Ridgefield Election: Andrew Okrongly For Board Of Finance

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The state Municipal Election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Patch contacted candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Democrat Andrew Okrongly, 33, is running for Ridgefield Board of Finance in Ridgefield.

Occupation: Financial Professional

Experience: Ridgefield Board of Finance, Ridgefield Pension Commission, and Ridgefield Arts Council

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

A critical issue facing Ridgefield’s Board of Finance is the need to preserve one of our town’s most valuable assets, our school system, in a balanced and sustainable manner. As a parent of a young child and someone who intends to remain a long-term resident and taxpayer in Ridgefield, I have a very strong stake in achieving both of these objectives.

Growing up in Ridgefield, I enjoyed the benefit of attending our excellent public schools, and I want to ensure my daughter will have that same opportunity. Our administrators and teachers have done a great job of consistently producing well-rounded, high-performing students at a per pupil cost lower than that of most comparable towns. Nevertheless, the next several years will certainly bring challenges, including the reality of (currently) projected declining student enrollment.

The Board of Finance, working collaboratively with the Board of Education, must find the right balance between continually advancing our school system and the need to control costs and promote efficiencies. As a member of the Board of Finance, and I will make these critical decisions objectively and with the long-term interests of Ridgefield residents in mind.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

Ridgefield is fortunate to have passionate and qualified residents from both political parties who are eager to serve their community in this role. I will let the Ridgefield voters judge my background and qualifications versus those of my competitors.

Accomplishments:

I believe that my professional experience and prior volunteer service to the town have provided me with the analytical capabilities, collaborative skills, and knowledge of our local government necessary for this seat. I am currently a Director at Commonfund, an investment firm located in Wilton. Throughout my 10+ year career in the financial services industry, I have developed a significant background in financial analysis, investments, and data analytics. While I am very comfortable digging into the weeds of any budget or spreadsheet, I also advise corporations, municipalities, and schools on longer-term, “big picture” strategic planning. For example, in my current role as an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer, I am responsible for evaluating the complete financial environment of each organization I work with when establishing a long-term strategy. As a volunteer member of the Ridgefield Arts Council and the Pension Commission I have worked closely with town officials, local businesses, and various arts and cultural organizations that contribute to making our Ridgefield such a special place.

Other issues:

Together with my fellow BOF candidate Mike Rettger and I am committed to:

- Provide effective and fiscally responsible management of the Town’s operating and capital budgets

- Seek to keep Ridgefield tax increases to a minimum while delivering the level of municipal and school services desired by residents

- Utilize annual budget surpluses in excess of the target reserve levels for tax relief

- Secure Ridgefield’s ability to plan for and invest in the future by protecting the town’s AAA credit rating and by preserving the Town’s low-cost reserve structure

- Balance the views and perspectives of the taxpayers and other Town Boards to ensure budget decisions are made with the interests of all Ridgefield residents in mind

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I would encourage readers to check out the full details of my background and my positions at the Ridgefield DTC website page for the BOF candidates.