As I look in the rearview mirror at the past 20 months of my term as First Selectman, I’m pleased with the work that has been accomplished in spite of the pandemic. Navigating the virtual platform was challenging yet enabled us to keep moving forward with business as usual. Town offices stayed available to the public, even if by appointment only. It was my objective to not let progress slow down as we faced the uncharted waters of a pandemic. We were one of the first Towns in Connecticut to orchestrate a hybrid-style town meeting. I am working to ensure that hybrid-style meetings will be available in the future. Thanks to our partnership with Thompson Public Schools IT department, we will be upgrading our broadband infrastructure at Town Hall to enable the combination of live and virtual meetings regularly. I have worked to advocate for Dam Safety at both the Langer Pond Dam and North Grosvenordale Pond Dam. Thompson Animal Control Services were reopened, which is a win for our two and four legged residents alike. A rehabilitation district was established to encourage renovation and restoration of multi-family houses near the Route 12 corridor by providing long term tax relief through assessment reduction. Additionally, we were awarded a 2.1 million dollar LOTCIP grant for new sidewalks in the Route 12 corridor which will further enhance the Mill District. Fire and EMS volunteers are an asset to our community, and I am proud that we were able to say THANK YOU for their service by providing them with some additional tax relief. With a goal of seeking grant funding for the Buckley Hill Road bridge replacement project, I prioritized funding for preliminary engineering work to be performed this summer. This preliminary engineering work is a prerequisite for receiving state aid to fund the complete project. Inspection of bridges under 20 feet long were neglected in previous years and are past due. Therefore, bridge inspections are now a priority and will move forward this summer. It is important that the Town of Thompson see beyond the present and have a vision and a plan to accomplish future needs.
I have a vision and it is three-fold. First, I envision a continued and expanded partnership between Town Offices and Thompson Public Schools. It is important to continue to share services and resources because in the long term, this will save taxpayer dollars. Additionally, sharing services and working together forges a strong community spirit.
Second, my vision includes stable and consistent funding for targeted planned infrastructure projects. We are on a trajectory to have a road and bridge maintenance program in place to ensure our roads are the best quality and our bridges are safe and secure. It is important for the Town to continue the momentum so that long-neglected projects can be completed.
My third and greatest vision for Thompson is economic development. Although, there may never be a suitable location for an Industrial Park, there are various pockets of existing industry that could be expanded. Additionally, I am investigating potential on/off ramp access to I395 - both North and Southbound - via Route 193 near Route 12. I am currently speaking with stakeholders and arranging a meeting with our State leaders to demonstrate to the State of Connecticut DOT that this is a worthy project. It is time to let the region know that Thompson is “open for business.” We are a prime location in this region, and we are more than a bedroom community. Industry is vital to help with keeping the tax rate low, creating good paying jobs for our residents, and sustaining Thompson into the future.
Thank you for putting your trust in me these last 20 months. It has been an honor for me to serve the people of Thompson.