We-Ha.com is offering our readers the opportunity to meet the candidates running in the Nov. 5, 2019, 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 2019 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. 5.

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.

Candidate Name: Essie Labrot

Party, position seeking: Town Clerk – Democrat

Political experience: Town Clerk since January 2008

Why are you running for office? Although the Office of the Town Clerk is an elected one, the job itself is Administrative, which manages all the activities of the Town Clerk’s office – Land Records, Vital Records, Licenses and Permits, Absentee Ballots, and other important documents. As Town Council Clerk, I also manage the Town Council meetings and public hearings, and am the official custodian of the Town’s Public Records. The Town Clerk’s office processes over 25,000 transactions per year, and takes in between one million and 2 million dollars per year in fees and revenue to the town.

Since my re-election in 2015, I have introduced many cost saving efficiencies, such as offering credit/debit cards for office transactions, a new Electronic Agenda Management system for our Council Meetings and a new Absentee Ballot system. I have been very involved with the State Town Clerk’s Association, and was instrumental in successfully lobbying for Legislative Action that resulted in our Town annually receiving thousands of dollars in additional revenue.

I have also continually strived to improve my professional skills – In 2016 I received my Master Certification from the State of CT, and in 2019, a Master Municipal Clerk designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

In 2017, I was given the high honor of “Town Clerk of the Year” by 168 of my colleagues in CT.

Along with a strong supportive management team, our town offices are continuously striving to provide top notch courteous and efficient services to our citizens through the most modern and cost effective methods available.

It has been a pleasure serving these last 12 years in this award winning town, and I hope to continue to serve another four years.

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