Thank you

Thank you to everyone who supported my campaign for the Board of Selectmen. I had the opportunity to meet a lot of great Cromwell residents and listen to a lot of great ideas for Cromwell over the last 3 months. Congratulations to all the winners of the November 3rd election.

I ask Cromwell residents to please get involved in Cromwell town government. Attend town meetings, become educated about the issues and hold elected town officials accountable.

The final countdown

Less than 12 hours until the polls open up in Cromwell. If you do anything tomorrow, make sure you vote. Make your voice heard. Vote for who you feel are the best 4 candidates for the Board of Selectmen.

It has been a long road and a great experience running for the Board of Selectmen. I have learned a lot, spoke to a lot of great Cromwell residents and listened to a lot of great ideas for Cromwell. Whatever happens tomorrow, Wednesday will arrive and my life will move forward.

100 hours till polls open

Just about 100 hours until polls open in Cromwell for the municipal elections. There are some clear choices for voters in Cromwell. Voters can support good people who will work very hard to make Cromwell a great place to live, work and play. Voters can choose to support good candidates such as Frank Emmanuele, Ann Halibozek, Bill Yeske and Mark Corvo for the Board of Selectmen. Voters can support good people like Rahsan Yearwood and Mike Calameri for the Board of Education. Voters can support a good guy Joe Corliss for the Board of Finance.

If voters want a return to the good old days where things were quiet, not much was done and taxes rose every year, vote for the usual incumbants. I have nothing personal against any of the candidates but I feel there are better candidates for the various boards.

Make your voice heard, get out and vote, November 3rd, 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Cromwell High School on 34 Evergreen Road.

Third time the charm

Hopefully third time will be the charm. I tied on September 15th, lost by 9 votes on the runoff October 6th but hopefully will be in the top 6 November 3rd. I feel my platform, ideas and energy will resonate across all parties in Cromwell. I do not have friends and family ties with town hall and can look at issues independently to do what is best for Cromwell. I have also proven in my personal and professional experience to work well with others.

I know the nasty politics will increase over the next week and people will call me names and try to distract voters from who I am and my platform.

As Frank Emmanuele said when asked what happens if you lose, he said if I win, it is an honor for Cromwell, if I lose, it will be an honor for my family. I have a great wife, family and friends and am running to give back to Cromwell, not for any other personal agenda.

New Senior Center

Once the library expands, the senior center will have to find a new home.

As I was talking to residents, a gentleman suggested the old Sav-Mor building which I thought was a great idea. He made the point that parking already there, it is on Main St. and easily accessible.

I also talked to him about creating a senior center as well as a community center. I think a new senior center could serve many functions for the town community.

As I stated on my platform, in these tough economic times it will be a challenge to either refurbish/purchase a current building or build a new town building.

The seniors in this town deserve a great senior center for the many years of service and hard work they have provided the town and community.

Carbon Neutral

I have been reading a lot lately about Colleges and Universities having plans to be carbon neutral in the future.

If I am fortunate enough to be elected November 3rd I will work on drafting a pledge to make town government in Cromwell carbon neutral by a defined year, for example 2020. I believe in looking towards the future and having a clean environment for the residents of Cromwell. Doing things now, planning options now will make Cromwell cleaner and safer for future generations.

2 weeks

Two weeks from today is the general election. If you support my campaign, the best thing to do is talk to friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, any registered voters you know from Cromwell and ask for their support. You can direct them to http://www.sbayley.com to learn more about who I am. It will take a strong grassroots effort to win the election.

Ask them to please support Ann Halibozek, Mark Corvo and Bill Yeske. We want to bring openness, fairness, honest discussion to the Board of Selectmen.

Make your voice heard on November 3rd

It is so important to vote. I am hoping the November 3rd election breaks records for the number of people who come out an vote. I would love to see 4500 people vote on the 3rd. The more involved the citizens of Cromwell are, the more accountable the town officials, employees and elected officials will be. There is a lot of good and a lot of bad going on in Cromwell and if elected I will work to make town hall transparent through communication and technology. The cromwellct.com has been improved but needs to be improved more to supply residents with information about town government. There should be no secrets in town hall.

