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Alderman Ward 1:  John "Jack" Finn


Alderman John "Jack "Finn (D-1) is serving his twelfth consecutive term on the Board of Aldermen. He strongly believes that giving of yourself to city government is a great call but should not be done unless you have the time and energy. He is ready to meet those demands. President John F. Kennedy stated, "Let’s not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not to seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future."

Jack Finn has always enjoyed giving back to his community, helping fellow residents and trying to have well planned, controlled community development, realizing we must manage development to maximize the Grand List while preserving the environment and rural character of the community. He feels it is important to insure that the lines of communication are open and harmonious among all levels of city government and departments for Shelton’s working families.

Jack is a Shelton native. He is married to Susan Finn, a teacher, formerly at Elizabeth Shelton School and currently at Mohegan School. They have two children: Colleen, 32 and John 27. Colleen was the 1981 National Easter Seal Poster Child and is a graduate of SCSU; John, is a graduate of Providence College, is employed at Sikorsky. Jack is retired from Sikorsky Aircraft.

City government should be responsive to all its citizens and treat them fairly and justly. We must be committed to environmental issues that affect our future and we must improve our recreational facilities which would include new playing fields, playgrounds, and programs. We must support our Emergency Services, striving for the best trained and the best equipped for the best possible services to residents, businesses, corporations and the general public. All city services must be funded at a competent level – while maintaining financial constraints and accountability.  

Alderman Finn was an outspoken critic when he learned of the plans by Tennis in Shelton to privatize East Village Park’s tennis courts and collected nearly 700 signatures of Shelton residents through out the community who agreed that Shelton Parks were developed for its citizens. Alderman Finn learned of a paintball encampment on City Open Space on Huntington Street and worked with various departments to dismantle that encampment. Alderman Finn assisted in the installation of the massive 45 foot wooden pedestrian bridge in Huntington Center upon its arrival. in August 2004. Alderman Finn assisted in writing Shelton’s Alarm Ordinance, Street Open Ordinance, and Pending Ethics Ordinance. His vision of Shelton is one in which we maintain and upgrade the educational system with emphasis on technology and system – wide safety and security improvement projects.

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Board of Education Members 

 

Arlene Liscinsky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arlene Liscinsky presently resides in Shelton with her husband Joseph. She has two daughters, Erin, 20, a junior at Quinnipiac University and Kate, 22, a recent graduate of Boston University . Arlene previously lived in Stratford for 12 years. She attended Danbury High School and has a Marketing degree from Norwalk Community College . She has an extensive background in Retail Management and now is an owner of a business in Shelton . 

She has been an active parent advocate since her first daughter entered Kindergarten at Booth Hill School in 1990. She held various positions with the PTA such as Board of Education Liaison, Membership chair, Reflections Chair and PTA President. Arlene also served as the Citywide PTA Council President and was one of the organizers of the YES Committee which promoted the referendum for the building of a new intermediate school  in Shelton . Arlene also served on Shelton School ‘s Long Range Planning Committee, and Five Year Strategic Planning Committee. Arlene’s educational involvement also extended to the state arena where she served as an active member on the CT State PTA as Treasurer and Vice President of Membership along with many other committee assignments. 

Arlene was first elected to serve on Shelton‘s Board of Education in 1999 and is presently serving her third term. She has served on numerous BOE committees, most recently as Chairman of Policy, Curriculum, and Technology, Negotiations, Finance, and Chairman of Building & Grounds. Arlene is also an active member of the citywide Technology Committee and sits on the CES governing board representing Shelton . She also is a member of the Youth Service Bureau and sits on a committee to stop underage drinking and the Shelton School Readiness Council.

Arlene has been recognized for her commitment to children and has always been very passionate about the quality of public education, which was the reason for her first running for the Shelton Board of Education. Arlene feels there are still many issues that need to be addressed and would like to continue her commitment to the Shelton Public School System as an advocate for parents and their children.

Arlene is also a supporting member of the Shelton High PTSO, Gaelettes (Shelton High's Female sports club), Shelton Democratic Town Committee, the Shelton Historical Society, Nutmeg State PTA, the Parent Child Resource Center .

Timothy J. Walsh III


Tim and his wife Gail live at 42 L'Hermitage Dr and have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. His grandsons attend Elizabeth Shelton School. He is a life-long resident of Shelton except for a brief hiatus when he lived in Oxford but continued to work in Shelton. While in Oxford he served on the Board of Finance. The Walsh/Cribbins family has been in Shelton since the mid 1800s. 

Tim graduated from Shelton High School and earned his BS from SCSU. He went on to earn a Masters in Science and an advanced degree in education from the University of Bridgeport. He retired after 35 years as an educator in the Shelton Public Schools in 1997. He then served as an Educational Consultant in Shelton and Watertown, CT.

