Patch Candidate Profile: Andrea Gartner For Danbury City Council, 5th Ward

DANBURY, CT — Election Day on Nov. 4 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing their towns.

Candidate's Name:
Andrea Gartner

What office are you seeking?
City Council - 5th Ward

What town do you live in?
Danbury

Campaign Website

Party Affiliation:
Democrat

Occupation:
Executive Director, The Norwalk River Valley Trail

Family:
Yes, I am the proud mom of George who has three degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He does classified contract work for the US Navy's nuclear submarine program. He follows a long line of engineers in my family, including his Uncle Willi who resides in Danbury.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
N/A

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
Previous appointments includes 15 years on the Ridgefield Historic District Commission; 5 years on the Danbury Main Street Partnership; CityCenter Danbury Board of Commissioners; elected positions include City of Danbury Zoning Commission; City Council - 5th Ward; Danbury Democratic Town Committee Chair; and current Danbury Democratic Town Committee Vice Chair.

Why are you seeking this office?
I am seeking re-election for many of the same reasons that motivated me to run in 2023: I am committed to honesty in local government, better fiscal management, and prioritizing public education. I first got involved in local politics 10 years ago when I was frustrated with local leaders' maddening acceptance of mediocracy when it came to downtown Danbury. I wanted to do more about it. That interest and activism soon grew to issues around the state of Danbury public education funding, deteriorating infrastructure, and unplanned development impacting our public schools, our roads, and housing costs. This past term, our city has been under new leadership, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with Mayor Alves, his team, and my fellow Row A councilmen and women. Things are happening in this community in big ways – more police, more firemen, more paved roads, downtown sidewalks, a new high school! There is a new energy being brought to city governance; there are fresh ideas leading to more efficiencies. This is no accident. This is the result of a lot of hard work by the current administration, city department heads, and the elected leaders who support the mayor’s priorities. I’m proud to see real, positive change taking shape in the community I love, and I’m eager to keep working for the people of downtown Danbury’s 5th Ward and the entire city.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
The last time I ran for city council, the most pressing concerns in the 5th Ward were about the increase in traffic and speeding and the danger that it is bringing to our. Since then, this issue has been addressed in many downtown areas because city hall responded. It is an example of why citizens should feel that their representatives are listening to them and that their Council representatives will go to bat for them with City departments when residents' quality of life is impacted. Of course, there is always room for improvement because the work is never done. While on the doors, I listen to neighbors’ concerns. They are worried about schoolchildren walking to school safely and they are worried for their immigrant neighbors because of alarming ICE activity that has disappeared over 30 people from Danbury. Additionally, there is the pressure many people feel citywide around housing affordability and availability. Lastly, while our mayor has addressed many of the public education shortfalls, public education funding should still hold priority ahead of any discussion of privately resourced and publicly dubious charter school initiatives. As many people are living and feeling, safety, housing, education and the stressors and stresses around these issues are part of a broader picture of what is happening nationally. As an elected city councilwoman, I am willing to work with colleagues to address and anticipate what we can do to help our constituents the most right here in our own community.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
On the other side of the aisle, the candidates are backing a Go-Back-to-Business-as-Usual way of doing conducting city operations. I have seen firsthand these past two years of my first term that when faced with inherited, very real, and very serious problems, this current administration has put the best minds on the big problems and created the roadmaps to solve them! Business as usual is a throwback and not a strategic plan for the future.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
Expanding recreational opportunities would be a great start. How do we make our neighborhoods connect to other parts of the City and accessible to nature? How can we encourage walkability, mobility, and more activity in our parks? In addition, how do we build on the long-awaited Career Academy while also creating a strong economic development plan for the future? A future where our students follow an academic, career, or technical track that is suited to their talents and dreams so that their post graduation opportunities are myriad and the sky is the limit? A bright future for Danbury means that there are a hotbed of career opportunities whether as an entrepreneur or maker; a doctor or medical technician; a white, blue, pink, or green collar worker.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I am a lifelong resident of Fairfield County who has been actively and passionately working on community initiatives in the region for decades.

I grew up in the Pocono Lane neighborhood and after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in government from Georgetown University, I worked and traveled extensively before settling to raise my family in Ridgefield where I was a founding director of the Ridgefield Playhouse and the Ridgefield Historical Society.

As the executive director of CityCenter Danbury, I was an active partner in creating the Downtown Revitalization Zone; lobbying for Naugatuck Valley Community College to locate in the central business district and launching the Danbury Innovation Center.

I have called downtown home since 2012.

As a volunteer, I have has served on Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, the Regional Advisory Council of Naugatuck Valley Community College, the Greater Danbury Area Women’s Business Council, Housatonic Habitat for Humanity Advisory Council, the Friends of the Danbury Museum and Historical Society, and the DanburyWORKS Executive Board. I am a founding coordinator of Danbury’s Museum in the Streets program, the Downtown Danbury Mural Project, and the Danbury Farmers’ Market Community Collaborative. Currently I serve on the Boards of the Cultural Alliance of Western CT and rvnaHEALTH.

In my current job as executive director of the Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT), I am actively work with DOT infrastructure funding coordinating the design and building of trails across five (5) municipalities. I have a deep understanding of municipal governance and public project management. As a councilwoman, I am proud to have chaired and participated in ad hoc committees addressing quality of life issues in Danbury.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
There is no summit (I've adopted it as my mantra) and that change is inevitable but growth is optional. There will always be things that we want to change in the world and sometimes the problems seem so big. But, we always (always!) have the choice to do something. The easiest path is to start with something that's right in front of you, something you care about. Take that first step! Get involved! Keep going! Help build community!

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I am a small 'p' politics person along the lines of how do you get a group of people to work together to accomplish things that no one person can do on their own? Great things get done this way!

I am not alone in being SO frustrated, (scared and angry) about capital 'P' Politics at all costs. We see it all around us on the news and social media. Now more than ever, local politics will be the gamechanger. It has been in Danbury! It is refreshing to now see city hall running within an environment where welcoming ideas and input from across the aisle is encouraged! What a change that our City Council focuses on expanding public comment, encouraging opposing views, and addressing the really big issues that need to be dealt with so there are no surprises down the road! The previous administration delivered a shocking tax increases whereas this administration stayed below the cost of living guardrails. This mayor worked every angle, every which way to acquire Danbury access to millions and millions of dollars in grants and supportive programs for the community - especially serving our children, teens, young families, and seniors.