Quarry Walk.

3. Enhanced quality of life – We have installed a new athletic field at the high school and finished the project under budget. We have improved our baseball and softball fields at the high school with the installation of dugouts, fences, scoreboards and irrigation which not only provides a beautiful place to play ball but it is a much safer facility to play and watch a game.

We have constructed a new animal shelter (Haney’s House) at the fraction of the costs of other communities. We have expanded hiking trails and open spaces. We have built a park for our younger residents. We are constructing a new library and we installed a new floor at the Senior Center. We are beginning a new recreation project at Tetlak Park and have completed two softball fields there.

We put a new roof on Town Hall and Quaker Farms School. We are in the process of building a new Middle School which will add to the efficiency to our educational system. We are also in negotiations to buy Colonial Tavern for the use of Park and Rec. We are also in the planning stage for a sidewalk and park which will run the length of Route 67 and will interface with the Quarry Walk commercial development.

4. Upgrade our infrastructure – From the beginning we have put our priority on road improvement. When we took office, public works was in a sorry state. We had some trucks that were rotted through the beds. We have spent at least one million dollars per year for road improvement and repaving. We bought and paid for six new trucks for public works and a new pay loader. We have also entered into a cost sharing agreement with Seymour and Beacon Falls for the use of other equipment. We have purchased or ordered three new fire trucks three boats for the fire department and funded improvements for each firehouse. We have purchased new Tasers and police cars and funded a new ambulance.

5. Provide a responsive administration – I openly publish my cell phone number (203-906-0348) In fact, I have taken the door off my office on the date I took office and I still haven’t replaced it. Town Hall is now open five days a week and thanks to our newly installed doors, it is totally handicapped accessible.

6. Low and stable tax rate – The mill rate today is over two points lower than when we took office. This is after our revaluation where our property values were lowered almost 20 percent.

Oxford has become a beacon of success in a state that has suffered severe economic downturn. In fact our town’s success has been a Sunday feature story in the state’s three largest circulation newspapers. I know that his has been a long recitation – even for me. Six years ago we had a vision and with the faith and support of the people we were able to carry out most of that vision. We still have some work to do and with your support we will finish the job.

We have lived up to our mantra – Promises made…..promises kept. Your support and the support of the people of Oxford will give us the strength to make Oxford even greater!!