Dem. Candidate Martha Mark: No More 'Petty Power Politics'

Editor's Note: This is one of two stories detailing the first selectman candidates' remarks at their respective nominating conventions. A full copy of each speech is available.

First Selectman Tim Herbst's management style is not helping the town, according to his democrat challenger Martha Jankovic-Mark.

"I believe that in a small community like Trumbull the petty power politics of the last four years has not served our Community well," she told democrats Tuesday night at the nominating convention at the Board of Education's Long Hill Administration Building.

She criticized Herbst in many areas of government, concluding that Trumbull needs a change in leadership. Mark said she and the democratic slate of candidates can do it.

"Over the next eight weeks, we will be issuing our platform on subjects such as pensions, sewer regionalization, tax relief, education, and transparency. In other words, we will issue a blueprint for the future that we actually intend to implement," she said, referring to Herbst's 2009 election platform, called a "blueprint for Trumbull."  She called it an "election gimmick."

"No rhetoric, no gimmicks and no bluster," Mark said of her plans, which are:

• "We will implement a proper redistricting plan which will return us to a more balanced Town Council power structure, not this gerrymandered, unnecessary four district configuration for which we were never given an adequate rationale.

• "We will re-open the Charter as soon as the law allows and make the process fair this time, with equal representation of all of our citizens on the Committee.

• "We will restore Government by the people and for the people instead of by the lawyers and for the lawyers. Let’s see if we can better utilize our legal fee allotment.

• "We will implement the best practices of the best run companies in America, including real zero based budgeting, pre and post project review, and competitive bids on all contracts.

• "We will restore real transparency in government, including by having a First Selectman's public hearing on the budget BEFORE [sic] it goes to the Board of Finance.

• "We believe in and will promote focusing on overall better management, ending excessive spending, developing and following a proper capital plan, implementing a financial plan which is not deceptive and which does not put off costs into the future which should be budgeted for properly in the present;

• "[We will enact] ethics and contract reform to take the politics out of awarding Town jobs and Town contracts.  Awarding work must be based on competence, not political allegiance.

• "We believe that we can expect a high level of public services, including an exceptionally fine school system, without overburdening the taxpayers of Trumbull.

• "We believe that we should expect professional behavior from our leaders and mutual respect, starting from the top.  

• "Above all, we believe that government decision-making should be focused on what is best for the community, not what is best for a leader’s political future. It must be fair and inclusive, it must encourage discourse which represents all interests, and it must be done in a civilized and non-threatening manner.