Editor’s note: The Easton Courier asked candidates to submit a profile and statement discussing three top issues facing Easton and how the candidate will help address them. Wendy Bowditch, Republican candidate for First Selectman, submitted the following response.
Candidate Profile and Statement
Wendy Bowditch, former town treasurer, dedicated Board member and volunteer, is running for First Selectman with the promise of Putting Easton First.
Bowditch said she has watched the current administration do a substandard job in running the town during the last four years and plans to change that.
“The claims of preserving land by attaining grants is just a half truth. My challenger and our current First Selectman quit claimed the property at South Park to Aspetuck Land Trust without compensation. Moreover, we have entertained developers for our beloved South Park property that no one would truly accept as in our best interest,” said Bowditch. “Under his watch, we lost a significant grant for the Historical Society. He also failed to listen to the recommendations of the Ethics Board in a timely manner. I plan on being in Town Hall on a regular basis so that we don’t go down these mistaken paths again.”
Bowditch believes that people intentionally choose to live in Easton for its unique rural character and that town leaders need to maintain the promise that led people to move here in the first place. Bowditch grew up in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania (Delaware County) – a town that shared Easton’s small, friendly and rural attributes. Her grandfather was the township supervisor, the equivalent of Easton’s first selectman.
Bowditch and her grandfather also shared another commonality: they were the only members of their family to finish college.
Bowditch has been living in Easton since 1989.
In the position of First Selectman, Bowditch plans to prioritize important taxpayer issues such as:
- Maintaining Local Control of Easton’s zoning
- Proactive preservation of land and water assets
- Bringing services to taxpayers in more meaningful and effective ways
Bowditch believes Easton must first identify its needs and wants before pursuing grants and financing options to fulfill them. To date, this process has not occurred. Bowditch has proposed hiring a part time grant writer position that can determine key projects and improvements that support our environment, from our land and water to our farms and agribusinesses.
“Our government should be proactive, not reactive,” said Bowditch. “There are procedures that are not adhered to in meeting decorum which leads to loss of administrative control.”
Above all, Bowditch notes that neighbors and fellow townspeople love the agrarian nature of the town, as well as the fact that Easton is surrounded by towns that provide for all our needs. “We cannot and must not compromise the beauty of our town.”
Bowditch is an experienced leader and tireless volunteer across many Easton boards and commissions. She brings several decades of working knowledge to the position of first selectman through: 12 years on the Insurance Commission; 7 years as elected Town Treasurer; 9 months on the Board of Finance; the Senior Center Advisory Committee; the EMS Building and Planning Committee; Treasurer of the First Fire District and Chairman of the Easton Republican Town Committee.
Bowditch graduated from West Chester University and lives with her husband of 37 years, Peter, and their dog Jagger.
