A Year in Review
First Selectman Timothy M. Herbst
December 9, 2010
This week marks the one year anniversary since I took office as Trumbull’s First Selectman. This milestone presents an excellent time to reflect on the commitments I made to the people of Trumbull, and the accomplishments we have achieved toward those commitments.
First let me say that it is an honor of a lifetime to serve Trumbull’s First Selectman. I, along with my administration, have encountered numerous challenges, as well as opportunities to have a positive impact on Trumbull. We have been proactive and focused on the vision and mission that I outlined earlier this year.
We have worked to fulfill our role as stewards and leaders to proactively protect and strengthen Trumbull’s community and environment; provide uncompromising public health and safety; offer high quality and efficient services; ensure excellence in our educational system; respond to our citizens’ needs and interests; exercise fiscal responsibility; build and support our local business economy; and implement and uphold open, innovative, and ethical practices.
As I reflect on the last year, I am pleased to focus on our many accomplishments toward meeting those goals. Here are some of those accomplishments:
Excellence in Our Educational System:
- The Board of Education has developed a plan for a 2012-2013 launch of the first full-day kindergarten program in the Town of Trumbull
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- Upgraded technology to facilitate learning, including the replacement of 115 outdated computers, as well as white boards in all fifth grade classrooms
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- Completed Phase 1 of the Trumbull High School Renovation project on time and under budget
Exercise Fiscal Responsibility:
- Identify operational efficiencies in savings on an ongoing basis:
- Achieved $1 million operational savings in the first 100 days of office
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- Realized significant annual savings by re-bidding the Town’s property and casualty insurance
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- Increased health care & pension contributions from employees to mitigate impact to taxpayers
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- Reduced sewer assessments by 10% in District 1
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- Reduced 2009 – 2010 expenses, and implemented a discretionary spending freeze resulting in a surplus of $1.5 million
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- Reduced municipal headcount by 9.5 employees through retirements and attrition
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- Developed a five-year capital improvement plan
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- Negotiated 3 union contracts with a 0% salary increase and inclusive of furlough days
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- Instituted the first defined contribution plan for public sector employees in the Town of Trumbull
- Stabilize Taxes
- Despite a $3M revenue shortfall, held the increase in spending to less than 1% and the increase in the mill rate to 1.95%. The previous eight years saw the average annual tax increase at 6%
Preserve and Enhance Trumbull’s High Quality of Life:
- Held Trumbull’s most successful concert, netting a $62,000 profit
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- Fostered a strong sense of community by carefully preserving traditionally successful activities, and introducing or supporting new events such as the Fireworks at Westfield, Beardsley Zoo Celebrates Trumbull, Jonathan Trumbull’s 300th Birthday Celebration, food drives, Trumbull-Haiti Response Effort, Special Olympics Corporate Walk-A-Thon, Patriots Bank Collection for the Troops, and the Arts at Trumbull Center Event
Respond to our Citizens’ Needs and Interests by Making Citizens Part of the Process:
- Partnered with Trumbull Citizens and successfully defeated the proposed installation of the fuel cell/power plant in Nichols
Provide Uncompromising Public Health and Safety:
- Within the last year, residential burglaries are down by over 60%
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- Introduced a new K-9 Unit into Police Department for better crime prevention
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- Implemented a 5 year AED monitoring program to universalize all AED models and equip every school in Trumbull
Employ Open, Innovative, and Ethical Practices:
- Implemented much needed oversight and controls for the WPCA
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- Commissioned Forensic Audit of the Jog Hill Road Sewer Project
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- Eliminated free health care
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- Instituted oversight on pending sewer project in Nichols to demand accountability, contain costs and protect taxpayers
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- Established a Charter Revision Commission to review and make recommendations to revise the Town’s Charter, vesting greater accountability with you, the people
Build and Support our Local Business Economy:
- Supported the $45M renovation of the Westfield Trumbull Mall, with the opening occurring in November, 2010
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- Supported and helped approve 4 phases of renovations at Trumbull Center Renovations (Phase 1 completed with 3 more phases to start in 2011)
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- 26 new commercial leases signed
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- Applied for and received $500,000 in economic development grants
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- 75,000 s/f medical building approved on Quarry Road
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- Broke ground for the 16,000 s/f/ Norma Pfriem Breast Cancer Center
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- New mixed use/retail development approved as part of the Long Hill Green revitalization totaling approximately 5,000 s/f
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- Approved two expansions of Scan Tools totaling 23,000 s/f
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- Expanded the Design District on Main Street, south of the Merritt Parkway, and on Church Hill Road across from Town Hall allowing for more businesses and professional offices in Trumbull
I want to thank all those who have worked with me this year. Whether you have been unpaid volunteers on boards and commissions, elected officials, town employees, or the numerous helpful residents and businesses here in Trumbull, you have significantly contributed to these accomplishments. It has been a rewarding and tireless partnership. For that, I thank you.
My vision for Trumbull is to be a recognized community of choice for individuals, families and businesses by offering excellence in education, public health and safety, recreational activities, government services and fiscal responsibility, a strong economic business climate, and a demonstrable sense of unity, pride, and quality of life. This vision is in focus, and in some aspects we are already there. But much work is ahead and we cannot take anything for granted. With hard work and strong partnerships, that vision will become a reality each day.