LETTER: Jackson is Up for the Challenge

To the Editor:

I am a lifelong resident of the Town of Hamden and have worked for the Town for the past 11½ years. During that time, I have been extensively involved in the community and have worked with many of the Town’s residents, as well as Civic Associations, Council members, elected officials, business owners, property owners, and many politicians, past and present, local and statewide.  

I’ve learned a great deal from working with such a broad range of individuals from a wide range of all walks of life; oftentimes, with competing interests. One of the most important things I have learned is that it is extraordinarily challenging to work with all of these folks and balance their interests with the interests of the entire Town as a whole.  Why anyone would want to assume this role and be Mayor of a Town is beyond me. It is truly a thankless job, especially during such challenging times.    

Hamden happens to be very fortunate to have a Mayor who is up for all of the challenges we face and who has an exemplary ability to work with the broad range of folks I mentioned to find effective, meaningful solutions to these challenges, Mayor Scott Jackson. 

There are many reasons why I support Mayor Jackson and have supported him from the beginning:

• Mayor Jackson truly loves this Town. He grew up here, his entire family lives here and he decided to raise his family here and put his kids through the same Hamden public school system that he went through. 

• Mayor Jackson takes pride in his community and is not someone who avoids the real work; he is the guy that works right alongside his neighbors to keep the neighborhood clean.

• Mayor Jackson is the kind of Mayor who works along side his Staff, rolls up his sleeves and doesn’t just delegate, but also does the work that needs to be done. 

• Mayor Jackson listens without judgment with a demeanor that is truly enviable.

• Mayor Jackson identifies, analyzes and implements solutions to problems without criticizing, placing blame or resorting to negativity.

• Mayor Jackson doesn’t politicize issues; he does the work that needs to be done even when no one is watching.

• Mayor Jackson reaches outside the borders of Hamden to build alliances with folks all across the State.  From that, he has built a Rolodex of resources that he can call on when needed and is one of the State’s leading voices on regional and collaborative problem solving.

• Mayor Jackson cares about every person in the Town of Hamden and doesn’t put one person’s needs above anyone else’s.

• Mayor Jackson recognizes all of the things that make a Town great, which is why he has focused on improving energy efficiencies, is the first Mayor to implement foreclosures on Blighted properties and has invested record levels of repair of the Town’s roads and sidewalks while also strengthening the Towns Parks and Libraries.

• Because others recognize the Mayor’s background and strengths, Mayor Jackson has served in several leadership positions in the State including the Two Storm Panel and the Sandy Hood Advisory Committee because of his non-partisan, practical problem solving abilities and because Mayor Jackson understands that these are complex problems that require careful and thoughtful research, discussion and solutions.

• Mayor Jackson brings people together and learns from everyone and everything.

• Mayor Jackson does the job not because it is easy, but because it matters.

It is for all of these reasons and many more that I am proud to call Mayor Scott Jackson my friend, my employer and to support him for another term as my Mayor. 

Holly Masi
Whitney Avenue