Conflict of Interests

Piggy backing on my post yesterday, I have no conflict of interests running for the Board of Selectmen. I do not have any family members that work for the town or any long time family friends that work for the town. I simply questioned the entitlement that the town clerk felt for her position and was berated for writing a nasty letter at a town committee meeting by a current selectmen candidate whose family has been a long time friend with the town clerk. I never received an answer from the gentleman as to why the letter was "nasty" and my wife had proof-read the letter to make sure it was not nasty. This is the type of biased views and agendas that will take place if certain selectmen get voted into the Board of Selectmen. Again, I promise to review issues, projects and discussions FAIRLY and with an open mind. I have proved to do this while on the Board of Directors in Cromwell Hills, while on a College Council at a previous employer and in my personal life.

The Hatch Act

A gentleman came up to me on the 6th and said he was going to vote for me until he read that I supported Ann Halibozek and the submission of a Hatch Act complaint.

The Cromwell police chief should not have stayed on as police chief and ran for First Selectman, it is very black and white. A federal lawyer agreed and in the end the police chief agreed because he did not retire as chief or fight the complaint.

Ann Halibozek was not in the wrong to file the complaint. She was protecting the town because if he was allowed to run and administer federal funds, the town could have been liable. The police chief is one of the few people I know who can fall into a tub of cow poop and come out smelling like a rose. He was wrong to not retire as chief and then run for office. The chief was also investigating the person he was running against as police chief. Personally, I do not see that as fair and ethical.

I promise you I will not put myself in a situation where there is a conflict of interest. I am extremely fair and unbiased and will do what is right, even if it means admitting I am wrong or I made a mistake. The betterment of Cromwell is bigger than one person or group of people. Service before self.

Comments Part 2

It is probably easier to e-mail me if you have any questions or comments based on one of my blog postings. It appears that posting a comment is not as straight forward as I first thought.

Thanks.

Posting a Comment

I was away for a few days at a good friends wedding at the Finger Lakes this past weekend. Great wedding.

If you want to post a comment on this blog click on the Comments link and type up a comment. Then post as an Open ID if you do not have a Google account or AIM account or any of the other accounts.

Any questions, feel free to e-mail me at stantz19@gmail.com

Thanks.

Primary Runoff results

When is a loss a win? When you lose by 9 votes to a guy that grew up in Cromwell, has numerous relatives and close friends in town, when over $1000 is spent on lawn signs, mailings, robo-phone calls, and poll checkers. Even though I may have loss the primary runoff, it was very encouraging to have it be so close. I also feel my platform, ideas, character spans all parties in Cromwell and think I will have broad support on November 3rd. It will be a lot of work to continue to spread who I am and my platform around Cromwell but nothing is easy when it comes to Cromwell politics. I also support Ann, Bill, Frank and Mark as new faces with professional experience, the greater good of Cromwell in mind and will do what is right for all of Cromwell, not family and long time family friends.

Service Before Self

This motto is what my campaign is all about. If I am elected I will give my service to the town before my personal ego. I am not running to become popular. I am not running to feel good about myself. I am not running because I have family and close friends in town hall. I am running to give my service and energy to the town of Cromwell. As residents vote on the 6th and November 3rd they should ask themselves, is this the best person who will do what is best for the greater good of the town. Does the candidate have relatives (such as son in laws or wives or daughter in laws) who work for town hall or have close family friends in town hall. These close family members and friends will cloud the decisions these people will have to make for the greater good of ALL of Cromwell. I promise the citizens of Cromwell I will do what is right for the greater good of the town, not because I am have favors to cash in.

The Final Countdown

I still love that song by Europe. Just 66 hours until the polls open for the primary runoff. Lots of people are working very hard to get the vote out and I feel like there is a very positive buzz in town about my campaign. I do not need to send out mailings with other politicians to gain support. Who I am, my platform stands strong on its own merits and I am confident for a good turnout the 6th. Whatever happens on the 6th I will keep my head high and move forward. Upward and onward as a former graduate school teacher used to say.

Thanks to everyone for their support, energy and hard work.

