Since moving to Mystic seven years ago, I’ve said that our town is magical.  Now, with Matt and me living in Pawcatuck, I’m truly in love with Stonington.  Everywhere I turn there is another neighbor doing their part to make our town better, and another chance to serve the community.  I knew I needed to be part of that.
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In 2009, I convinced my husband to reboot his grandfather’s business, Mystic Knotwork.  I’ve been leading the team day to day for over 10 years and manage the cash flow that keeps the business growing and contributing to the community.


Our iconic knot business has won numerous awards, including:

• 2020 SBA Connecticut Small Business of the Year
• 2017 Eastern Chamber Small Business of the Year
• 2015 SCORE Small Business Champion for Connecticut
• 2014 Martha Stewart American Made Heritage Award

 
I’ve helped raise money for Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Research every year I’ve lived in town, I’ve worked with the Ocean Chamber and Mystic Chamber to help our fellow small businesses.  During our own  COVID-19  shutdown last year, we used the energy of that stressful time to raise $1,000 for the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center.  It was a highlight of last year, if there can be such a thing, to be blessed enough to give back last May. I’m serving on the Board of Directors for the Downtown Mystic Merchant’s Association and help with numerous activities there.

I've donated so many raffle prizes to all the schools and organizations in the area that I can't list them all, but we are proud to sponsor the Como and the Stonington Crew. It is such a great feeling to be able to help out in any way we can.

When I think about the responsibility of Treasurer, I realize that it’s a responsibility to keep a final check on spending.  Because Glenn Frishman, Lynn Young, and Faith Leitner are so conscientious and detail oriented, finding errors will likely be limited. I’ve seen the work they all do, and feel the stipend paid to the Treasurer should be reinvested into also helping the town.  So, I pledge to donate that salary to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center and other charities to help our neighbors through rough patches.  I’ll keep a sharp eye open to protect our treasury, and I’ll continue giving back in other ways.
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Please vote Jill Beaudoin for Treasurer Nov 2

​Hi.  My name is Faith Leitner and I’m running for the Board of Finance. Stonington has been home for nearly 40 years. My husband and I have been married 36 years and we raised two wonderful daughters who attended Stonington schools. I care deeply about what happens here and how our town is managed.

I graduated from Colorado State University more years ago than I care to remember and studied resource management and music. I started playing concert harps when I was seven, so music won out and I’ve been a working musician ever since. However, I grew up in a fiscally common sense household where I was taught the value of living within your means and that’s how I manage my finances to this day.

My dear late parents set another example. They both believed in contributing to the communities they lived in and did so through public service. That rubbed off on me so I served for two terms on the Stonington Board of Education from 2008 to 2017. I chaired the BOE’s finance committee for three years and was the board Secretary for two years during each term.

I want to continue to serve all the people of Stonington. I’m a realist and know you can’t please everyone all the time, but if I’m elected I will do my utmost to listen to all sides and make the most responsible decisions that benefit Stonington and make the most sense.
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Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, 2021. I would appreciate your vote.    

​As we approach our upcoming Election Day on November 2nd 2021, I wanted to make a direct appeal to the voters seeking your support.

I have had the honor to serve you on your Board of Finance for the past 27 years, and Chaired this Board for 18 of those years. Seeing this Board go from an appointed to an elected one, Stonington has benefitted from the Triple A Bond Rating these Boards have worked so hard to maintain. I have been committed to ensuring the maximal bang for the buck, and have been unwavering in ensuring that fiduciary responsibility from the Department Heads serving our community is demanded.

I chose to run for Re election as I fear an inflationary recession could be on the horizon. As a Grandparent of triplets, I know the pain at the gas pump we are all encountering, and the increased cost the supermarket visit makes. These pressures on Stonington families no doubt will make tax dollars needing to be reviewed increasingly closely. I have never shirked my duty to you to ask the difficult questions, and as an adult who transitioned from active military service to return to my native Stonington in the late 1970s in equally troubled economic times, have the experience to protect the individual taxpayer and our community. I have never forgotten the lessons learned in those difficult times. I am prepared to use them to negotiate these difficult days and inflation.

Always whether friend or no, I have ensured that money allocated for town is vetted thoroughly. Those that take that path often can become considered unpopular and controversial. I pledge to you that appointed or elected I will present a thoroughly vetted budget for your approval. Never seeking unnecessary tax funds that, I fear, will be increasingly scarce as we collectively recover from the Covid 19 Pandemic. Our town must spend and plan wisely for an uncertain fiscal future fraught with potential peril. I am committed to protecting the individual household as I am the town. We are all in this together.

This candidate is not afraid to take tough stands on issues. Recently I was not in line with my party leadership in my opposition to the Fixed Tax Assessment for the Campbell Grain Mill. I saw that as not worthy of town financial subsidy and saw my fiduciary role trumping party loyalty. I applaud the informed taxpayers of Stonington for demanding their voices be heard. My stances always dictated on what I truly believe is best for our town and never forgetting those tax funds are precious to those raising families and on fixed incomes.

In my next four years I will seek to drive these following issues in Stonington to successful resolution. I believe they are priorities that will put the future of our town on a path that will keep it the special community that it is.

