[Editor’s Note: Between June 28 and July 9, NewCanaanite.com is publishing Q&As with local Republicans seeking party endorsement for elected offices in contested races at the July 20 GOP caucus.]
New Canaan’s Anna Krolikowski is seeking the endorsement of the Republican Party for the elected office of town clerk.
We put some questions to Krolikowski about her candidacy.
Our exchange follows.
New Canaanite: Tell us about yourself—how long have you lived in New Canaan, what have you been involved with here in town and what has led you to seek elected office?
Anna Valente-Krolikowski is running for Town Clerk in the Republican Caucus. Andrea Chalon photo
Krolikowski: I have lived in New Canaan my entire life, and that is not an exaggeration. I have never lived anywhere else, and I wouldn’t want to. I’ve lived here with my husband, who has been a very active member of the community, and we have raised our three children in New Canaan. So, I am very connected to this town and I have always found ways to be involved in making our town a better place. Shortly after high school, I worked for an accounting firm where I learned the skills needed to run a customer service business. In 1992, I became the owner-operator of the New Canaan Baskin-Robbins. For 28 years, I was known as the “Baskin Robbins Lady.” During these 28 years, I learned how to run a successful small business. For me, the keys to business success were exceptional customer service, strong fiscal management, and nurturing a customer-centered workforce. These skills are aligned perfectly with my desire to become New Canaan’s next town clerk. In 2019, I decided it was time to sell my business and find new challenges. I wasn’t retired for long when I realized how much I missed interacting with and serving the New Canaan community. Subsequently, I took an opportunity to work as a volunteer greeter at Town Hall. Following that experience, I worked in the tax office, voter registrar’s office during our last election, and I assisted our Health Department in managing the COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics for 12,000 plus residents. Currently, I serve as an administrative assistant for the town buildings office. These opportunities have broadened my skill set and highlighted the importance of public offices during times of crisis. The town clerk has a uniquely public role in facilitating the necessary functions of town residents like vital records keeping, dog licenses, marriage licenses, election oversight. I don’t think the public knows just how much of a role the town clerk’s office plays in our community. I have some innovative ideas about how to make the office better and more customer-centered.
What qualifies you for the office you are seeking?
As the former owner of a very successful small business that served the New Canaan community for decades, I have extensive experience in customer service, fiscal management, catering to the needs of customers, leadership, and employee development. It is this skill set that makes me the best candidate for this position. As a former business owner and a current resident, I am a true “New Canaanite.” I know New Canaan and what its residents need and want. I know what it takes to make the town clerk’s office a place that exceeds the needs of our community, which requires exceptional customer service, embracing technology, and strong fiscal management. My experience in several diverse town of New Canaan offices, as well as my decades-long experience running a New Canaan small business, is aligned perfectly with the responsibilities of the New Canaan town clerk.
What is your vision for the elected body/office for which you are seeking GOP endorsement at the July 20 caucus?
My vision for the town clerk’s office can be summarized in how I ran my small business, which is “it is all about the experience.” This customer-centered approach to running a business ensures that the town clerk’s office will embrace a more streamlined process for accomplishing municipal tasks, will adopt online access for all functions, and it will ensure that customer service is the office’s mantra. The above focus areas will make our town clerk’s office more cost-effective, time-efficient, and customer-friendly. In addition, when I am elected, I will ensure that the town clerk’s office embraces technology and enhances the experience for all customers. Our town is one of the few Connecticut towns that has not fully embraced technology. However, while I am committed to advancing technology and allowing remote records access, I am also mindful that protecting our residents’ personal information remains paramount. My responsibility as town clerk is to the public, and the public is our customer. Therefore, I will make the office and myself available to serve the needs of every resident. To that end, my goal as the next town clerk is to provide the best service to the public in the most efficient, friendly, and cost-effective manner possible. When I am elected, I will ensure that visitors to the Town Clerk’s office are treated as paying customers. I will soon solicit feedback from the New Canaan community to ensure that the town clerk’s office exceeds every customer’s expectations. Once I am in office, I will focus on ensuring that customers feel well-served, welcomed and that their suggestions are embraced. I am thrilled that I can compete for this position. I can assure the entire New Canaan community that your confidence in me and your vote will result in me becoming the most customer-service friendly town clerk our town has ever known.
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