Patch Candidate Profile: James Sarnelle For Stamford Board Of Representatives

STAMFORD, 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 the city.

Candidate's Name:
James Sarnelle

What office are you seeking?
Board of Representatives District 13

What town do you live in?
Stamford

Campaign Website
https://Stamford13th.com

Party Affiliation:
Repbulican

Occupation:
Retired Vascular and General Surgeon over 30 years in Stamford

Family:
All four of our children went to Stamford public schools. Stephen Sarnelle-Masters in Computer Science from Rochester Institute of Technology. Lives in Stamford. Employed at Graham Capital Management in Rowayton, CT as Senior Software Developer. Anthony Sarnelle-Masters in Education from St. Bonaventure University-Teaches Technology at Rippowam Middle School and authored a children's book, "If I had a disability". Joseph Sarnelle-Graduate of Villanova and New York University School of Dentistry. Joseph is an active duty Major in the United States Army stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC serving our troops as a dentist. He served our country while deployed overseas in Kuwait at Camp Arifjan. Emily Sarnelle, graduate of High Point University and proud mother of two children and will be moving back to Stamford. My wife Judy Sarnelle, maiden name Gutowski, was born and raised on Dean Street in the Cove area of Stamford. She volunteers teaching religious education at St. Leo Parish for over 40 years, is a Eucharistic Minister and runs the Senior Group at St. Leo Parish. We are proud grandparents as well.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
no

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
no

Why are you seeking this office?
I am seeking to be on the Board of Representatives District 13 which represents Westover and parts of North Stamford. Since I have retired from my surgical practice I believe being on the BOR is another way I can serve my community. As a surgeon, I have spent my career helping people in their most critical moments. Now, I want to bring the same discipline, problem-solving and compassion to serving Stamford.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
ensuring economic growth while preserving the quality of life

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I am a new candidate with new ideas. Very few professions have the personal interaction that a surgeon has with his patients. In the operating room, every decision matters. I am trained to make clear, thoughtful choices. This is the kind of representation our city needs when facing budget challenges, development decisions and public safety concerns. As a trauma surgeon, I have seen the results firsthand of poor workplace conditions and bad traffic management. Surgery requires teamwork and collaboration. I know how to listen, respect every voice and seek other opinions-just as I will with city leaders, community groups and my neighbors in District 13 I represent.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
I am very concerned that senior citizens in my district need property tax relief with a tax freeze. My wife and I know many senior citizens who fear they may not be able to afford to stay in their homes because of rising property taxes. They do not care that the value of their home has gone up because all it has done is make their property taxes go up. They have paid taxes for many years to support Stamford. A tax freeze on their property taxes will enable them to stay in their homes, while they will still be contributing to the tax revenue of the City. As a physician I want to preserve open space and not allow overdevelopment in Westover and North Stamford. More traffic increases pollution and results in serious accidents to motorists, pedestrians and bike riders . Too much housing will strain our water and sewer systems which are critical to our health. Loss of trees and grass to parking lots and multicomplex units will interfere with the amount of near infrared light(NIR) which has been shown to help mitochondrial function-the energy producers organelles in every cell of our body. Our public schools need to do better as shown in standardized testing of our students. Early intervention at the most critical stages of pre- K and K is important so children do not fall behind and never catch up. Vocational schools should be encouraged. Finally, we need to attract businesses to fill up our commercial office buildings to provide high paying jobs for our young adults. We seem to be encouraging out of town developers to convert existing commercial office space into rental apartments. This is not making housing more affordable. Creating high paying jobs will make housing more affordable without creating the massive traffic that is occurring throughout the city.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I was the first surgeon in Connecticut to perform a laparoscopic cholecystectomy--that is removal of the gallbladder with tiny punctures instead of a large incision, converting a 5 day hospital stay and weeks of recovery into a day surgery and much faster recovery. I am not afraid to innovate and be bold when appropriate. Taking care of gunshot, stab wound and serious accident victims requires ability to work under pressure and with teamwork. One of the most important things a surgeon does is what he/she does the night before surgery. That is go over in detail the patient's medical condition and history, and making sure the operating room is prepared with all the required supplies-such as the proper size graft for an arterial bypass operation. When I took the American Board of Surgery Certification and RE-certification exams I scored in the 99th percentile of all surgeons in the United States. Just like preparing for surgery, I will look at all the options and seek opinions and input from the people I represent ,before I make my decisions on the Board of Representatives. I will study the issues my constituents face with the same intensity I studied for my Board of Surgery exams.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
From my grandfather Joseph Sarnelle to my father Anthony Sarnelle to me "Never give up what you start. Always try to finish no matter how hard it is"

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I like golf and platform tennis and enjoy time with my wife, children, grandchildren and friends. I believe everyone has a right to their opinion and we should all be able to respect each other's choices. I think Stamford has lost its way--it is not and should not be NYC. Stamford is wonderful in its diversity-not just of its people but its diverse neighborhoods. Westover and North Stamford in my District 13 are known for their quiet, peaceful more rural way of life. I enjoy the abundance of trees, greenery and wildlife that I see every day. I think the town in general does not like the massive increase in traffic and overdevelopment. The 2035 Plan is an example of a poorly developed plan which did not have appropriate input from the citizens of Stamford. This is clearly evident by the multi-neighborhood objections to this Plan. If elected to represent District 13 Board of Representatives I will work with the Mayor, Planning Board and other BOR members to implement a much better 2035 Plan. A successful surgical operation requires teamwork. If elected, I will do everything I can to make our team a winner.