Getting dark early

It is getting dark earlier and earlier so it means I will have to make more phone calls. It is also much cooler than it was when I was campaigning for the September 15th election. I have been campaigning for so long but it has been worth all the work. I have met a lot of great people, had some great conversations and am really learning about the town. I have been receiving a lot of good feedback from folks and am hoping for a great turnout on the 6th.

1 week

In one more week it will be part II of the Board of Selectman campaign. It will be Tony Varricchio versus myself for the 4th spot on the Democratic ticket. It will be another long day at the hoping for a large turnout. I am also hoping for a positive turnout but will be OK with whatever happens. I have a lot of great things in my life and will not become depressed if I lose the 6th. Wish me luck and if you are a registered Democrat in Cromwell, please support my campaign on October 6th.

3 election days in 7weeks

I will be on a ballot for a spot on the Board of Selectmen for the 2nd time on October 6th. As I was walking around, knocking on doors, I realized I will be involved in 3 elections in 7 weeks.

Cromwell residents are really going to get to know who I am with this much exposure. I have received a lot of positive feedback from Democrats and hopefully will receive more from Republicans and Independents after October 6th. I have served on the Board of Directors for 3 years in Cromwell Hills and was chairperson of the College Council at St. Vincent's College for a year so I am very aware of Roberts Rules of order and how a professional meeting should be run. I have also attended numerous town meetings and was a political science minor in my undergraduate days so I understand civil government well. I also have management experience. Contrary to what might be said about me I do have the experience and knowledge to serve on the Board of Selectmen.

Lifelong resident

Does being a lifelong resident of a town pre-qualify you to be a great selectman? Can experience and knowledge only be achieved by previously being on the Board of Selectman? Where is Mr. Varricchio's platform?

I promise I will not be running for the Board of Selectman every 2 years for 30 years. I feel there should be term limits even at the local level. If you have been on a board for years or have tried to run for office for years, you should not be allowed to after 10 years. I hope new people with new ideas and energy come after me to continue to improve Cromwell. Progress works best when there is a constant influx of new ideas, new perspectives and new energy.

Momentum

I am really feeling the momentum. Residents are contacting me with ideas and support. I was on live television last week. I will be knocking on doors the next couple weeks. Campaigning is a lot of work but very rewarding. I promise to keep this energy if I am fortunate to be elected in November. I will also continue to listen to residents in town and not disappear after I am elected. It is important to stay active after an election. Too many times people get elected and forget who they represent.

Upward and onward to October 6th.

Two weeks

Two weeks from now will be the primary runoff election. I feel I have a good strategy for the next 2 weeks to spread my ideas and energy throughout Cromwell. I am an optimist so I am hoping for a higher voter turnout October 6th. The final vote count for the primary was 542, hopefully there will be 600 on the 6th.

Check out my campaign website at http://www.sbayley.com for more information about my campaign.

Politics you can believe in and trust

People have lost hope and trust in government and politicians. I will work very hard to change that view into a positive view of open and honest civil service. I will be honest, fair, ethical and open when working with others. No more self interest politics and self serving politics. My campaign and the Board of Selectman are greater than one person and a small group of people. I will listen to all residents of Cromwell, I will respect all residents of Cromwell, and I will work diligently for all residents of Cromwell. I have witnessed too many times at town meetings people trying to serve their own self interest or act in spite/anger which hurts the whole community of Cromwell. No more. I will work to restore that trust and faith in local government.

Another television appearance

I will be on "the Edge" Tuesday, September 22nd at 8:00 p.m. It is channel 15 on Comcast. Not sure what it is on other cable providers. The show is a lot of fun with Jon Pulino and Billy Wilson as hosts. Tell your friends, relatives, co-workers to watch the show. I will be talking about the tie on primary day and the upcoming primary election runoff October 6th.

Primary election runoff

There will be a runoff election Tuesday, October 6th from 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Cromwell High School at 34 Evergreen Road.

The runoff will be myself versus Tony Varricchio. We both received 305 votes at the September 15th primary.

Please come out and support new ideas and new energy and vote for me October 6th. I am very thankful for the amazing support I have received. There are a lot of great people in Cromwell who really care about their town and not their own special interests.

