Salisbury candidate profiles

These questions were asked in an interview for the September 3 edition of The Lakeville Journal.

SALISBURY — Incumbent Curtis Rand is running again for first selectman on the Democratic ticket. Michael J. Flint, Independent, is running as a petitioning candidate. In Salisbury, if a first selectman candidate has enough votes, he can still be on the Board of Selectmen even if he does not get enough votes to take the top slot.
The Journal interviewed both candidates.

Michael J. Flint

Age: 50
Married to Theresa Flint
Daughter, age 8, at Salisbury Central School
Graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School, 1976
Attended Ball State University from 1976-79
Unsuccessful run for selectman in early 1990s
Worked as retail manager and carpenter. Host of Straight Talk (temporarily off the air for the election). Manager of CATV-6 since 2007.
Hobbies: “Life. How’s that?â€
Flint’s campaign Web site is flint2009.com.

Why should the voters choose you over an experienced incumbent?

“Voters should be looking at the difference in philosophy and approach. Nobody goes into the job with experience.â€

You advocate for more open government. What does that translate to in practical terms?

Flint is concerned about the way major projects involving considerable sums of money have been presented to the public. “We’ve seen an approach to informational meetings and town meetings where officials don’t have all the answers prepared. For two years we have voted on proposals without full details at the front end.â€

He said he has “major problems†with how the town uses computer technology, particularly the town Web site. Flint would update systems, make more documents available, and get agendas and minutes posted faster than at present. “It would save paper and cut down on visits to Town Hall.â€

There are three major projects underway: the new transfer station, new firehouse, and a new building at the Grove. Are you satisfied with how these have gone forward? If not, what would you have done differently?

“With the Grove, I have yet to hear an argument for destroying it†rather than remodeling, Flint said.

As far as the new firehouse, “I expressed concern about losing commercial property. This is also happening in affordable housing — we’re not replacing the stock.â€

But since the plans are going forward, Flint says the important thing now is “to make sure the project comes through on time and on budget.â€

And the candidate said he believes voters were “rushed†into approving the transfer station and creation of the Salisbury Sharon Resource Recovery Authority, a governing entity for the new facility that has as its initial membership  selectmen from the two towns.

“The SSRRA has failed to have a formal meeting. I am making an assumption that the two boards of selectmen are making decisions, but there is nothing on record anywhere.â€

What will Salisbury look like after the first Flint Administration?

“If such an event were to occur, we’d have more people participating. We wouldn’t turn down volunteers. We would be utilizing the Internet to access records. We would invite people to object.â€

With more people participating, Flint said, the town could “find solutions in the shorter term rather than over years.

“We have the same people on committees over and over again. No disrespect to the people involved, but at what point do they become ineffective?

“There is a general attitude in the current administration that if someone doesn’t agree with a policy then they can’t volunteer†for a committee.

“You need to have dissenting opinions built in to start with. You don’t have to be afraid of dissent.â€

Curtis Rand

Age: 58
Married to Susan Rand, three grown children
Educated at Pomfret Academy, Paul Smith’s College, Yale School of Forestry
Two terms as first selectman, at least five as selectman
Has spent most of his career as a consulting forester; teaches a class in forestry at Salisbury School
Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, gardening

Why should you be re-elected?

Rand laughed and said,  “I don’t like that question. It’s embarrassing. But I would hope that people decided that I have worked hard and tried to accomplish some things people wanted to get done.â€

What would you consider the successes of your administration? Is there anything you would have done differently?

“I have tried  to engage people to solve problems. I’m enthusiastic about the job because I love it,†Rand said. “I’d say keeping our bond rating solid, with a lot of help from the Board of Finance and [Comptroller] Joe Cleaveland, has really bolstered our reputation†with state agencies that provide grant money.

Using the planned new Grove building as an example, Rand said, “One reason we got the [$750,000] grant is that we had a $300,000 cushion of donated funds. That doesn’t happen in every town.â€

Rand said he makes a lot of trips to Hartford and Newington (home of the state Department of Transportation) and keeps in touch with officials at all levels.

“They like us,†he said. “I see that as part of the job description. Residents pay a lot of money in state and federal taxes and we need to get some of it back.â€

“I wish I could have allayed some of the fears about the transfer station,†he added. “[The transfer station project] was the most challenging thing I’ve done professionally.â€

There are three major projects underway: transfer station, firehouse, Grove. Are you satisfied with how these have gone forward? Has there been sufficient public discussion and has information been readily and consistently available?

“All three projects were out there with committees for years prior to my taking office,†said Rand. “I saw plans for the Grove eight or 10 years ago. The firemen were talking about a new building 15 years ago at least. TRAC [the transfer station committee] had almost finished with site evaluations when I took office [as first selectman].â€

He added that the various committees that worked on the projects all met publicly, held town meetings for approvals, and that relevant plans were available at Town Hall.

“I really don’t know how much more open it could be,†Rand said. “You had 522 voting at the town meeting on the transfer station. That’s extraordinary.â€

What will Salisbury look like after a third term?

“I don’t see any big changes. We’ll be working hard on finishing things. Traffic calming, getting the Route 41/44 intersection done, fixing up the village centers.â€

He is looking forward to recommendations from the Plan of Conservation and Development and the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. “It all circles back to the need for housing, jobs, economic development and preserving our natural environment.

“I love coming in here and starting the day. Salisbury is unusual — we have a very high level of civic involvement.â€

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