To the Editor:

Dan Rosenthal's campaign slogan is lofty - One Newtown, All Together, Moving Forward. It's a worthy goal. The problem is we don't feel unified, want to be together, and certainly can't agree how to move forward. That's why leadership matters.

As citizens, we need to ask the people who want to lead us, not just what they will do, but how they will do it. Will they listen to us? Will they create a transparent process for resolving those knotty dilemmas that result when differing visions about what's important collide? I believe Dan Rosenthal has the leadership skills to do that.

Leaders must believe we can, and Dan's optimism about Newtown is infectious. He understands the challenges the community faces, but thinks that if citizens go through the process of creating a strategic plan, we'll have a shared basis for making difficult decisions. For example, most of us agree that it would be in the town's interests to broaden the tax base. However, what standards should the town use to determine which businesses will receive tax incentives? A strategic plan would be a critical guide for policy makers.

Not everyone who wants to lead has the skills to do so. However, Dan has been active in Newtown since he and his wife, Meri, moved here to raise their children; first on the Legislative Council and currently as a member of the Police Commission. Dan is now serving as vice president of the Newtown Rotary Foundation and director of the Newtown Rotary Club. In his work life, he was director of marketing and client services of Bronson Point Management. As a leader, Dan has the proven ability to pull a team together and articulate reasons for decisions to the wider community. He's also smart. I believe his leadership skills and background will translate successfully, and enable Newtown to deal effectively with the challenges ahead.

What has made me an enthusiastic supporter of Dan's candidacy are several of the statements he made during his acceptance speech at the Democratic Town Committee's caucus. He said, "My wife, Meri, is active in the Be Kind campaign. If I should ever forget to be kind, she will certainly remind me." Good for her and him. We need more public kindness. He also said, "I don't want to be the first selectman of just people who have school age children. I don't want to be the first selectman of just Democrats. I want to be the first selectman of everyone."

Can Dan Rosenthal lead us to One Newtown, All Together, Moving Forward? Probably not. That's a tall order. Still, if we don't attempt to reach that goal, however imperfectly, we won't resolve the challenges ahead.

Jan Brookes

38 Hundred Acres Road, Newtown         October 16, 2017