Candidate Statement: William J. Shea II

Town Council incumbent William J. Shea II (D) is running for re-election in the Nov. 8 municipal election.

Shea has served on the Town Council since 1993. Before that, he was on the Board of Finance from 1985 to 1993 and has served on various school building committees. He is a partner at Kerr Agency, Inc. in Simsbury and works in bonds and insurance. He is an Avon High School alumnus and earned his bachelor of science degree in business at Central Connecticut State University.

Patch has reached out to all of the candidates, giving them the opportunity to talk about town issues that interest them, their experiences and qualifications. All candidates from both parties are being given the opportunity to either submit a 500-word statement or request a one-minute video to talk about their candidacy. Patch will post the statements and any letters to the editor, as they are submitted. Candidate statements or video requests are due by Oct. 28 and letters to the editor about the November election are being accepted until Nov. 4. To submit either, e-mail Avon Patch at Jessie.Sawyer@patch.com. Here are Shea's responses to our questions:

I am seeking re-election to the Town Council because I care deeply about Avon and our future. We continue to grow and have matured to the extent that Avon is 85 percent built out and spends $74 million dollars on municipal services and education. 

Avon had previously enjoyed revenues that tracked increased costs and expenses. Today’s reality in town government concerns the choices that balance the needs of Avon’s citizens in a fiscally challenging environment. The Town Council must manage spending in a prudent manner. Managing the budget while addressing the challenge of modest, if any, grand list growth will be difficult. This is compounded by the need to support capital projects such as a new fire house, our infrastructure and the purchase of potential open space. In addition, controlling current debt service will assist us in holding the line on the operating budget. We can accomplish this by spending wisely while strategically addressing the needs of our growing community. 

Consolidating administrative services, conducting facility studies and creating a comprehensive energy plan will assist us in preserving our quality of life, education and service to the citizens of Avon. Our vision must expand beyond Avon to include cultivating regional partnerships and shared services such as the Regional Dispatch Consolidation Program to further enhance our fiscal responsiveness without compromising Avon’s identity. Partnering with other towns to assertively address unfunded state mandates and working diligently to obtain relief for these mandates through the modification of binding arbitration laws is imperative.

I fully support our budgetary mission to provide quality town services at a reasonable cost to citizens and taxpayers while guiding growth as it naturally occurs. The Town Council must find innovative ways to balance smart growth while promoting and attracting a diverse and healthy tax base encouraging sustainable, balanced development in appropriate areas of housing, commercial and retail uses. The preservation of open space should be aggressively pursued while balancing our ability to afford and pay for critical land that complies with Avon’s comprehensive plan for development. Green initiatives, along with leadership in energy and environmental design, will provide the efficiency necessary for our future.

Avon must actively pursue economic programs focused on creating a community of people of various ages who can assist in maintaining the vitality of Avon for decades to come. Our strategic planning with equitable initiatives needs to be continuously evaluated and given every chance to succeed.               

Addressing the above issues requires a clear and certain vision that appreciates the past, understands the present and creatively plans for Avon’s future. I am committed to encouraging residents to participate and work cohesively with government on a shared vision so we can proceed with great care to preserve Avon’s character. I have truly appreciated your support in the past and respectfully ask for your vote in November.