Candidate Profile: Common Council - Phil Pessina

Phil Pessina (R)
Incumbent Candidate for Common Council

Background

I was born, raised and educated in our City of Middletown and the first

member of my family to graduate from Middletown High School and

college.

I have been married to my wife Shirley of 36 years, three daughters, Carrie

Howes, Kristy & Traci Pessina; and three grandsons (Owen, Cooper & Gunnar

Howes).

Education: M.S. & B.S. Criminal Justice Administration, Forensic

Science, from the University of New Haven

Occupation: Deputy Chief of Police, Southern Connecticut State University

Police Department

Experience

Retired Deputy Chief of Police, with 33 1/2 years of service with the Middletown Police Department, member of the CVH Advisory Committee. Former Republican 2^nd Selectmen, Town of Haddam and 4 years, Vice Chairman of the Regional District #17 Board of Education. An active member of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce/Downtown Business District and N.E.A.T. North End Action Team. Immediate Past President of the Middletown Lion’s Club, immediate past Grand Knight, Council #3 Knights of Columbus. A member of the Local Veterans of Foreign Wars and Honorably Discharged from the United Sates Air Force. A communicant of Saint Sebastian Church, serving as a Lector & Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist and a past member of the church’s Finance Committee, School Board and a 25 year member of the St. Sebastian Feast Committee. I was a facilitator for our Community Conversations. Presently as a seated Common Council Member I serve on the Government & Finance, Senior Affairs, Park & Recreation, Harbor Improvement, Citizen Advisory Committees and as a member of the City’s BRAC Committee, which help facilitate the Army Reserve Center’s pending move to the former Cuica Park.!

Qualifications

As a Community Politician I will continue to bring dedication and Loyalty to our

City government and have displayed this several times by supporting and defending the

Mayors positions and proposals, that have addressed our city’s problems and challenges. I

believe in ‘transparency in government’ and feel that it is very important to have your

own opinions and share them during caucuses and council meetings; however, we need

to display our commitment and support for our Community’s agenda! We are after all

a councilmanic team, with a mandate to do our city’s business while being fiscally

responsible to our taxpayers! I have realized that we do have opportunities to disagree

at times on issues at the council level; but this has to be tempered with a need to support

our Mayor on critical issues, so he can more his city’s agenda forward! I am a strong

supporter of a bipartisan approach to government and believe that at times we need to hang

up our party coats outside the chamber and address city issues that affect our residents, i.e.

management appointees, budgets and charter reorganizing city government efforts

(which we may need to institute in the future due to our present economic crisis).

Reasons for running

I am running for office to continue to be a consistent member on the council, supporting both labor and management; also the Mayor has allowed me to become involved in key issues, one of which was the BRAC Committee where we successfully managed to solicit community input and through my personal challenge to our Federal Legislative Leaders, to help facilitate an open process we eventually lead the Army to their preferred site, in a collaborative open manner. I plan to support and advocate for major community projects providing positive economic impact for our community, such as the Community Health Center, and to bring Business & Industry to our city. I have been an active member of the Government & Finance Committee, supporting and encouraging reduction in our city fleet; size of vehicles and purchasing of alternative fuel consumption vehicles.

I also have and will continue to support and advocate for Smart Growth through Open Space development and Alternative Energy Projects for our city.

I consider my self as a Community Politician who supports and advocates for our City’s Children & Youth and for the less fortunate members of our community.

Goals

Goal#1: I will continue to bring my advocacy for our city government and council to be more than one dimensional; in the area of ‘transparency’ to the public we serve; i.e. Town Hall Type Meeting on the Budgets & Community Conversations. I believe I have managed to achieve part of my first term goal, by being the impetus for bringing our government, at least at the Mayor’s Office level, from Mayor Guiliano’s office into our community.

In so doing, I will continue to try and facilitate our (council, commissions & city departments) to begin to reach out to our community and listen to public opinion; in essence, allowing our stakeholders (residents & taxpayers) the opportunity to engage in deliberations and be part of the decision making process. This openness, has worked in Community policing, so there is no reason why it can’t work in city government!

Goal #2: I will continue to advocate for a business plan for the city, which is more consistent, supportive and inclusive of small businesses and industry. With our present economic condition, we will need to continue with lean and responsive budgets, to include a plan for increased funding of our Reserve Fund. I am confident that we can meet this challenge by providing prioritized city services; avoid duplication, combine services, look for opportunities for regionalizing purchasing and services, support and advocate for ‘shared services’ at the interdepartmental level. This plan would include development opportunities to expand our tax base, which would be tempered by support for continued open space & recreational opportunities for our residents. It would be built upon opportunities to form partnerships within our city’s business and industrial communities, concerning a more open and transparent bid process, which would provide for a balanced approach in selecting local companies and businesses on city projects; in essence, providing more opportunities to our local stakeholders, who pay taxes in our community and become part of our city’s growth process!