"It's been my privilege to lead Simsbury through a period of unprecedented transition as we adopted a new form of government. I will continue to work in a bi-partisan manner to keep our schools and services strong, while keeping our town affordable." - Eric Wellman
We are constantly trying to balance the things we need to pay for (great schools, parks, roads, police) with the need to keep our town as affordable as possible for all who live here. I am working to do this in two ways: continuing to build our tax base through sensible economic development; and promoting efficiencies through greater cooperation.
Along with being your First Selectman, I work outside of town as a business consultant who helps organizations find more efficient ways of working. I have worked hard to bring this same mindset to the town. I am a big proponent of regional cooperation, when it makes sense, and meet monthly with elected officials from our neighboring towns to share experiences and discuss opportunities.
Simsbury is a town that continues to grow. That growth needs to be carefully managed and balanced so we don’t lose the sense of place that makes Simsbury such a special place to live. Under my leadership, we have created a new Economic Development Commission, which is working on four specific priorities to ensure Simsbury is in the best position possible to attract tax-paying businesses that are an appropriate fit for our town.
I am passionate protecting our natural resources and the environment. Under my leadership, Simsbury became a member of Sustainable CT, which is giving us access to resources to develop a strategic roadmap of sustainable projects.
Our town government exists for no other purpose than to serve its residents, which is why I am a big proponent of using data to drive better decisions and improve efficiency. That’s exactly the work I do in the private sector, where I have seen first-hand how leveraging data can save organizations money, while improving customer and employee satisfaction. I also believe we need to be transparent in how we share that data with the public and build our budgets. I think there is an opportunity for each town department to become more sophisticated in the way it collects, analyzes, and uses data to continuously improve how we serve you, our residents. Becoming more sophisticated in our data strategy is an approach I will continue to champion as your First Selectman.
I am proud of Simsbury’s infrastructure, from our roads, to our parks, to Simsbury Farms. I am excited that the new park by the Flower Bridge that’s under construction will be ready to unveil in time for Simsbury’s 350th Anniversary celebration. The park will make the Flower Bridge even more of a destination and improve access to the Farmington River for canoes and kayakers.
Simsbury’s population is aging and we need to promote policies that allow seniors to stay connected and pass budgets that are respectful to people on fixed incomes.
In 2018 we introduced a weekly café style lunch at the Senior Center. I am actively engaged with the Aging and Disability Commission on a program that would allow our residents to borrow various kinds of durable medical equipment like crutches and wheel chairs, at no cost. We are also preparing to test an Uber-like concept that would allow seniors to schedule private rides to the grocery or appointments. The program would rely on volunteer drivers who are vetted and trained.