To the Editor:

As Newtown’s former town clerk of 20 years, I am proud to endorse and wholly support my successor, Debbie Aurelia Halstead, for town clerk for the Town of Newtown. Debbie has served as Newtown’s town clerk for the past 14 years and has consistently met the needs of Newtown’s citizens, and the various professionals using the office, always in a professional and dignified manner. As well as serving the community as town clerk, she participates personally in countless community activities and organizations.

The town clerk is responsible for well over 500 State-mandated duties, as well as local mandates. The simplest way to describe the position would be to call the town clerk the “secretary of the town.” With that said, every piece of property, every house, mortgage — every record pertaining to Newtown and its 300-plus-year history — is the responsibility of the town clerk. Absentee ballots, vital statistics, i.e, births, marriages and deaths, are also within the purview of the town clerk’s office.

Experience, knowledge, self-awareness, vision, responsibility, integrity, and compassion are among many of the traits that Debbie possesses. There is no candidate that can match the 14-year experience as town clerk and prior assistant town clerk experience that Debbie brings to the office of town clerk. There is no candidate with the knowledge and the multitude of certifications that she also possesses. There is really only one qualified candidate. I strongly urge you to vote for Debbie Aurelia Halstead for town clerk for the Town of Newtown.

Cynthia S. Curtis

Anthony, FL