Candidate Q&A: Lowell Humphrey

Name:

Lowell F. Humphrey    

Party, Position Seeking:

Unaffiliated petitioning candidate for First Selectman with a strong desire to continue serving my community.

Background:

Lifelong Canton resident

Occupation:

Law enforcement (Retired). Retired in 2009 after 30 years of full-time service, including 14 years as Police Chief. Currently hold part-time employment with two nearby municipalities.

Graduated from Canton High School, AS in Law Enforcement from Manchester Community College.

Political Experience

Elected to the Board of Education in the early 80s in first and only prior campaign.

Other Relevant Experience, Community Service:

• Served twenty years as a volunteer firefighter, including 6 years as Fire Chief. Currently serve as a Fire Policeman.
• Served as a volunteer EMT on the Canton Memorial Ambulance for 6 years.
• As a chief in both the police and fire departments I was responsible for preparing, justifying, and managing public safety operating budgets of up to $1.7 million dollars.
• Coached youth sports, served as a Boy Scout First Aid Merit Badge Advisor, helped establish the Canton Juvenile Review Board, served on Canton’s Substance Abuse Council and Youth Services Bureau. As Chief-in-Charge of the Regional Accident Squad for 14 years I oversaw the extremely complex reconstructive investigation of the tragic Avon Mountain crash.

Why are you running for office?

Canton’s failing municipal infrastructure, and the tens of millions of dollars necessary to restore it, is our most critical issue. Our limited resources must be responsibly allocated and costs for non-critical services reduced.

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

Though professed to be an error, the selectmen approved a Charter Revision that has fundamentally limited the chance of another single party super-majority. Residents will be well served by voting no on the Charter Revision question.

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

The current Board of Selectmen seems to operate off a script provided and rehearsed in advance of a meeting. Increasing the diversity of opinions to reflect more of our citizenry is imperative.