1. There is an issue with the Pawcatuck Water loop that must be fixed. Water pressure has to be uniform throughout a Fire District to ensure our fire services can fight fires and protect lives and property. I have worked closely with Pawcatuck Fire Chief Kevin Burns to address this town risk management issue that ethically I refuse to ignore. Our homeowners and business owners in this village need this issue addressed.
2.  The Old Mystic Bridge has been closed far too long. Like Pawcatuck this infrastructure deficiency is unacceptable.It puts brave volunteer firefighters at risk and I have given my word to Old Mystic Fire Chief Ken Richards that we will get this long overdue project completed. This needs to get done.
3.  Coastal Resiliency is a controversial issue but I see an opportunity to put an emphasis to repair the flood gates in Pawcatuck, and study and likely acquire this infrastructure in Mystic and Stonington Borough. While we can disagree on degrees of climate change, we can find common ground on preparing for Hurricane threats. This is expenditure with a clear return on investment as it protects our Grand List. I look forward to working bipartisanly to address.
4.  We need to insure we fund our schools adequately to ensure our kids have an education that allows them to compete in the modern job market. Although I have always held the hard fiscal line, I have never not supported needed school projects based in need and maintaining our Grand List. Based on needs and affordable wants, we have maintained great schools for our kids AND a low tax rate by regional comparison.

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As always I am willing to listen and weigh all opinion. I am not ashamed to say I am a fiscal conservative. My record shows I always put Stonington first, care deeply about our working families and seniors. I'm eager to advocate for these needs and humbly ask for the honor of your vote.

I’m running for the Stonington Board of Education because I believe we need to move forward. We, as a school district, town, state, and country have experienced many ups and downs over the past year and a half.  I plan to help the Stonington School District continue to provide a quality education and be transparent with the families, students, and teachers.  I believe it is important to continue to work to keep our students in school.  I want Stonington students to be recognized among the best in the State. 

I am a native of New Hampshire and moved to Stonington in 2008 after accepting a position with the Connecticut State Police.  In September 2012, I married my wife, Ashley, a North Stonington native.  We met during our time at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI. 

In 2013 and in 2016, we welcomed our two children into the world.  Our son and daughter are now in third grade and kindergarten, respectively, at Deans Mill School.  We could not be happier with the experiences the Stonington School District has given to our children. 

As a mandated reporter, I will work to keep the students of Stonington safe and hold those accountable who violate the rights of our students. 

Throughout my career, I have worked in the many different areas of southeastern Connecticut.  I have developed the understanding we all come from unique backgrounds and individual experiences. 

While not busy at work, I coach with the Stonington Soccer Club and Junior Sharks.  I have spent the past few years coaching baseball with Mystic Little League and the Pawcatuck/North Stonington Little League.  I am an avid fan and supporter of the Stonington Flag Football Rec Program and enjoy watching all the players come together on the weekends.  I have volunteered at events with Deans Mill School, attended Field Day, school plays, and music shows.  I regularly attend mass at St. Patrick’s Church in Mystic and have volunteered my time. 

I look forward to getting to know the many residents of Stonington, students, their families, and supporting the Stonington School District.  Our students have lost a lot of time over the past year, and I am excited to help Stonington students receive the best education and prepare them for their futures. 

​Thank you for your time and I look forward to your Vote on November 2.

I’m running for the Board of Education because a solid public school education is basic to producing the future citizens we need, and the Board of Education is instrumental in that goal.  

I support transparency in BoE actions and encourage students to maximize educational achievement.  I also support measures to recover the lost learning time from the past year such as short-term tutoring for students as appropriate. 

            I am a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and spent my first career in the U.S. Navy.  After various tours of duty including command of a nuclear submarine and two tours at the Pentagon, I retired with the rank of Captain.

I attended the George Washington University Law School at night, and upon retirement from the Navy, worked in the Washington D.C. office of the law firm, Winston and Strawn.  After serving briefly as Deputy Inspector General of the Peace Corps at the Headquarters in the nation’s capitol, I returned to Connecticut and worked as an attorney and Vice President at a company in Waterford.

I was a substitute teacher in various subjects in public schools in the Stonington and Mystic area and taught geometry for 1.5 years at St Bernard High School in Montville, Ct,

I served as Executive Director of the Connecticut Early Music Society for over a dozen years, organizing the annual Connecticut Early Music Festival.  In that capacity, I brought music programs into a number of local and New London schools.

            I sing or have sung in various groups in the region including the Westerly Chorus, the chorus of the Saltmarsh Opera and the Stonington Madrigals Singers. I have been involved in prison ministry including the Alpha Course and the Kairos prison ministry in Corrigan and Radgowski prisons in Montville. This work also involved some one-on-one mentoring of inmates during their final year of imprisonment.
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My wife, Roberta, and I have three grown children and we live in Stonington, Connecticut.

Dear Friends and Neighbors, 

When the Connecticut House of Representatives next meets on Monday, September 27th it will be in a special session to vote on a seventh extension of the Governor's emergency powers, this time at least until February.

The Governor insists that Connecticut's public health and civil preparedness emergency declarations must be extended, but our neighbors to the north in Massachusetts have still managed COVID effectively in their schools and workplaces, even though their governor, Gov. Charlie Baker ended his state's emergency declarations months ago.

Meanwhile, the true emergency facing Connecticut - the erosion of our public safety in the face of rising violent crime and a wave of juvenile car thefts - has gone unaddressed, largely thanks to Democratic inaction in the legislature.

If you agree with me that our state's true emergency can no longer be ignored, visit www.StopCarThefts.com and write a message to those lawmakers still on the fence about protecting your safety.

As always, please contact me should you have any questions about this important issue or concerns on any other topics relating to state government at [email protected].
Stay cool,
​State Rep. Greg Howard