Candidates Greet Voters at Tolland Community Women Forum

This time around, the weather cooperated for the Tolland Community Women.

And the Meet the Candidates forum was a success, its organizers said.
 
Candidates for the Town Council, Board of Education, Planning and Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals took to the stage in the Tolland High School auditorium on Tuesday to answer a variety of questions submitted by the 75 or so residents in attendance. 

The goal of the forum is to present a non-partisan atmosphere in which residents can ask candidates for municipal office questions and hear their answers on stage, said TCW Co-Presidents Kathy Aldrich and Linda Domingos.

And ask they did. 

Topics covered incuded: 

• The $2 million library project - many of the candidates supported it. 

• All-day kindergarten - most said the jury is still out on it. 

• The tech zone.

• Balancing fiscal responsibility with the need for increased services, particularly in education. 

• Economic development with an eye toward the University of Connecticut. 

The forum will be shown on public access television and has been transferred to s dies for viewing. For more information on the broadcast schedule and DVD availability, visit http://www.tollandcommunitywomen.org.

It was the first time since 2009 that the organization was able to host the candidates forum. In 2011, it had to be canceled because of a massive snowstorm. 

One thing organizers were glad most council and school board candidates discussed was the relationship between the two boards. 

"Most of them are saying that things need to change - that they have to have a good relationship," Aldrich said. "That is good to hear."