Oct. 31-- Oct. 31--In Waterford, voters will have the choice for first selectman among two candidates well qualified for the job. Each has experience in local government and business.
Republican Rob Brule, now serving as a selectman, and Democrat Beth Sabilia, a member of the Representative Town Meeting, are competing to succeed First Selectman Dan Steward, who is retiring after 14 years.
The question, then, is who appears better prepared to meet the challenges confronting Waterford?
"What challenges?" one might ask.
Waterford is a town blessed with an expansive tax base, with the Millstone Power Station the keystone in that foundation, but also bolstered by extensive retail and industrial properties. There were concerns that Dominion Energy would cease operations at the nuclear plant, but Millstone seemingly got a decade lease on life when the legislature agreed to rewrite the rules for how it sells its power, keeping it competitive in a market in which its price structure had been undermined by electricity generated by natural gas.
That healthy tax base helps underwrite great schools and services.
The town's fire companies have been beset with the same problems confronting volunteer services in many towns -- difficulty in attracting volunteers, differing policies in differing fire companies and staffing levels that are more problematic in some departments than others. But the town seemed to take a big step forward in addressing that challenge as well with the recent approval of an ordinance creating a Waterford Fire Department. The five companies, while retaining most of their independence, will operate under the same set of guidelines and procedures. The change should make it easier for the companies to share staffing and other resources.
So, does this mean the town just needs a caretaker who can keep the good times rolling? Not exactly.
Because, you see, Millstone's days are almost certainly numbered. Dominion has been moving out of the nuclear business. And while the pricing legislation it sought will buy Millstone time, it is hard to count on how much.
That vast brick-and-mortar retail base the town enjoys will face an increasing challenge from Amazon and the other web-based sellers that are the preferred retailers for an increasing number of Americans, particularly younger ones. Empty space at the Crystal Mall, once the shopping hangout for young shoppers, indicates the early fissures in what will likely be a tectonic shift.
As for the fire services, a step has been taken in the right direction, but the challenge will continue.
Among the two candidates, Sabilia, both in her interview with The Day and in her debate performance, displayed the greater urgency to start planning now for the changes that will come. She came across as pro-active, a natural leader and someone not afraid to push for an agenda.
At their Sept. 26 debate, which can be viewed on theday.com, Sabilia said about the future of Millstone: "We can't leave it to phone calls with friends. We need to engage the community. We can't just sit back and say we've got a 10-year deal."
Sabilia suggests working with the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments to undertake a study on how to reimagine the economy without Millstone and to begin, now, considering alternative uses for that property.
She sees the need for hiring an economic development director, someone who can work with the Board of Selectmen in steering the town through a changing economy. Steward and Brule see the position as unnecessary.
At the debate Brule talked of "working on saving money, not spending money" to prepare for the tax revenue hole a closed Millstone would leave. That does not strike us as a realistic approach.
Brule takes a cautious approach to the job of governing and makes the case he is a consensus builder. These are admirable qualities, but they can also be cousin to indecisiveness.
It is pertinent to note the fire services initiative came out of the RTM.
"I'm not afraid to lead," Sabilia said in her interview with a Day staff writer. "I notice a real reluctance to express an opinion, develop a plan, share it with people and follow through," she said of the current Steward/Brule administration.
We can envision Sabilia, a lawyer, frankly confronting Gov. Ned Lamont about the need for decisive action to set in place a viable plan to utilize the Seaside property and preserve its historical buildings; Brule, not so much.
At this point in time, Beth Sabilia is the leader Waterford needs and she earns The Day Editorial Board's endorsement.
The Day editorial board meets regularly with political, business and community leaders and convenes weekly to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Tim Dwyer, Editorial Page Editor Paul Choiniere, Managing Editor Tim Cotter, Staff Writer Julia Bergman and retired deputy managing editor Lisa McGinley. However, only the publisher and editorial page editor are responsible for developing the editorial opinions. The board operates independently from the Day newsroom.
