Candidate Profiles: Republicans For City Council

We sent out a series of questions to the candidates running for office this election, and these were the responses we received. The responses from the Democratic slate for City Council went on the site today at noon. The responses from the Green Party and unaffiliated candidates will go up on Wednesday.

Lorraine Allen

Age: 65

Address: 549 Ocean Avenue

Hometown: New York City, but I've lived here for almost 45 years so this is my hometown

Employment: Retired from Pfizer after 26 years (1997) - the last 17 of which I was as grants administrator and financial negotiator

Education: high school (academic) diploma, with evening courses taken at Hunter College, Connecticut College and Mitchell College

Incumbent: No

Previous elected experience: I was elected as: president of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Congregation; treasurer of the Neighborhood Alliance; president of the Thames Club (second woman since 1869).

Civic experience: My civic experiences have been: member of the Assessment Board of Appeals; member of the Policy Community Relation Committee, member of Mayor Pero's ad hoc committee for principles and operations of the PCRC, volunteered with the TVCCA tax aid program, volunteered in the Medical Staff Office at L&M, and am now helping the New London Public Library track their circulation numbers on a spread sheet that I designed.

Top issue: Somehow figuring out how to get all our three-years olds into programs that will prepare then for kindergarten so they already know colors, the use of scissors, rudimentary ABC's and how to function among other children

Second issue: Working with the NLPD to establish a safe, monitored facility where juvenile offenders can stay (freeing up a police officer) while their parent or others come to get them.

Third third issue: My slogan is "A Safe New London, An Open New London, and a Clean New London" - the tag line is VOTE - so you can complain

Daniel Docker

Age: 56

Address: Center St
Hometown: New London

Employment: Emergency Medical Services
Education: 96 college credits, paramedic certificate

Incumbent: No
Occupation: Emergency Medical Services
Previous offices held: Other government service  - US Navy / Connecticut Army National Guard / US Army Reserves

Civic experience: New London Zoning Board of Appeals
Top issue: Increased private sector tax base
Second issue: Education excellence
Third issue: Fiscal self sufficiency

Michael F. Doyle

Age: 50

Address: 67 Faire Harbour Place

Employment: Former director of the Governor's Eastern Connecticut Office

Education: Not listed

Incumbent: No

Previous elected experience: Former city selectman for the City of New London; lected to the Republican State Central Committee 20th District and former vice chairman for the Second Congressional District

Civic experience: Former member on the Martin Luther King State Holiday Commission 1995 to 2005; former member of the City of New London Board of Tax Review; former member of the 2006 and former vice chairman of the 2007 New London Charter Revision Commission; former chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross New London Chapter; former president of the New London Kiwanis Club; former lieutenant governor of the New England Kiwanis District 23; former deputy director of VIP guest operations Special Olympics World Games 1995; former member of the Board of Directors of the B.P. Learned Center; member of the Board of Director of Centro 

Top issue: Public safety is the top priority. By adding more police officers so we can continue protecting our senior citizens, children and residents.

Second issue: Education. Improve our students achievement scores and control spending

Third issue: Taxes. Control our spending with better policies and plan better for the future

Brian Giesing

Age: 58

Address: 42 School Street

Hometown: New London CT

Employment: City of Meriden Fire Department, lieutenant (ret)

Education: Fitch Senior High School, Groton CT, attended; Three Rivers ,Norwich CT, University of New Haven, West Haven CT, New Hampshire Vo-Tech College, Laconia NH and Ridley-Lowell Business school, New London CT

Incumbent: No

Previous elected experience: None

Civic experience: Ethics Board, New London; Surviviors of Homicide- State Board of Directors; New London County Fire Chiefs; Center Groton Fire Department (past chief); City of Groton 1 & 2 Fire Companies

Top issue: public safety- ensuring adequate funding for both police and fire, address concerns with both departments with straight up leadership from council and administrations to provide both departments with the tools necessary to provide services.

Second issue: Public works, another important agency which directly provides necessary service and quality of life issues for citizens.

Third issue: Education, to assist the Board of Education with direction and funding to provide the best education possible.

Margaret Hansen

Age: 53

Address: 235 Vauxhall Street

Hometown: Queens, N.Y.

Employment: The Glenn Hansen Orchestra, which is a mentoring program for student youth.  

