What are the major issues for your town? Transitioning the government in Old Saybrook to a more efficient, transparent and user friendly town hall. Carol Manning and I agree on the steps needed to make this transition occur. We also recognize that some aspects of the transition will happen quickly and others will take some time.

What makes you the best candidate for this office? I’m not a career politician. I’ve worked in industry for ~25 years as an analytical chemist where you’re expected to work as part of a team analyzing the problem, proposing a solution and providing the results. I feel the same approach should be used to tackle the issues currently facing the town. I strongly believe the town is too small and the issues too important for both government leaders and voters to be concerned about what political party people are associated with. The focus should be on the issues. I’ll be honest, I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve spent years working with many diverse groups of people to get the best answers. In addition, I was raised in Old Saybrook and have lived here for the past 40 years. Old Saybrook is a great town and rather than chasing a job around the country, I continue to stay and raise my children. I know the town, I’m vested in the community and want the same great opportunities for my children.

What was the last book you read, and what did you think of it? The Dr. Seuss series. Just last night I read The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. Each night my wife and I read bedtime stories to our twin six year old children. The Dr. Seuss series was my favorite growing up and is also a favorite of my children. The imaginative characters, frequent use of rhyming and elaborate illustrations make these books fun to read. The series is a great foundation for early children’s literature and learning to read. For 30 minutes each night I have the opportunity to relive a day from my childhood. What a gift. Great life-long lessons can also be found in this series of books. For example, if in the end, Sam wasn’t willing to try Green Eggs and Ham, he wouldn’t have known he liked it. We must be willing to grow and try new things throughout our lives. Besides, I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like a Dr. Seuss book.