Submitted by Monica Prihoda, Old Greenwich
I am a representative in my second term serving Old Greenwich District 6. The opinion expressed here is my own, not the RTM.
Thank you to The League of Women Voters Greenwich for hosting debates and the online Voter Guide where residents can understand candidates’ priorities for our Town.
I’ll tell you why I’m voting for the Democratic team of Bill Kelly for First Selectman and Janet McGuigan for Selectwoman. I am also voting for the entire slate of Democrats running for the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET). And it’s not because they are Democrats. It’s because of their priorities.
First, the approach expressed by Bill Kelly is similar to former two term First Selectman James Lash, a Republican: allowing residents to have critical input in capital spending for Greenwich. Mr. Kelly’s top priorities are strong and clear: address the crumbling schools and other neglected infrastructure, local environmental climate change impacting parts of Town evidenced by severe damage to residents caused by flooding, and finding solutions to I-95 noise levels. It was from Mr. Kelly I learned about the current condition of the Central Middle School: exterior walls that are unstable and being monitored by sensors for cracks. The full RTM monthly meeting is held here, not to mention the children, teachers and staff who are in the building daily. The Town cannot wait for another “close call” as when a one and one-half ton ceiling fell on an empty classroom in the North Mianus School – and the Republican BET delayed funding for repairs. One example. Actions – or lack of – speak louder than words.
With Mr. Kelly’s many years of experience serving on the RTM, the Board of Education (BOE) and the BET, as well as being a construction litigator, I am confident Mr. Kelly has solid Greenwich Town government experience and more.
Having served on the BOE in particular, I am hopeful Mr. Kelly can restore civility to BOE meetings which have recently been rudely disrupted by a shouting minority attacking and intimidating our teachers and others present. Who would want to continue to teach in this environment?
While the abundant Republican signage throughout Greenwich and letters to the editor purport to support schools, the track record of the Republican BET is the exact opposite: Cut and delay funding for schools and other infrastructure so what we have are years of “kick the can down the road” in lieu of yearly maintenance. Maintenance which only becomes more expensive as years go by – and unsafe buildings as aforementioned.
I have the privilege of working with Janet McGuigan on the Old Greenwich RTM. She is thoughtful and eloquent in presenting her views and ideas.
Aside from her RTM role and years of local commitment serving in the League of Women Voters, PTA Council Board member and the Greenwich Junior League, Ms. McGuigan brings strong and solid professional government experience: environmental policy analyst as an associate for Resolve: Center for Dispute Resolution, as a mediator working on federal regulatory negotiations for Resources for the Future and writing white papers on environmental policy for the European Commission. She has a BS/BA in Civil and Environmental engineering and economics from Cornell University and a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Relevant knowledge and experience in the exact areas that will benefit the Town of Greenwich.
Please join me in voting for the “A Team.”
Note: Letters to the editor for candidates in the Nov 2, 2021 election had a deadline of Oct 26, 2021