Candidate Q&A: Kenneth S. Humphrey

Name

Kenneth S. Humphrey

Party and position seeking:

Republican, seeking re-election to the Board of Finance

Background:

After I graduated from High School in 1971 from McLean VA I moved back to my parent’s childhood home of Canton where I had spent my summers with my grandfather.  I enjoyed working the farms in Canton Center where I remember long days in the hay fields.  Back then the hay bales were moved by hand from the field to the truck to the barn.   So after retiring from 22 years in the Air Force I once again moved back to Canton where my children were able to graduate from Canton High School. 

Family info:

Married 34 years to my wife Mary with three children; Patrick, Katie and Benjamin. We are all Canton residents and enjoy living here and we consider Canton our home.

Occupation:

I currently work for an aerospace company. I am a member of the AMC, Canton Center Congregational Church, and Toastmaster's International.

Experience:

I have taken my two-year position on the Board of Finance very serious and feel I have always put the town’s needs and interests first. All of my educational degrees were obtained through night and weekend classes while working full time: AAS degree in Electronics, BS degree in Electronics Management and MA in Economics and a MS degree in Management. I bring to the office an experience of understanding limited funding to accomplish the responsibilities give me.

Why are you running for office?

I have a strong interest in the success of our town and feel very strongly that as a resident an individual should serve their town in a position that helps the community be a better place. I take my appointment to the board very serious as I listen to all the issues from the public and business owners of Canton. I wish to help Canton become the town we all want to live in for the rest of our lives. With my background in economics I have enjoyed seating on the board of finance and the problem solving challenges small town face. I am honored that I was give the opportunity to serve my community and I look forward to servicing my town for the next four years. 

If elected, what would be your primary areas of focus?

My focus has always been on the fund balance, taxes, infrastructures of our roads, public buildings and vested interest in the school upgrades. Canton does have a limited tax base that mostly comes from private ownership. We cannot tax our way into financial bliss and pay for every want that comes to the board's attention. While we work together we can put the dollars where the dollars count while encouraging long range planning to keep the town on track to where we want to go financially.

Name something the town has done well over the past four years.

In these unknowing economic times the town has undertaken the responsibility in keeping the taxes and budgets in-line with what the citizen came afford.

What is something the town could have done better during the past four years?

The town has a number of problems that just won’t go away because of the lack of attention in the last number of years; i.e., roads, town buildings. I don’t want to see us keep pushing these problems into our future until they fall apart and cause larger financial damage that we cannot afford.