Submitted by Kathleen “Kathy” Smith, Selectmen’s Nomination Advisory Committee, RTM District 6 (Old Greenwich)
What makes the Town of Greenwich so special? The large number of skilled volunteers whose politics are about “How can I serve?” Thank you to our volunteers and thank you to Selectwoman Lauren Rabin who plays an important role in the process.
Lauren Rabin is the Selectmen’s Office liaison to the Selectmen’s Nomination Advisory Committee (SNAC) of which I am a member. Many readers probably don’t know much about SNAC. It is a bipartisan committee of 11 members who find and recommend candidates to serve as volunteers on the 19 Commissions and Boards (such as the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Parks & Recreation Board) that serve our community. These Commissions and Boards have about 160 members.
Affordable Housing Trust: William Finger, Sally Bednar, Brooks Harris, Anthony Cicchetti, Romulo Samaniego, Bob Barolak, Patrick LaRow
Aging Commission: Amy Jurkowitz, James Dougherty, Heidi Nolte, Steven Katz, Dr. Ellen Wolfson, Anne Marie Hynes, Kip Burgweger
Alarm Appeals Board: Rick Brooks, Donna Gioffre, Thomas Zack, John Slursarz, Philip Dodson, Stefanie Lacoff
Citizen’s Police Advisory Commission: Adriana Carrillo Harper, Angelica Arenas, Laverne Lord, Ron Carosella, James Joyella, John Raben, Sandy Kornberg, Charles Zoubek, Peter Bernstein, Evan Delman
Conservation Commission: Eric Brower, Lisette Henrey, Nancy Dickinson, William Rutherford, Sue Baker, Gary Silberberg, Karen DeWahl, Laura di Bonaventura, Ted Walworth, Leslie Petrick
Energy Management Advisory Commission: Peter Schweinfurth, Rob Liflander, Javier Aleman, Lauren Toretta, Ryan Fazio, Laura DiBonaventura, Tony Turner
Ethics Board: Paul de Bary, Jennifer Paul Cohen, Ken Greenberg, Stephanie Johnson, Robert Sisca
Greenwich Communities (Housing): Robert Simms, Angelo Pucci, Vincent DeFina, Cathy Landy, Sam Romeo, Irene Dietrich, James Boutelle
Harbor Management Commission: Michael Van Oss, Beth Forbes, Skip Parker, Ed Keller, Ty Anderson, Bernard Armstrong, Lile Gibbons, Jason Halio, Chris Lagano
Health Board: Maryann Ramos, Sarah Madden, Dr. Danielle Goodwin, Anne Fountain, Sarah Gamble, Joel Mulbaum, Lauren O’Keefe
Historic District Commission: Martin Kagan, Jenny Larkin, Phillip Dodd, Fi Fi Sheriden, Stephen Bishop, Anne Alexander, Mary Shaw Halsey, Matt Bernard, Lynn Garelick
Human Services Board: Erica Klair, Natalie Queen, Greg Pauletti, Debbie Appelbaum, David Snyder, Robin Lemberg Greif, Patty Roberts, Gillian Ingraham, Tara Spiess Restieri
Inland Wetlands & Watercourses (IWWA): Jacob Schondorf, Brian Harris, Robert Rimmer, Peter Linderoth, William Gavin, Ted Walworth, Elliott Benton, Gordon Hinshalwood, Mary Desmond
Nathaniel Witherell Board: Kate Tabner, Nisha Hurst, Nim Patel, Pamela Packard, Brad Markowitz, Richard Kaplan, Brad Radulovacki, Paul Hopper, Peter Kelly.
Parks & Recreation Board: Tracy Freedman, Sue Bodson, Rick Loh, Nancy Chapin, Matt McCarty, Mike Bocchino, Scott Johnson, Matt Popp, Vivian Wu
Planning & Zoning Board of Appeals: Kenneth Rogozinski, Arthur Delmhorst, John Vecchiola, Frank Baratta, Wayne Sullivan, Mark Perry, Robert Nalewajek, Eric Ivester
Planning & Zoning Commission: Peter Lowe, Nick Macri, Margarita Alban, Dennis Yeskey, Peter Levy, Mary Barnes Jenkins, Bob Barolak, Arnold Welles
Selectmen’s Nomination Advisory Committee (SNAC): Bill Ridenour, Cyndy Anderson, Valerie Stauffer, Jackie Hammock, Gina Gladstein, Tom Broadhurst, Tim Drinkall, Nancy Duffy, Kathleen Smith, Cynthia Chang, Karen Royce
Shellfish Commission: Collin Lee, Richard Kral, Cliff Paulson, Geoff Lazlo, Bill Gremp, Roger Bowgen, Tracey Sequin, Sue Baker, Robert Bodey
The everyday work of these skilled volunteers along with so many other Greenwich volunteer organizations make Greenwich a very special place. We have more volunteers per capita than most Towns in the country.
All applicants for the committees are interviewed by the Board of Selectmen (BOS) consisting of First Selectman Fred Camillo and Selectpersons Lauren Rabin and Janet Stone McGuigan. As the liaison to SNAC, Lauren Rabin meets with us regularly, helps process applications, sets up interviews and submits candidates for approval by the RTM. That means a lot of interviews must be conducted to fill these committees with a balanced group of skilled volunteers.
You may not be aware that behind the scenes, Lauren does all the legwork involved in managing the spreadsheets used to track candidates through the selection process. That’s right, she does the hard work.
We are now collaborating to implement new software to improve our process. Lauren Rabin has a technology background and is in the mix working with us to bring the automation we need. I hope. You will join me in supporting her for re-election so that she can continue her great work on behalf of our town.
Kathleen “Kathy” Smith
Selectmen’s Nomination Advisory Committee
RTM District 6 (Old Greenwich)
NOTE: The deadline to submit letters to the editor about candidates in the Nov 7 municipal election is Oct 30 at 12:00 noon