Paul Lindoerfer, a longtime community volunteer who has served on numerous town boards, committees and civic organizations, has been named the recipient of the third annual Robert Lessler Citizenship Award.
The award will be presented Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2:30 p.m. in the Easton Library Community Room. The public is invited to attend the ceremony and recognize Lindoerfer’s contributions to the community.
The Robert Lessler Citizenship Award recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding service to Easton through exemplary acts that improve residents’ lives and promote the common good. Recipients must demonstrate accomplishments of significant public benefit, both in duration and impact. Nominees are not required to be town residents or government officials.
In addition to being honored at the annual ceremony, each recipient’s name is inscribed on a permanent plaque at Town Hall. The award program also maintains a collection of books on Easton history, politics and citizenship that are available for residents to borrow free of charge at Town Hall.
This year, the selection committee considered 14 nominations. Each nominee demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the lives of Easton residents through community service, civic engagement and acts of public service.
The selection committee includes Wendy Bowditch, John Cunningham, Jim Riling and Maureen Williams. Previous award recipients Adrienne Burke, Phyllis Machledt and John Machledt also serve on the committee.
A Long History of Community Service
Lindoerfer moved to Easton approximately 23 years ago after marrying Mary Chrzanowski Randolph, a lifelong resident whose family has lived in town for six generations. The couple has three children and five grandchildren.
A retired computer systems engineer, Lindoerfer holds degrees in aerospace and mechanical sciences from Princeton University and systems engineering from the University of Florida, as well as a Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut. He served four years as a U.S. Navy officer during the Vietnam era and was a high school All-American swimmer.
Since moving to Easton, Lindoerfer has devoted considerable time to town government, senior services, public finance, emergency services and community organizations.
One of his longest-standing commitments has been to the Tax Relief for the Elderly Committee, on which he has served since 2007. He has chaired the committee since 2011.
The program provides eligible elderly homeowners with property tax credits, helping many remain in their longtime homes. Lindoerfer has played a significant role in reviewing, revising and securing reauthorization of the program’s rules every three years.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the practice of requiring in-person applications at Town Hall, Lindoerfer regularly interviewed seniors seeking tax relief. Through those meetings, he developed personal connections with applicants and gained a deeper understanding of their circumstances. He has said he misses that direct contact with Easton’s older residents.
Lindoerfer also served on the Board of Finance for 10 years, from 2012 through 2021. Before joining the board, he chaired the 2010 Tax Analysis Task Force, which compared Easton’s municipal spending and taxes with those of similarly situated communities.
The task force examined expenditures for schools, police, fire protection, emergency medical services, roads and other municipal functions before presenting its findings to the Board of Finance.
From 2010 to 2012, Lindoerfer chaired the Volunteer Honoraria Committee, which developed recommendations to encourage volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel to cover difficult-to-fill shifts. The committee also revised the criteria used to award financial credits to volunteers based on their service hours.
Supporting Seniors and Town Volunteers
Since 2023, Lindoerfer has served on the Commission for the Aging, which develops and coordinates programs for Easton’s senior population.
Among the commission’s annual activities is preparing and delivering Thanksgiving turkey dinners to seniors. Lindoerfer serves as the event’s official turkey carver, helping prepare meals in the Senior Center kitchen. He also assists with distributing the Easton Directory after it is completed by the Senior Center.
In 2024, he joined the Task Force for the Protection of Town Volunteers and Officials. The task force was established in response to concerns about disparaging treatment of town officials and employees online and during public meetings.
Lindoerfer has also been an active member of the Friends of the Library for the past five years. His volunteer work includes sorting books and preparing for the annual library book sale, as well as assisting with the library’s Holiday Market and Tree Lighting.
His other civic contributions include serving as a substitute teacher at Helen Keller Middle School from 2009 to 2011 and as a member of the Democratic Town Committee since 2008.
For the past six years, he has also worked at the polls during elections. Voters may recognize him as the familiar face stationed near the ballot tabulator, helping ensure the voting process runs smoothly.
Service Beyond Town Hall
Outside his civic responsibilities, Lindoerfer enjoys carpentry, traveling, motorcycling, hiking, camping, bicycling and kayaking.
An accomplished woodworker, he built a 17-foot wooden sea kayak that he has paddled for the past 20 years. He also carved a Greenland-style kayak paddle from a 10-foot cedar two-by-four.
Lindoerfer credits his involvement in town boards, committees and volunteer organizations with giving him opportunities to serve Easton and support its residents.
Whether helping seniors remain in their homes, supporting the library, contributing to responsible financial management or assisting with the election process, he has expressed gratitude for the opportunity to help preserve the qualities that make Easton a special community.
His years of service reflect the purpose of the Robert Lessler Citizenship Award: recognizing individuals whose sustained commitment to public service benefits the broader community.
