We-Ha.com is offering our readers the opportunity to meet the candidates running in the Nov. 7, 2023 municipal election.
Compiled by Ronni Newton
We-Ha.com is offering our readers the opportunity to “Meet the Candidate” – designed to help them get to know the candidates running for office in the 2023 municipal election.
Identical questionnaires have been sent to all candidates, and each profile received has been submitted directly to We-Ha.com by the candidate or the candidate’s campaign management. The responses have not been edited but have been formatted to match our publication style. Questions left blank have been deleted.
As profiles are received, they will be published on We-Ha.com under the “Government” tab. We-Ha.com is not making endorsements of any political candidates but we are publishing this information in order to assist voters in being informed and prepared when they go to the polls on Nov. 7.
If you are a candidate and wish to submit a profile, please return it by email to Ronni Newton at [email protected] as soon as possible.
TOWN COUNCIL CANDIDATE
Name: Deb Polun
Party affiliation: Democrat
Family information: I am married to Ian, a school principal, and we have two kids: Jordan (age 25), a software developer who is married to Abbey; and Megan (age 22), a nonprofit program coordinator. My parents also live in town.
Primary occupation: I am the Chief Strategy Officer at the Community Health Center Association of CT.
Previous political experience: I served on the Board of Education from 2017-2022 (including as Chair from 2019-2021), and I have served on Town Council since being appointed to fill a vacancy last November.
Other relevant experience that may be related to your desire to serve the community, and further qualifies you for the office you are seeking: I have a long record of volunteering in our community, through our schools, my synagogue, the Jewish Community Relations Council, and the West Hartford Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities.
On Town Council, I currently am chair of the Human & Community Services Committee and vice-chair of the Finance & Administration Committee.
Why are you running for office? I love West Hartford and believe strongly in community service. We have many important decisions to make together – including about development, town services, and our budget – and I want to continue to bring my experience, collaborative spirit, hard work, and pragmatism to my role on Town Council.
There have recently been numerous residential and commercial developments considered by the Town Council, and there are others in the pipeline. What is your overall opinion of the pace of development in West Hartford? I support a balanced approach to development.
As a Town Council, we have worked to increase housing supply across the income spectrum and across town. If elected, I will continue to support policies that make it easier for people of all ages and backgrounds to move into West Hartford – and to stay in West Hartford as their housing needs change.
We must carefully consider proposals for commercial development. I support our existing businesses, and I have enjoyed seeing new restaurants, stores, and services come to town. New developments should be good partners with our residents, particularly their neighbors, as well as existing businesses.
Our measured approach includes ensuring that our infrastructure, public safety departments, and school system can handle additional residents, visitors, and employees.
What issue(s) are your primary area of focus? My priorities are:
1) Continuing responsible, transparent budgeting. Our budget must include community input, maintain our high bond rating, adequately fund our retirement obligations, and set West Hartford up for a successful future;
2) A balanced approach to housing development that provides additional options for present and future residents of all ages and backgrounds; and,
3) Maintaining our high-level services, including our amazing schools, libraries, recreational opportunities, social services, and senior centers.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing West Hartford today, and how do you plan to address it if elected? West Hartford is a desirable place to live, work, and play. The biggest challenge we face is balancing our need for growth and change with our desire to maintain our community.
Many towns across our state have resisted change altogether, and they have vacant storefronts, neglected neighborhoods, and a shrinking tax base. Here in West Hartford, we want to continue to be a vibrant, dynamic community, and our Town Council has shown leadership in achieving this balance to date.
For example, across town, we see both new housing developments and attention to our natural spaces, such as the extension of the Trout Brook Trail. We are building a new Elmwood Community Center, that will provide programming for people of all ages, a new library, and a better connection to Beachland Park. We are working with residents and experts to improve traffic flow and safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
All of these components are key to maintaining West Hartford’s vitality and community.
What do you feel differentiates you from the candidates from other parties also running for this position? I have worked in the field of public policy for 25 years, and I am passionate about helping people, and our town, achieve and succeed. I bring a pragmatic approach to addressing challenges, that includes input from residents and others, as well as researching what works well elsewhere.
Anything else you would like to share relevant to earning votes on Nov. 7? I truly enjoy working with you and on your behalf as a member of the Town Council. I will always listen, and then seek to implement practical solutions to make West Hartford a better community for all of us. I would appreciate your support!
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