Darien Elections 2021
Darien Town Hall trees

2021 League of Women Voter’s Guide to Candidates — PART THREE: PLANNING AND ZONING, OTHER OFFICES

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Compiled each year as a public service by the League of Women Voters of Darien. This Voters’ Guide is designed to provide information about the candidates to the public in a nonpartisan and balanced way to assist them in casting an informed vote on Election Day. Questionnaires were submitted to candidates for local offices, asking one or more office related questions. Responses were limited to a specific word count and are printed exactly as submitted by the candidates. For every ballot position, a voter may write in the name of someone who is not listed as a candidate on a separate line at the bottom of the ballot for “Write-In Votes.”

In the State of Connecticut for those votes to be counted, the individual whose name is being written in, must have registered with the Secretary of State.

Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor Theodore Roosevelt

Guess How Much Darien Sends to the State Government in Taxes

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To the editor:

I‘ve lived in Darien for 35 years and served as a public official for 28 years (12 years on the Representative Town Meeting and 16 years as your town treasurer). But, I’ve never heard of the situation that occurred on Sept. 26! That day, two U.S. senators and a U.S. congressmen came to Darien to insert themselves into our First Selectman race supporting the Democratic candidate. Why so involved in our small town of about 21,000 people and a local political race?

Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor Newspapers Periodicals

Selectman Sarah Neuman Is an Organizer With Long Experience Leading Groups in Town

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To the editor:

Sarah Neuman is a skilled organizer, effective communicator, and selfless advocate for others. Her candidacy for the Board of Selectmen meets the needs of our town. We met Sarah almost 20 years ago and have been continually impressed with her caring and dedication towards others that has extended to the town of Darien. Our families bonded through our children and have remained very close over the prior two decades. Through her volunteer work, Sarah delivers a positive experience for the people and businesses of Darien.

Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor Swords WWII

Stacey Tie and Julie Best: Tireless Leadership, a Firm Grasp of Education Issues

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To the Editor:
As we have seen over the past 18 months, public service in support of our schools can be a challenging and thankless endeavor. That’s why I am so thankful that Stacey Tie and Julie Best are willing to step forward and serve our students as members of the Darien Board of Education at such a pivotal time. Our students would be so fortunate to have Stacey and Julie as advocates at the table on their behalf. For years, Stacey has been my “go-to” when navigating school issues — particularly as my son’s special education journey began. She has an uncanny way of getting to the heart of any matter with reasoned logic and an impressive level of patience for details.

Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor Thomas Jefferson

Candidates Julie Best and Stacey Tie Have Dedicated Their Time to Darien Schools for Years

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To the editor:

It is with great enthusiasm that I write a letter of support for Julie Best and Stacey Tie for Darien’s Board of Education in 2021. Julie Best and Stacey Tie have each spent years working in a wide range of capacities within the Darien PTO organizations as well as town government to improve our schools and our community. As a current parent of students in the Darien district, I am grateful for their ever-present support, experience and dedication, helping our students, parents and schools navigate a year and a half of unforeseen challenges. In addition to their work on our various school TPO organizations, Stacey Tie has served on the RTM and its Finance and Budget committee since 2016 and offers experience in all aspects and challenges of our district’s budgets while Julie Best has served in numerous PTO organizations in Darien, with her most recent leadership role as the co-chair of the Council of Darien School Parents, the umbrella organization for all Darien PTOs. I feel their dedication, energy and creative thinking will offer our community the passion, leadership and partnership we are looking for at this time.

Education
Letter to the Editor Horse brown

Stacey Tie Has Integrity, a Strong Urge to Help Darien Educate Its Kids and Is Familiar With the Budget

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To the editor:

I write in support of Stacey Tie’s candidacy for a seat on the Board of Education. Stacey has so many qualities that will make her an ideal BOE member. Topping the list: integrity. Stacey’s decisions will be principled and rooted, above all else, in what’s best for our children. Stacey brings to bear a unique array of relevant experience that will guide her service on the BOE.

Board of Education Election 2021
Letter to the Editor Pilgrim

Ignore the National Culture Wars, Stacey Tie and Julie Best Have a Pragmatic Focus on Darien’s Needs

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To the editor:

We’ve all sought out new activities during the pandemic as we’ve all had so much more free time at home. For me, I spent more time paying attention to our local government. Zoom enabled viewing town council and school board meetings with an ease that didn’t exist before. Mostly, I was interested in how the pandemic was affecting Darien, and especially how town officials were managing and planning school activities. I’m not a particularly political person, and when we moved to town a decade ago I was impressed by the moderate pragmatism that defined both the Democratic and Republican politicians in town.

