Dear Wallingford,

Love of our hometown is what is driving me to run for a seat on your Town Council.

And as I’ve been out and about connecting with residents, everyone is seeking civility in our politics and pragmatic local candidates of integrity, who will put in the hard work and bring the skills to get the job done.

I’ll work tirelessly to bring people together, regardless of political affiliation or ideology, to find common ground that benefits all residents, businesses and families of Wallingford. I represent everyone in our community, and I want each of you to know that my door is always open. We can’t build the best community possible unless all voices are heard and sincerely respected. This is what matters most to me in this race.

Another issue I hear a lot about is the need for better town-wide planning practices, especially for the long-term. While it won’t garner flashy headlines, I agree with voters that the subject is critically important to ensure we align on shared goals and make steady progress toward them, while keeping an eye on the overall cost. Some have expressed worry that our town’s historical decision-making favors near-term cost minimization without regard for down-stream impacts; a reactive mode that pushes off maintenance of assets, further snowplows and piles up higher costs down-stream, resulting in need for major repairs and/or replacements. These often come at unexpected times and displace other smart investments for the future…and so-on goes the cycle.

Such a broad generalization may not be totally fair or accurate, but there is often some truth in criticism, and I’d challenge the next Town Council to collaborate with the next mayor’s administration, board of ed, town departments and other stakeholders to view it as an opportunity to grow their practices and strike a better, more proactive balance. It will take time, effort and perhaps changes in process, but the pay-off can be more efficient operations, less hidden and unanticipated costs and a methodical approach to returning our schools, infrastructure, shared spaces and other assets to a high standard that we can all be proud of. And if you entrust me with a seat on your Town Council, I’ll remain laser-focused on helping all to address this concern and I’d bring many years of directly applicable experience and skills that uniquely position me to hit the ground running.

For those who I haven’t had a chance yet to meet around town, here is a bit more about my background. I am a director of commercial jet engine programs at Pratt & Whitney and have been a loyal employee there for over 20 years. I maintain a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, hold a BS in Engineering from Cornell, MS from Rensselaer and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon, which have all prepared me for success in my career and helped develop useful and unique skills for this role in local government.

I have learned how to meet challenging and global business goals with integrity. Every day, I must listen to many voices and interpret various sources of data to inform best solutions and make good decisions. I enjoy building creative, self-motivated and collaborative teams that focus on results and get the job done. And having full accountability for many large programs, I must work with fiscal responsibility, demonstrating smart budgeting and cost control, with an eye to pursuing prudent growth measures.

In our community, I enjoy volunteering on the board for the Meriden-Wallingford United Way, and on the Planning and Zoning Commission, where I’ve advocated to carefully consider affordable housing options, including “middle housing,” while ensuring neighborhood character is maintained. Market conditions are making down-sizing options for seniors challenging and many other residents who contribute positively to our town are struggling to find something that works for their financial and life situation.

As a past chairperson of the School-District Wide Parent Teacher Advisory Council (PTAC) and in past board of education runs, I’ve been a strong advocate for our students and schools, and I’ve highlighted the importance of transparently connecting investment to the kind of long-term planning I described above.

I’ve been a past STEM-town steering committee member, involved on various interview panels for town positions, a mentor for college and career pathways, a Scout Troop leader, a coach for little league and soccer and our family is active in our church St. Benedict of Nursia. This October, my incredible wife Anne Marie and I are celebrating 20 years of marriage and my greatest pride comes from being a dad to three amazing kids…our twin daughters Jocelyn and Bridget who are high-school sophomores and Owen who just started kindergarten.

Serving our incredible Wallingford community in any capacity has been a joy and privilege for nearly 20 years. It would be an honor to elevate that service to the Town Council. If entrusted with a seat, I’ll work diligently to help build Wallingford’s best future.

I promise to carefully consider each decision with the best interests of all our town residents at heart. I thank you in advance for your support and I humbly ask for your vote on November 4! Please feel free to connect or reach out!

Bryan Rivard lives in Wallingford.

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