The aftermath

After a long weekend and Monday of campaigning I spent a long day yesterday at the polls. The final tally for votes is:

Frank Emanuele = 370
Dave Murphy = 318
Ann Halibozek = 313
Steve Bayley = 305
Dave Varricchio = 305
Rich Waters = 249

There will be a primary runoff election Tuesday, October 6th from 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Cromwell High School.

Not bad for the new guy. :-) Tying a former first selectman and board of selectman and long time town resident.

I will need all the support I can get for the October 6th runoff. Cromwell residents are looking for new ideas and energy to lead the town.

Remember September 11th

I will always remember exactly where I was when I heard the news a plane hit one of the twin towers in NYC. I was running late to work and I was on route 91 North on my way to AMS. The radio DJ said a plane had hit one of the twin towers. I assumed it was a small commuter jet because the weekend before I had taken a turbo prop from Newark to Hartford. I was shocked when I got to work and saw the news unfolding. I formed a moment of silence around the American flag out front. I did not say anything, words could not put the days event into context. I was also a volunteer firefighter at the time and went to the firehouse thinking we would go down and help. We never did because the area was overwhelmed with help and there was only so many people who could the area.

I will never forget that day and the people that lost their lives. I did not know anyone directly but my 3rd grade teachers husband died in one of the towers. I also have relatives witness the disaster.

I still cannot fathom why people would do such a thing. Pure evil carrying out a purely evil act.

God Bless all those who lost their lives on 9/11, all their friends and relatives and God Bless America.

Under 100 hours

The final 100 hours has begun for the campaign. It will be a very busy weekend of campaigning that will culminate in the primary on Tuesday. Please help spread the good word about the primary, Tuesday, September 15th from 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Cromwell High School on Evergreen rd. Hopefully there will be a huge voter turnout.

Signs have been popping up around town and flyers continue to be distributed. Hopefully my name and ideas are spreading around town. I am also hoping people vote me as opposed to against someone else. This is why I remain positive and confident I am a good fit for the Board of Selectmen.

Televising Board of Selectmen meetings

If elected, I will work with Comcast to televise the monthly Board of Selectmen meetings. This would allow many more Cromwell residents to be a part of town government. I think by televising the town meetings it would decrease the nonsense and rude comments made at town meetings. Many town residents cannot attend the monthly meeting at town hall whether it is work related or for health reasons or because of prior commitments. Taping the meeting live and then replaying the meeting throughout the month would allow people to see what happens at the monthly meetings. It would really open the eyes of many town residents to how Cromwell government works.

Experience

I have served on the Board of Directors in Cromwell Hills for over two years and have proven that I can work well with others to bring about positive progress as a team. I am able to respect many sides of an idea or problem and can work to bring about the best solution for the community. I also have management experience in my work career as well as extensive technology experience. I would bring a strong voice to improving technology in town hall and throughout town which will increase efficiency and lower expenses in town.

New ideas

I am running for office to bring new ideas to town hall. Energy efficient town offices and town vehicles. Wireless on Main St. for added value. A sprinkler park for hot summer days. A dog park. New technologies to increase efficiency and lower expenses. The 4 endorsed candidates platform seems to be that they have raised families in Cromwell. What new ideas do they bring? What new energy do they bring. I tried to set up a public debate with the 4 endorsed candidates but the chair of the Democratic party did not return my phone message or my two e-mails.

I am going to take the Labor day weekend off from campaigning and rest up for the final week stretch.

2 weeks to go

Time flies when you are having fun. Two weeks from today will be the Democratic primary in Cromwell. Ann and I have been working hard the last 2 weeks to get out to the voters. We will be ramping up our campaigns over the next 2 weeks to meet as many voters and we can. Hopefully there will be a wave of voters on September 15th.

It is going to be a long 14 hour day at the polls but well worth it. Feel free to ask me any questions or talk to me while I am at the polls at Cromwell High School.

Not a Jeremy Shingleton clone

It appears that the best the anti-Bayley movement can come up with is that I was Jeremy's campaign manager before he decided not to run. For the record, I am not a clone of Jeremy Shingleton. We have different styles, we have different ideas and are different people. I support and supported the good work Jeremy did for the town. I did not approve with everything he said or did but that is the case with most people in my life. I am sure people do not agree with everything I have said or done.

