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10/17/2017 12:00 AMColin Bennett, a nearly life-long resident of Westbrook, is running as a petitioning candidate for first selectman. He said he decided to throw his hat in the ring when it appeared that incumbent Noel Bishop would run unopposed for the slot.
“I’ve been frustrated at the direction of Westbrook. The taxes keep going up. My focus would be to work to stabilize taxes. We should find common sense solutions,” said Bennett.
Bennett also would like to see the town focus on its downtown and avoid becoming a town of strip malls like other shoreline towns have become.
“We’ve been going the wrong direction in economic development. Westbrook needs to focus on attracting and retaining its independent small businesses. The town needs to hold on to its small-town character and identity,” said Bennett. “Since I’ve lived in Westbrook, we’ve lost some many independent businesses. We need to retain and attract small businesses—they are the lifeblood of the community.”
Bennett said the town needs to take better advantage of its unique natural resources as a town asset: these area should be maintained, protected, and perhaps expanded. He’d also like to develop a community garden that residents without the space to garden could use to raise food for themselves.
“When I was at Southern Connecticut University, I founded a community garden at the edge of campus where community members could grow their own food. It’s still thriving today,” said Bennett.
As a coastal community, Westbrook is susceptible to storm damage. He’d like to see the community talk more about how to achieve resiliency in the face of those potential storms.
“We also need to look at ways to reduce energy costs and increase efficiencies, including with wind and solar,” said Bennett.
Bennett said that his qualifications include a decade-long focus on public service. For 12 years, he was a member of the Coast Guard Reserve; currently, he serves as a Westbrook registrar of voters. He holds a bachelors degree in communications and has done graduate work in environmental education. For the past few years, he also has owned and run a used book store in Deep River.