Letter to the Editor: Matt Fraulino

I would like to use this opportunity to thank everyone in Middletown that I met on the campaign trail over the past three months. As you may know, I was a Republican, first-time candidate for Common Council. Even though the ball did not bounce my way — I came up several hundred votes short — I had an outstanding experience.

While campaigning, I had the good fortune to meet some great people at the many community events that I attended as well as at the many, many homes that I visited while door-knocking.

By and large, everyone was very welcoming and I was constantly reminded of the special community that we have here in Middletown. During visits to each home, we undoubtedly caught many people in the midst of a chore or activity relative to their daily lives. I would like to express my appreciation to Middletown residents for their graciousness in receiving an impromptu visit from several candidates at one time.

More often than not, a great conversation came out of the visit. Whether they devoted 30 seconds or 30 minutes to our visits, I offer my sincere thanks to everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to speak with us.

I have always been proud of this city that I — along with my siblings, parents and grandparents — was born and raised. The campaign process served to galvanize my pride in the city and gave me the chance to learn that you love Middletown as much as I do.

I would also like to thank Mayor Giuliano and the Republican underticket for making me a part of their team. It was a pleasure to visit the Middletown residents with these individuals and every outing with the mayor was a lesson in Middletown as well as a living example of the reason why a person should seek public office. Mayor Giuliano’s love for this city is a love that is palpable; his knowledge of the city and emotion that he shows while talking about it will attest to this point.

I said earlier that I have always been proud of this community and am equally proud to have had Mayor Giuliano as my hometown’s leader for the past six years.

Now that there is a transition in our leadership, I ask those elected leaders to keep the prosperity of Middletown and its residents as a continued priority. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent, we must come together and respect the outcome of the election and offer our support to Mayor-Elect Drew.

There are several issues that will develop in the next two years — the merger with the Mattabassett District, securing a tenant for the Aetna property and revitalization on Main Street’s North End, amongst others — and we need our leaders to make the right decisions that will move us forward. As an employee of the Middlesex Chamber, I look forward to still being able to work with these leaders in some capacity.

Let us all be mindful to keep Middletown first.

Matt Fraulino, 2011 Republican Common Council candidate

Candidate Profile: Matthew Fraulino Common Council (R)

The below information is a part of the Eye's Elections 2011 series to provide information to voting citizens and does not represent any endorsement by the Middletown Eye or any of its authors.

Matt Fraulino is a life-long resident of the City of Middletown and is the son of Michael and Rosemary Fraulino of Middletown. Matt is a product of the City of Middletown’s fine public school system, and graduated from Middletown High School with honors.

" The key to a stronger Middletown is to actively work with people who want to invest and know the local government is there to meet their needs," said Fraulino. "Mayor Giuliano has done that and I want to help him continue that record of success."

He went on to attend the University of Connecticut in Storrs where he majored in English. At UConn, Matt became very active with the University’s men’s basketball program and was a student-manager of the program under Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun. In this capacity, Matt attended all practices and was with the team both at home as well as on the road during the NCAA mens' basketball season.

His involvement with the program reached a milestone when he aided the program as a student-manager when the Huskies captured the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship in San Antonio, TX.

Matt graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from UConn and went to work for NBA and former UConn standout Ben Gordon as his manager during his 2005-06 NBA season with the Chicago Bulls. Knowing the importance of education, Matt decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from UConn.

After completing this Master’s coursework, Matt was offered a job in by Middlesex Chamber of Commerce president Larry McHugh as the Chamber’s director of public relations and media. Matt has been with the Chamber ever since this time.

At the Chamber, Matt enjoys working as an advocate of all types of business and has grown a true appreciation for the necessity of a vibrant business environment at the local level. Along with his work at the Chamber, he volunteers for the Middletown Mentor Program and spends one hour per week during the school year as a mentor with a student in the Middletown Public School System.

Matt’s parents, Michael and Rosemary, are both employed in the Middletown public school system, and he has two siblings: Peter and Elizabeth.

As a member of the Common Council, Matt will be an advocate for business development and continue investing his time mentoring at Lawrence Elementary school where he has volunteered for the past 3 years.

http://middletownctgop.com/