The Candidates: Legislative Council At Large

THE REPUBLICANS:

Austin T. Cesare
Republican Candidate for Council At Large 

Occupation: Teacher, Advanced Placement Government and Politics, Advanced Placement United States History for the Milford Public Schools. 
Experience: Current member of the Hamden Board of Education, Chairman of the Curriculum Committee, Member of the Finance Committee, Past Vice Chair, Hamden Republican Party. 
What he says: I believe I have the necessary qualifications to serve on the Hamden Legislative Council. I have served the town in many capacities. I was a member of the Hamden Inland Wetlands Commission from 2003-2005, as a member of the Hamden Board of Education from 2005-Present, and I have also been an organizer of the Frank P. Cesare Memorial Golf Tournament, which has raised over $75,000 for public safety initiatives for the town.

I was born and raised in Hamden, attending Church Street School, Barry Jr. High School, and graduating from Hamden High School in 1993. I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and History, and earned a Masters in History in 2004. I am also an adjunct faculty member of the history department for the University of Connecticut (Early College Experience program). 

I look forward to fighting for responsible spending and to keep our mill rate stable. I have been known as a fiscal conservative on the Board of Education, and look forward to doing the same on the Legislative Council if I am fortunate to earn your vote.

Rosalie Cavanaugh
Republican Candidate for Council At Large 
Occupation: Organizing Consultant
Experience: Current member for 19 years as Secretary and currently Vice President for the Greater Hamden Plains / Wintergreen Civic Association, Board member of Friends of the Hamden Library, Secretary for the Hamden Republican Town Committee, Commission member of the Hamden Commission on Disabilities.

What she says: First and foremost, if ALL candidates that get elected into office realize they are there on behalf of the VOTERS and not themselves, and vote according to the voice of the voters, government would operate a lot more effectively! The currant way of doing business clearly is not working to the benefit of the taxpayer as a whole. Having said this, I feel I have the ability to vote fairly and in a non partisan way, while still keeping true to my word to hold down excess spending. My motto has always been "cut the spending" not "stop the spending where needed"

There will be times I'm sure that I will have to weigh the benefit of voting "yes" to spending, which will likely go against my word, but if the vote of  "yes" is for the better good of the town citizens, then I will vote "yes".  What I won't vote for is increased spending for salaries when town employees are losing their jobs!  If the town feels it is in financial distress that it needs to cut spending by laying off town employees, then the town has no right giving raises to those who have not lost  their jobs. I will make sure we have the money for the following town services without fail. They are: 1.Fire, police, EMS and civil preparedness; 2. Teachers; 3. Public Works, and 4. Taxpayer relief. 

The more things stay the same, the worst things get. Let's change things to get a better outcome. Thank you.

Tim Sullivan
Republican candidate for Council At-Large
Occupation: Retired Fire Chief 

What he says: I am a candidate for Hamden Town Council, November 2011. I have lived in this Town for 50 years and have witnessed improvements as well as decline.

Because of the current state of our Town (yearly tax increases, declining infrastructure, poor roads, poor leadership due to out of control spending on legal issues that could have been resolved but haven't due to ignorance of labor issues ) I feel obligated to run for office.

I have never seen so many "For Sale" signs in Hamden and fear that more and more people will leave this Town, for better quality of life and lower taxes. Therefore, I hope you will consider me when voting this November. Thanks for you support.

Incumbent Republican Betty Wetmore is the fourth Republican candidate on the ballot for At-Large. She did not submit information.

THE DEMOCRATS:

The following information is taken from the candidate's campaign literature:

Al Gorman
Democratic candidate Council At-Large
Occupation: Education

Gorman has served on the Legislative Council for five terms. He is the president of the Hamden Historical Society and a past chairman of the Hamden Arts Commission. He also served on the Town Building Committee, the Historic Properties Commission, the Friends of Brooksvale Park and the West Woods Neighborhood Association and is a Hamden Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow.

He is an educator with 35 years of teaching experience in New Haven and is a consultant for ACES. He graduated from Providence College and received post-graduate degree from Southern Connecticut State University.

Jack Kennelly
Democratic candidate for Council At-Large
Occupation: Retired Police Chief

Kennelly has served four terms on the Legislative Council, and in that time has served as Majority Leader, President, Pro-Tem and chairman of the Public Works and Engineering committees. He also serves on the Town Building Committee and was appointed interim Public Works Director last year.

Kenelly spent 30 years in public safety. He graduated from the FBI Training Academy and the University of New Haven. 

A lifelong Hamden resident, Kennelly also is a member of the Dunbar Hill and Wintergreen Civic Associations. 

Carol Noble 
Democratic candidate for Council At-Large
Occupation: retired educator

Noble has served nine terms on the Legislative Council, including stints as president, president pro-tem, majority leader and has chaired numerous committees, including Finance and Administration and the School Building Committee. She is currently the chair of the Planning and Development Committee and also serves on the Town Building Committee.

She served the Hamden Public Schools as a reading consultant for 25 years and is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University.

Berita Rowe-Lewis
Democratic candidate for Council At-Large
Occupation: Management professional 

Rowe-Lewis has served two terms on the Legislative Council, during which time she served as chairman of the Human Services and Public Works and Engineering committees. She also has served as the deputy chairman of the Economic Development Committee and the Recreation and Parks Committee.

She is a member of the town's Community Development Advisory Committee and is a liaison between the Highville Mustard Seed Corporation and the state Department of Education.

She did her undergraduate work at Southern Connecticut State University and earned a master's degree at the University of New Haven. She works as a management professional at Yale-New Haven Hospital and is a trained Diversity Facilitator and Community Mediation Specialist.

Democratic candidate's goals:
Immediate goals of the four Democratic candidates include the construction of a regional animal shelter, construction of a fire station and headquarters in southern Hamden and advocating more efficient government. 

Long-term goals of the Democrats include providing fiscal accountability for all departments, promoting cooperation between the council and the Board of Education, working with state leadership on education funding, supporting a "business friendly" community to increase the tax base, maintaining the town's neighborhood character and encouraging citizen participation in government.