Martha Mark: 'The End of an Era'

I would like to thank all of my wonderful supporters of my campaign for First Selectman.  It’s been a privilege to serve as your Trumbull Town Council Representative for the past eight years as a volunteer.  I thank all of my terrific mentors and fellow politicians with whom I’ve enjoyed productive discourse at meetings, caucuses, and in private, who’ve helped me to shape our policies over the years and to make progress in our town.  For those whose votes and opinions have differed from mine, we must agree to be grateful for our excellent Constitution and government.  I have lived in places in the world where there is no such democratic process of the sort and life is far more unpleasant, difficult, and dangerous. 

For those who claimed to not know me or have heard of me, thus not voted for me, I advise you to do your research better in the future.  I understand that task was hampered when many of my articles, press releases, and comments, which had been available on line on the various news sources over the years, were taken down during the campaign for some reason.  Why the Connecticut Post reporter, who came on Trumbull’s beat shortly before the Democrat Convention in July and who recently left before Election Day, would not give me fair press, print my press releases and comments, and deeply researched my husband’s work history and my extended family, still puzzles me.  However, I had a website which contained a great deal of information.  My voting record is on line, and I could be seen at all Town Council meetings which I attended over the years and which were broadcast on Channel 17 Public Access Channel on television.

As an eight year volunteer on the Town Council, my final request is that others will stop smearing my record and stating misleading, half-truths.  Above all, try to be kind to each other.  All of us volunteers deserve to be treated with civility.  We are neighbors and live in this town together.  In my opinion, it is not worth any political score to behave so badly, when our true goal should be only to promote the best policies and government of our town.

I am proud that I retained civility and professionalism throughout this campaign and at all meetings, although perhaps I made it less entertaining for some; but I hope that I have set an excellent example for others to follow.  My wish for those who do follow me as Town Council Representatives is that they will always read their materials given to them for each meeting, thoroughly research the issues, and above all buy and read a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order and our Town Charter in order to know how to best perform at meetings and institute the best policies for our town.

It has been my pleasure to serve all of you.