To The Editor:

I’m Charlie Gardner, and I’m running for the Board of Selectmen alongside First Selectman Jeff Capeci because Newtown needs practical and energetic leadership to address our current challenges. With a growing residential tax burden and a rising price of housing, we need to be assertive in looking for smart ways to keep costs under control, expand housing options, and broaden our commercial grand list while ensuring that town government stays responsive to residents and effective in carrying out its mission. If elected, I plan to get to work with Jeff on these issues and others, including pedestrian safety and progressing on Fairfield Hills, right from the outset.

My commitment to these issues is reflected in my voting record as elected representative, not just in my rhetoric. As Legislative Council Vice Chair, I worked with then-Chair Jeff on many of the same issues that remain salient today. Along with Jeff, I was proud to be part of the bipartisan majority of the Council that approved seeking historic designation for the Fairfield Hills campus to enable rehabilitation of existing buildings. On the Ordinance Committee, I assisted in drafting traffic safety regulations, and as a member of the American Rescue Plan Working Group, I advocated for using ARP funds for sidewalk expansion and infrastructure improvements that have brought visible benefits to Newtown residents.

Additionally, as a dad with children currently attending three of Newtown’s public schools, I’m personally invested in the quality of our educational system and the safety of our roads for drivers and pedestrians. Well-designed streets that protect those on foot and deter rather than encourage speeding aren’t just a nice amenity, but an essential part of a walkable community that looks out for all of its residents, including those who can’t drive — like our children. Communities like Fairfield and New Britain have embraced a “Vision Zero” pledge that aims to eliminate serious traffic injuries and fatalities, and I’ll propose that Newtown consider doing the same.

For town growth, other candidates have pointed to the importance of good planning, but I bring experience both with conservation and housing policy through my professional background, education and volunteer work. This includes time spent with national organizations like the Nature Conservancy, state land trusts, and as an advisor to policymakers on smart land use. With smart planning, we can be attentive to the housing crisis that’s burdened our friends and neighbors while enhancing conservation efforts through state grants.

My wife Kathy and I have been proud to call Newtown home for the past nine years and love raising our boys in this beautiful and neighborly town. I’m proud of my previous service to the town, and am grateful for the opportunity to continue to build on what makes it special alongside First Selectman Jeff Capeci.

I hope I can earn your support this fall and look forward to hearing from you.

Charlie Gardner

Sandy Hook