CT Patch Candidate Profile: Rich Smith For Milford Mayor

MILFORD, CT — The 2025 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Connecticut Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Rich Smith, a Democrat, is a Milford resident running for mayor.

Occupation:

Executive AT&T Cybersecurity - Entire career in tech and process engineering

Family:
Married my high school Sweetheart, Michelle Morano. Together we have three daughters, Rebecca, Melissa and Meghan. I also have a son-in-law, Aaron Sanner. Together, he and Melissa have two beautiful daughters, Madelyn and Naomi. Most of my extended family live within a street or two of us here in Milford.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
My brother, Frank is a state representative - representing the 118th district.

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
I served as Milford's 11th Mayor. I currently serve as the Chairman of Milford's Police Commission; I've also served on the State Judicial Review Council as well as Milford's Conservation Commission.

Why are you seeking this office?
When I was sworn in in 2023 and walked into the first time, I realized I had prepared my entire life to do this job. My extensive education as well as my experience in managing and directing large organizations and budgets in competitive industries has provided me with a unique skillset that I want to bring to Milford. I look to lead Milford into the 21st century while protecting and maintaining the small New England Town charm so critical to our city.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
I've knocked on over 4000 doors over the past many months. I have had the honor of talking to people on their front porches, living rooms and front yards. By far, the number one concern is fear that over-development will ruin our city. As I tell my constituents, we need to draft regulations that will help direct development. Most agree it is not so much the development itself but rather where that development goes. I look to build solid working, and collaborative relationships with developers to ensure we work to protect the small New England Town charm that defines us.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
It was once said, people seek elective office for one of two reasons: they want to be something or that want to do something. I want to do something.

Over the past many months, I have articulated a specific vision for Milford. I'm not throwing out tired phrases like some do such as, "I have a vision". Instead, I have shared with residents across the city the specific policies and initiatives I will pursue. and outcomes I would pursue if elected. It's time to actually get things done.

I graduated with honors from Yale University and studied Public Policy at Trinity College. This, along with extensive corporate experience allows me to offer the people of Milford a unique skillset I have grown over the years which I believe will serve our city well.

I have asked voters, please vote as if you're hiring for this job. Base your vote on the education, experience and qualifications of each of the candidates, not whether you saw us at a concert or the grocery store. This election is too important not to consider who is the most qualified to actually lead our city forward and get things done.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
The need to drive down operational costs through process reengineering and technology, two things I know very well. Milford has enormous opportunities, yet unrealized, to become more efficient through the use of technology and process reengineering.

We also need an aggressive approach to generating new revenue streams so that residential taxpayers are not left carrying the burden. Milford's grand list fell by $56M last year - we need to address this with urgency and focus. The lives and futures of so many Milford residents depend upon it. Fewer selfies, more work.

Transparency - as I did as Mayor, I will pull back the curtain on city operations and invite the public to open meetings. Residents want to know more about what's going on in Milford - real issues, not just ribbon cuttings. Use social media to share real issues, the challenges, the failures and the successes. Be transparent, show respect and while people may not always agree with you, they will always feel respected.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
My education provides me with a deep understanding of public and economic policy. My private sector experience, managing large organizations and budgets, has also uniquely qualified me for this role.

As Mayor, I opened up city hall and invited the public to come and hear how our city operates. I asked the chairs of all our city boards to come and tell the audience what their respective boards do. The feedback was overwhelming from people grateful for the transparency.

I called the owners of the Post Mall, Centennial, up from Dallas and told them we need a solution to the current failing state of the mall. We worked together for 4 months on a new vision, a redesign of the mall. I then testified to our P&Z board for passage of the plan. This plan included a portion of the mall being turned outdoors. It also included bringing Costco down as well as building a "town green" style park where we could have concerts and street vendors, picnics, etc.

I negotiated and signed a 50-year lease with the Boys and Girls club, a truly outstanding organization that does immeasurable work for our community.

I was able to get an injunction on AirBNB type rental, Swimly, of neighborhood pools. In this case where loud and parties were disrupting a quiet neighborhood where children played and neighbors met and chatted on sidewalks and over back fences.

I allocated and dedicated reserved parking spaces to the City Government Center, Parsons' building, for our veterans.

I held a city employee-wide safety summit to share my plan to ensure employees safety in the workplace. I scheduled fire drills, CPR training, active shooter training and marked doors at the Parson's building in order for first responders to know where to go in an emergency.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Be known, not for what you say but rather what you do. Then, leave the world a little better than you found it, everyday

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I have worked hard to get out and meet voters where they live. At front doors and in living rooms. I invite questions, tough questions - if you can't handle the tough questions, you shouldn't be running.

I simply want to leave Milford better than I find it - believing you can know a lot about a city by the way it treats its children, its seniors and the less fortunate. I envision more transparency, more civil discourse, more public engagement. We have the chance to show the state and the country how to conduct themselves.

Let's address the tough questions and challenges of our time. Let's set our priorities and work tirelessly to make Milford a little better every day. Let's ensure the public is aware and informed. Let's leave Milford a better place, every day.