To the Editor:

In my 49 years in Killingworth, 14 of them as a member of the Board of Selectmen, I have probably learned as much as there is to know about Town Hall organization and operations.

The most important lesson has been that, despite recent growth, Killingworth still, thankfully, runs like a small New England town. That means it is people who conduct our business, not procedures. Yes, we do things according to a set of rules, but those rules do not overshadow the human side of day-to-day operations.

Marty Klein will bring qualities and experience to the office of First Selectman that will go far to improve the way Killingworth serves all our residents.

His honesty, candor and compassion will inspire well-deserved trust. His inquisitive intellect and imaginative, outside-the-box approach will give us fresh answers to nagging, unresolved problems. His boundless energy and persistence will bring new vitality to Town Hall and its employees - a Town Hall Marty would like to see open on Saturdays to accommodate our hard-working residents.

I know Marty Klein can do these things because he has done them all over the world.

When Marty tackled tough projects to improve the daily lives of people in Bolivia, Poland, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia, China, Mississippi and inner city Hartford I doubt that he walked in knowing every operational detail. In fact, he was there because "business as usual" had not solved the problems he was able to solve with his unique perspective.

Throughout this campaign sharp criticism of Mr. Denvir's administration has come from the Republicans who supported him, not from the Democratic Party. That is not to say we do not see areas for improvement. We most certainly do, but we are focused on what those improvements should be, not on assigning blame.

Marty Klein represents the best of what the Democratic Party has to offer Killingworth. I urge you to vote for him, and the entire Democratic ticket, on Election Day.

Very Truly Yours,
Lou Annino, Sr.

Mr. Annino is currently a Killingworth Selectman and is not seeking re-election. He is running for a seat on the Board of Assessment Appeals