Wilton Candidate Profile: Lynne Vanderslice for First Selectwoman

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

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

Lynne Vanderslice, 61, is running for re-election to first selectwoman as a Republican. She has served four years in the position and seven years on the Board of Finance, including as vice chair.

Vanderslice is a retired financial management executive and certified public accountant, and holds a BS in accounting from Bentley University.

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

My focus in a second term will be continuing to balancing fiscal prudence, while protecting Wilton’s most valuable assets; our schools, infrastructure, natural environment and overall quality of life, with a goal to insulate Wilton, to the best extent possible, from the state economic pressures.

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

My deep understanding of all aspects of town government, my extensive volunteer service, including leadership positions with A Better Chance of Wilton, the Wilton Library and the Wilton Playshop, my founding and President/COO of the Student Outreach Program, a free educational program for economically disadvantaged and immigrant children in Danbury, and my previous professional experience, which includes managing the finances of a significantly larger, multi-state corporation, a staff of 150, and the downsizing of businesses, and several years of audit experience, are unique among the candidates.

The first selectwoman position is a hands-on CEO position. Over the last four years, I have proven my CEO capabilities by professionally and responsibly managing the Town’s finances and operations by reducing annual average budget increases to .82%, returning budget savings of more than $3 million, growing the commercial grand list, implementing technology and other initiatives to increase the responsiveness of government, injecting more data into decision making to allow for better decisions and seamlessly transitioning through the retirement of more than six key town employees.

My pragmatic and transparent approach to problem solving combined with my ability to build consensus among people of different views was evident through the sharing of services between the town and schools, the joint solar project between Wilton and Weston, and my working with other leaders to build a stronger sense of community.

My strong advocacy skills, my ability to manage demanding situations and my responsiveness to residents’ concerns were evident in how I addressed Aquarion’s Cannondale application, school regionalization, the storm of 2018, the state proposed roundabout at Belden Hill and Wolfpit and the BOE’s prudent alternative school proposal.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

In my next term, remaining realistic about the state economy, we will

• Identify and implement additional shared services and resources with the schools and surrounding municipalities to further reduce the costs.
• Make infrastructure and amenity investments and improvements, including completing the 15 miles per year paving plan, replacing the stadium track, addressing additional recreational needs, begin implementation of the long-term. plan for Schencks and Merwin Meadows and municipal buildings.
• Develop the Master Plan for Wilton Center and surrounding RT 7.
• Continue to advocate for responsible commercial development and develop additional public private partnerships to help fund these improvements.
• Advocate for state legislative changes, such as binding arbitration reforms and mandate reforms to allow us to better control and manage our costs and decision-making.

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

When elected First Selectwoman in 2015, I presented a vision of a smaller, more responsive and cost efficient town government that collaborated with the Board of Education to ensure the continued excellence of ours schools, of planning for and investment in Wilton Center to better integrate the Norwalk River and incentivize the type of residential development that would allow residents to remain in Wilton and attract new residents and thus increase the vitality of Wilton Center and of appropriate maintenance and enhancements to existing infrastructure and amenities.

During my almost four years as First Selectwoman, working together with town employees, the Board of Selectmen and other Town boards and commissions, that vision is realized, resulting in increased economic development, a reduction in the growth of the cost of government, growth in the commercial grand list, improved infrastructure and amenities, environmental improvements and a better quality of life for residents.

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

My husband and I have lived in Wilton for thirty-two years. We raised our now grown son here. We have remained because of the sense of community, our friends and the wonderful quality of life Wilton provides. I want to ensure that future generations can also have the same quality of life that my family and my friends have enjoyed.

Over the last four year's, I hope I have earned the confidence of Wilton's residents and their vote.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

You are your brother's keeper.