Promises made. Promises kept. How rare it is to be able to say that about an elected leader? Fortunately, in Westbrook, we have a mayor we can be proud of. A mayor, who when he says something, you know it is worth saying and he means it.

I had a chance recently to re-read the campaign platform that Mayor Bruce Chuluda ran on two years ago. Mayor Chuluda clearly laid out his plans for re-organizing city government and dispensing services more cost effectively, improving communication between the government and its citizens and that he would take a measured approach to economic development. In all three cases, this mayor, our mayor, has kept his promises and fulfilled the reasons for which we first elected him two years ago.

I have had the privilege to know Bruce Chuluda for almost a decade. I have watched and supported his leadership as he led the Chamber of Commerce, sat on the City Council and watch now as he leads Westbrook into a bright future filled with promise. Mayor Chuluda is not a showy leader. He doesn’t make long-winded speeches designed to dazzle the public with style but offering very little in the way of substance. He speaks when he has something to say, not merely to say something.

Mayor Chuluda has led Westbrook by being engaged and being active in what goes on at City Hall. On any given day, you will find him hard at work, involved in meetings or making calls to promote our community. Although a part-time job, you would never know it by the hours he devotes to running the city. If you talk with the employees who work there, they will tell you that it is refreshing and inspiring to have the mayor so “hands-on” in how the city operates.

Mayor Chuluda promised the citizens of Westbrook that he would re-organize the structure of city government and how we dispense services. During the first year of his term, he consolidated several departments, created efficiencies between the school department and City Hall and eliminated positions that were no longer necessary. He did this so that the cost of the financial burden to run Westbrook would be lessened on our taxpayers.

During his second year, he submitted a budget plan that would have provided real tax relief for Westbrook citizens by flat-funding both the city and the school budgets. This budget would have fulfilled the promise made by the City Council to return the entire additional financial aid from the state to the taxpayers of Westbrook. Unfortunately, the City Council did not support the mayor’s plan and the promised tax relief did not occur.

Mayor Chuluda also pledged to improve communication between the citizens and their government. He fulfilled that pledge through several initiatives. On the first Saturday of each month, Mayor Chuluda opens his office for any citizen to stop by and talk about any issue. He also created a monthly television call-in program that features a variety of city officials as guests discussing issues facing Westbrook. Additionally, Mayor Chuluda has directed the city to participate in the American Journal’s monthly community forum. Lastly, Mayor Chuluda has become well-known for returning phone calls and responding to e-mails. He has made it a priority to respond to inquiries from fellow citizens and has received general acclaim for his timely replies.

From an economic development standpoint, Mayor Chuluda has led in a prudent and deliberate manner. His approach has been to move Westbrook forward, while not losing the flavor of our community to rampant development. While many in Westbrook, myself included, would like to see a more rapid pace for development, Mayor Chuluda has taken a balanced approach to economic development that is designed to make Westbrook economically vibrant and affordable.

I encourage the people of Westbrook to support Mayor Chuluda in his bid for a second term. He has fulfilled his pledge and kept his promises. I don’t know how we can ask for more of any elected official.

Ray Richardson is chairman of the Republican City Committee.