Patch Candidate Profile: Valerie DePaolo, Southington Town Council

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Southington Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Southington resident Valerie DePaolo is running for the Southington Town Council as a Democrat.

The following is Salerno's questionnaire sent to Patch:

Name

Valerie DePaolo

How old will you be as of Election Day?

62

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

http://southingtondemocrats.or...

What city or town do you live in?

Southington

What office are you seeking?

Town Council

Please give us your party affiliation.

Democrat

Education

B.A. Boston University and J.D. New England School of Law

What is your occupation?

Retired Attorney-partner for 19 years with Sheffy, Mazzaccaro, DePaolo & DeNigris, LLP

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Wife, Michele and two sons, Joe, age 26 and Jack, age 24

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

Southington Town Council, 2019 to the present (two terms); Southington Library and Museum Board of Directors, 2002-2008 and 2018-2019.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am seeking re-election because I believe a change is needed at the Council level and we need to be moving down a path toward a more unified and inclusive community. We need to talk with residents to hear their perspectives and vision for our town as it continues to grow.

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 that they are tired of the political games and agendas that are forced upon them and do not appear to serve the needs of residents in our community. My first step is to listen to residents even if I have a different view on an issue and advocate for those who do not feel that they are being heard. Second, it is important to make every effort to work in a bipartisan manner to move these issues forward making progress toward solutions that will be in the best interests of our residents and community as a whole.

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

As a retired attorney, I have learned the importance of talking less and listening more and acknowledging that there are two sides to every issue. I also learned the value of researching issues and problems and coming to meetings prepared with questions and observations. As a former competitive athlete and coach for a number of years, I believe that I am a team player and able to work with others in a cooperative and collaborative manner toward a common goal or solution.

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

A few of my priorities are delivering effective public safety solutions so that our residents feel that our community is a safe place for all, advocating for fair and affordable access to housing and transportation, especially for our seniors and disabled individuals, and supporting our Southington Public School district.

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

During the past 22 years, I have enjoyed serving the Southington community in different capacities and with various boards and organizations. This experience has provided me with leadership skills, the ability to work with others and the benefit of forming professional relationships with other stakeholders and leaders in our community. My accomplishments as an attorney have helped me to become very disciplined and focused. This is critical at the Town Council level due to the amount of information that we receive relating to all facets of town government and the important decisions that need to be made.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Treat every person you meet just as you would like to be treated and always be kind.

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

I would like residents to know that I understand the need for all people to feel that they are respected and valued for who they are and that everyone has the right to live their true authentic life.