Endorsements

Dear New Canaan Resident –

I have been involved in local and state governance for about twenty years not only as an elected Town Council Member and State Representative but also as an attorney representing police officers and municipalities throughout the state. I truly believe New Canaan is the finest community in Connecticut because of our fiscally conservative financial habits, community first mentality lead by our amazing seniors and by prioritizing education which has resulted in the top ranked schools, all while under Republican leadership for decades, if not centuries.

Next Tuesday November 7 you will decide who leads our Town and the Board of Education.

For First Selectman, I have known Dionna Carlson and her family for decades and seen first-hand her collaborative approach on the Board of Ed and the many volunteer organizations she has assisted. I am endorsing Dionna based on her past elected experience - near decade service on the Board of Ed, including three as the bipartisan elected chair, her financial background, and her commitment to a transparent collaborative approach to governance that she has shown in elected and volunteer organizations. Dionna is the right person at the right time with the necessary experience to balance the needs of our top school system while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

For the Board of Education, I am endorsing row B, Matt Campbell, Lara Kelly, Hugo Alves and Matt Wexler, all of whom have the right temperament and experience to make sure our schools maintain their top-ranking while being financially prudent. They will keep politics out of our educational system and make sure our administration and teachers focus on educating our children and leave parenting to parents. If you choose to vote for more than four Board of Ed candidates, I encourage you to consider Giacomo Landi and Brendan Hayes - they have the experience and temperament to put our kids first and leave politics aside.

Tom O’Dea State Representative, 125th District PS - The above opinions are my own as a voting resident of New Canaan

I am writing a letter of support for Dionna Carlson for First Selectman. I met Dionna several years ago when DAR gave me an "Americanism Medal". Since then, I have gotten to appreciate Dionna's many different contributions to the New Canaan community, as well as her stills as a community leader.

In my estimation, Dionna has the leadership skills to lead our town. Her background in real estate lending and knowledge of real estate issues should prove valuable in the development of an affordable housing strategy. Similarly, her experience as member and Chairman of the Board of Education should make her especially well positioned to understand the issues facing New Canaan schools.

Dionna is committed to working with others and listening to people's concerns and feedback. Her style and demeanor are also well suited to the First Selectman position.

Laszlo Papp

Dear New Canaan Friends,

It’s an honor to write in support of Dionna Carlson’s campaign to serve the New Canaan community as your First Selectman! During my 10 years as Darien’s First Selectman I’ve had the privilege of working with a number of exceptional leaders across our great state. Leaders like Dionna who care deeply about ensuring our towns are safe, our schools serve our children well and town-managed services are affordable and meet the needs of our residents. Leaders like Dionna who prioritize civility, relationship building and collaboration in the interest of honoring the values and priorities unique to the town they serve. Leaders like Dionna who have vision, can develop strategies and can build coalitions locally and statewide to accomplish that vision. And leaders like Dionna who can rise to the challenge of managing a community through natural disasters and other crises when they arise.

Dionna has an impressive resume of professional accomplishment and civic engagement. Her 8 years on the New Canaan Board of Education (unanimously elected Chair from 2015-2018) and her financial expertise as a CFA and the variety of roles she held in her time at GE Capital are deeply relevant to the diverse responsibilities of First Selectman. Dionna understands well that fiscal stewardship and respect for taxpayers is foundational to a well-functioning town. She further understands that it “takes a village” of engaged citizens, teachers, town employees, local non-profits, board and commission volunteers, faith communities and timely, factual communication to keep a town running smoothly.

Dionna Carlson is a trusted leader with the skill, experience, focus and compassion needed to continue to lead New Canaan forward. Please cast your vote for Dionna Carlson for First Selectman on November 7th!

Respectfully, Jayme J. Stevenson First Selectman, Town of Darien 2011-2021

Dionna Carlson has a genuine passion for New Canaan. She has served on the BOE (including chairman for three years) as well as leadership positions at Congregational Church, DAR, board member for her children’s schools, and more. When I think about why Dionna is the best choice to lead New Canaan, I think of three qualities… leadership, accessibility and honesty.

Dionna is a proven town leader. Dionna testified in Hartford at the Education Committee Public Hearing against a school regionalization bill while she was on the BOE in 2018. Her actions are clear evidence that she can be counted on to represent our residents by speaking out for local control of our town and our schools. Her demonstrated advocacy on our behalf will be an important asset in the coming years with the ever-increasing number of bills with unfunded mandates coming down from Hartford.

Dionna is accessible. I reached out to Dionna when I was considering running for the BOE two years ago and she immediately replied and met me for coffee. I found Dionna to be warm and engaging. She always makes time to meet, talk things through, and answer questions. She is an active listener and provides constructive feedback every time I reach out for advice. Dionna’s experience has been invaluable, and she clearly communicates the thoughtful reasons behind her feedback.

I’ve seen Dionna treat all members of our community with fairness and honesty. As an example, during her tenure on the BOE, Dionna heard the needs of elementary school parents and was their voice during the school start times decision. While she recognized the benefits of changing school start times for HS students, Dionna balanced those goals with the comments she heard from numerous elementary school parents that had very legitimate concerns about the impacts of the administration’s proposal on their families. While Democrat BOE members continued to push the administration’s stated proposal, Dionna thoughtfully voiced the elementary parents’ concerns and challenged the school leadership to go back once more to try to come up with a more workable solution. The district heeded the suggestion, and their revised solution which shaved 30 minutes off the start times, was reported on at a recent BOE meeting. The survey showed that the final adopted plan has been seen as a success by families and students alike at every grade level. This new solution also resulted in significant annual cost savings compared to the original proposal.

If elected, Dionna has committed to providing regular town updates via a town newsletter as is done by leadership in many of our neighboring towns. This communication best practice is an initiative she mentioned this spring, and it will bring a level of transparency to the office of First Selectman that we have never experienced. Our town is fortunate to have Dionna stepping up to the challenge of leading New Canaan. I am confident she will do good things and I am excited to support such a strong and amazing woman. Proven leadership, it really matters and that is what Dionna brings to the role of First Selectman.

Julie Toal

Dear Editor,

I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for Dionna Carlson for First Selectman. Dionna’s exceptional leadership qualities, dedication to public service, and deep understanding of the needs of our community make her the perfect choice to lead our town.

Having had the privilege of working closely with Dionna on various community initiatives, I have witnessed firsthand her unwavering commitment to New Canaan. She possesses a unique ability to listen attentively to the concerns of others and translate those concerns into effective policies and actions. Her inclusive approach ensures that all voices are heard and considered, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration within our community.

Dionna’s extensive experience in local government and her proven track record of success make her an exceptional candidate for the role of First Selectman. Her tenure as a member of the Board of Education has demonstrated her ability to navigate complex issues, make tough decisions, and deliver results. Dionna’s strategic vision for New Canaan is rooted in a deep understanding of the challenges we face, and she has consistently shown the ability to implement innovative solutions that benefit all residents.

Furthermore, Dionna’s commitment to fiscal responsibility is commendable. She understands the importance of balancing the needs of our community with the financial realities we face. Dionna’s prudent approach to budgeting and her focus on finding cost-effective solutions will ensure that our tax dollars are spent wisely and efficiently.

In conclusion, Dionna Carlson possesses the leadership qualities, experience, and dedication necessary to serve as an outstanding First Selectman for New Canaan. Her ability to bring people together, her strategic vision, and her commitment to fiscal responsibility make her the ideal candidate to lead our town. I wholeheartedly endorse Dionna Carlson and urge my fellow residents to join me in supporting her candidacy.

Sincerely,

Susan Boston

I will proudly be voting for Dionna Carlson on July 25 at the Republican caucus. I had the privilege of working closely with Dionna when she was the Chairperson of the Board of Education. Her leadership helped guide our schools to be some of the finest in the country, and I am confident that her consensus building style, and firm grasp of the most complex issues, will help move New Canaan forward.

William Walbert

“Tom Butterworth supports Dionna Carlson for First Selectman.” If endorsement letters had headlines, that would be mine. Dionna clearly is the best candidate, and the Town is unbelievably fortunate she’s offering to serve.

The job of First Selectman is ridiculously demanding, akin to being both Board Chair and CEO of a thriving company. It requires talent, intelligence, financial acumen and dedication–qualities shared by Dionna and Kevin Moynihan, the incumbent. But it’s also key that our First Selectman be able to build a governing consensus. That requires humility, trustworthiness, patient listening, nonpartisan collaboration, commitment to a culture of civility, and respect for others. On these measures, Dionna obviously is the better choice.

Among the beneficiaries of a Dionna Carlson administration would be Town employees and the residents who rely on them to perform at the top of their game.

Dionna has demonstrated her consensus-building skills as a member and Chair (for three years) of the New Canaan Board of Education. The challenge was daunting: Improve a K-12 education system that already was among the best in the nation. She met that challenge by listening to and leading a collaborative team of Board members, staff and parents. Test scores and learning opportunities improved, while infighting, controversy and disruption were minimal compared to other districts. NCPS continued to be a destination where superb teachers and administrators sought to come and wanted to stay.