During Tim's time as an educator in Shelton he served first as a seventh and eighth grade science teacher , he served as the last Principal at the Fowler School (now City Hall). He opened the Intermediate School as Headmaster in the fall of 1974 and served in that position until the fall of 1991 when he was appointed Headmaster of Shelton High School. 

While at the Intermediate School as Headmaster, the school earned recognition from the US Dept. of Education as a "Nation Blue Ribbon School". Tim traveled to the White House to be recognized by President George H. W. Bush. Mr. Walsh has spent his whole adult life working to create high standards of learning for the children of Shelton. Mr Walsh presently serves as Chairman of the Board of Education. He has served as Chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee and as a member of the Finance Committee. He was also a co-representative to ACES, the regional educational services group. He has served on several negotiating committees. 

Tim is a Life member of the Connecticut PTA. He is a corporator of Griffin Hospital and of the Valley Boys and Girls Club. He is also the past Chairman of the Shelton Youth Service Bureau and a Charter Member of the group.Tim worked with a group of then young men to activate a Jaycee Chapter in Shelton and went on to serve as Vice-President of the Jaycees. One of the enduring accomplishments of that group was starting the yearly Arts Festival on the Huntington Green. Tim also served as the President of the Shelton Administrators Council.

He is concerned that the Board of Education puts eservice to our students foremost when making decisions regarding schools. Tim has proudly presided over what has demonstrated to be a non-partisan Board of Education when tough decisions had to be made.

Shelton education is on the horizon of a great decade. A renovated High School will be completed next Spring, a "like-new" upper-elementary school is scheduled to be opened in September 2009, curriculum revision is being made to be sure that Shelton is up to State curriculum standards, technology has finally caught up with the approval of recent bond issues and education in Shelton is bright. 

Tim hopes that he and his team-mated are re-elected for the following term.

James Orazietti

Jim is a 27 year employee Sikorsky Aircraft and 49 year resident of the City of Shelton. He attended Shelton high and Central Connecticut State University. Jim was a multiple cost reduction incentive award winner at Sikorsky Aircraft, a 2 time Siskorsky community volunteer recipient. He has served 2 terms on the Board of Apportionment and Taxation for the City of Shelton, 4 years on the Conservation Commission. Jim has also served the city as a youth coach for soccer, softball, and Pop Warner and was a former PTA, PTO member. Jim is married to Sharon Orazietti and has a daughter, Kelly. He is a current Board of Education Member.

In my capacity as a Board of Education member I would be accountable in managing the distribution of funds allocated by the citizens of Shelton in a efficient, innovative, proactive manner, enabling our students to achieve the highest quality of education. This would include future expansion of class rooms, for which I have proposed a 5th & 6th grade that would take into consideration the future growth of our community for the next 20 years. I will ensure fair treatment of extracurricular activities regardless of gender. I will maintain our facilities in the most effective way ensuring the best and longest use possible.. I will ensure personnel are hired based on qualification only, providing the best teachers. I will initiate programs to safe guard our students with better security provided for with student parking fees and exclusive contracting. I will strive to eliminate duplication of positions within the board of education and the city of Shelton where ever possible, with a more cost efficient way of managing resulting in our students receiving the maximum benefit of our tax payers funding.

Paula Ellis

Paula S Ellis is a life-long resident of Shelton and a graduate of Shelton High School. She has an associate degree in science from the University of Bridgeport. Paula is a dental hygienist for Dr. Michael Tichy and a real estate agent for Real Estate Two in Shelton. As a member of the Board of Education for 28 years, she has worked conscientiously in many capacities. Paula was the chair for 3 terms over her tenure. She has a knowledge of the Board of Education budget and curriculum processes.First elected in 1979, she has worked with 5 superintendents and 3 mayors to form the Shelton School System into a source of pride for all residents.In every board decision she puts children first and will continue to be an advocate for education in Shelton.

 

Planning and Zoning Board Members

Leon Sylvester

Leon, his wife Barbara and three children, Melissa, Christen and Leon, Jr. are lifelong residents of Shelton and graduates of the Shelton Public Schools. Leon has three grandchildren who reside in Shelton, the oldest of whom will be attending Kindergarten at Long Hill School this September.

He has been employed by the Shelton Board of Education in a variety of positions throughout his career and recently retired as their Superintendent of Schools after fourteen years in that position. Under his leadership, Shelton established a plan of development to lead Shelton Schools to a place of recognition among the other school systems in Fairfield County. Leon is most proud of his role in building our New Intermediate School, along with the combined campus and recreational complex at Shelton High School.