Board of Education Election 2021
Letter to the Editor Train

On the Board of Education, Julie Best and Stacey Tie Will Ask the Hard Questions

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To the editor:

On Nov. 2, we, the Darien community, have the opportunity to elect two experienced and passionate Board of Education candidates, Julie Best and Stacey Tie. I am able to share a unique perspective as I have worked closely and served on the Tokeneke Elementary PTO Board as well as the Council of Darien School Parents (CDSP) Executive Board with both of these dynamic women. From our years of working together, I can tell you firsthand they are natural leaders who have the drive and dedication to be instrumental members of the Board of Education. Julie has held numerous volunteer positions such as Tokeneke PTO co-chair, Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival co-chair and most recently as the co-chair of the CDSP.

Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor coin USA 2 CENTS

Board of Ed Candidate Julie Best Is Smart, Sensible, Fair and Has Put in the Work

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To the editor:

I encourage all my fellow Darienites to support Julie Best for the Board of Education. I have known Julie for over a decade and have seen first-hand her dedication to our town, its families and schools. Since 2009, Julie has served our town in many capacities. She has traveled to Hartford more than once to advocate for our schools and students. Most recently, she served for three years as co-chair of the Council of Darien School Parents.

Darien Elections 2021
Letter to the Editor Horse brown

Two Candidates for Board of Ed: Calming, Wise, Thoughtful and Fair

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To the editor:

I have had the privilege and the pleasure to work closely with two of the Board of Education candidates over the past 10 years. First, as part of the Tokeneke PTO, where Julie Best served in various leadership roles instrumental in improving the parent community, including co-chair, vice-chair, and Pumpkin Carnival co-chair. I met Stacey Tie when she served as Tokeneke PTO’s special education chair, and I had a child receiving services for the first time. She was a calming influence, and someone I could go to with questions I wasn’t comfortable asking the administration. I was not alone in that, and know dozens of parents who have benefited from Stacey’s wise council over the years.

Darien Elections 2021
Letter to the Editor Train

Julie Best and Stacey Tie Have Sound Knowledge and a Track Record of Involvement in Darien Education

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To the editor:

Many Darien residents, like me, have children who have moved onto college and beyond but are still vested in the standard of education in Darien Public Schools. We are no longer privy to each school’s daily goings on, but we care about the education our neighbor’s children or grandchildren are receiving. Our highly ranked Darien public school system is partly what makes our community so desirable. Agree? Let’s therefore be energized and informed about electing the right candidates to the Darien Board of Education, who work tirelessly and communicate transparently to us all.

Darien Elections 2021
Letter to the Editor Swords WWII

Praise for Two Board of Ed Candidates: Stacey Tie Has Expertise, Julie Best Has Vision, Empathy

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To the editor,
Volunteers transform a town into a community. These people understand commitment and what it means to serve. When I saw that Stacey Tie and Julie Best were running in the upcoming election for the Board of Education on Nov. 2, I knew they were the only choice to represent all of our children and support our teachers. Students think and learn differently.

Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor Abraham Lincoln

In Support of David Brown and Tara Wurm for Board of Education

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To the editor,

I’m voting for Dave Brown and Tara Wurm for Board of Education this fall, as they will represent our entire community, including the best interest of our children. This past fall many parents spoke up with concerns on how the schools were opened. It is our duty and privilege as citizens to question our elected officials. I shared the personal impacts quarantine had on our family. When I shared my concerns with Dave, he really listened to my concerns.

Board of Education Election 2021
Letter to the Editor Thomas Jefferson

RTM Member Endorses Julie Best, Stacey Tie for Board of Education

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To the editor:

Darien voters will have a once in a decade opportunity to vote for two senior leaders of the Council of Darien School Parents (CDSP), Julie Best and Stacey Tié, as new members of the Board of Education this November. Julie, who has served on the executive board of the CDSP for the past four years has worked with three past superintendents, two Board of Education chairs and through one global pandemic. She has helped improve communications between the parent teacher organizations, served on the Strategic Planning Committee for the district and has three children who have been through the town’s schools for the past 11 years. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and a strong advocate for the value of every student. Stacey who has been on the CDSP for seven years, has worked tirelessly as the chair of the Special Education and Budget Committees in addition to serving on the Town’s Finance & Budget Committee as a colleague to me.