Jonathan Alderman: Candidate For Westfield Fire Commission Member

Reader submitted. The Eye publishes letters to the editor without any implication of endorsement. We welcome all signed submissions. 
 [The Westfield Fire District Annual Meeting is on Tuesday, February 4th, 8PM, in the Fire Department. All residents living with the Westfield Fire District boundaries are eligible to vote.] 
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My wife Stephanie and I have been residents of Westfield for the past twenty years. We have raised our four children here and both have strong commitment to community service in Westfield; I have served one term on the Board of Commissioners for the Westfield Fire District while Stephanie served as the president of the Moody School PTA and president of the Middlesex School Association. In Middletown our entire family worked to create a bookmobile to help improve literacy and promote a lifelong love of reading to school age children over the summer. To date more than seven thousand books have been collected and provided to the children of Middletown free of charge. This program has been recognized by Parent Teacher Leadership group, Middletown Mayor, Board of Education, and the State Legislation. Additionally I sit on the Boards of L2 diagnostics in New Haven and Mishkan Israel Synagogue in Hamden.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, earned while serving in the Connecticut National Guard, and a Master’s degree in Research Project Management. I am employed by Yale University at the School of Medicine where I am a senior research associate and lab manager. In this capacity I have fiduciary responsibility for a 3.2 million dollar annual budget, oversight of research activities, and the administration of a 40 member multifaceted research laboratory.

Over the past term I have enjoyed serving as a contributing member of the Board of Commissioners for the Westfield Fire District. This first term has provided me with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the service the department provides to our community and the important role of the Commission. I can relay to the community that the current members of the Board of Commissioners are capable, conscientious, and highly dedicated individuals who consistently act in the best interest of department and the critical role it provides our District. My strong belief in being a contributing member of our community has led me to submit my name for re-appointment to the Commission. If selected I look forward to continuing my work with the Board over the next term.