CANDIDATE RESPONSES: Mike Kivell, Democrat for town clerk

Friday, 30 October 2009 19:02

Mike Kivell, a Democrat, is running for town clerk.

Name and explain two ways to improve the town clerk’s office.

I will make the office more accessible to Easton residents. I will increase the office hours so that residents will not have to take time away from work, or their schedules, to conduct business at the office only to find it closed. Secondly, I will improve office productivity by being there for all of the hours the office is open. The expanded hours would represent nearly a 20-hour-per-week increase in public access compared to most of the last eight years. Since a town clerk has nothing to do with setting town policy, the critical measure of merit is how well he or she serves the public.

Would you expand hours, and if so, would that cost the town more money?

Yes, I will expand the hours of the town clerk’s office as residents deserve convenient business hours at the town clerk’s office. There will be no additional cost for the increased hours as I will personally staff the office including the extra hours. There are no costs to the town since the town clerk is a full-time, salaried position and does not receive additional compensation for overtime.

What makes you qualified for this position?

As the holder of a BS in business administration from the University of Connecticut (concentration in real estate), an MBA; 25 years experience in purchasing; and proven skills in managing people, administering budgets and managing system implementations, I am well-prepared for the detailed work this job demands.