Michael Joseph

Iassogna

Republican, District 1

Personal info: 40 years old, 42 Brookwood Drive. Director of Operations, Kendro Laboratory Products, Newtown. Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a MBA in Operations Management from Drexel University. Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Delaware. Member, Newtown Chamber of Commerce, liaison with Newtown High School’s Student Career Shadowing Program, Course Presenter – Newtown Discovery Workshops, Member Support Our Schools (Research Committee), Head & Assistant Coach in Baseball, Softball, and Soccer for six years, St Rose of Lima Parish. Married 18 years to Linda and have two children – Jennifer, 12, seventh grade, Newtown Middle School; Matthew, 9, 4th Grade, Head O’ Meadow Elementary.

What personal qualities do you have that you believe will benefit the Legislative Council? — By being involved in a wide variety of community activities, I think I’ve gotten to know how many Newtowners feel about our kids, our families, our neighbors, and our town. I am a hard working guy, with a good set of values, and a real love for family. In my 19 years of manufacturing experience, I have demonstrated the ability to develop a vision, set priorities, and make tough choices in the best interests of the company. I listen to many ideas and then work with people to turn those ideas into reality. I am currently responsible for a $20 million budget. Throughout my career, I have found creative ways to get great business results from limited resources.

What will be the council’s biggest challenge in the next two years? — Prioritizing the many needs of the town. The rapid population growth, which is likely to continue, has impacted the school system, recreation facilities, and other town services, resulting in the increasing property tax rate. Fairfield Hills and open space will now be added to these needs. I believe that, just like with our own personal financial situations, we cannot afford to do everything at once. However, we need to set a vision for what we want Newtown to be, and based upon that vision, we must prioritize these needs and make choices that benefit our community.  Without a vision and a long-term plan, every issue becomes a conflicting need, and sides are usually drawn, resulting in winners and losers. We need a long-term plan with some creative thoughts about how to implement it so that all members of our community can be winners.

Do you favor economic development at Fairfield Hills, or should the campus be used solely for municipal purposes? — Fairfield Hills is an incredibly valuable asset that must be managed correctly. I love the look and feel of the Fairfield Hills property and would like to see its beauty preserved as much as possible. I would like to see the existing buildings used for a multitude of town and community uses such as government, the arts, and education. I would also support the use of these buildings for professional and business use. The grounds should be used for recreational fields as well as open space and walking trails. A commission should be set up to oversee the development of the property.

The proposed changes to the charter may fail on November 6 because of confusion and concern over the need to implement the changes in just 30 days because of a clerical error. Would you be willing to reappoint a charter revision commission next year to bring these changes before the public again a year from now so that they may be considered solely on their merits? — I believe that the changes suggested by the Charter Revision Commission are definitely worthy of consideration by the public.  If the changes fail on November 6, I would support the reappointment of another charter revision commission next year.