Education: I attended Huntington Institute where I received my legal assistant certification as well as my paralegal certification.  I then attended both Three Rivers Community College and Eastern, focusing on studies in the legal area and sociology.  After eight years working with the Glenn Hansen Orchestra, this January we received our official 501(c)3 and this year awarded our first scholarship to a student in our orchestra to attend college and study education.

Incumbent: No
Previous elected experience: I have no other political experience but was union stewards at Burns Security where I was an armed guard for ten years, then went on to unionize and be union steward to First Step Inc., in New London.
Civic experience: I briefly mentored at the Gates Womens Correctional Facility with a fabulous woman who has endless years of her life towards helping others.  I would have continued had I not been faced with injuries my husband sustained which led me to many years of therapy culminating in the end result of the Glenn Hansen Orchestra.
Top issue: The top issue which I see in New London is twofold: I believe the economy is at a point where if taxes are not kept to a point of reduction or status quo then we face an increase in loss of property owners.  Jobs are so insecure at this time, and any revenue saved is a benefit to the families which reside in our town.  Also, we need to focus on public safety.  I believe that Chief Ackley has made significant strides in this area and hope to see this continue for the sake of community but also, small business.  If we are able to continue to move towards the goals of bringing in more tourism as in the past we need to be sure to have the ability to have safety in order to bring our name to a higher level where more people wish to come and other will fell more compelled to return.
Second issue: I support the sale of Riverside Park. I believe that the Coast Guard has been a very good asset to this town.  It stands as a landmark for a city where we are military from many areas.  Should the Coast Guard decide to leave our city and move elsewhere not only would we lose the national attention of being able to say the Coast Guard is stationed in our city, but I worry about the fallout of federal homeland dollars which we may lose because we no longer need to guard this piece of property and it would become another vacant piece of land.

Adam Sprecace

Age: 41
Address: 125 Gardner Avenue
Hometown: New London, CT
Employment: Mechanical engineer at Electric Boat, Groton
Education: Graduate of St. Bernard High School, Uncasville, CT; Bachelors and Masters Degrees in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY; licensed professional engineer in Connecticut
Incumbent: Yes, first elected Nov. 2007
Previous elected experience: Two terms (four years) serving on the New London City Council; One year as deputy mayor on the New London City Council; current chairman of the Administration Committee of the New London City Council; past chairman of the Public Welfare Committee of the New London City Council; New London City Council Liaison to several city boards and agencies
Civic experience: Host, public access television show, Common Sense, Revisited; member of the board of directors and treasurer of the Pequot Point Beach Co.; member of the board of trustees and webmaster of the Whaling City Restoration Committee; previous volunteer New London Main Street
Top issue: Despite everything going on in New London today, I believe the biggest issue facing the city is the change in municipal government.  The city’s switch to an elected mayor form of government, which I supported and still support, brings with it significant power to one individual to make a difference in New London.  Nevertheless, the role of the City Council will be very important.  The interaction between these two offices has the potential to carry the city to new levels of success.  Ensuring that a productive relationship exists between the City Council and the now elected mayor will be vital to this success.
Second issue: Besides ensuring a smooth transition of government, the major issues facing New London in the future include education and economic development.  To address the city’s education issue, focus will have to be applied to increasing parental involvement; not simply at school functions, but in the time we invest with our children’s learning away from school.  While city councilors do not have much power to affect change in the schools, the office can be used to help inspire those who do.  During my first campaign, I proposed a program where incentives would be provided to students and parents for participation, improvement, and achievement.  This program needs a champion within the Board of Education or school administration to be implemented.  With regard to economic development, the city must do more to create development and attract and keep businesses.  This will increase the tax base and lessen the burden on existing taxpayers.  We need to be marketing the city for development and providing business incentives with the new money from the increased sales tax that the state has provided New London this fiscal year.
Third issue: These issues must be addressed while continuing the progress that has built up in the city over the past few years.  Therefore, my third most important issue is to maintain the momentum that has developed recently in New London.  I encourage everyone who has a stake in the success of New London to step back and look at the investments which occurred recently in the city:  elementary schools, roads, sidewalks, parks, city vehicles, city buildings, televised city council meetings, home ownership programs, economic development plans…and all this with a reduction in taxes.  This momentum cannot be allowed to diminish if New London is to reach its full potential.