A vote for me is not a vote for 2 more years of Jeremy Shingleton. Yes, I will continue the work he did for the greater good of the town. If this is all the "other side" can come up with I guess I am a pretty good candidate. It is not like they are saying I am a liar or a cheat or a bad person. If they were attacking my personal character it would be a bigger issue. To be a good politician you need to have a thick skin and remember it is not about you but it is about the whole town of Cromwell.

Clean Environment

I am a supporter of a clean environment. I strongly support renewable energy and will work to increase the energy independence of the town owned buildings and property. I believe the town owned vehicle fleet needs to start moving to a "green" town vehicle program. As town vehicles are retired I would encourage the investment of cleaner town owned vehicles.

Signs, signs, everywhere signs

This week we will be putting up signs throughout Cromwell. Hopefully this will get me some exposure around town. We are also planning to hit the streets and knock on doors. The final 2 weeks are approaching and it will be a lot of work getting my name and ideas out to Cromwell. Contact me via stantz19@gmail.com with any questions, suggestions or comments.

Politics you can believe in and trust

People have lost hope and trust in government and politicians. I will work very hard to change that view into a positive view of open and honest civil service. I will be honest, fair, ethical and open when working with others. No more self interest politics and self serving politics. My campaign and the Board of Selectman are greater than one person and a small group of people. I will listen to all residents of Cromwell, I will respect all residents of Cromwell, and I will work diligently for all residents of Cromwell. I have witnessed too many times at town meetings people trying to serve their own self interest or act in spite/anger which hurts the whole community of Cromwell. No more. I will work to restore that trust and faith in local government.

3 weeks to go

Three weeks from today, September 15th will be the Democratic primary at the Cromwell High School. It has been a lot of work but I have enjoyed meeting so many Cromwell residents. Cromwell has so much to offer and a lot of potential. My second live television appearance is tonight.

Check out my campaign website, http://www.sbayley.com for more campaign information.

The Edge

I will be on the public access show "the Edge" tomorrow (Tuesday) night at 8:00 p.m. The live show will be on channel 15 on Comcast. I am working to get as much exposure as I can so Cromwell gets to know who I am and my ideas and energy. Handing out flyers, public access shows, letters to the editor, signs, mailings, hopefully there will be a good turnout September 15th at the primary.

Town Manager

I and Ann Halibozek are open to pursuing the idea of a town manager. We know it would take a charter revision and not be completed overnight. It will take a lot of research and understanding. It is worth exploring to see if it is a good idea for Cromwell. The people that shoot it down right away probably do not want it for personal reasons. A town manager could possibly remove a lot of the politics in town hall. There are plenty of models available to research if it is a good idea. If it brings more accountability, better management, and lower expenses (and taxes) I would be very supportive of the idea.

Campaign Platform Press Release

New Faces, New Ideas and New Energy

I am campaigning for a seat on the Board of Selectmen in Cromwell this November. I have been very blessed in my life and want to give back to the community I live in. I am honest, fair and willing to work with everyone to do what is best for the residents of the great town of Cromwell. I would bring new energy and new ideas to town hall and I really enjoy working with a group to bring about positive progress.

I support Ann Halibozek for the Board of Selectmen as we share a common goal of bringing about positive progress for the greater good of all of Cromwell.

Fiscal Conservative: I believe in stretching every penny of taxpayer dollars to get the most out of taxpayer contributions. I would explore implementing new technologies to lower expenses and increase efficiencies.

Responsible and sensible economic growth: To keep the tax revenue strong. I understand continued economic development is needed. Main St. and the Northern Tier are two areas I would focus on for new economic development opportunities.

Main Street: I will explore offering free wireless Internet access along lower Main Street for added value to the area and to local businesses.

Integrity: I work very hard at being the best person I can be and I expect others that serve the town of Cromwell to have that same high standard. I value honesty, openness, respect, and hard work.

Professionalism: I will come prepared to town meetings. I will show fellow board members, town employees and town resident’s courtesy and respect.

Experience: I have served on the Board of Directors in Cromwell Hills for three years and have proven that I can work well with others to bring about positive progress as a team. I am able to respect many sides of an idea or problem and can work to bring about the best solution for the community. I also have management experience in my work career as well as extensive technology experience.

