The following is a statement by Steve Carroll, who is running for Town Council At Large.

BIO:

Cheshire resident since 1979

Born: March 28, 1952

Office: Town Council At-Large

Affiliation: Republican

Education: B.S., Miami University, Oxford, OH 1974

MBA, University of Connecticut, 1980

Occupation: IT Director, MBI, Inc., 47 Richards Ave, Norwalk, CT

Previous Office Held:

Town Council 2003-2005

Chairman, Ordinance Review Committee 2003-2005

Member, Budget Committee 2003-2005

Member, Personnel Committee 2003-2005

Family:

Joan R. Carroll (wife) – Teacher (English as a Second Language)

in the New Haven, CT school system.

Justin F. Carroll (son) – Cheshire HS, 1999

Princeton University, 2003

Brendan M. Carroll (son) – Cheshire HS, 2002

Princeton University, 2006

Contact Information:

Home Tel: (203) 272-9503

Cell: (203) 915-1653

E-mail: Stephen.Carroll@sbcglobal.net

I am asked ‘Why are you running for Town Council?’ or ‘What is your platform?’ – I am always unsure where to begin.

There are so many reasons that I never know where to begin. One thing I am sure of is that I do not have agenda, other than looking out for the best interests of Cheshire. I have lived in Cheshire for about 28 years. I moved here for a combination of reasons: location, excellent schools, and nice community among the most compelling. I am pro-education, pro-senior tax relief, and fiscally conservative. I love being involved with municipal government and helping to shape solutions, and I hate the political side. I love our form of government, but unless we can turn down the politically-motivated and sometimes personal attacks – I am afraid the days are numbered for our current style of government.

I can tell you from first-hand knowledge, Cheshire is a well-run town, and by almost any measure, far better prepared than most other municipalities for what lies ahead. Here are my thoughts on a few of the hot topics in town.

Development in the North End – I am not opposed to mixed use development in the North end, with the exception of the residential component. A major retail development will undoubtedly cause some problems for Cheshire - most notably traffic, public safety, and pressures on infrastructure such as sewers, water mains, and roads, so we better be planning ahead. But imagine what you might have if you were “lucky” enough to attract an industrial business – say like American Cyanamid on Rte 5 in Wallingford. This argument is not about open space vs. development, it’s about what type of development we end up with. The residential aspect of this project is completely unnecessary, and I have reservations about the negative impact of a major retail development on other commercial business in town, but if the Planning & Zoning Commission does it’s job, this project can work.

Budget Surpluses – For the past 3 years, we have had surpluses of $1.6 million, $2.0 million, and $2.1 million. The budget underestimates revenue and overestimates costs. The net result is over-taxing property owners. We should fix this process (or be prepared to credit the money back to the taxpayer).

Community Pool – The bubble over the pool needs to be replaced with a permanent, energy-efficient structure, keeping in mind that the pool is hugely popular in the summer months. We need to look at the economics of this option, which I believe will save enough money annually to pay for the permanent structure in a reasonable time frame. There are simply no other viable solutions.

Sewers – We are looking at and planning for a major upgrade to the sewer treatment plant. By law, we must do this, though this will not directly address the inflow and infiltration problems. The WPCA is very limited in terms of it’s authority to spend money to identify and fix these problems, the Town Council is not. In 2007, these problems created a public health hazard in surrounding neighborhoods. This should be treated like the Fire Department treats a burning building.

Public Safety – Our Police Department is efficiently organized, but minimally staffed. When coupled with the fact that a number of resignations loom on the near horizon, we need to hire more officers quickly or we will jeopardize public safety. As well, the PD needs to be more active with the community and developing “out-reach” programs.”