New Canaan’s Amy Murphy Carroll, a Democrat who has served for nine years on the Board of Finance, has announced her candidacy for first selectman. We put some questions to Murphy Carroll, the only Democrat to announce their candidacy for the town’s highest elected office in this year’s local election. The Democratic Town Committee Caucus is scheduled for July 18.
Our exchange follows.
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New Canaanite: What is your background professionally in terms of living and volunteering here in New Canaan.
Amy Murphy Carroll
Amy Murphy Caroll: My husband John and I moved to New Canaan in 1996 with our family, and with all due deference to those who were born here, we view New Canaan as our hometown! New Canaan has been a family affair with my mom relocating to New Canaan 16 years ago, and moving into the the fabulous New Canaan Inn four years ago.
I am a graduate of Cornell University, and earned my MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and had a 30+ year career on Wall Street in municipal finance. With this financial background I was appointed to the Board of Finance (BOF) in 2014, and in this capacity have been intimately involved with the Town’s annual budget process, and have worked on a host of related subcommittees, liaison assignments and building committees including:
- Liaison work during the budget process with the BOE, Public Works and Parks and Recreation.
- Co-authored an exhaustive analysis of the Town’s building inventory submitted by the Building Evaluation and Use Committee in December of 2017.
- Member of both the Saxe and Police Department Building Committees. Saxe was completed on time and on budget, and realized the maximum reimbursement provided for by the State on applicable costs before the project was even finished.
- Member of BOF Retirement Plan Advisory Committee.
- Member of BOF Debt Guideline subcommittee where we developed parameters on the amount and use of bonded debt.
In addition to this BOF work, I have had the privilege of being involved in many Town activities including St. Mark’s White Elephant from 1998 – 2010 (multiple years as chair), managing more sports teams than I can remember, helping to launching Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) New Canaan, serving on many task forces, and the list goes on – all while working as a municipal finance executive.
Why are you running for first selectman?
I am not a politician. I spent the past 10 years pretty much staying out of the paper, working with people, irrespective of party, to get the work done, and in the process have developed many great friendships.
I truly believe that the overwhelming majority of our citizens share the same priorities. We really are “One New Canaan.” We all have the common goals of maintaining our world class schools and our amazing town amenities supported by our top notch Public Works Department. Our health, safety and well-being are assured by our exceptional Police and Fire departments, New Canaan EMS, the Waveny LifeCare Network, CERT, and our Health and Human Services departments among others. We have access to beautiful parks and a robust Parks and Recreation department.
While our amenities are extraordinary, what really provides the heart and soul of our Town is the incredible engagement and contributions from all the New Canaanites who volunteer their time, provide their considerable expertise, and donate their resources to enhance our Town. There is no better example of this commitment than the NEW, New Canaan Library.
Sadly, we have witnessed a change in tone and action in Town government as the noise and divisiveness that has permeated our national politics has begun to seep into our Town. None of this is relevant nor benefits New Canaan. Excess power has been accrued in the First Selectman’s Office as chairmanships of virtually all Town committees and boards have been reserved for one party, a party that makes up less than 40% of the electorate. Government has become more insular, opaque, uncivil and frankly less effective and certainly unnecessarily expensive. And despite our strong financial profile, it seems every week a crisis, imaginary or real, pops up.
So rather than continue in a supporting role and feeling increasingly dismayed, I’m jumping off the sidelines and running for First Selectman.
New Canaan has an informed, engaged electorate who deserve to be viewed as partners in our government. We need a resolution to our inadequate cell service, but the community must be part of the conversation, not dictated to. As a town we should be charting our own course in addressing workforce housing needs and legal requirements, but instead find ourselves without a moratorium in place and facing multiple lawsuits, but with no plan.
The Town is at an inflection point, and to date our guardrails and checks and balances have held. Before they fail, let’s turn the page and prioritize experience, transparency and civility and return the role of First Selectman to being the steward for the whole town, not just one person’s or one party’s priorities.
What do you view as the biggest issues facing New Canaan?
Addressing the challenges of complying with workforce housing needs and requirements, enhancing cell service, returning transparency to government and re-engaging the full citizenship in public policy, without artificial barriers based on national political affiliation are major priorities. Our financial position remains strong, though greater control over capital projects need to be instituted. Nationwide there is a shortage of people interested in working in the public sector. Many police departments and school and municipal roles across the country are facing critical labor shortages. To date in New Canaan, we have avoided many of these shortfalls – because we have respected our teachers, officers, and municipal employees. It is critical that we continue to view these relationships as a partnership.
