My wife Marcy and I moved to Middetown in 1977. We raised two children, Sara and Michael, and participated in PTA, scouting and many other organizations as our children grew, attended public schools and graduated from the old Middletown High School. I retired from Northeast Utilities in 2001 after working for 27 years as the Manager for Environment Services. Having served on the Common Council for seven (7) terms, I feel that public service is an honor, exciting at times, frustrating but always challenging. For me, politics is still all about improving the quality of life for Middletown's diverse population, as well as, preserving the infrastructure of our city. The issue of "quality of life" is central in how I assess my decisions and positions on key issues. The Common Council takes approximately 200-250 votes each year, excluding committee votes. While the vast majority of these votes are non-controversial and nearly unanimous, it is the 5% of votes that get 100% of the news and attention. I continue to try, to the best of my ability, to be fair, honest and balanced when approaching my decisions on these controversial votes. I hope those who know me understand that my decisions are not taken lightly nor politically motivated.
Over the past several years, I have sponsored several initiatives that make me especially proud. As an advocate for clean, renewable energy for the city, I helped Middletown become one of the first Clean Energy Communities in Connecticut. The City has received several honors for work done by the Clean Energy Taskforce to lower the city's energy usage. We were the first city in the state to be awarded free solar photovoltaic panels for the Vocational Agricultural Center at the former Middletown High. The contract with Honeywell, Inc was undertaken last year. This contract is a fifteen (15) year $4.5M agreement which guarantees major energy efficiency improvements to lower electricity and natural gas usage in all major city buildings, including the library. I have also been a strong advocate for the protection of open space and conservation of agricultural land in the city. Over 1000 acres of land have been preserved for future generations by the Common Council in the past 10 years. These conservation measures protect the diversity of our city landscape, slow the growth of city services and demonstrate a major commitment to preserving passive recreation and agriculture land for the future.
In addition to being closely involved in supporting adequate funding for education, finding opportunities to reorganize city departments and overseeing the finances of the city, I am currently serving as Chair of the Eckersley Hall Building Committee for a new Senior Center and municipal office space. The growth in the 55 - 65 age groups is estimated to increase by 14% and the > 65 age group by 28% in the next few years. With the help of an excellent Building Committee it is our intent to renovate this historic building with creative and innovative architectural ideas and solve several problems: (1) provide more space and programs for seniors than currently exist in the Williams St Senior Center, (2) relieve the city of the over $50K lease payments in Riverview Plaza for the Recreation Dept and Arts Office, (3) make available a second conference room in city hall for committee and community meetings, and (4) provide more critically needed storage space for city functions. The Senior Center will be easily accessible, modern and become a focal point for socialization. If re-elected I hope to continue to work on the Senior Center project and other initiatives to promote our city that will allow Middletown to continue to be a community where families, professionals and seniors want to live because of its diversity and quality of life.
Ron Klattenberg
Deputy Majority Leader
Chair, Finance and Government Operations
Chair, Public Works Commission
Chair, Clean Energy Taskforce
Chair, Eckersley Hall Building Committee
Member, Senior Affairs Commission
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