Town Council Candidate Questionnaire, Answer #6

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As a service to our readers, we will be republishing the replies to our Town Council Candidate Questionnaire question by question, one each day until Election Day. This was the sixth query:

Are there innovations - in technology, infrastructure, funding opportunities, etc. - that you would like to see the town take advantage of (or avoid)? 

The replies, ordered by candidate last name, are as follows:

Paul Chaplinsky (R)

Yes. We’ve had success in recent years securing outside grants, and I believe there are even more opportunities to pursue additional external funding. Continued investment in core infrastructure—roads, sewers, and sidewalks—will remain essential.

This term, we also created a Technology Subcommittee that has already implemented several new tools improving efficiency in municipal operations. Looking ahead, we should continue exploring cloud-based services and community engagement apps that can strengthen communication and accessibility for residents, businesses, and town staff alike.

Jennifer Clock (R)

Municipalities should always look to the technology available that is affordable and has had proven results. A few years back, car thefts were a huge issue, it was suggested we hire one more police officer to address the problem, this would have been a band aid. Smartly, our SPD did their due diligence and researched how best to address this crime and that is when the FLOCK system was funded. This is a great example of collaboration, forward thinking and taking advantage of technology to provide results and efficiency.

As chair of the technology committee, we identified priorities for the town to enhance security and create efficiency in early 2024. Now, just one year later, I’m proud to say that thanks to the hard work of town staff our top priorities have been addressed. This is the progress we should continue to strive for as taxpayers reap the benefits of this type of leadership and efficiency.

Michael DelSanto (R)

Southington has made significant progress in updating technology to improve local government operations. The Town Council established a Technology Committee, which conducted a thorough review of outdated systems across Town Hall and other municipal buildings. Many of this committee’s recommendations have been implemented, resulting in notable cost savings for taxpayers. Although adapting to new systems can be challenging, these upgrades were essential for enhancing the town’s operational efficiency.

Southington has benefited from infrastructure innovations that replaced long-standing, obsolete systems. The town now utilizes advanced technology to assess road conditions, enabling officials to identify which roads require repair or replacement based on damage and wear. This data-driven approach ensures that resources are allocated efficiently and that infrastructure maintenance is both proactive and effective.

George Doherty (D)

 

I believe the town should closely monitor the experience of towns across the state that are using cameras to catch speeders. I would welcome the police and public safety officials to recommend ideal spots around town, although there are several roads, such as Meriden Avenue and Mount Vernon Road, where residents of the area could tell you that speeding is excessive and borders on reckless. If the experience of other towns with cameras is positive, I would support using speeding cameras to augment traditional law enforcement techniques to make our roads safer. I do not want to take away from the officers’ judgment in cases where that was needed, so I would recommend that initially the speed cameras are set at levels, such as 10 or 15 mph over the speed limit, where it would be indisputable that a person was driving at an excessive speed.

Charles E. Green, Jr. (D)

I would love the Town to install and/or use more speed monitors on our local roads. This will deter drivers from speeding on our local roads, which I think is becoming more of a problem in our Town.

Shawn Grindle (D)

Any innovation should aim to do two things: save taxpayers money and improve services. We should continue aggressively pursuing state and federal grants to support road work, park upgrades, and programs like brownfield redevelopment—helping to reduce the local tax burden. At the same time, the town needs to invest in energy efficiency across all municipal buildings and spaces through measures like solar panels, LED streetlights, and upgraded HVAC systems that cut costs over time.

That said, we must do our due diligence when it comes to relying on one-time funding for ongoing expenses or adopting new technology that promises efficiency but fails to deliver a real return on investment. Innovation should be smart, sustainable, and rooted in fiscal responsibility.

Kristen Marie Guida (D)

I would like to see Southington invest in modern infrastructure and smart technologies that improve traffic flow, public safety, and sustainability. These efforts not only enhance quality of life but also attract businesses and strengthen our economic base. Infrastructure investment supports economic development and helps our town grow responsibly.

Jim Morelli (R)

We have made great strides in implementing technological upgrades and I wish to see that continue. I believe that advancements at the library would yield results that would impact all residents and that would be one focus. Also, any streamline of various town departments with automation to make public interactions seamless would be desirable.

Tony Morrison (R)

Technology offers us the biggest bang for the buck right now. The new technology committee has put a platform for the Town in place and we are busy working on developing capabilities using it for efficiencies. These efficiencies have delivered, and will continue to deliver to savings, such as the fact we have freed up time from staff to concentrate on completing schools grant audits which has just returned $281,000 to us.

The future sees some serious other opportunities which we have not investigated as yet. This is using what is called Generative AI (GenAI) for service delivery, cybersecurity, operations such as predictive maintenance and citizen queries. We have considerable shortened our permits processing, but this type of AI has lead massive improvements in other municipalities in this area. And other applications are numerous. Hartford, for example, is using GenAI for real-time language translation for 311 calls. Use of GenAI will have to be managed for privacy issues, just like we did with the Flock cameras where we delete the data after 30 days.

Public safety offers improvements as well, not just with GenAI for potentially helping our response times, but with technologies that have had success elsewhere. Firefighting drones have freed up firefighters from dangerous situations elsewhere, for example investigating smoke-filled upper rooms for where people may be trapped in a fire as opposed to sending in a firefighter.

The State of GovTech 2026 is next Spring in Arlington, VA. Even if we do not have time or money to attend, we need to be keeping abreast of what the future holds from conferences such as this.

Chris Palmieri (D)

I’d like to see Southington use technology and funding opportunities to make town services more efficient and effective. Things like online permitting, digital payments, and infrastructure monitoring can save time and money. I’d also prioritize pursuing grants and state or federal funding to help improve roads and public facilities. At the same time, I’d be cautious about adopting programs that are costly or untested without clear benefits for residents.

Joshua Serafino (R)

I’d like to see Southington invest in technology upgrades that make town services more efficient and easier for residents to use. Small changes can make a big difference, whether it’s improving access to information or streamlining online permits and applications. When it comes to infrastructure, we should stay focused on maintaining and improving our roads, public buildings, and community spaces. I’d also like to see the town pursue more federal grants to help fund these projects instead of relying solely on taxpayers to cover the cost.

 

David Zoni (D)

There will always be technological advances in IT infrastructure, innovative software, and advances in hardware technology. Southington’s IT Department is currently implementing new technology to meet the demands of our changing world and secure our internet safety. Implementing new technology to increase productivity is a never-ending battle. I would, however, exercise caution when moving forward so as not to be investing taxpayer dollars on the advice of aggressive marketing and sales efforts. There will always be someone touting their products as the best thing since sliced bread and that their products are certain to bring positive results for our operations. Investing in proven technology is the most advantageous form of advancement.

Funding opportunities come and go, whether they be State, Federal, or Private. We should proceed by taking advantage when they do present themselves but exercise caution with these funding sources by ensuring that they don’t come with strings attached.