Date: Fri 03-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Smith-Earl-profile-politics

Full Text:

Earl Smith, Jr Election Profile

WITH PHOTO

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

Earl Smith, Jr, Democratic candidate for first selectman, believes the best

kind of service is public service. So he has postponed personal plans to

travel in order to offer his experience and leadership to the community for

the next two years, and perhaps, beyond.

"You have to ask, what is for the betterment of the town," said Mr Smith, who

has lived here 29 years. "My platform base is education, environment, and

economy... And I'm willing to have a high degree of accountability."

Mr Smith was an English and Latin teacher for six years, assistant principal

at Newtown High School for 26 years, and a professional negotiator for the

Connecticut Federation of School Administrators. He is currently chairman of

the Democratic Town Committee and has been active in a variety of professional

and civic organizations. He has served as past president of Newtown Rotary, is

a member of Newtown Senior Center Steering Committee, and for the past two

years he has chaired Public Works Committee. He also was vice president of

last Charter Review Commission, and was past vice president of Connecticut

Federation of School Administrators. He is completing his third term as

representative on the Legislative Council.

The candidate considers himself an activist who gets the job done. He is

familiar with local and state officials and agencies, and has extensive

experience serving on government boards. These are strengths he would bring to

his position, but there is another on which he places even greater emphasis:

leadership, a quality he feels the incumbent lacks.

Mr Smith sees the town's biggest challenge as "controlled progress." People

are drawn to town because of the education system and the quality of our

environment, said the candidate.

"The number one big business in town is public school education. Out of a $45

million budget, we spend $27 million for public education... 60 to 65 percent

of our total budget," said Mr Smith. "Education accounts for the value of our

houses."

Although he has been closely tied to education, Mr Smith makes it clear that

he is not willing to accept proposed school renovations and expansion plans

without close examination. "You have to take a look, listen to input, and see

what is necessary," he said. "You want to make sure you have proper accounting

for your dollars." This would involve getting something of quality and

something the community needs, he added.

While addressing the educational facility needs, "we should not ignore the

other part of the economy. We should certainly take steps to broaden the tax

base."

Although he opposed the plan to build an exhibition hall in Hawleyville, he

has not yet taken a stand on change of zoning in that area because he said the

local plan of development "proposes one thing but the state plan has indicated

the opposite."

"Some people say the plan of development is flawed - I would have to do a lot

more study before I could say it was flawed; I would need more input."

Mr Smith said he thinks Planning and Zoning Commission is doing fine job with

zoning regulations but that they provide no leadership for planning.

When speaking of economic development, Mr Smith said he is referring to

smaller companies - not ones that employ 1,000 people. The companies that

would "fit in" with the town are certain high-tech companies or retail

businesses."

Some governmental changes that the candidate advocates are having legislative

council members "at large, not go in by district" because once they are

elected, they represent the entire town, he said. Also, the charter revision

should officially change the town clerk position from an elected office to an

appointed one, according to Mr Smith.

The Democratic challenger recognizes the value in having a diverse community

and feels the answer to affordable housing may be "something along the lines

of cluster housing." He said Nunnawauk Meadows is a step in the right

direction to help meet the housing needs of senior citizens in town, but that

we have not even begun to address the issue of affordable housing for young

people.

He has supported the library expansion project "100 percent," adding that it

is long overdue.

During his years as an English teacher, Mr Smith said he emphasized reading,

writing, speaking, and listening . The skill exercised the least is listening,

said the candidate, and this has lead to a break down of communications

between town government and residents.

"You have to listen, particularly to people who may oppose your own feelings,"

said Mr Smith, who has served as negotiator, mediator, and arbitrator for

Connecticut Federation of School Administrators. "You need to listen to

residents, look at materials, and then make a decision... which might be

contrary to what they want."