How would you describe your management styles
In my 25 years plus of volunteering on many boards, committees, school and church-related functions, and too many to count NC sport teams, I have a demonstrated track record of collaboration and importantly a willingness to step up and do the work. I have a reputation for being direct, but fair, respecting people’s work, while demanding accountability. No one person has all the answers, and in a town like New Canaan we should actively seek and engage the input and expertise of all our citizens as we tackle challenges and realize opportunities irrespective of political affiliation.
Finally tell us something about yourself that many New Cannanites likely don’t know.
People find it entertaining that I come from a family of 10. I am number eight. We are a close knit group and I speak to at least one sibling every day. Growing up in a family of this size pretty much makes one a doer, because if you didn’t make something happen, it didn’t. Perhaps this is why when my sister Sally Campbell was leading a fundraiser to expand the New Canaan sports fields in 2001 and suggested that I make and donate salad for 300 people while I had four little kids and was working full time – I did not hesitate to say sure!
Amy Murphy Carroll will be a wonderful First Selectman. She is smart and knows finance as well as what New Canaan needs to move forward. Amy will listen and work collaboratively with others to get the job done. She has my vote.
Fantastic news! Impeccable credentials and a proven steward of our town finances. More importantly, Amy has the temperament, collaborative management style and vision New Canaan needs at this juncture. She will lead with respect and inclusion. Looking forward to voting for Amy in November!
Amy has long and very capably served our town for many years and in so many capacities–thrilled to support her for First!
While serving on the Board of Education, I had the honor of working with Amy Murphy Carroll. She is a proven, bipartisan, impactful leader. She is truly motivated by what is best for New Canaan.
Everyone who has worked with Amy Murphy Carroll in Town government and out will tell you she is very smart and a hard worker who studies and knows the issues. Amy has the professional background and character to be our town’s leader. Her heart is in the right place, so get to know Amy and come out and vote.
Amy Carroll has exceptional qualifications (understanding a balance sheet matters!) and an impressive body of experience, work and achievement on various town committees. She is clear-eyed about problems that for years have resisted solutions — terrible cell service and noncompliance with affordable housing law come to mind — and we need someone who recognizes the problems if we’re to find a solution.
Amy is someone who will bring a truly local, bipartisan style of leadership to New Canaan. One in which the entire community has a seat st the table when critical decisions ned to made. She will move New Cannan away from the slow creep of national, partisan agendas into town government. Nee Canaan needs. Fresh start, and Amy offers that promise.
What an impressive candidate and inviting message about one new canaan. Grateful to have such a well qualified and proven leader running. Thanks Amy !
With her announcement that she’s running for New Canaan First Selectman, Amy Murphy Carroll demonstrated that she has the expertise, background and deep commitment to collaborative leadership. Above all, she will always be guided by a determination to do what’s right for the town. As she put it in her announcement, the first selectman should be a “steward for the whole town, not just one person’s or one party’s priorities.” It’s all underscored by her campaign’s overarching message: “One New Canaan.”
As a candidate for first selectman, Amy Murphy Carroll will take a proactive approach to workforce housing. By forging a plan, New Canaan can address the issue in a way that preserves the town’s character and honors a commitment to its many dedicated employees who have to commute long distances to fulfill their responsibilities. She cites the need to find a solution to the inadequate cell phone service in certain areas of town, but believes the residents most affected by the absence of bars on their phones, need to endorse a solution that is based on the best, and least intrusive, technology. And as a long-time member of the Board of Finance, she has shown an understanding and commitment to using our tax dollars most efficiently.
As we choose our First Selectman in November, this time we should vote for a person who wants to lead the town as a whole, not its segments, understands the intricacies of municipal finance and has the disposition to encourage civility in our conversations so we can govern for all. For that reason, we should choose Amy Murphy Carroll to lead New Canaan come the next election.
We would be fortunate to have Amy as our First Selectman. She has the composure to encourage participation at town hall, the strategic sense to get ahead of coming challenges, and the professional experience to do the best for New Canaan’s long-term success. I am very encouraged by this news.
Wish Amy was running in Wilton. What a background! Wiltonites are very stuck as well with a partisan administration catering to a chosen few. Our town needs vitality not division!
I love Amy Murphy Carroll. She is perfect for the job, and I hope she makes it to the finish. New Canaan needs someone who can help all of us be what we need to be and not be so divided on things. All the best to you, Amy!!!
I have know Amy for some 58 years and I can say with out a doubt, you , the people of New Canaan would be blessed to have her as your next Selectman, no to mention she makes an incredible Strawberry shortcake Birthday cake 🎂. So do yourself a favor and NOMINATE AMY MURPHY CARROLL JULY 18 !
In a newly close town, she would get >60% of the vote against the incumbent.