For Your Consideration: Bruce Spinney

Editor's Note: Every morning this week, Grafton.Patch.com will feature a profile and video introduction from each of the 5 candidates for 2 open seats for selectman. The candidates were each asked to answer questions submitted by our staff and the public and to include a video telling why they should receive your vote.

Candidate profiles are running in the order they were received. Today's candidate is Bruce Spinney.

Name: Bruce Spinney

Age: 34

Address: 19 Brielle Rd

Occupation: Homemaker

Relevant experience: 2 years as chairman of the Planning Board, member of the CPC and Grafton Streetscape committees. 5 years in the Marine Corps. BS in management from University of Maryland.  200-300 semester hours of additional formal education from a broad range of the sciences.

How voters can reach you: www.spinneyforselectman.com

Why did you decide to run for selectman?

My wife and I decided that this was the town we wanted to raise our family in and with that type of commitment comes a responsibility to do what I'm able for the town. I possess the knowledge, skills, time and energy to be an effective town official. These attributes will allow me to help prepare for Grafton's future and preserve all the charm and identity that makes this town such a wonderful place to live. 

What is the most pressing issue facing Grafton?

Many of the town's issues require immediate attention, both fiscal and administrative. I will certainly tend to those concerns with the help of my fellow board members. I believe however that there is an underlying disconnect with the services our local government provides. It will be my duty to facilitate the inter-connectivity amongst the various boards, departments and committees that comprise our local government. I will develop the channels of communication and understanding to foster and plan a cohesive vision for our future. An organized foundation to bring in new volunteers and help current services to provide a better product, to make sure no ideas are lost and no opportunities are missed.

What will make you a good selectman?

The past few years have given me exposure to how the municipal government functions.  The experience I gained on the Planning Board and my thorough preparation to take on the role of selectman have allowed me to learn a fundamental understanding of the broad spectrum of issues that will come before the Board of Selectmen.  I run an effective and open meeting in which the public understands that not only will I listen  but more importantly they understand that I'm approachable enough to be comfortable in voicing their issues.  

The town’s infrastructure (roads, buildings, dams and vehicles) is crumbling. What is the best way to fix it? Should the town borrow $15M in one shot, introduce new taxes or take another approach?

The town has an assessment of the current state of the roadways. We also have estimates for the costs associated with replacing fire engines, reworking bridges and our dams. What we have to have in place before I can argue for any significant expenditures on our roadways is a manageable plan to maintain said infrastructure. It would be a failure on my part to burden our families 15 years from now with the same issues we face today.

When we have a consensus on a cohesive plan to operate and maintain our infrastructure properly I would favor a one-time debt exclusion to bring everything up to a grade that is manageable within the operating budget.  I would be hard pressed to favor raising our tax rate for a clearing defined and termed purpose. The government never tends to rescind taxes once the financial burden has been lifted. As one of a five member board on a 3 year term increases taxes for such a narrow scope seems far too risky. Most people know I'm open and approachable and after May 2 the whole town will know that should someone come up with a better means of tackling this issue I would certainly facilitate the growth of that idea.

Fiscal times are tough. How can Grafton keep taxes and budgets under control as state revenues, property values and personal incomes shrink?

One of my roles as selectman will be to accurately discern between our wants and our needs. Projects will have to be delayed and we will have to be poised to use our rainy day funds to stabilize us in case of emergency. That being said we have to make sure we are in a position to take advantage of our country's cyclical economy.   

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