Patch Candidate Profile: Joan Hendrickson For Darien Treasurer

DARIEN, CT — Election Day is Nov. 4, 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 the town.

Candidate's Name:

Joan Dunn Hendrickson (jhendrickson@darienct.gov)

What office are you seeking?

Treasurer of the Town of Darien, CT

What town do you live in?

Darien, CT

Campaign Website
NA

Party Affiliation:

Republican

Occupation:

Treasurer, Town of Darien for the past 20 years.

Family:

Husband is Paul Hendrickson. One child, Robert Hendrickson.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My husband Paul serves as a volunteer on the Darien Board of Finance. He is retired from his professional career.

Previous public office, appointive or elective:

Served as an elected volunteer on the Darien Representative Town Meeting for 12 years before serving as elected Treasurer of the Town of Darien. As Treasurer, I am an elected employee of the town and have been in this position since 2005.

Why are you seeking this office?

I have served in this office for the past 20 years. I have designed and implemented many improvements in our investing and cash management procedures/opportunities. These have benefitted the Town of Darien by making our processes more efficient and making us more money. The money I have earned helps defray money that must otherwise come from taxpayers. My investments are all short-term and strictly regulated by CT state statute. I invest the Town’s tax money until it is used in our operations providing town services. For fiscal year 2025 (which ends in June, 2025), I earned $4.2 million which goes into our Town’s General Fund. This is above what I was budgeted to earn for the fiscal year which was $3.3 million. I continue to enjoy doing this job and believe that I have been very successful in earning income for the Town of Darien. Further, I am very experienced in this position having done the job for 20 years. Also, I had more than 30 years of corporate financial experience before taking this position, so I am well-versed in my job responsibilities and finance in general.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:

The single most important issue facing my constituents is to continue to provide the services that the Townspeople need while being fiscally conservative and responsible to our taxpayers. As a revenue producer for the Town that means I need to continue to invest wisely and according to statute and law. There are specific rules in municipal finance and I adhere to them. It is not like corporate finance and sometimes people, especially people who work in finance, do not understand the differences. I do and will continue to exercise the good judgement needed to do this job effectively.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Just to continue to do my job responsibly and effectively. I want to continue to educate our taxpayers about what I can and cannot do by statute and law.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have safely earned more money for the Town of Darien then any time in its past history. In fiscal year 2024, I earned almost $5 million which is the highest amount in the Town’s history. Fiscal year 2025 is the second highest amount in the Town’s history.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Make sure you anticipate and know any potential questions before they are asked so you are prepared.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As mentioned earlier I have more than 30 years in professional corporate finance and other types of finance before I became Treasurer. I served on the RTM so I am well-versed in town issues. I have lived in Darien for 39 years. I have a child who went through the Darien school system, so I am familiar with educational issues. I have an MBA in Finance and have a lengthy and successful track record as Treasurer. I would like to continue to serve the Town of Darien in my current job and that is why I want to be re-elected as Treasurer.