1. This year’s flooding problems showed that infrastructure should be more of a priority in Norwalk’s spending. Where do you think we should be spending our money?
There is no doubt that we need to address infrastructure. When we first heard of flooding problems 5 years ago, it seemed as if it was an anomaly. When we had additional flooding reports in following years, it was a definite pattern. As chairman of the Public Works committee from 2003 to 2005, I began researching rainfall levels published by the Yale School of Forestry and the New England Foresters Association. Their publishing showed we were experiencing increasing rainfall levels in shorter time spans. I’ll leave climate change to Al Gore; however, we are definitely experiencing a pattern change in our weather. It was apparent that existing drainage systems were inadequate to handle the rain levels we were experiencing. This is still a number one priority.
Additional areas I believe we should address are the Fire Department facilities. I feel we still lack adequate coverage in the Route 7 / Cranberry area. We need a station in that area of the city.
2. We have several different redevelopment projects planned for the urban corridor. What will you do to ensure that the developers work together so the end result will benefit the city?
city?
Having open meetings and thorough discussions of the projects ensures that the community has input on these projects. As a Councilman, I would want to serve on the Planning Committee of the Council to ensure that this process is happening. I believe that some of the planning has gone “sub rosa†over the past two years and I would work to change this.
3. The past budget cycle was contentious about funding for education. Do you philosophically support funding Norwalk’s education more or less - and why?
The school budget has become contentious because of the size. There are aspects of the budget that we have no choice in such as salaries, benefits and state or federal mandates. These must be funded and make up a large portion of their budget. In addition, much has been done to replace equipment such as desks, chairs and other fixtures that are not included in building renovation budgets. Past “cost cutting†measures left us with administrators that pulled “double dutyâ€, overseeing not just the area they were hired in but also some other area where they had little to no training. I believe this had an adverse effect on the curriculum that our children were studying and placed us in the situation we are now in.
Teachers are making great strides to get our children to learn new curriculum and increase their test scores. Budget cuts effect more that school sports and if we continue voting on budgets that do not accurately reflect the increases seen by Education (6% nationally per the Bureau of Labor Statistics) then we will eventually be cutting more that “top level†staff. Politically, it’s easy to say “cut the budgetâ€, but if you don’t know what you are really eliminating, you are short-changing our children and the future of our community.
4. What will you do to address quality of life issues such as crime, traffic, housing, etc.?
We have passed many “quality of life†issues in the past years. Enforcement needs to increase. To do this, we would need to increase staffing levels in various areas. England has become o model of camera surveillance for public safety. I support increased use of cameras to monitor problem areas, but first we would need to enact a policy to address the use of cameras. We would also need to establish a monitoring center. I believe an increased use of cameras would overwhelm the combined dispatch center. I would also work with our Legislators to get red light cameras approved for use at intersections.
5. If elected, what would you do to reach out to the community?
Mayor Knopp held “brown bag†lunch meetings where residents could voice concerns. I would hold an evening meeting once a month with the same opportunity for residents to discuss QOL issues so that I would be kept current on their concerns.
6. The year is 2030 and aliens from outer space have just landed in Norwalk. How would they describe what they see?
They would see an active community with much to offer for its people. A number of box-like containers which hang from a rail circles the main area of the city and the majority of humans travel by machines which have only 2 wheels. They move in large herds in the areas with greater structures and occasionally by a machine that emits a large heat signature, but no exhaust. There is a waterway that much centers around and many travel to this area from similar boxes that roll on two rails. They are healthy and live in domiciles that also allow them to engage in their primary function of educational training.
