Incumbent Ted Wisniewski: The Clock Selectboard Candidate Questionnaire
James Kelly
He/Him
Opinions Editor
2/26/24
Age:
56
Party affiliation (if any):
Independent
Family:
Wife & two daughters
Do you have any family in politics?
No
Education:
BS Computer Science Plymouth State; M.Ed. Plymouth State
Occupation:
IT Manager – University System of New Hampshire
Previous offices held (if any):
Currently Serving on Plymouth Selectboard
Why are you running for Selectboard?
Re-Election
What is the most pressing issue facing the Selectboard, and how would you address it?
At this time, one of the biggest challenges to the town is its tax rate and having so many tax-exempt organizations in town. This is largely due to Plymouth being a HUB of activity in the area (where it makes sense for these organizations to want to locate). At the same time, there are costs which the town has to accept and have to be passed to taxpayers (commercial and residential).
As an issue, there is no simple way to address this set of problems, and no single individual can do so. As a board member, I can:
- Encourage the Town Manager to pursue PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) agreements for the Tax exempt entities
- Encourage Commercial development in appropriate locations to expand the tax base
- Support initiatives that drive efficiency and cost reduction in town offices
- Support initiatives like the solar array project that will offset costs for the long term
What separates you from the other Selectboard candidates?
From what I know of the other candidates, I am the only one that has experience in the position. I started out on the Plymouth Advisory Budget Committee and gained a lot of perspective on how the town works and where potential areas of efficiency.
What other issues define your platform?
- Fiscally Conservative
- Long-term thinking for the overall stability of Plymouth
- Strong desire to make sure the interests of the taxpayers in the town are fairly represented
- Stabilization and lowering of tax burden
What experiences demonstrate your ability to succeed in the Selectboard?
In my IT career, I have needed to be a problem solver and be able to effectively work with a diverse set of people. My experience includes working in roles that are direct end-user support all the way up to IT leadership while maintaining appropriate confidentiality. I believe that my ability to remain calm and objective has prepared me for success in this role. Over the last 3 years, the Plymouth Selectboard has needed to handle a number of very important decisions and issues.
For example:
- Hiring a new Town manager
- Establishing a Capital improvement plan
- Modernizing town practices
- Handling the many complex issues that are presented to the board.
It is important to remember that the board over this time has been very successful only because we have become a good and effective team.
What else would you like voters to know about you and your platform?
I am a 34 year resident of Plymouth (39 if you include when I was a student) with 34 years of management experience in IT. Looking forward to serving the Plymouth community for 3 more years!
Editor’s Note: Plymouth Town Elections are Tuesday, March 12, at Plymouth Elementary School. That is spring break. If you are registered to vote in Plymouth but will be out of town on the 12th, The Clock encourages you to vote via absentee ballot.