Why Voting is Important: Planning and Zoning

(COMMENTARY: Ed McKeon is a Democratic member of the Common Council, and a founder of the Middletown Eye.  He is not speaking for the Council, or the Democratic Party, but for himself .  Stephen Devoto is a colleague of Ed McKeon's as co-founder of the Middletown Eye.)

Certainly, the development of the Riverfront is a very big reason to have the right people sitting on Planning and Zoning.  Every voter can select up to three candidates from the ballot, but only a single member of the current majority party (Democratic) will be seated (if they maintain their majority), while two minority members can be seated

The good news is that there are a lot of good choices.

Much has already been written about this race because the chairman of Planning and Zoning, Stephen Devoto is running as an independent (unaffiliated) candidate.  

To learn more, you'll want to check out candidate profiles here, and a story about Devoto's run, here  an essay on how to maximize your vote, here, and an essay on how zoning reform is a racial issue, here.

Let's talk about the good choices you have available.

Let's start with Devoto.  He has deep experience as a longtime member, and chair of Planning and Zoning (likely the most experience of any candidate running), with one of his most significant achievements being the creation of a forward-looking plan of development for the city.  He is also a member of the Riverfront Revitalization Committee.

Shanay Fulton is a Democratic candidate who has served on Planning and Zoning as an alternate for the past term.  She is an advocate for the creation of equitable and affordable housing for everyone, and she wants P&Z decisions to reflect the true diversity of the city.

Kelly Sweeny is also a Democrat, and has served most recently on the Charter Review Commission, but she has also been a member of the city's Ethics Board.  She's a Technology Deacon at First Church, and with a Masters in Communication she would like to see more effective communication between Planning and Zoning and residents.

Joan Liska is a Republican who has served for many years on the Conservation Commission and Inland Wetlands, bringing an important perspective for potentially serving on Planning and Zoning.  She'd like to see more residential development downtown.

Brian Gartner, a Democrat, also has a depth of experience on the Conservation and Agriculture Commission and on Inland Wetlands, as well as other commissions.   He is currently an active member of the city's Anti-Racism Task Force.  He would like to develop a good balance between economic development and conservation of open space.

Plenty of good choices.  Vote for up to three.