How We'll Govern

We will develop a comprehensive, forward-thinking plan to grow Fairfield’s economy and expand the grand list while maintaining the town’s charm and character. We will ensure an integrated approach that considers all stakeholders in town and considers quality of life issues like traffic, accessibility, parking, and open space. We will support our small businesses, the backbone of our town’s economy, with the resources and tools to be successful. By fostering a vibrant, diverse, and sustainable economy, we can create new opportunities, attract investments, create jobs, and ensure long-term prosperity for Fairfield.

A comprehensive, high-quality public school system is a critical investment in the next generation, increases property values, and draws new residents to town. We are committed to properly funding the Fairfield Public Schools so we can attract and retain qualified educational professionals and provide a safe and healthy learning environment for our children. Like many towns, our investment in public education represents the largest portion of our town budget. We are committed to collaborating with the Board of Education to explore ways to make both the town administration and school system more efficient.

We are committed to bringing good governance back to Fairfield. This includes ensuring proper checks and balances, increasing transparency, and ensuring accountability at all levels of government. We will prioritize hiring and appointing highly qualified professionals to manage our town’s affairs, while also ensuring they have the necessary resources to do their jobs effectively. Our Town Charter is a foundational document that outlines the principles and values that our community holds dear and dictates, at the most basic level, how our Town should be run. If elected, we will ensure that our town government adheres to the Charter and that it is used as a guiding document for all decision-making.

We maintain a vision for Fairfield as an inclusive and welcoming place for people of all backgrounds to call home. Thoughtfully located, accessible housing allows our seniors, young families, first responders, teachers, and other young professionals to live in and contribute to our vibrant community. As opposed to the largely passive-reactive involvement in development projects after they are initiated, we believe in an intelligent, proactive approach that can create diverse, attractive housing options that cater to the needs of different residents while maintaining the overall character Fairfield is known and loved for. Bill Gerber describes how Fairfield can mitigate the negative impact of excessive development and achieve more diverse housing options HERE.

No town is truly successful if its residents do not feel safe. Our police, firefighters, and other first responders help protect us in many aspects of our daily lives. We, in turn, are committed to providing them with the necessary tools - funding, specialized training, and support - they need to responsibly and safely carry out their jobs. We want to create more opportunities for day-to-day social interaction between our residents and our public safety officers to foster a climate of trust, respect, and open communication. We believe in increasing and integrating Fairfield’s social services and mental health resources to complement police work, which will make Fairfield a safer place for everyone.

Fairfield is blessed with many beautiful natural spaces, including miles of coastline. Our town, and everyone and everything in it, are at increasing risk from sea-level rise, coastal flooding, and volatile, extreme weather. We will invest in resiliency efforts by implementing policies that protect our local environment, and involve all stakeholders when developing sustainable practices. This includes investing in first responders and all systems necessary to keep residents safe during severe weather events.

Traffic and related safety issues degrade the quality of life of everyone who spends time in Fairfield. Complete Streets is a policy and design approach that is nationally recognized and takes everyone who uses a road into consideration. On October 23, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) approved Bill's Safe and Livable Streets ordinance, making implementing the Complete Streets ordinance the law. We are committed to improving the scope and pace of Fairfield's transformation into a safer, more walking, biking, and driving-friendly community and providing more ways for people of all ages and abilities to physically engage with our community. Read more HERE.

We are dedicated to protecting and supporting our senior citizens, who are so important to our community. Our initiatives will include investment in the Bigelow Center for Senior Activities, property tax incentives, safe and livable streets, and senior support services provided by both the town and local nonprofits. We pledge to provide resources and programs that promote the well-being and quality of life for seniors, enabling them to retire comfortably and remain socially and emotionally connected in the town they contributed to and wish to remain in. By valuing and caring for our seniors, we strengthen the fabric of our community.

We believe that responsible fiscal policy is essential to long-term economic growth and stability. We are committed to implementing processes, systems, and checks and balances to ensure tax dollars are spent appropriately and transparently. We support investing in education, infrastructure, job creation, and diverse housing stock. We will work to balance the needs of our community with fiscal responsibility, ensuring wise investment of tax dollars for everyone’s benefit. This will help Fairfield grow into a stronger, more prosperous, and equitable community for all.