Good local government starts with listening.
In the first months of his administration, Mayor David Chess introduced new opportunities for Stratford residents to connect directly with their local government, including open office hours at Town Hall and a new series of Neighborhood Association meetings throughout Stratford.
The Neighborhood Associations were created as informal, open groups for residents in each of Stratford’s ten Town Council districts. No invitation or membership is required, and residents are welcome to participate in meetings outside their own district as well.
The goal is simple: give neighbors a place to meet one another, discuss local concerns, learn about issues affecting their part of town, and work together on potential solutions.
The meetings also provide residents with an opportunity to discuss land-use and development proposals in their neighborhoods and establish a direct connection with the Mayor’s Office and Town Council.
That effort complements Mayor Chess’s open office hours at Town Hall. Beginning in February, residents were invited to meet directly with the mayor without an appointment or a predetermined agenda.
These initiatives reflect an important principle: residents should not have to wait until Election Day to have a voice in their local government.
Whether the issue is a road that needs attention, a development proposal, concerns about town services, or an idea for improving a neighborhood, residents deserve accessible ways to bring those issues to the people who represent them.
The Stratford Democratic Town Committee believes that stronger communities are built when residents are informed, involved, and connected to their local government.
We applaud Mayor Chess and our Democratic Town Council members for creating new opportunities for those conversations and encourage Stratford residents to stay involved in the decisions affecting their neighborhoods.
Democracy works best when everyone has a seat at the table.