We-Ha.com welcomes Letters to the Editor from the public, including endorsements, but letters submitted by political candidates within 60 days of an election will not be published. Please provide your name and town, as well as your phone number at the end of the letter. Phone numbers will not be published but are required in case verification is needed. Please submit letters to [email protected].

Dear Editor,

West Hartford could use some fresh leadership on the Town Council, and I am writing to endorse Ryan S. Langan to be a part of that new leadership.

Ryan grew up in West Hartford and graduated from Conard in 1995. He has worked for the Federal Government in international trade policy, and for General Electric in a very important national leadership role for GE’s financial services and renewable energy industries. Currently, Ryan is the GM for Sales & Business Development at Doosan Fuel Cell America, which manufactures renewable energy systems in South Windsor, CT.

Ryan is my friend and fellow volunteer member of the West Hartford Exchange Club, which is the local chapter of a national civic organization that raises money to support local youth initiatives and our organization’s primary goal is the prevention of child abuse, including the support of mothers who need assistance during unsafe or unhealthy circumstances in their lives.

I know that Ryan is committed to keeping West Hartford an open, inclusive community and one of the best in Connecticut. As a former government policy employee and now as senior manager in the private manufacturing sector within our state, I believe that Ryan offers us a unique, real-life, valuable and new prospective for West Hartford’s town council. Ryan clearly recognizes the challenges we face because of the state budget crisis and the ever-increasing tax burden West Hartford residents bear. Without change, West Hartford will continue to see families moving out of town, reducing both our tax base and public services.

Ryan has exceptional public and private experiences as well as the enthusiasm to address these challenges head-on with a clean slate to work in collaboration with the experiences of the other Council members to propose, evaluate and ultimately make the necessary decisions to bring smarter spending to our town. Please consider joining my support for Ryan Langan, West Hartford Town Council.

Michael Haeflich
West Hartford