Leon has served on the Planning and Zoning Committee for the past twenty years, six as chairman during the previous Pacowta Administration. He believes that Shelton residents are generally pleased with much of the development that has taken place in our city, but that many, like himself, feel overwhelmed by the aggressive increase of development over the past several years. 

Chris Jones 

Chris is a life-long resident of Shelton, where he attended Shelton public schools before enlisting in the United States Army. After an honorable discharge in 1990, Chris worked in the construction trades, and then as a substance abuse counselor. In 2004, he started his own business, Premiere Hardwood Flooring. Chris and his wife, Giovanna, live at 42 Crescent Street in Shelton and are expecting their first child.

Chris’ enthusiastic commitment to public service did not end when he left the armed forces. Inspired by the New York firefighters’ response to the September 11th attack, Chris was moved to join the Shelton Fire Department, Echo Hose #1 as a volunteer firefighter. Chris served on the Shelton Board of Aldermen from 2000-2001. He has co-chaired the Valley Substance Abuse Advisory Council for the past five years and is a commissioner of the Shelton Board of Americans with Disabilities. Chris is a member of the American Legion Post 16 and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce. His genuine commitment to our young people is evident by his involvement with the Shelton Boys and Girls Club, where he coaches basketball as well as serves on the board of directors.

Chris served as a Shelton Alderman from 2000-2001 and in that role worked to better our community. Chris will bring his expertise as a successful businessman to the complex challenges facing our community, assuring that Shelton residents have a voice in the development of our city. Chris is committed to intelligent growth for Shelton and will work with his fellow Democratic Planning and Zoning members to demand better planning, adherence to the zoning laws and provide a voice for Shelton's citizens in how Shelton grows. Chris wants to address the pressing needs of traffic congestion, blasting, uncontrolled development along Bridgeport Avenue, and downtown redevelopment. Chris believes that they key to sustaining low taxes while ensuring our quality of life in Shelton is smart development. 

Board Apportionment and Taxation Members

 

Judson W. Crawford "The Watchdog of your Wallet"


Judson lives at 8 Jordan Ave. with his wife of 39 years, Christine (Hyman) Crawford. He has a daughter, Cathleen and 2 grandchildren. He has lived in Shelton for 38 years.

Judson graduated from Ansonia High School in 1961. He attended the Stone Business School and received a certificate in Jr. Accounting. He is currently employed by DiChello Distributors in Orange as a customer service clerk.

Judson wants to make sure the city finances are handled properly. He wants to be known as "the Watchdog of your Wallet". His main issues of concern are education and working toward attaining a balanced budget.

 

 

Nancy Dickal

 

Nancy is a Shelton Resident for thirty years. She is married and has two daughters, Dawn and Lisa. Each were Shelton High graduates. Dawn is a Nuclear Medicine Technician and Lisa attends University of Bridgeport majoring in Graphic Design. Nancy has two grandsons, Michael and Alexander. Nancy has been a Bridgeport Hospital employee for twenty-one yrs., working on the Labor and Delivery Unit. She is President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of a HomeOwners Assoc. 

Her passion for her community has widespead her focus and commitment to our town. She is actively addressing blasting issues. 
Nancy's priorities are:

to work for the best interests of Shelton's Citizens

to regard land as a resource for wildlife and habitats

addressing the plaguing traffic concerns

blasting issues

planning for smart development

Library Board Members

Harriet Hanley Finn

Harriet lives at 29 East Village Road. She has lived in Shelton for the past 60 years. She was married in 1943 to the late George Finn, Esq., former Judge of Probate. She has two sons, George and Jack Finn and a daughter Harriet Calkins and five grandchildren. Harriet is retired from SNET.

Harriet is serving her 4th term on the Library  Board. She has seen the library restored outside to its original beauty. Now she would like to see the dull paneling in the main room restored to its original gleaming beauty. It is such a beautiful room and she wants all Shelton residents to enjoy it. She also wants to make sure that the Library keeps in step with our growing city.

 

 

Joan C. Feeley

Joan lives at 67 Adams Drive with her husband, Marc B. Feeley. She has a son Timothy Feeley. She has lived in Shelton for 29 years.

Joan has a B.S. from Southern Connecticut State University, a M.A. from Fairfield University and a 6th year Diploma from Southern Connecticut State University. She works for the Shelton Public Schools as a first grade teacher at Sunnyside School.

As an educator, Joan is passionate about literacy. A strong, vibrant public library can only help to fulfill the desire of educators and parents that children become life-long readers, Joan's main issues of concern are that we keep and increase the many programs that the library already offers, that we increase awareness of these programs and that we increase library availability.

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