This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Westbrook Incumbent Noel Bishop (R) Promises Continued Improvements

Republican First Selectman Noel Bishop said he is proud of his and his team’s accomplishments.

“Our municipal financial house is in order. Budgets have passed on the first vote either at referendum or town meeting. Our taxes on comparable houses are the lowest on the shoreline. Fifteen percent of our budget is now in the fund balance...and our bond rating is AA2,” said Bishop. “Our budget increase for town and schools last year was up less than one percent.”

“We anticipate more losses in state funding. We have lost in the past three years over $600,000 in state aid. For the current budget year, we assumed [that the town would receive] no Education Cost Sharing grant aid,” said Bishop. “We will proceed from now on with the assumption of no state aid.”

At the same time, Bishop said that the town has increased the scope of its municipal services and hired strong professionals to join the town staff. Demands for a senior center and social services, Bishop said, have increased exponentially so the need for the full-time Senior Center and social services director has been needed.

He also touted the recent efforts to improve the town’s digital face, with the addition of the Municity online permitting program and the plan to update the town’s website presence. An Ad Hoc Information Technology Committee chaired by Ken Butterworth is finalizing a request for proposal (RFP) and plans to present a recommendation for action to the Board of Selectmen in December.

Bishop’s priority for the next two years, if elected, would be to push for economic development initiatives, including helping the Town Center attract and retain businesses. While limited septic treatment capacity in the area will limit high-flow user tenants like restaurants, he expects with good promotion, that other solid retail tenants can be attracted.

He also wants to ensure that potential home buyers and business owners considering Westbrook know the quality of the schools and of town support; he noted he talks weekly with the superintendent of schools and said he has a great rapport with her.

“I’m optimistic. People work together in this town and we work across party lines,” he said. “Having town leadership stability in fiscally unstable times is an advantage.”