Candidate Profile: Carson C.K. Fincham, Ridgefield Inland Wetlands Brd

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Ridgefield and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Ridgefield Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Intellectual property attorney Carson C.K. Fincham, 48, is running for re-election to the Ridgefield Inland Wetlands Board as a Republican. He holds a BSE in civil engineering from the University of Connecticut, and a JD from Pace University School of Law. His three children have gone through Ridgefield Public Schools, and two are currently students at RHS.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

Ridgefield Zoning Board of Appeals (Alternate, Member, Chair), Ridgefield Inland Wetlands Board

Why are you seeking this office?

Partly due to the historic and unfortunate treatment of wetland protection in Town as subordinate to Planning & Zoning, and partly due to overreach by developers emboldened by their 8-30g power over Town Zoning Regulations, the Inland Wetland Board faces the daunting task of balancing development interests with an attempt to protect the fragile environmental resources that have already been substantially undermined.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is over development that impinges upon wetland resources, and this is what I intend to do about it: applying my personal knowledge and experience in combination with the expertise of other Board members to analyze each application to make sure that the land-owner's rights of development are properly balanced with the Town's need to preserve fragile wetland resources.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

I hope to help the Inland Wetland Board continue to develop clear and predictable guidance regarding what protections are necessary to prevent additional damage to our local resources. My expertise and experience, combined with that of other Board members, can provide a reasoned, thoughtful, and pragmatic decision making framework that better informs the public, and developers, what will be required to balance development with environmental protection in Town.

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

I have extensive volunteer experience in Town, including experience on both the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Inland Wetland Board. My scientific and legal training is focused on water resources, and I have served as both project engineer and legal analyst for multiple development projects both in CT and NY.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Measure twice, cut once.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Like many local/municipal Boards, Inland Wetlands is not a partisan issue. Regardless of party affiliation, those with relevant backgrounds and a desire to safeguard the Town's resources work in harmony to best accomplish the goals.