Candidate Profile: Bruce Jones, Groton Town Council

GROTON, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Groton and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

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

Groton resident Bruce Jones tells Patch why he should be elected to the Town Council.

How old will you be as of Election Day?

68

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.facebook.com/counc...

Please give us your party affiliation.

Democrat

Education.

BA from University of Lowell, now UMass Lowell

What is your occupation?

Retired

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

Married with two grown daughters, recent grandfather

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

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

Groton, RTM, Representative Town Meeting, 2019-2021, Groton Town Council, 2021-2023

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 believe that strong communities are built when people are actively engaged and contribute. I am running for re-election to continue the work we have done over the last two years. We have kept our budgets even, balanced our development and open space, and worked hard on enhancing our town's recreation and infrastructure.

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

Housing is one of the most pressing issues we have. With the growth of Electric Boat and the possible increase of 5-7,000 new hires, we will have a lot of pressure to add housing at all levels. One of the accomplishments this past year was to pass a town building reuse policy. Now that this is in place we can move forward with moving some of our property to the market. Hopefully, this sends a good message to the development community that Groton is a great place to build housing.

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

I successfully built a business from the ground up and maintained it for over 35 years. This process gives me a good insight into the struggles and successes that a business can bring to a community and to families. Businesses are built on ideas, listening, compromise, and leadership. I also volunteer town-wide. I am on the board of SEC-TV, part of the Groton Open Space Association (GOSA) sustainability team keeping our open spaces trimmed and functioning for all residents. I also am active with our local food bank through United Way and with our award-winning senior center, Thrive 55+. All of these efforts help me to stay connected and contribute to our community.

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

We are not challenging any incumbents

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

Continue to work on having a balance between development and conservation/open space. If Covid proved anything, it was that outdoor recreation was invaluable to the health of our community. But to have a healthy community we need housing, jobs, and excellent education for our kids.

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

I have been able to work with my fellow councilors and the Town of Groton to find excellent solutions to our problems and challenges. I have loved being able to represent the town in many different areas. Being able to bring a stable budget, working to preserve open space, and bringing social workers to our Police Department have all been accomplishments I can be proud of.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Perfection freezes progress. Managing a town the size of Groton is a challenge. We can't always find the perfect solution. We often need to comprise and then adapt. I try not to get stuck on the ideal solution but to find one that will work for as many as we can and continue to move us forward.

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

In closing, I would say, thank you for trusting me to help move Groton forward. Being a Town Councilor can be a challenging position with many different responsibilities. I have grown a lot in this position. I look forward to hopefully being able to continue to serve. Please come out and vote on November 7th.