To the Editor:

This letter is to support our current town clerk, Debbie Halstead.

As a town clerk one must always adapt to the ever-changing times and provide the community and its residents with ease of access to the many facets of our office while maintaining the level of efficiency we deliver every day. With more than 30 years of collective knowledge, experience, and connections we not only serve Newtown residents, but those from neighboring towns, potential homebuyers from other states, attorneys, land surveyors, hospitals, funeral homes, and so much more.

Debbie continues to improve our town website for access to services, as well as the sometimes challenging preparation of ballots during local, state, and federal elections, in addition to the annual April budget vote.

When faced with the 2020 Presidential election and the influx of absentee ballots received in the town clerk’s office, she not only tackled those obstacles, but led her team of assistant town clerks and the many volunteers we had to help us with confidence and compassion for our voters, to make sure every resident could vote!

Debbie will always greet you with a smile and has always made the office feel warm and welcoming, as one will usually see with her flair for decorating.

She has acquired many skills, as well as having obtained every town clerk certification available throughout her 16 years in office that can’t be learned from reading a book. It takes years to build the experience necessary to lead a successful and complex office such as ours.

She has proven her commitment and love for this job and the community it serves.

Debbie already checks all the boxes, make sure you check hers on November 2.

Sincerely,

Renee Weimann, CCTC — Assistant Town Clerk

Katie Charbonneau, CCTC — Assistant Town Clerk

Newtown