Sharon Democratic town candidates make their case

SHARON — It was the Democratic candidates turn to state their platform, at the second candidates’ meet-and-greet event at the studio and home of Helen Kilmer. This one was held Saturday, Sept. 19. An event earlier in the month gave voters a chance to meet Republican candidate for first selectman Bob Loucks. John Mathews is the unopposed Republican candidate for selectman.

Saturday’s gathering, which attracted about 40 people, featured first selectman candidate Tom Bartram (who is a selectman now) and selectman candidate Meg Szalewicz.

“We want to listen to the problems that you perceive,� Szalewicz said. “If you tell them to us, they will not fall on deaf ears. We will do what we can for you with what we have available.�

“We need your support and your ideas of what you want Sharon to be,� Bartram said. “We are both open and will listen. We will follow the tradition that [First Selectman Malcolm Brown] has started, in having a friendly face at Town Hall. I think that’s important, because there’s nothing worse than having someone nod at you — and then forgetting what you told them.�

The top issue on the candidates’ agenda is the economy, which Bartram said is a worldwide problem as well as a local one.

“The selectmen have created an economic study group and they are trying to find out from the town’s businesses what the issues are, whether they are good or bad,� Bartram said. “We need to figure out what, exactly, the town can do. The issues with empty storefronts are up to the individual commercial landlord, but we do think there are things that the town can do to support businesses.�

Bartram said preparing “shovel-ready� projects (which are eligible for state and federal stimulus funding) is key to improving the town’s economy.

“It’s important to have some projects costed out and ready to go, because you have to take advantage of that money when it becomes available, or else it will pass you by,� Bartram said. “For example, the town purchased 67 Main Street and there is some room behind there for municipal parking. West Main Street has become very congested, between people pulling up in front of stores, hospital traffic and trucks making deliveries. We would like to try to take the sidewalk and steps in front of the package store and move it to widen the road to make it less congested.�

As for the town’s infrastructure, Bartram said the big issue for the town will be to take care of bridges that are 20 feet and shorter.

“We’re trying to triage them now, with help from the Long-range Planning Committee,� Bartram said. “We’re determining which ones we can work on with our town crew and which ones we need to get outside contractor help. We’re working with the money that we have available to us, even though no one knows what that’s going to be because of the state’s financial situation. It’s going to be difficult.�

On the subject of affordable housing, Bartram spoke about the Sharon Housing Trust, on which he serves as a board member.

“The housing trust rehabs old houses, or builds them new and then sells them to a homeowner while the trust retains ownership of the land,� Bartram said. “The value of the land is taken out of the real estate transaction, which allows the house to be sold at lower than the market rate.

“We’re also looking at accessory apartment ideas where you build apartments in an older house.