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Election in Guilford will mark some changesGUILFORD, Oct 29, 2009 (New Haven Register - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Next week's election will bring a new era to town as it marks the beginning of four-year terms for all selectmen, and puts a fresh face in the town's top spot. Democrat Gary MacElhiney and Republican Joseph Mazza will vie for the position of first selectman, as incumbent Carl Balestracci steps down after serving since 2005 and from 2001-03. MacElhiney, chairman of the Land Acquisition Commission, and Mazza, a selectman for six years, both have financial backgrounds, but tout their work skills and elected experience as critical factors in their candidacies. "It's my 16 years in elected office versus his zero years in elected office," said Mazza, who also spent 10 years on the Board of Finance and said being on the Board of Selectmen is crucial to preparing to lead the town. Mazza owns an accounting firm. "I could step in on Day 1. It's essential to have been on the Board of Selectmen already because of the current financial situation in town. There's no time for a learning curve," he said. But MacElhiney, who also served as vice chairman of the shellfish commission, says the positions of selectman and first selectman require different skills and serving as a selectman won't necessarily ready someone to be successful in the top spot. He said not having served on the board would benefit him when developing a budget, as would his experience in previously managing a "budget and staff larger than the town of Guilford" at banking institution Hartford National Corp. "I'm not committed to the entire budget and haven't been part of preparing it for an extended period of time, so I can look fresh at each and every item and question each and every item and find what needs to be maintained and what needs to be reviewed or trimmed," said MacElhiney, who has worked as a business consultant for 15 years. Both agree that making town departments more efficient while maintaining services is necessary in this economic climate. MacElhiney said he doesn't think any particular department or service is in danger, but they all need to be reviewed. Mazza said he hopes to institute a hiring freeze so vacant positions aren't filled and, instead, responsibilities are spread around to ensure all other employees can keep their jobs. Spending needs to be cut, they say, and Mazza argues town finances are in tough shape. "In good times, we shouldn't have relied on the fund balance as much we did to balance the budget," Mazza said, adding that the town relies too often on expensive consultants. MacElhiney said one of his priorities, if elected, is to increase communication with taxpayers through print media, selectman's forums and speeches with town groups. "They deserve to know how and why money is being spent and what benefits they get out of it," he said. "What I learned from coordinating the East River Preserve purchase and referendum is that if you communicate issues clearly, people respond." While both men say economic development should be a focus for the next first selectman, they added that encouraging current companies to stay and grow is as important. "If that's accomplished successfully, it will attract other businesses and provide more opportunities for construction and development," MacElhiney said. He added that town government needs to help businesses communicate with one another, create merchant associations and promote tourism. Mazza criticized what he termed the Planning and Zoning Board's failed move last year to further regulate storefront signage, saying it would have hindered store growth had the policies remained. MacElhiney says he views his leadership in the town's purchase of the 624-acre East River Preserve as one of his biggest accomplishments, while Mazza says he's most proud of developing the senior tax relief program and heading the committee that wrote the original ordinance. To see more of New Haven Register, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.nhregister.com. Copyright (c) 2009, New Haven Register, Conn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |