To the voters of Middletown:

I want to thank the voters for their confidence for electing me to my third term on the Common Council, along with the rest of our Republican team. It was very rewarding for me to continue my dialogue with our community members as I have done over my past two terms and during my campaign in the various neighborhoods I visited. 

I heard your frustrations, suggestions and the need for government to work for you in a more amicable and cost efficient manner.

Our Republican team and I can assure you that you can expect to see our support and respectful advocacy for a more conservative approach towards the utilization of your tax payer dollars and a greater appreciation for the need to continue to fund and build upon our Fund Balance Savings.

We will encourage the new administration to incorporate more transparency in our city government, centered upon a greater need for a collaborative bipartisan approach towards your concerns and issues.  

We will encourage for a more relaxed and different format of our community Council meetings which will allow for questions and answers as we navigate through the different parts of our city neighborhoods. Community conversations can change negative perceptions on issues into positive results when we engage our community stakeholders.

We will look forward to working with the new Board of Education members and their anticipated new leadership team in a more harmonious manner. We will be stressing the need for the board to recognize the importance of our City Charter in the same way as they do toward their policies and adhere to both these documents in a more collaborative manner.

We also are respectfully requesting on your behalf that the board commence with a more open and collaborative transparent approach with their Budget Development Process by co-sponsoring with the Common Council a budget workshop for a better understanding of their budget process  and the expenditures of city taxpayer dollars. This openness will address the public’s demand for fiscal accountability.

We will advocate for the board and city to look for real ways to combine city and board duplicate services which will allow for a more cost effective, real shared services fiscal approach to government. These suggestions will then allow for the Board to concentrate on continued innovative opportunities towards the educational needs of our children and youth.

We look forward to working with Mayor-Elect Dan Drew’s administration for enhanced communications which we feel will be the basis for our city’s continued economic and infrastructure growth and for the continued health and safety of our City of Middletown, which we all know and love!

Middletown Common Councilman Philip J. Pessina, Minority Leader