Those same skills are sorely needed in the Office of First Selectman.

Vote for Dionna Carlson at the Republican Caucus on July 25, and again in the fall. If you haven’t registered as a Republican, do so even if it’s just for this election. It’s that important. It’s time for a change.

Tom Butterworth

I know this town and I know Dionna. Her professional career in finance combined with her years of service on the New Canaan Board of Education make her uniquely qualified to be the First Selectman of New Canaan. She will bring civility, transparency, and respect to town hall. Dionna’s problem-solving ability is what New Canaan needs today.

Please vote for Dionna Carlson for First Selectman in the Republican Caucus on July 25th.

Paul Foley

I am writing to endorse Dionna Carlson for the position of First Selectman of New Canaan. I have been blessed to call New Canaan home for over 27 years, and in that time have seen our town evolve from one dominated by conservative Republican views to one exhibiting a much broader range of strongly held political opinions. This new reality requires a new style of leadership. Our next selectman must have not only the competence and experience to get the job done, but also the temperament and thoughtful humility to include all voices in the decision process.

Dionna’s impressive resume of service to our town completely answers the call for competence and experience. Her financial acumen, numerous leadership positions, and years chairing the critically important Board of Education means she will be highly effective day one. However, what I want to highlight are her softer skills.

I had the pleasure of working with Dionna on the Board of Deacons of the Congregational Church of New Canaan, which she now chairs. This is a body of six men and six women spanning over three decades in age, plus four high school seniors. The deacons, like a microcosm of our town, are intelligent, highly accomplished, come with strongly held beliefs, and have their own priorities. What we have learned, and what Dionna knows instinctively, is that the role of a leader for such a team is not to govern by decree. The best outcome is rarely achieved through a top-down forcing of a preconceived one-sided agenda through the power of personality, persuasion or position. The best decisions arise from an open dialog among passionate and caring members who respect and value one another enough to listen. Through listening, the best ideas can emerge and then be jointly built upon in a spirit of collaboration and compromise. Encouraging and managing this type of governance is Dionna’s strength. We need her at this time in our town’s history.

Hoyt Davidson

I am writing in support of Dionna Carlson for First Selectman in the Republican Caucus. As a founder of CT169Strong, I have spent the last three years focused on finding better zoning and affordable housing solutions for our state. We have also fought back against state mandates for one size fits all, zoning bills that are meant to break local zoning with onerous high density market value (not affordable) rentals development that does not consider the impacts on local infrastructure. This experience has also given me the opportunity to see what other municipal leaders have done in support of local control and bring awareness of these issues to residents within their towns. In both instances, New Canaan can and should do better.

Many good things have been accomplished over the last six years, but leadership on affordable housing has not been a clear focus of this administration. As a result, New Canaan’s image has unnecessarily suffered reputational damage at the state level, despite our recent Canaan Parish development of 100 units of 100% forever affordable housing. Now more than ever, we need a more proactive approach and increased collaboration with other Fairfield County leaders, state administrators and our local land use and affordable housing experts to create a comprehensive strategy on affordable housing and achieving future moratoriums.

Dionna Carlson has stated that Affordable Housing is one of her main priorities. She will also bring transparency to town government and increase communication through newsletters sent directly to town residents, as is done by many First Selectman across Fairfield County. Her stated priorities, along with her financial services experience and a proven track record of collaboration and local leadership, make her the right candidate, at the right time for New Canaan.

On July 25th, I hope you will join me in voting for Dionna Carlson at the Republican Caucus at Saxe Middle School, from 6:30PM-9PM.

Maria Weingarten

It has been an honor to have known and to have called Dionna Carlson a friend for over 15 years. From the first moment I met her, I was impressed! I was impressed with her intelligence, her honesty, her enthusiasm, her attention to detail, and her ability to lead. Luckily for New Canaan Dionna has taken all her impressive qualities and is now ready to take on the job of First Selectman.

Dionna’s volunteer experience is widespread in New Canaan. A 27-year resident of the town, she has brought her skill set to many different positions. She has served on the Board of Education, first as a general member and then Chairman for three years; served on the Congregational Church of New Canaan as a Senior Deacon; a Vice Regent for the Hannah Benedict Chapter of the DAR; board member for her children’s schools and team mom for their sports teams. No matter the task, Dionna rolls up her sleeves and dives into whatever she has committed to do, and I know that this will continue as she takes on the top job for New Canaan.

Dionna is a born leader. She can work collaboratively with others, and her willingness to listen to those who may have a differing opinion will make her a very effective leader. Dionna has demonstrated a long history of fiscal responsibility with experience managing the budget for the New Canaan Public Schools. That budget is the single largest part of the town’s budget so her experience will be invaluable.

Dionna will bring a refreshing change to the role of First Selectman as I know that she will be honest, transparent and collegial. I look forward to voting for her on November 7th and encourage all residents of New Canaan to do the same. We are so fortunate to have Dionna willing to take on the challenge and we need her leadership now, more than ever.

Sincerely,

Whitney LeGard Williams

New Canaan has a great opportunity, as we see it, to elect exactly the leaders our town needs at this time.

We are very excited to endorse the following candidates for the Board of Education:

Matt Campbell, Lara Kelly, Hugo Alvez and Matt Wexler.

Matt Campbell and Lara Kelly are personal friends. Matt is bright, warm and committed to all that is good in the community. He is so levelheaded and has a great sense of humor.

Lara is on top of all the comings and goings in New Canaan and she is committed to fostering the best outcomes for the children of this community.

We would also like to endorse our dear friend and neighbor Dionna Carlson for First Selectman. Dionna is one of the most capable people we have ever met, she knows how to get things done. She has been a most thoughtful neighbor and friend.

David and Deb Checketts

Let’s all support Dionna Carlson for First Selectman. A proven, balanced leader, she has the character, competence and vision New Canaan needs to keep us one of the most wonderful and welcoming towns anywhere. Dionna is the only candidate who has been consistently chosen by her peers to lead. Her record of successful, inclusive chairwomanship of our Board of Education is impressive, as is her leadership of many civic and charitable groups. You want listening skills? Consensus-based solutions? A ‘Can Do’ attitude? A demonstrated ability to manage huge budgets, union contracts, complex logistics and many constituencies? Dionna has it all, and she alone has shown it. Her professional background in finance and housing are valuable as well. But beyond these capabilities, Dionna’s wide community involvement and fundamental kindness demonstrate wisdom and fairness, and it is these characteristics that our town needs and deserves – today more than ever. Please join me and so many others in supporting Dionna Carlson for First Selectman on Row B. She has safe hands New Canaan can trust.

John J Kriz

I am writing in support of our entire Republican slate in the November elections, particularly Dionna Carlson for First Selectman and Steve Karl for Selectman.

Dionna Carlson has a strong track record of bipartisanship leadership. She served for two 4-year terms on the Board of Education and was selected to serve as Chair by her colleagues. In her role as Chair, she oversaw the school budget which comprises 70% of the town’s budget. She was a member of the Contracts Negotiation Team for 2 teachers’ union contracts as well as a bus contract. She was part of the Search Committee that put in place the current leadership of the New Canaan Public Schools. She testified against school regionalization in Hartford. During her tenure on the Board of Education, Dionna showed a commitment to transparency, fiscal responsibility and maintaining local control.

Steve Karl has served on the Town Council for four 4-year terms and currently serves as the Chair, a role that he was selected for by his colleagues. During his tenure on Town Council, Steve has served on every Town Council committee. Steve has led the way in promoting transparency and fiscal responsibility by helping to establish (or re-establish) the Audit Committee, Ethics Board, Utilities Commission, and Affordable Housing Committee.

New Canaan has been well served by Republican leadership for generations. Although Dionna and Steve offer a change in tone and approach, they want to build on the hallmarks of Republican leadership in New Canaan:

• Locally driven solutions
• Low taxes and fiscal responsibility
• Improved infrastructure focused on sustainability
• Nationally ranked schools

Dionna and Steve will provide the experience and leadership that we need for continued success.

Vote Row B on Election Day!

Regards,

Chris Wilson

New Canaan is rich with talent, financial resources, physical beauty and historic charm. These resources will have to be managed by a balanced, thoughtful and responsive First Selectman to keep New Canaan the special place we all love.

I am supporting Dionna Carlson for several reasons. She has a proven record of achievement in Town government having served for eight years on the Board of Education, three years as Chairman. She has served in leadership roles in many community organizations including currently as a Senior Deacon for the Congregational Church of New Canaan. She has strong academic credentials, a B.S. in Finance from The University of Illinois graduating with high honors.

She has the requisite financial skills, knowledge and professional background to understand the complex financial structures of Town government.

Perhaps more importantly, she has a vision for our Town based on issues that concern all members of the community: excellent education, care for our Seniors, investment in infrastructure, financial disciplines and integrity in government. She will be proactive in seeking a resolution to address affordable Housing. She has the courage to correct the problems in the office for which she seeks and the government she wants to lead. She maintains the right balance between strength of character and compassion in dealing with the many sensitive issues and disparate points of view which arise in our town. She will be inclusive and attract bright, new energetic people into Town government to help bring a fresh perspective to major issues.

