We reached out to both the Haddam Republican Town Committee and the Haddam Democratic Town Committee and asked candidates to respond to a set of questions. Updates from all candidates are welcome, and are being published as Letters to the Editor. Mark Lundgren is a petitioning candidate for Haddam Board of Selectmen. The answers from the other candidates can be found HERE.
The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper
Hi, I am Mark Lundgren.
I am running for a seat on the Board of Selectmen as a Petitioning Candidate with no party affiliation. This gives me the opportunity to represent all the people of my beloved Haddam. The signatures I’ve gathered and the support I have been honored to have truly knows no party line.
Haddam has been good to my family and I have tried to give back whenever possible. Forty years ago I started my career in Haddam’s government by running for the Board of Finance (lost) and caught the “bug.” I then was honored to be First Selectman for two terms with High Meadow Elderly Housing being a major highlight (low lights were the Flood of ’82 and Hurricane Gloria in ’85). Three terms as Treasurer came next, a term on the BOS with Marge and most recently the Board of Finance (recently resigned from to run for BOS).
After retiring from the business world I have had two great part time jobs: Driving Bus for RSD17 and Senior Center Director and Municipal Agent for the Elderly. Spent time volunteering with the Little League and Adult Softball but 38 years later I am still with the non-profit Haddam Elderly Housing Corp.
I always loved the following Ronald Reagan quote, never thinking I would ever use it: “I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponents’ youth and inexperience.”
My promises are simple, but are needed at this time. Just Good Government that goes by the rules but reduces the divides that seems to have overtaken us and Common Sense.
Common sense in spending may sound like a given, but it isn’t. I am a fiscal conservative (you haven’t heard that from anyone else running for the BOS) who has the record as such. My Dad taught me early on “the difference between want and need .”
I want to represent all Haddam’s Citizens as we tackle what to do with HES, the Public Works Garage, traffic on Bridge Road, Cellphone Reception and other problems. I will watch closely as the Town transitions to all salt for winter road conditions, the ground settling at the Transfer Station and a little optimistically listen for that Steam Train Whistle. I will champion services upgrades for our growing Elderly population.
I’m a happy guy so in that vein another quote: “The difference between the people who are happy and the people that aren’t is that the people who are happy choose to focus on a solution to the problems they face rather than the problems themselves.” Mat Wilson
Haddam, with the River running through, could not be a better place for me and my family. My goal is to make our Town the very best!
May I have your vote on November 5th?
Thank You,
Mark Lundgren
Thank You.