To the Editor:

Dear Friends and Neighbors — my name is Dan Cruson, and I’m proud to be running for Newtown’s First Selectman on the Democratic ticket. Many of you know my family or have known me throughout my life, but some of you don’t, so I want to share a bit about myself.

I was born and raised in Newtown, and graduated from Newtown High School in 2001. During my youth I worked for the C.H. Booth Library and was an active Boy Scout, earning my Eagle Scout as a part of Troop 70. I returned to Newtown on all my college breaks and worked for the Assistant Superintendent of Newtown Public Schools in an assortment of roles, one of which included helping to open Reed Intermediate School.

After college I spent a few years living near Boston, Mass. and then living in Cohoes, N.Y. But none had as strong a sense of community or as highly rated schools as Newtown, so when it was time for my oldest child to enter kindergarten in 2015, my wife Beth and I decided that we wanted to move back home and raise our sons here. We’re so glad we did! We found the thriving community we craved, along with plenty of open space.

My sons have benefited from an excellent education provided by caring and wonderful teachers and staff.

In 2016 I decided to enter public service here in Newtown by filling a vacancy on the Newtown Board of Education, which I have since been reelected to twice. I did so in part because of the time I had spent working for the local school district during college, and in part because of a desire to give back to this town that I love and that has given me and my family so much over the years.

I knew I could help the Board with my long history in Newtown and my logical, thoughtful approach to decision-making (as I demonstrated with the decision to change the High School start time). And now, for the same reasons, I have decided, upon the retirement of Dan Rosenthal, to run for First Selectman.

We are a town full of history and active community participation; that’s worth preserving. I want to make sure that we are focused on local issues: our schools, our streets, our security, and smart development.

For me, being First Selectman is about giving back to Newtown. As a small business owner and a parent, I know the challenges facing us. I want to work with everyone in this town to make sure Newtown continues to be a place that we are proud to call home. To that end, I hope that everyone will take an opportunity to reach out to me during the campaign and share your thoughts and concerns.

I can be reached directly through my site at crusonfornewtown.com or by e-mail: dan@crusonfornewtown.com

This November 7th, It’s About Newtown!

Dan Cruson

Newtown