Board of Selectman Candidates Respond to Darien LWV Question

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Board of Selectmen Candidates 2015

Board of Selectmen candidates, from left: Selectman Susan Marks (R), Charles "Kip" Koons (R), Rob Richards (D), Spencer McIlmurray (unaffiliated) and Marc Thorne (D)

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Four candidates for Board of Selectman are running in the 2015 Darien election on Tuesday. Here’s how they responded (in writing) to a written question posed to them by the Darien League of Women Voters.

Board of Selectmen Candidates 2015

Board of Selectmen candidates, from left: Selectman Susan Marks (R), Charles \”Kip\” Koons (R), Rob Richards (D), Spencer McIlmurray (unaffiliated) and Marc Thorne (D)

 

From the League of Women Voters website:

Candidates for Board of Selectmen
Vote for Any TwoCandidates were asked to respond to this question:

How do you envision balancing redevelopment and infrastructure proposals while preserving our town character?

Marc Thorne (D)

Recently, our town has received three new commercial/residential development proposals for downtown Darien and Noroton Heights. Of the pending proposals, it appears that Darien can expect a larger tax base, a more attractive and walkable town center, and new housing that will appeal to both younger and older people. Our town’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Architectural Review Board are working with developers to ensure these projects will be appropriate while having little effect on existing neighborhoods.However, it is likely the relatively large projects proposed will impact Darien’s schools, traffic, drainage, sewage, and protective services (police, fire, ambulance). If I am elected, I will work to have the Board of Selectmen anticipate these issues and ensure that town Boards andCommissions listen to the concerns of residents. As a Selectman, my focus will be on the future of our town and how to keep it great.

Susan J. Marks (R)

We want residents to have choices to shop in town and to dine in town.  And we want to provide our young professional, empty nesters and seniors that same choice. We have a historic opportunity in front of us.  Instead of one-off, piece-meal development, the town can now look at downtown Darien and Noroton Heights with a strategic, long-range view. Today, several developers are doing their due diligence and looking for input from Darien residents.  While the Planning & Zoning Commission ultimately votes on any future development, the Board of Selectmen should work alongside with P & Z and the developers to ensure Darien is an attractive place to live, work and play. When done in a thoughtful manner, building height, density, addition of sidewalks, and drainage issues can and should enhance Darien’s character, not detract from it.

Spencer J. McIlmurray (Petitioning Candidate)

Darien’s identity is an amalgam of our history, current positioning, and perceptions of how well we may meet future demands. It bears directly on our abilities to sustain property values, provide core services, and address environmental constraints. As Darien moves forward, our challenge will be to achieve equilibrium between what is worthwhile and should be retained versus what should be altered or replaced entirely. The timing of the revised Town Plan of Conservation and Development is fortuitous. It identifies key themes and attributes to guide Darien’s brand building efforts for the next decade. To enhance its value, I advocate using a technology-based scorecard to gather constituent inputs routinely and bolster overall decision-making.Using core management disciplines (strategic planning, financial management, operations management), timely collections and analyses of these data should be useful for (1) gauging performance, (2) confirming priorities, and (3) improving methods to anticipate and prepare for change.

Rob Richards (D)

We live in an exciting time. Major redevelopments are beingproposed that will reshape Darien. Although the Selectmen will not be able to approve individual plans, the Selectmen arecharged with overseeing larger town-wide concerns caused byincreased development. My priorities will be to promoteeconomic development focused on encouraging people to shopand dine in our town and to expand the overall tax base of ourcommunity. I will encourage public plazas, parks, sidewalks andoutdoor green space for all ages. I brought my family to Darien not only for great schools we enjoy, but also for our comparatively low property taxes.   I want to ensure that these remains facts-of-life in Darien and that young families continue to want to move here.   If elected, I will advocate for growth that makes our town attractive to the next generation of Darienites.

Kip Koons (R)

In the past 70 years the most significant development in Darien was a result of constructing I-95. It spawned the Noroton Heights Center providing space for businesses forced to relocate and led to the creation of the Goodwives Shopping Center. Since then, commercial development was a series of one-off projects with little visual or community connection to each other. Only recently have projects beencompleted that have design and community amenities that adequately reflect Darien’s predominantly small-town residential character.Today, there is the unique opportunity to consider three large scale projects in our commercial centers that could provide a major step forward from the old one-off approach. Housing, open space, newaccess roads, walkways and parking will be significant components of each. While selectmen are specifically accountable for infrastructure issues, we can also champion long-term strategic thinking. It istime to consider the big picture and have a serious dialogue.

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