Introduction to why I'm running for office

My family has always taken an interest in their community. My grandfather was a Fire Commissioner in his hometown. My father served on the Shelton Conservation Commission in the 1970s, when the Route 8 and Commerce Drive areas were constructed.
I followed their example when I was appointed by the Mayor to serve on the Conservation Commission in 1998, having now served nearly a quarter century over multiple two and three year terms through present day. My current Conservation Commissioner term expires in Aug2024.
If elected to the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC), the Charter prohibits a PZC Commissioner from serving in any other elected or appointed position in the City. Thus, if elected I will have to resign from the Conservation Commission. If not elected, I will continue in my role on the Conservation Commission through at least 2024.
I have been a PZC Alternate member at one point (when the Charter nuance was discovered and I had to resign), I have been on the PZC Sub-Committee that updated the City's "Master Plan" (technically called the "Plan of Conservation & Development") which considers everything in the town from Education to Police, Traffic flows and Sewer infrastructure, etc; and lays out goals or recommendations for leadership and administration to implement throughout various departments or agents. I have served on the Public Improvement Building Committee (ad-hoc committee for the City to make capital improvements to various facilities). I currently also serve on the Board of Directors for the Shelton Economic Development Corporation, a non-profit which has been primarily focused on the downtown's redevelopment and remediation for former industrial buildings in the Canal Street area.
The Planning & Zoning Commission I seek to be a part of, is a regulatory agency of the City, making declarative rulings to approve or deny applications for development such as subdivisions, zoning applications, etc. The Conservation Commission is an advisory body, assisting decision makers at the Planning & Zoning Commission, or Board of Alderman, as to the environmental aspects of a location to consider in their deliberations.
In a nutshell, after 25yrs of providing advice for others to decide upon, I feel it is time for me to step into a role of using my quarter of a century's knowledge toward making the decisions. I hope you will support me on the ballot to be elected for that role.
Sincerely - TomH-ForShelton

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