Meet the Candidate: Josh Freeman

Name: Josh Freeman
 

Age: 36

Party and position running for:  Democrat Town Council

Family Info: Married (Heather, a native of Ellington);  Father of two (Bailey, 8 and Zoë, 5).

Previous Political Experience: Never previously run for office.

Other Experience: 

• 15 years of IT industry experience as a troubleshooter, product lead, and project manager, working for Oracle Corporation.
• Member, Tolland Energy Task Force (2009-Present)
  • Manage the municipal energy records for the Town of Tolland and help locate and implement efficiency improvements in facilities and operations.
  • Developed informational material related to the recently passed Town Hall & Library geothermal retrofit referendum.

Why are you running for office?

About 7 years ago, my wife and I were searching for a community in Connecticut to relocate to and we settled on Tolland. A number of factors led us here, but most importantly, we desired to live and raise our children in a healthy, sustainable, safe environment - A town that valued education. I have a long term vision of Tolland continuing to be a vibrant and sustainable place to live and having a school system that is healthy and strong if we make decisions today to secure that future. I am positive about our future if we are open-minded about our options and devote time and energy to seek solutions. Running for office is a way for me to demonstrate my investment in Tolland, and I am giving up my free time to work to secure the long term viability of this community so that it is still a great place to live decades from now.

What, in your opinion, is Tolland's biggest issue?

Finding the right balance between investment in education, infrastructure, town services, and maintaining a sustainable tax rate is Tolland's biggest issue. For Tolland to remain a community known for its quality schools and responsive government services, we must fund them appropriately for the long term. The problem is that "appropriate" has a different meaning for so many of us. While some would like to see increased BOE funding, others want increases targeted for town services or capital improvements. Some might desire budget cuts or flat budgets, others support increases. Therefore, the task is to consider all the needs and factors and produce sustainable budgets that allow our infrastructure and services to be supported without driving residents out of town because our taxes are too high. Tolland's future is bright if we focus decisions on long term strategies and prioritize needs appropriately - Balancing spending and taxes is the key to that long term strategy.

What would you change, if anything, about how the council is run and/or communicates with the community?

I believe communication is something that can always be improved. No matter how effective a communicator someone is, there will always be an improvement opportunity present. To that end, my primary focus as a Town Councilman would be to foster an environment that is open, honest, and where the central priority is listening to the needs of our residents. The current Town Council has tried to foster an environment open for public input, allowing public comment at the start and end of Town Council Meetings, hosting Town Council/Board of Education Hours, and in the past, Community Conversations. I think they have done well to encourage participation and many such practices should continue with the new council. We also need residents to get involved and the next council needs to figure out ways to foster an even more inclusive feel in and out of official meetings. The biggest thing, however, is recognizing that no matter how well we might think we communicate, there is always room for improvement and improvement begins with listening.