My name is Eric Couture, and I’m the Killingworth Democratic candidate for first selectman. I was raised in Killingworth and graduated from Haddam-Killingworth High School. I then earned a degree in physics and political science from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

I worked in Hartford for several years in a political capacity, learning how Hartford works and how that knowledge can serve our interests. On the Board of Education, I was a member of the Facilities, Policy, and Curriculum committees and the High School Renovation Project’s building committee. There, I learned how our community comes together to solve educational and fiscal issues.

I’m running for first selectman because I believe in giving back to my community. This community taught me to be humble, kind-hearted, thoughtful, and respectful. I will bring those values to Town Hall.

I’m running because I see the challenges we face and believe that we need to take a long-term approach to handling them so we can adapt Killingworth to the 21st century in our own way.

Whether it’s handling the aging infrastructure in our school system or addressing the issue of affordability for all age groups in town, working in concert with our regional school district as well as Hartford will be a necessity. These issues require building consensus to develop plans that meet our needs and fit our community.

Fortunately, we live in a town with a tradition of volunteering to handle the issues we face. It’s my view that as we maintain our civility and recognize our shared stewardship of Killingworth, we can accomplish whatever our town needs to prepare for and adapt to the future.

It would be my honor to serve as first selectman. I hope I can earn your vote on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Eric Couture

Killingworth