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Al Goldberg

Candidate Name: Al Goldberg

Office Sought: Board of Selectmen

Are You an Incumbent for this Seat? Yes

Party Affiliation: Democratic

Campaign Phone Number: 203-494-8048

Website: https://www.madisonctdemocrats.com/

Email Address: lake60@comcast.net

Family

My two children attended Madison Public Schools K - 12, graduating from DHHS in 1995. My son Brian is a sustainability officer at MIT University.

My daughter Tamara is a physician member of the teaching faculty at Mount Sinai Medical School in New York City.

Education

The Johns Hopkins University, A.B. in Psychology, 1969.

The University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business, MBA in Finance and the Management of Non-Profit Organizations, 1971.

Civic Involvement

The Connecticut Hospital Association, Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer.

Madison Visiting Nurse Association Board Officer

Madison Lakes Association Board Officer

Temple Beth Tikvah President.

The Mary Wade Home, New Haven, Chairman of the Board

Madison Land Conservation Trust, Vice-Chair

Coach of numerous youth athletic teams

ABC Advisory Board

The Cameron Kravitt Foundation, Executive Director

Elected/Appointed Offices Held

Madison Board of Finance 2005-2007

Madison First Selectman 2007-2009

Madison Town Selectman 2009-present

Madison Pension Committees for Police, Fire, and Town Employees. Chairman, 2011-present

What led you to seek this office?

My vision of town government: A vehicle to retain and sustain the values we cherish. A vehicle to shape and build consensus for our future. A vehicle to enhance Madison for those who follow. The Board of Selectmen is the key element of town government for articulating vision, defining goals, allocating resources, and monitoring effectiveness of programs.

During my campaign for first selectman, I climbed aboard an old bike, strapped on my helmet, and cycled back and forth across town, speaking with thousands of voters and hearing countless answers to my favorite question: "What brought you to Madison?" I learned that educational and professional opportunities, an appreciation of natural beauty, and a desire to live well are the common thread for nearly all of us. I know there is still much work to be done to make good on the hopes and dreams of our residents, so I choose to continue to offer to serve. I have been humbled every day since by the trust you've placed in me, and am proud of what has been accomplished. With critical strategic decisions coming due, I am prepared to help guide the community towards an enhanced Madison.

What are your qualifications for this position?

With consummate pride, I have served on this board for 14 years, both as a selectman and as a first selectman. I have acquired an invaluable and deep understanding of our town government's structure, operations, and limitations, and have learned how to get things done. I have a record of building consensus with my selectmen colleagues and achieving compromise. In my personal and professional life, I have tried to live out the values of civility, kindness, and collaboration that I believe are core to Madison government and to this community. I have the experience, temperament, and passion to be an effective public servant on behalf of the citizens, and an effective colleague to elected, appointed, and volunteer leaders.

What do you see as the top three issues or priorities for this position?

1. Continuing to re-focus our municipal government toward enhancing our quality of life, encouraging civic engagement, and embracing our hopes and dreams.

2. Continuing to re-focus our municipal government to one which finds ways to move forward, even on the most difficult issues, which genuinely believes in building consensus, and which respects the wisdom of the voters.

3. Continue to re-focus our town government so as to align with this community's values. We need to permanently establish the expectation of collaboration, attention to due process, respect for the spirit of our Town Charter, tri-board collegiality, and the graciousness of listening, openness, and kindness

The town has two former school buildings to repurpose and a roughly $130 million school project to plan for. How should the town move forward on these items?

It's time to "Let the Voters decide!" As a result of numerous analyses and extensive consideration, the Board of Ed has framed a plan which they feel is the best course of action to maintain the excellence of our schools, while prudently investing in necessary infrastructure. The plan is fully developed and enjoys complete support from the elected BOE members.