Shelton Candidate Profile: Wayne Bragg For BOE

SHELTON, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Shelton and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. The top of the ticket race is longtime Mayor Mark Lauretti versus Democratic challenger John Harmon, but there are also many other contested races for Board of Education, Board of Alderman and others.

Shelton Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Wayne Bragg is running for the Board of Education as a Democrat. He has lived in Shelton for 30 years with his family. He is a member of the adjunct accounting faculty at Uconn. He was previously a full-time school of business in- residence instructor and prior to teaching working in finance and accounting at Sikorsky and Prat & Whitney Aircraft for 30 years. He is a current member of the Board of Apportionment and Taxation.

Are you running for office in Shelton? Contact Rich Scinto at rich.scinto@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Shelton Patch.

The single most pressing issue facing our town/district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

To meet the Superintendent's goal of 85% on the Next Generation Accountability Assessment. That requires a more collaborative budget process where the BOA and the BOE objectively evaluate the needs of the school system, develop a joint strategy, and prioritize the budget. My goal is to build understanding and broaden the collaboration between the BOA and the BOE. I have several "new ideas" on how to bring together the decision makers to ensure that we set high student
expectations and allocate the resources required.

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

My entire career has involved leading teams and organizations and working with others to develop trust and accountability in both academic and business settings. I have a strong finance and accounting background that gives me excellent decision making and problem solving skills. I understand budgets and will work to prioritize and allocate the resources needed to meet our educational priorities.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Curriculum and technology must be kept current to educate students and give them the skills needed for 21st century jobs. STEM programs must be delivered across the entire system to every
student to promote problem solving and critical thinking. Personal Finance courses will also give
students the opportunity to succeed in a global economy.

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

I will work to create a joint BOE/BOA prioritized strategic plan for the school system using feedback from the entire community. I will be singularly focused on ensuring that the BOE is not diverted from its strategy of delivering a 21st century education to every and all students.