Shelton Election: Wayne Bragg For Board Of Aldermen

SHELTON, CT —Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in Shelton will be on the ballot.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 2, Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on various topics of importance in the city.

Patch will post these candidate profiles over the next couple of weeks, so check back often to see the latest.

Democrat Wayne Bragg, 75, is running for Board of Aldermen in Shelton.

Occupation: Adjunct Professor

Family:Wife: Kate Bragg

Experience: Board of Apportionment and Taxation

Family in government: No

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

Simply put, the budget is the most important function and document prepared by the city. It is not just numbers on a spreadsheet, it drives and effects everything we do. The function of the Board of Apportionment and Taxation (A&T) is key to an independent budget process and they must be allowed to perform their job. A&T can enhance the budget process to make it more effective and they should not be eliminated. As an Alderman, I will use my voice and experience to improve the coordination of the budget process, make it more participative, transparent to the public, and and one that drives results.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

The alderman position requires strong leadership and business experience. I am a former Sikorsky Controller and currently an educator in UCONN’s MBA program with over forty years leadership experience in finance and accounting and including financial/capital planning and budgeting. My strong interpersonal and analytical skills gives me clarity in communicating financial information and a strong ability to see the bigger picture strategically.

Accomplishments:

In my tenure as a former member of Apportionment and Taxation, our board worked together as a team and proposed two non-partisan budgets in 2011 and 2012 to the aldermen. In addition, we had agreement on how to better account for the surplus. We brought a business view to the board not a political one.

In my corporate role at Sikorsky, I reorganized the budgeting, planning, and operating systems to evaluate and control production costs. Working in collaboration with teams from finance, operations, and procurement, and we developed the plans to manage resources and achieve cost performance objectives across four business centers.

Other issues:

Cities need strong school systems; we must stop underfunding ours. Period. There are two parts to this issue. First, the budget needs a new approach that evaluates the level of resources needed to achieve academic success. More importantly, we must have the ability to assess how student performance is affected when funding is not adequate. Second, this new strategic process that bridge’s needs, resources and academic goals can only function when there is a strong relationship between the Superintendent of Schools, the Board of Education, and and the Board of Aldermen. We must recognize that we are all in this together.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I have been teaching accounting for over 10 years at the university graduate level to students from all over the world. That opportunity has afforded me great insight as to the importance of our education system. I am most proud of teaching in the Entrepreneurial Boot Camp for Veterans at UCONN. This involvement has been personally rewarding and a great opportunity to give back to our veterans and the community.

With my teaching experience and strong business and management background and I feel I am well qualified to take on the issues facing our city.