In this letter to the Editor, I endorse Marty Klein, head of the Killingworth Progressive Party, for re-election as First Selectman of Killingworth.
I am a former Chairman of the Killingworth Democratic Town Committee; a former member of the RSD 17 Intermediate/Middle School Building Committee of the Board of Education; and I was active across numerous standing and ad hoc committees as a Killingworth resident from 1995-2005.
I have known Marty Klein for 12 years. I first met Marty when my family and I moved to Killingworth from North Carolina. I was employed there as a social scientist at Burroughs Wellcome Pharmaceuticals, and relocated to Connecticut to be closer to my family in New York, accepting a position at Bristol-Myers Pharmaceuticals.
Marty impresses me as an impassioned and candid individual. He is also tireless, with a quit wit and a wry sense of humor. Marty thinks outside the box; identifies obstacles and determines how best to negotiate a path to maintain forward movement; and is committed to progress. He reminds me of another progressive, Teddy Roosevelt: charging up San Juan Hill, guns blazing, fearless and singularly focused, determined to achieve success.
My twenty-one year old daughter Rachel, a 2004 graduate of HK High School and someone who also has the pleasure of knowing Marty well, puts it succinctly: "Marty is an intelligent man who studies issues thoroughly and thoughtfully before he finalizes his opinion. He possesses characteristics that have already made him a successful First Selectman; these qualities include his willingness to jump into controversial issues, his strong moral compass and sense of right and wrong, his outspokenness, and his ability to lead others (sometimes, whether they want to be led or not!)." I whole heartedly agree with that assessment.
It goes without saying that not everyone agrees with Marty. With respect to the recently unveiled middle school, for example, I myself had my disagreements with him during the process. However, Marty's critiques caused me to regularly rethink my positions and in the end, I believe the new school is a better structure because of his thoughtful insights.
Marty and I continue to correspond and engage one another, though I no longer reside in Killingworth. He continues to lead, to question, and to move full steam ahead, always damning those oncoming torpedoes. With no second thoughts, and with admiration and affection, I endorse Marty Klein for a second term as First Selectman of Killingworth. I encourage your readers to give him their vote.
Sincerely,
Rick Berzon, Washington DC