Stratford Candidate Profile: Alan Llewelyn For School Board

STRATFORD, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Stratford and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

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

Alan Llewelyn is running for the Board of Education as a Republican. He works in construction project management and has previous political experience on the Town Council, Zoning Commission, Building Needs Committee, Stratford High School Renovations Sub-Committee, Board of Education Plant/Planning Committee, Stratford Special Education PTA, Eli Whitney PTA and Stratford Republican Town Committee.

Are you running for office in Stratford? Contact Anna Bybee-Schier at anna.bybee-schier@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Stratford Patch.

Candidate responses appear as they were received and have not been edited by Patch staff.

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

A lack of transparency and poorly timed communication; there are numerous corrective measures that can be taken to rectify this situation, such as having open to the public regularly scheduled meetings that will create a collaborative environment and the issuance of meeting notifications and agendas in advance. In this day & age with all of the technology that is available it is unacceptable to have the Board of Education Meeting agenda time stamped by the Town Clerk on Friday afternoon's and sometimes not available to the public until Monday with the meeting set to take place that night. It is not fair that the families of the school children and interested member of the general public get 1 day to prepare for these meetings, which are the reporting's on a month's work for the elected and employed Board of Education members.

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

I have recent elected public office experience; my 4 years combined time spent as a Councilman and as a Zoning Commissioner have given me insight into the inner workings of Stratford's municipal framework and functionality. At both East Broadway and Main Street I have established relationships with numerous elected officials and many of the Board of Education and Town of Stratford department heads. It is understood that new BoE members sometimes need 3 or 4 months to get to know the superintendent and the Administration before becoming effective. By using my prior experiences and existing relationships; I know my way around the Board of Education building as well as Town Hall, I will be able to hit the ground running!

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

My being a special needs parent gives me an understanding and membership into a significant portion of Stratford's student population for whom "typical" educational measures do not apply. Roughly 10% of the student population is deemed as being part of Pupil Services ("special education"); either having Individualized Education Programs (IEP's) or 504 plans to accommodate their specific needs. These families have more specialized and specific concerns for their students and it is of critical importance that they be provided with an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible - as they are entitled to it via federal law.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

By becoming an elected Board of Education member; I will continue the upgrading & maintaining of our educational facilities town wide, further enhance the tremendous improvements made to our special education program, and begin an open, collaborative, & comprehensive discussion about the future of our school district.

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

Not just from the past but still in the present is the ongoing Stratford High School project; similar to being a Board of Education member, the project required interaction with every level of government. At the federal level; it was necessary to have Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps updated, this involved coordination with the local office of the Environmental Protection Agency in addition to having our design team bring on board specialized consultants to manage this process. As our project did not fit any of the standard building models it became necessary to initiate a special legislative process with our lawmakers up in Hartford; this effort required bi-partisanship as in the State Senate we needed to find a Stratford "friendly" Democrat to advance the project out of committee, and in the State Representative chamber then Deputy Leader (& current Stratford Mayor) Laura Hoydick was our champion on that side of the legislature. At the local Stratford level; the Stratford High School project is the only endeavor that I know of in recent times that had to run the gauntlet of land use bodies, that's right all four of them - Inland Wetland Watercourses Commission, Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Zoning Commission. All along the way there were critical steps in the processes & there was potential for roadblocks at every turn; the experience of managing the Stratford High School construction process has given me the confidence to become a successful Board of Education member, knowing that where ever the paths lead - I can get the job done!

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

two things; one - don't ever ask anyone to do something that I would not do myself, and the golden rule ("do unto others as you would have them do unto you.").

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

Being a public official is a big responsibility; I know because I have been there, but there are others who take service lightly or feel as though they may be entitled to serve in elected office. To ensure that I am able to effectively serve the public; my family is prepared to make the sacrifices necessary so I can accomplish the goals that I have set for myself. I think having a well structured, patient, and understanding support team at home is critical for being successful as an elected official. I appreciate the courage and efforts of both my opponents & my running mates and I look forward to seeing everyone on the campaign trail!