Final Round: Question 1

Given the many ways the town interacts and intersects with the regional school district, what will you do to improve and expand that relationship?

Rick Albrecht, Ed Sipples, Cathy Iino

The first thing we'd like to say is that we are starting from a much better place than we were a few years ago. Superintendent Gary Mala is an honest, responsive, open-minded leader who has done a lot to restore the trust and confidence that is essential to a good relationship between the school district and the town.

Now we need to extend that relationship. As selectmen, we will go beyond the required annual presentations and consultations.

• We will all engage in a forward-looking dialogue with our counterparts in Haddam and with members of the school board. By discussing Killingworth’s long-range plans and budget forecasts with those of Region 17, we should be able to avoid such conflicts as pile-ups of major capital projects.
• We will explore ways to work together in areas such as purchasing, grant writing, and scheduling use of fields and other facilities. The more our townspeople see the schools as community institutions, the more they will understand the needs and values of the school system.
• We will look for ways to bring together students and other groups in our community. The new middle school, for instance, is almost next door to Jensen’s. Could eighth graders provide some community services to our seniors? Could our seniors provide some guidance for fifth graders? Or imagine an oral history project in which students use the high school's excellent media lab to record the recollections of our longtime residents. It takes a village to raise a child, and children give life to a village.
• We will find ways to support education as well as ways in which the school system can be useful to the town.

The town's concerns intersect with the school district's in some less obvious ways as well. Take, for example, the traffic issues we have been so vigorously debating. One factor in these problems is the large number of cars driving to the schools every day. Perhaps Killingworth and Region 17 could work together to make the buses a more attractive option for students and parents. Reducing school traffic would benefit our environment as well as our roads.

At the end of the day, the citizens of Killingworth care more about providing a good education for the next generation without breaking the bank than they care about separate lines of authority. As representatives of the people of the town, we have an obligation to participate fully in deliberations about such an important public function.

John Amport

RSD 17 is more like Clinton, Westbrook or Haddam than your routine town school system. It is a governmental entity unto itself. The RSD 17 Board members along with the Superintendent are the key points of contact.

In the past, most of the focus has been on maintaining open lines of communication with the Superintendent. That is fine, but I will open lines of communication with Killingworth’s representatives on the RSD 17 Board. I feel this would be more effective than the past efforts of having liaisons.

I feel it is essential that these channels be opened to facilitate a broad range of information and issues. It is more important than ever that Board members be kept abreast of Town Capital Plans and Budgets to allow them to have greater perspective on the fiscal impact of the RSD17 Budget.

Conversely, I feel it is essential that the Board of Selectmen is aware of the many issues with which the RSD 17 Board must deal. As with the regional associations of which we are a member, I am sure that there are opportunities to work more collaboratively to our mutual benefit. In my answer to the next question, you will see how working together served both RSD 17 and the Town when we collaborated to produce a video taped debate that was shown throughout the 2005 election campaign on public access.

Rich Cabral and Fred Dudek

We will endeavor to establish a closer working relationship with the B.O.E. liaison to the B.O.S. so that both have a clearer understanding of each other’s role in relationship to the use of the taxpayer’s dollar. Constant and positive contact with the Superintendent over matters of concern to both R.S.D.17 and the Town will improve our relations. By communicating with our representatives on the B.O.E. on an individual basis, we can better inform them of areas where we have concerns and how we can work together for their solution.

We will be more cognizant of the B.O.E. needs and how they relate to the grand scheme of expenditures in Killingworth. We will offer our input regarding the budget of R.S.D. 17 as a Town and work closely with the Superintendent in this area. We will represent the Town at school functions when asked and visit the schools from time to time, so that the general populace may see that we are all part of Killingworth. Although R.S.D. 17 is a separate entity, a cooperative sense of direction needs to be developed in order that we accomplish the shared goal of a quality education for all of our residents in a fiscally responsible environment.

Final Round: Question 2

2. What will you do to encourage more residents to step forward to volunteer for town committees?

Cathy Iino

One of the unexpected pleasures of this campaign, for me, has been discovering how many Killingworthies generously give their time to an amazing range of endeavors. I have met a volunteer child advocate, a volunteer hospice worker, volunteer ambulance and fire crews, volunteer land stewards and library staff, church wardens and foster parents. Killingworth has a reputation as a place where people keep very much to themselves, but my experience has shown me the other side of the picture.