Environment: I strongly support renewable energy and will work to increase the energy independence of the town owned buildings and property. I believe as town owned vehicles are retired they should be replaced by "green" vehicles.

No pay for serving: A Selectman in town currently receives a stipend of roughly $1500 a year. If elected I will donate the money to Project Recess Rescue which is a great example of the community coming together for the greater good.

A new Senior Center: I know with the tough economic times it will be tough to build or renovate a building for a town senior center. It will take an innovative idea for this to become a reality. I believe the seniors in town deserve a great senior center for all the service they have given.

Belden Library: The Cromwell Library is a vibrant resource for Cromwell residents. I support the expansion of the library and will work with others to receive grant money and raise money for the library expansion.

Dog Park: Many people in town own dogs. I would explore the possibility of establishing a dog park in town. Currently the closest dog park is in Wethersfield while Rocky Hill is looking into creating a dog park. I believe a dog park would be a great addition to the Cromwell community.

Education: I fully understand the investment needed in the K-12 education system. I have been blessed to have the opportunity to receive a good education and know how crucial education is for individual and community success. My wife is a first grade teacher so I know firsthand the demand on teachers and school staff. I also understand the demands of a well funded educational system without raising taxes. It is a challenge but it can be done with wise and forward thinking decisions. The education budget for 2009-2010 was a good step forward in controlling education costs.

T-minus 4 weeks

This week Ann and I will be releasing our platforms to the town of Cromwell. I will also be submitting a letter to the editor for the Cromwell Chronicle as well as a letter for the Middletown Press. Things are moving along nicely as we have a lot of work to do over the next 4 weeks. I am looking forward to working with some great people and meeting Cromwell Democrats. I hear a lot of support for the recent progress in town and the desire for some new energy and ideas on the Board of Selectmen which is encouraging.

The primary will be Tuesday, September 15th from 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Cromwell High School and it is open to all registered Democrats in Cromwell.

Primary Press Release

Stephen Bayley and Ann Halibozek have qualified for a Democratic Primary for the Board of Selectmen. The primary which is open to all registered Democrats in Cromwell will be held on Tuesday, September 15th, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cromwell High School. Bayley and Halibozek will provide voters with the option to vote for fresh faces, new ideas, and new energy along with the desire and ability to think ahead. They decided to pursue a primary after the Democratic Caucus supported the Democratic Town Committee’s recommendations where 3 of the 4 candidates are current or former Selectmen. While canvassing the town for hundreds of signatures for their petitions, Ann and Stephen listened to the citizens of Cromwell and their many concerns and suggestions. Stephen and Ann will be preparing their platform in the coming days and will incorporate the "Voice of the People "into their positions. Both support John Flanders for First Selectman, and look forward to working with him on the Board of Selectmen.

33 days

33 days until the primary on September 15th. Over the next 33 days I hope to get to know as many Democrats in Cromwell and have them get to know me. I am a newcomer to Cromwell politics so one of my challenges will be making sure voters get to know me, who I am and what I stand for. There will be rumors, there will be false accusations, that is for sure. As people in town get to know me they will find that I am fair, honest, empathetic, intelligent, calm and collected.

Step 1 complete

I have received enough signatures to be on the primary September 15th. There will be 6 names on the ballot for 4 positions. Hopefully Ann Halibozek, Frank Emmanuale, Dave Murphy and myself receive the 4 highest votes. As I was out getting petition signatures a lot of residents said they want new faces on the Board. Residents want lower taxes, good services, progress, common sense, respect, courtesy on the Board, not drama and self interests.

The primary will be open to all registered Democrats and will take place Tuesday, September 15th from 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Cromwell High School off Evergreen Rd.

Conservation

One of my platform ideas if I am elected to office is to begin investing in more energy efficient vehicles for the town fleet. As cars, trucks and vans are retired in the town fleet; I will advocate buying more fuel efficient vehicles to replace the older vehicles. By investing in electric and hybrid vehicles, the budget line item for fuel will be lowered and the town will be cleaner. It is a win/win situation for the town. Expenses are lowered and the town is a cleaner place to live.

