Submitted by Gaetane Francis, Greenwich BoE 2015-2019
I voted for Kathleen Stowe because I know what type of person she is and how hard she will work for us. She was a great partner when we were together on the Board of Education, particularly on the policy committee. We didn’t always agree, but we always had productive, pleasant discussions about what we each thought was best and found ways to come together and move forward. She considered different perspectives and dug deep into issues. She was happy to share her expertise when appropriate and always listened carefully to others.
Kathleen is a steadfast Board member and I don’t think she ever missed a BoE meeting. When the Board lost three senior members a year ago and a third was working remotely, she stepped up to fill the void, taking on the chairman position for the policy and finance committees as well as Vice-Chair for the BoE. And while she did not anticipate having to step into these
roles, she did so with enthusiasm and boundless energy.
She knows our town from many different perspectives, whether as a mother of children in our public schools, a softball coach, or a public servant in a variety of roles. She always thinks about what is best for all stakeholders, including the taxpayers. Using her financial and
business acumen, she dives into the numbers to find ways to help reduce the budget and keep our taxes as low as possible.
She led our Superintendent search and did a great job helping us hire an excellent candidate. Critically, she added a retention bonus to the contract to ensure this one would last longer than others in recent history. Equally as important was the manner in which she carried out the search. Despite her title as leader of the search team, she made sure every Board member felt
like an equal in the decision, as she does in all her leadership roles.
If you want a representative that cares, works hard, and makes well thought out decisions,
Kathleen Stowe should get your vote.