Why, then, are we having a hard time recruiting volunteers for town committees?

One reason seems to me to be an atmosphere of disrespect and rancor, of frustration and futility, at town hall. As selectman, I will work hard to create a shared sense of purpose for all town committees; I will take their proposals seriously; and I will try to make sure that their efforts are not wasted.

A more basic reason, I believe, is that we have lost sight of government as public service. When we use politics as a dirty word and call government the enemy, is it any wonder that people do not want to be part of it? If we can change that view of government—if we can remind people that government is a way of acting together for the common good—then I believe our townspeople will not hesitate to serve where they are needed. I hope I can show people, by words and by actions, that government can be a positive and productive force in our community.

Rich Cabral and Fred Dudek

Volunteerism comes from a desire to see things as they are and a desire to improve them for the good of all.

Here in Killingworth, there are so many people willing to give of their time in some small way if only asked. By approaching the various service organizations in Town such as the PTA, Lions, KWO, Library Association, Fire Company, Ambulance Association, and Chamber of Commerce, we will appeal to their members concerning the rewards of Town service. We will encourage our current volunteers to speak and write about the rewards of volunteering. We believe that we must go outside our small circle of contacts and approach even those we don’t know to invite them to become actively concerned in their community. We will do this by personally speaking with individuals to persuade them to become involved. Keeping the aforementioned in mind, it is our intention to engage our fellow residents in dialogue leading to their desire to volunteer for service to our community.

There needs to be a feeling of vested interest by individuals in order for them to become involved and truly make a difference. We will accomplish this vested interest through written articles of information concerning Town matters and the need for volunteers.

We feel increasing information and understanding of Town matters will result in greater participation. Our fellow neighbors, we believe, want to contribute to the betterment of the quality of life in Killingworth.

Ed Sipples

Volunteers are critical to making a small town like KW function properly. All the Boards, Commissions, Committees and groups are like spokes in a wheel. Without all the spokes, the wheel becomes distorted and wobbles. KW would wobble without the help of volunteerism!

The first thing the Executive Branch of our town government (BOS) should do is to set the example by LISTENING and RESPECTING the recommendations that are brought forth by our current volunteers serving on Committees. These volunteers are giving of their precious time to research and develop recommendations and the BOS should always receive them with open minds.

Last winter, the Boards of Selectmen (I'm a member) and Finance approved a town expenditure that was intended to be a "Volunteer Appreciation Night". EVERY town volunteer (at least as being defined as "sworn in" by the Town) and a guest were invited to attend this Town sponsored gathering. The purpose of the evening was to RECOGNIZE their importance and to allow town leaders to say Thank You. At this recent dinner, many who have freely given of their precious time and helped serve the Town's best interests, received long overdue recognition.

The BOS depends heavily upon the two major parties (KDTC and KRTC) to search for and recommend people to fill most vacancies. The Democratic and Republican Town Committees are at the grass roots of finding volunteers. The current selection process for both groups is to constantly look for someone who pops up on the Town radar screen by showing their interest in some sort of Town issue or business. Next they identify the persons' skill sets and match that person to the appropriate Committee. Finally they have to persuade the person to step up to the plate and volunteer for it.

Is there a problem finding people to volunteer? You betcha! We live in a fast paced society where many times both Mom and Dad are working and there is little or no "spare time" available. If we currently try to "hook" any resident who appears on the radar screen, the only way to improve upon this is to find people who don't pop up. I don't know how one does this, so I don't really have a good answer to this question.

The last alternative has to be to pay volunteers for their service. The monetary impact upon our taxes would be gigantic and of course we would want to avoid this option.

I'm all ears to any ideas about how this problem could be tackled! But, at the risk of repeating myself, I do think acknowledging the tireless work of our volunteers, and respecting their efforts is job one if we are to recruit more.

John Amport

As a former Republican Town Committee Chairman, I can tell you this is every year’s biggest challenge. I believe people volunteer to serve if they become interested in what is going on in a particular arena. We have a real problem in Killingworth. Other than The Source newspaper and KillingworthToday.com, there are no real media outlets to supply information on the goings on in Killingworth.

The Source provides no governmental news coverage at all. Other out of town papers provide some limited coverage but have very spotty circulation in Town.
KillingworthToday does a good job of trying to cover a variety of subject areas but has limited resources. A forum like this is a good start.