I also support the solar panels being installed next year at the schools to reduce electricity consumption as well as the solar panel being installed at town hall.

If elected I will be a strong advocate for energy conservation in town government through an investment in technologies and an investment in doing more with less.

Support Ann Halibozek

Ann Halibozek is also running for a seat on the Board of Selectmen. She is the only female among 11 possible candidates. I support Ann because she has the greater good of Cromwell in mind, is a professional, is informed, fair and honest.

She filed the Hatch Act complaint against the chief and she had every right to do so. It was a conflict of interest for the chief to run for First Selectman and be police chief. She does what is right and does not bow to political influences.

Ann is also a fiscal conservative. She is always looking for ways to save money and cut expenses in town. I have faith that taxes will stay in control with Ann on the Board.

Out getting petitions

I have been out all week getting petitions from registered Democrats so I can be on the September 15th primary ballot. People have been very nice and considerate as I get signatures. Once I get enough signatures, I will be back out campaigning in Cromwell.

What People are Saying

As I have been gathering signatures in town I have been pleasantly surprised to hear that the majority of residents like what has been achieved in Cromwell the last 19 months. Most residents do not care about all the drama and fighting. Residents care about taxes, their roads getting paved, services, progress, etc. Jeremy made mistakes, he is not perfect, no one is perfect, but he did a lot of good for the town of Cromwell. I am not a clone of his, I have my own ideas, my own personality, my own style.

I know I will have challenges during this campaign and if I am blessed to be elected, I will have have people that will not want me to succeed. I know I have to be strong, stay positive and keep doing what is right. I feel I have the experience, knowledge, strength and determination to bring some really good progress in town.

Bill Yeske and Ann Halibozek share this vision of hard work, honesty, the greater good and accountability.

DTC Meeting tonight

I attended the monthly Cromwell DTC meeting tonight. State Senator Paul Doyle was the guest and he had some good things to say about the state budget. He is not going to blindly support tax increases without some cuts. He wants a two year budget that will be good two years from now. The state is getting a lot of stimulus money and is tapping into the rainy day fund, two sources of revenue that will not be around in two years. Mr. Doyle understands that budgets are hard and even harder in tough economic times. Everyone is going to not like some part of the State budget.

Feelings about DTC

There are a lot of great people in the Cromwell Democratic Town Committee. I personally feel overall, it does not represent the overall vision and platform of many Democrats in town. As I have walked around and met residents and gotten petitions sign, many residents want new ideas, new faces, new energy in town politics. Not the same names and faces with the same ideas.

Hindsight is always 20/20 and I should have went through the process of being interviewed by the nominating committee of the town committee but at the time I knew I would not be endorsed because of my affiliation with Jeremy so I did not want to waste their time.

In the future, whether I get elected or not I will be more active in the town committee and will look to join the committee. As a fellow resident in town said, you have to change the committee from the inside. Many members of the committee have the best interests of the town in mind. There are just a few bad apples that need to be removed for the vision of the group to re-focus back on the grater good of the town.

Out getting petitions signed

Bill Yeske and I walked around the Chelsea Drive area getting petitions for the primary September 15th and the general election November 3rd.

It was real good to talk to Cromwell resident and listen to their ideas, concerns and suggestions. One woman spoke about a technology that uses sound waves to destroy mosquito larvae before they hatch. It would be much more environmental and safeto humans. I will have to research this idea.

A gentleman spoke about how politicians do a lot of work before they get elected but are never seen again by residents. He had an idea of coming out after getting elected and talking to people to get an idea of what projects are working and how the politician is working out. If I am fortunate enough to be elected I will make sure to go out within the first year of being elected and meet with Cromwell residents and get feedback for what type of job I am doing.

Doing More with Less

In today’s very tough economic times, many Cromwell residents and families are working hard to do more with less. I feel the town of Cromwell should lead by example and do the same.

At the July Board of Selectmen meeting there was a lengthy discussion about bringing back a full time economic development consultant to assist with economic development in Cromwell. The extra cost to the town would be roughly $30,000.

