West Haven Election 2023: Penny Sutcliffe Running For City Clerk

WEST HAVEN, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in West Haven with plenty of races on the ballot.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 7 and cast their ballots for the position of mayor, along with seats on the City Council, Board of Education and more.

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

Penny L. Sutcliffe is running for election as West Haven City Clerk as a Republican.

Education.

I received a B.A. in History from Albertus Magnus College. I was a Dean's List Student on an Academic Merit Scholarship. I was awarded the Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, 1 of only 14 students amongst 580 graduating students to receive this distinction. I also received my M.S. Degree in Elementary Education from the University of New Haven. I am a lifelong West Haven resident who is also a Graduate of West Haven High School. I have successfully worked in Customer Service for well over 20 years and I have earned many awards over the years for outstanding Employee service.

What is your occupation?

I have served my Corporation and thousands of loyal Patrons for well over 25 years in the field of Customer Service.

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

I have a wonderful, supportive family that resides in 10 states including Connecticut.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

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

No.

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?

First and foremost, it is an honor and a blessing to be a lifelong West Haven resident. I am seeking the office of City Clerk because I care greatly about our city and each and every one of our wonderful residents! Right now we are living in difficult, expensive, times. Inflation is the worst it has been in 43 years. I have to make things a lot better for our citizens. I strive every day of my life to do that! I can never work hard enough. I even work during my days off, on the weekends, during vacations, holidays, hurricanes, blizzards and through the entire time of our horrible Covid 19 pandemic. A day off is never truly a day off, for our West Haven citizens always come first! Each One of us deserves to be treated with dignity, grace, respect and patience! The effort I put in to everything I do is tremendous and consistent! I want people to know that I always go above and beyond every day I go to work. I am Someone our citizens can rely on and trust who always does her job effectively and efficiently. I am very thorough and I have a great attention to detail. I take everything I do seriously with the utmost professionalism at all times. It would be the greatest honor in my life to serve all of our West Haven citizens in City Hall.

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 trying to make ends meet week after week. Sixty percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Life is not easy for Anyone right now. What I intend to do about it is to make sure our food pantries at WHEAT and Harry M. Bailey School are well stocked. We need to organize food drives as often as possible throughout the year! A lot of our citizens don't know where their next meal is coming from and that it is a terrible feeling to have.

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

I think the major differences between the other Candidate and I who is seeking the post of City Clerk is that I hold 2 college degrees. I am a conscientious, honest, detailed, trustworthy, easily accessible, helpful, hardworking person who is always there for my citizens when they need Me to be there for them.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

I am not challenging an Incumbent Candidate. This is only my second time running as your West Haven City Clerk Candidate in the General Election.

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

The other issues I intend to address during my campaign is accountability and transparency. I am always held to the highest standards when I work and I expect that to always be the case. Our citizens have the right to know exactly what I am doing at my job and that I will serve the Office of City Clerk to the best of my ability skillfully and successfully.

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

In order to be an extremely effective City Clerk a person has to have the following qualities and skills of versatility, alertness, extreme patience, accuracy, public speaking, coordination, reading comprehension, great attention to detail, multitasking, as well be a great writer and active listener who always provides outstanding customer service as I have always done for well over 25 years! I live each day exhibiting and delivering each one of these characteristics in both my professional and personal life. The other accomplishments in my past which is evidence that I can handle this job is the fact that I have overcome every single obstacle that has come before Me in my life! I maintained a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher every trimester and semester so that I wouldn't lose my scholarship at my undergraduate and graduate schools. I have dealt with Covid 19 several times. I have struggled with inflation along with every other American. I am familiar with going on strike because I've done that. In the past, I have helped to take care of a sick relative and/or friends, because life is all about taking care of your family, friends and your fellow citizens in the community One lives in! With all of the resiliency, buoyancy, determination and resolve I have displayed; there is no obstacle in life that can't be shattered! I have the fortitude and intelligence to handle this job and help make wonderful changes and events happen in our city of West Haven!

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

The best advice I've been given is: Have the confidence to achieve great goals! Always do what's right!

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

Yes. I'd like voters to know that I work extremely well under pressure and that I have very high expectations in my work performance in every job that I have ever had. I take everything I do seriously. I am a very responsible person. If I have the honor of being elected as your next West Haven City Clerk; I will never let our 55,000 citizens down! I will work very hard to make West Haven a better place!

Are you running for office in West Haven? Email vincent.salzo@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile on West Haven Patch.