We need to find ways to increase citizen awareness of what their government is doing. I have long advocated a Town web-site as a source of information and automation of Town services. This site needs to clearly delineate what the committee does, how many meetings it has and what additional time commitments may be necessary. I will make the implementation of a Town Web-site a priority if I am elected.

Two years ago Marty and I participated in a live debate that was taped (By the RSD 17 A/V Department) and played on Public Access. We felt it could be very helpful in providing information to our residents. As readers of KillingworthToday know, this year we asked the Democrats and Republicans in August if they would participate. Then in early October we told the KWO that we wanted to have a debate and asked them if they would be interested in sponsor it. They did. Again, there will be no debate because the Republicans and Democrats would not agree.

It is kind of "political maneuvering" that makes the job of the KRTC and KDTC ever more difficult. People do not want to play politics when it comes to their own community.

Marty has been able to get new volunteers by doing what Marty does best; taking the bull by the horns and soliciting volunteers directly. I have had the pleasure of helping him with some of those efforts.

Let me give you a specific example of this from a recent E-Mail I received from Bruce Dodson regarding the Killingworth Open Space Committee.

"During the previous administration there were only two token members: Dave Gumbart and me. We never met. There was no point. The activities of the KOSC were handled, unofficially, within the Land Trust. . . When Marty took office he wanted to know what we were doing, when we were going to make recommendations he could act on, wanted a list of prospective new members he could take to the BOS for appointment, called several of us on the phone and to his office to discuss specific properties, and has made more phone calls to me than I could remember. And he calls me almost monthly to make sure I'm keeping an open dialogue with the Venutis."

If the Town Committees can not fulfill their role of soliciting volunteers Marty and I will.

Question 2 Rebuttal by Michael J. Sanders, Chair of the Democratic Town Committee: An innocuous debate question on Killingworth Today concerning promoting volunteerism in town, was used by Mr. Amport to repeat blatant misrepresentations he had already spewed forth on October 27th. Its link to the original question was strained and obscure.

Mr. Amport stated that his team had asked the Democrats and Republicans to participate in debates and they would not agree. Wrong Mr. Amport!!! Democrats have an email record on our efforts to get a schedule of debates going, emails to which you never responded. The KDTC can make these emails available if necessary. We also have the emails from the KWO and our Committee Chairman's response supporting selectmen debates.

We have been eager for debates with all our selectman candidates. If anyone has asked Rick Albrecht about debates, you know his answer has consistently been "I will debate anywhere, any candidates, anytime. Just let me know where to show up."

Again for the record, we have, and will make available, the emails attempting to set up First Selectman and Selectmen candidate debates. And as we all know, emails are dated.

Rick Albrecht

The majority of the people hours needed for the many functions and programs required for the smooth running of the Town of Killingworth are preformed by volunteers - both elected and appointed.

Every two years we have municipal elections for certain standing boards and commissions. Not everyone, however, is willing to withstand the rigors of a political campaign in order to donate their time and talents. The elected positions are for two to fours years. Sometimes there are fewer interested folks than positions available.

For those still wanting to serve there is another option. There are well over one hundred appointed positions on permanent boards, commissions, committees, subcommittees and ad hoc committees. These commitments may be for as long three years or as short as one year or less if their charge is for a limited and specific task. There currently are quite a number of vacancies at this level also.

The commitment for the elected or appointed positions may be as little as a couple of hours a month or several hours a week. Some are reluctant to serve because they are uncertain of the commitment.

The best way to encourage volunteerism is to show support, appreciation and respect for the work or tasks performed by the participants. Their tasks, quite often require investigations and compilations of information that may be needed to make decisions for future needs. The findings of a group or the results of their deliberations are just that and don't reflect uninformed personal opinions.

When we find a willing constituent, I have noticed that they are suddenly on a second or even third committee. They burn out quickly and then are reluctant to get involved again.

During my forty years of involvement at all levels of municipal service and other local civic organizations, I have met many residents and I know of their diverse talents and skills. I believe some folks just need to be asked. More importantly, I know they are not doing it for the recognition so when they are done they need to be thanked.

We, as members of a vibrant community, must also remember there are service opportunities beyond the Town level. Our Volunteer Fire Company and Ambulance service, Historical Society, Land Trust, Youth Athletics, and other associations including our great Killingworth Library, rely on volunteer support.

In closing, I would ask that you look around and see where you think your talents could help your fellow residents and then step forward.