Cromwell currently employs a full time Town Planner (Craig Minor) as well as a full time Director of Developmental Services who is in charge of economic development (Joe Mazurek). A first selectperson who is and should be active in economic development, a part time economic development consultant (Anthony Price) and a five person volunteer advisory board (the Economic Development Commission). I feel that if these 5 resources work together, they can bring successful economic development to Cromwell and save the town $30,000.

Petition gathering night

I am going out with Ann Halibozek tonight to get signatures for a primary September 15th. We need 164 signatures each but we plan to get at least 200 signatures to be safe. We have to carry our petition forms ourselves and make sure people sign the form with the correct name. The state has very strict rules about getting signatures and we are making sure we follow them to the T.

I am looking forward to hitting the pavement and meeting Cromwell residents. I think this is going to be the best part of the campaign, really getting to know who lives in Cromwell. I have ideas and plans but I am only 1 person so it will be good to hear what resonates with Cromwell citizens.

Tomorrow night I will be working the ticket booth at the Cromwell Riverport festival from 6-10 p.m. It takes place down at Peirson park on Main St. and is a great event. I am also working the ticket booth Saturday morning from 10-12.

Ann Halibozek and Bill Yeske

Along with myself, Ann and Bill are looking to win the primary September 15th. Both are stand up people and would bring new ideas and new energy to the Board of Selectman. Ideally the 4 Democratic candidates for the Board of Selectman in the general election November 3rd would be myself, Ann, Bill and Frank Emanuele Jr. The 4 of us would all be new to the Board and would have the interests of the whole town in mind. All four of us also currently work full time so the Board position would not be a retirement position.

Please join me in supporting Ann, Bill and Frank in the September 15th primary.

Thank you.

First Television appearance

I just finished my first live television appearance on the public access show, The Edge. Thanks to Jon Pulino and Billy Wilson for having me on the show. I had a great time and I think it went pretty well. This is the first step in getting my face and ideas out to the larger Cromwell community. I was pretty nervous but I hope I made sense. There is a first time for everything.

Now onto the primary, September 15th.

Nice mix in Board of Selectman slates?

The chair of the Republican town committee said the Republican slate for the Board of Selectman is a "nice mix". There are 2 incumbents as well as a former selectman and a former police sergeant. On the Democrat side there are 2 incumbents as well a former selectman and a person that has been on the Board of Education for a while.

That means out of 8 possible candidates, 4 are incumbents, 2 are former selectman and two are long time residents of Cromwell. None of the candidates are newcomers to town.

I personally do not see a nice mix of candidates, I see a group that will rubber stamp everything town hall requests, not ask the hard questions or bring new ideas and energy to the town.

I hope there are some possible Republican candidates looking to primary to replace a couple Republican endorsed candidates for the Board of Selectman.

I am very worried that if the 4 incumbents and 2 former selectman are elected, the larger community of Cromwell will not be put first. This is one reason I am running for a seat on the Board of Selectman. I do not have any special interests in town and will work for the greater fgood of Cromwell.

About Me

I am running for a Board of Selectman seat in the town of Cromwell.

I grew up in Middletown, CT and rented a condo in Woodland Heights for about 4 years and have lived for the last 3 1/2 years in Cromwell Hills.

I work as an Instructional Designer at the UCONN Health Center in Farmington, CT. I have been working at the Health Center since October 2008. Before my current job I was the Director of Information Technology at St. Vincent College in Bridgeport, CT for 3 1/2 years. I have also worked at Post University in Waterbury, CT as the Assistant Director on Online Learning and AMS Services as a Programmer II.

I went to Xavier High School in Middletown and then went to Central Connecticut State U. in New Britain for my undergraduate degree. I am working on completing my second Masters degree Online through the University of Maryland. I have a B.A. in History (minor in political science) as well as an M.S. in e-Commerce and am working on finishing my MBA.

I have been married for 3 1/2 years and do not have any children.

I have an older brother who is a Major in the Air Force and teaches at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. He has been married for 11 years and has 5 children.

I also have an older sister who resides in Seymour, CT, is single and has 1 child.

My parents live in Clinton, CT. My father is retired and was a computer analysist for many years. My mom is an office manager for a doctors office.

Any questions about me, you can e-mail me at stantz19@gmail.com

Thank you.