Please join me in supporting Dionna Carlson for First Selectman. She is the right person, for the right reasons at the right time.

Judy A Neville

Former First Selectman

Vote for Dionna Carlson for First Selectman!

We have never had a new candidate running for First Selectman with so much prior, hands on, relevant town experience. Dionna demonstrated excellent leadership skills as chair of the Board of Education working with our Board of Finance. 67% of our Town’s budget is consumed by expenses related to our schools. Our teachers, our facilities, the administration, and the debt associated with school projects represent the largest part of our annual budget. Our town is, and has always been, committed to having a top school system Statewide, and nationally. Sustaining our educational success is a key element to the fabric and culture of New Canaan, and no one knows how to do it better than Dionna.

Dionna’s finance background will also be helpful across all the town departments. Dionna is thoughtful and collaborative. She will bring a fresh perspective to our Town’s opportunities and challenges. She will listen to our residents, work exceptionally well with our boards and committees, and effectively communicate and share information back to our residents.

I know that Dionna will support and enhance our schools, our police and emergency teams, our volunteers, our downtown, our town parks and town assets. She will bring positive progress when working with each of you. She will do a great job, and be a great leader for our Town and our Town’s interests. I am very pleased to support Dionna for First Selectman.

Todd Lavieri

I am writing to endorse Dionna Carlson for First Selectman.

Dionna’s long record of dedication and exceptional service to our town is well known. She has served on the BOE for eight years, three of them as its chairman. Her strong and thoughtful leadership carried our school district to the top of the leaderboard both in the state and nationally.

On multiple occasions, Dionna had a chance to showcase her superb ability to strike a delicate balance between listening to all the members of the community with fairness and honesty and making tough decisions that serve the overall interests and needs of our town. She showed a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and placed a premium on maximizing the benefits to our school district while working within the confines of our town’s financial realities. Her strategic thinking and innovative out-of-the-box solutions give me assurance that our tax dollars will be spent with caution and efficiency.

If elected, Dionna has committed to transparency, civility, and teamwork. We are truly fortunate to have a fantastic candidate with a strong record of proven leadership and collaboration like her stepping up to serve our town.

I urge everyone to vote for Dionna Carlson!

Sincerely,

Pavla Levin

I have known Dionna Carlson for well over two decades now as an actively engaged member of the New Canaan community. During her tenure as an elected member of the Board of Education, she was diligent, well prepared, inclusive, responsive and thoughtful. She was respected by her fellow board members and was elected unanimously to three consecutive terms to chair the board. Her proven leadership as Chair showed her ability to deftly manage hotly contested issues while being mindful that all sides were heard and that the discussions got to the real issues. Her collaborative and non-partisan style helped find the best solutions for the students and the Town at large. During her leadership, NCPS was recognized as one of the top performing school systems in the state and beyond.

I am very happy that she is now leveraging her proven BOE leadership experience to the role of First Selectman for New Canaan. She will fill a vital role in helping to address affordable housing challenges in the Town including moratorium strategies and figuring out how we can best deal with both our internal need for more housing diversity while keeping external forces from imposing their will on us.

I hope that you will join me in voting for Dionna Carlson on November 7!

Scott Hobbs

We wholly support Dionna Carlson for First Selectman. In our view, Dionna has uniquely distinguished herself as a proven, bipartisan leader in New Canaan as Chair of the Board of Education for 3 years (and member for 8). One telling anecdote sums up that leadership: after Dionna’s first two years as Chair, the Board of Education bylaws required her to step down from the position. However, a broad-based consensus among Board members – both Republican and Democrat – coalesced in a supermajority to waive the Bylaws, allowing Dionna to continue her excellent work as Chair for a third term. We submit that there is no better proof of effective leadership.

Why did this happen? It happened because Dionna provided welcome leadership in navigating vexing problems such as school start times. She listened carefully. She tested numerous potential compromise solutions. She worked hard with her Board members to arrive at final solutions that enjoyed fulsome support, not just from the Board, but also from the entire town.

This kind of leadership takes enormous effort, patience, transparency and respect for her colleagues and constituents. Dionna’s colleagues in turn reciprocated with their bipartisan support for her extra year as Chair. In our opinion this is exactly how our new First Selectman should lead our town going forward, and Dionna is the candidate uniquely qualified to do so.

We are also with Dionna on the many other issues that unite us: best-in-class schools, carefully managed budgets, solutions for affordable housing and cell sites, etc. Nevertheless, it’s the leadership exemplified above that is the critical ingredient for success in delivering on these goals and placing New Canaan on the best possible path going forward.

George and Heidi Laub