Stratford Candidate Profile: Nancy Burban For Town Council

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.

Nancy Burban is running for the Town Council's Tenth District as a Democrat. She has professional experience as a therapist and marketing executive.

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.

The loss and rescheduling of a number of bus routes/buses and a magnet school program, both put in place years ago to achieve racial balance.

Elementary school children who live less than 1.2 miles from their school have to walk to school in the dark. On many streets there are no sidewalks and high traffic, putting our children at risk. There has already been one child hit by a vehicle while walking to school. One child too many.
I will work with the BOE to allocate buses from the high schools where they are underutilized to the elementary and middle schools where they are much needed.

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

I will listen to my neighbors and be their voice to make sure their concerns are heard and taken care of by the appropriate town agencies. I will make myself available to those who need my assistance.

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

I volunteer at The Lord's Kitchen cooking and feeding Stratford's homeless and underserved. I have spoken out for tax cuts for seniors and most recently brought attention of the cutting of school buses to the media after a child was hit by a car walking to school in the dark. I am involved in many volunteer activities in town.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

I will advocate for better services for seniors and the underserved. Too many seniors are being forced to leave the town they love due to rising taxes and food insecurity. I will also advocate for all children to have food at school and to take home for the weekend.

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

I have devoted my career to helping people of all ages heal through the creative arts. I have volunteered in many social service programs with at risk teens, providing addiction services & bereavement counseling. In my past I taught art in an alternative high school educating adolescents with criminal backgrounds and/or behavioral issues. I helped 10 students earn scholarships to HBCU colleges and my students were the first to have their artwork displayed at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Jacksonville, Fl. I find joy in helping those who were lost find hope and a new path in life. This still defines my vision.

I co-founded FuneralReliefFund to assist families with emotional and financial assistance. I have also worked as a Grief counselor, Addiction Social Worker and Family Therapist. I can help people in many ways and I believe that is a valuable asset to this position.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

by Marketing Guru, Seth Godin at a conference. You can't have a tribe without a leader and you can't be a leader without a tribe. Caring is the key emotion at the center of the tribe. Tribe members care what happens, to their goals and to one another. I care about Stratford & will work with the "tribe" for the betterment of Stratford residents.

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

In my life's journey so far, I have been an Educator, Therapist and Creative Director. I have participated and launched many philanthropic endeavors over the years from working in Haiti after their earthquake in 2010 to working in my community to eliminate addiction. These skills will be be invaluable in increasing public safety, eliminating food insecurity, delivering necessary services and promoting an environment that attracts and retains businesses. We need to banish fear and bring hope and kindness back to Stratford and I am willing to stand up and help with this effort.