Patch Candidate Profile: Al Vollono, Town Council, District 5

EAST HAVEN, CT —The 2023 municipal election is heating up in East Haven and there are plenty of local races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

East Haven Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Incumbent Democrat Al Vollono, 64, of East Haven, seeks reelection to the Town Council, District 5.

Education.

I graduated from East Haven High School and two years of college at Quinnipiac University and Albertus Magnus College.

What is your occupation?

Supervisor Collections Southern CT Gas, Connecticut Natural Gas and United Illuminating. 44 years of service

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My wife Robin and I have been married for 37 years. Robin works for the Chair for OBGYN at Yale University. Robin has been an East Haven resident her entire life. My daughter Jordan and her husband Marco are Guilford residents. Jordan is a special education teacher in Branford, and Marco works in the healthcare field. They are the proud parents to my grandsons Gianmarco and Luciano. My daughter Danielle is also an East Haven resident who works for FOX Sports as a Supervisor of Operations and Administration in New York City

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I was elected to the East Haven Town Council during Mayor Carfora's running in his second term in office.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am running for reelection as a Town Council member with a purpose of making a difference in town matters and in my district 5.

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

This single most pressing issue is the proposed expansion at Tweed New Haven Airport. This issue is one of the biggest challenges the town has ever encountered. It is imperative that my constituents and I do whatever we can to support the residents of East Haven.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have experience in my position as a Town Council member and know what it takes to address the needs in my district. I have personally met with residents and have taken their phone calls to address their concerns.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

As the incumbent I personally do not know the challengers but from what I understand they are nice people.

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

In addition to Tweed, I along with my constituents, would also like to address the Airbnb issue.

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

As a Town Council member, I am proud to say that I worked hard during the Town's last approved budget. There were plenty of late nights and longs hours getting it approved. With respect to my district, I answered every call and responded to every email made by residents and did my best to resolve their issue. I was quick to respond and maintained an open line of communication. Many times I met the resident in person to discuss their issue and offered my services if there were any other concerns.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Be nice to everyone and never judge a book by its cover

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

I would like voters to know that other than being a lifelong East Haven resident, I am proud to be a part of this community. I want to see the town continue to move forward in a positive direction under the leadership of Mayor Carfora and his administration. The town has had some dark years, but it is finally starting to see the light under this administration and I want to be part of the movement and the success of making this town great.