WESTBROOK – Bruce Chuluda has called Westbrook home for more than three decades, and he is no stranger to local politics. He was mayor for three consecutive terms before losing to Colleen Hilton by less than 150 votes in the 2009 election. Chuluda did not make high-profile changes the way Hilton did, but he did preside over a period of several years where Westbrook taxpayers saw no increase at all.

Now, Chuluda, a Republican, hopes to be elected mayor once again, promising to help spur growth and development in the city, all while cutting the budget to keep taxes low. This week, Chuluda answered the same questions provided Hilton. These are his responses:

Q: What do you feel is the biggest obstacle to economic development in Westbrook?

A: Our biggest obstacle to economic development in Westbrook comes from the competition we face from our neighboring cities and towns for those economic dollars. We have to set ourselves apart from everyone else and make our processes easier for businesses than they would be elsewhere and we need to look for other ways to provide incentives to business and industry to either locate or remain here in Westbrook. In the downtown area, we must continue to provide improvements to parking, traffic management and public amenities. These factors add or detract from a business wanting to locate here or stay here.

Q: How can the city improve economic development while putting the smallest burden on the taxpayers?

A: We can work to improve our zoning regulations and our ordinances to provide the best opportunities for development in areas with the least negative impact to residents. Additionally, while I have not generally been supportive of Tax Increment Finance Districts (TIFs), I think we need to seriously look at strategically offering such an incentive to attract either new business ventures or redevelopment or expansion of an existing business. I will also work once again with the Sappi mill management on the redevelopment potential of the seriously underutilized industrial complex we have in the heart of our city. That site can once again become the economic engine of Westbrook.

Q: How do you plan to approach the task of balancing the budget while also keeping tax increases down?

A: As in my prior six years as your mayor, I will look at the task of balancing our city budget with an eye toward minimizing tax increases. I have previously eliminated positions and I have consolidated functions within city departments. Wherever something such as that continues to make good operational sense and provides for efficient and effective delivery of services, I will once again zero in on those areas. I will continue to challenge all departments to run as lean and mean as possible. I will look at the services we are providing with an eye toward reducing or eliminating those that do not provide us bang for our buck. I will be cautious as to how we deal with pay issues, knowing that our taxpayers cannot continue to enrich our hardworking employees at a level that many of us do not enjoy in our own jobs. I know there are many who do not object to paying for certain niceties while are there many who do and simply cannot afford to. The cost for everything continues to increase while incomes remain stagnant or in some cases non-existent. My task will be to seek out revenue-generating opportunities, for in order to keep tax increases down we either need more revenue or we need to cut expenses. Difficult choices need to be made, and I am the person to do just that.

Q: In the past two years, a number of changes have consolidated some city positions and services. Do you feel this trend should continue, and if so, where should further consolidations be?

A: This trend is not one that has just emerged over the past two years. In fact, I probably made more changes during my six years as mayor than you have seen in these past two years. And, some of what actually took place over the past two years is a result of efforts that were undertaken while I was in office. I have already stated that if it makes good operational sense and it can save us money as well, I will definitely seek to continue to consolidate and even outsource positions and services. There may be opportunities within our public services department, our public safety department, our recreation department, our social and community services area, city hall, information technology, and school and city in general. I will look at all areas to determine if further consolidation makes sense and can still provide for the delivery of service expected and required while bringing about a savings to the taxpayer.

Q: What other issue not discussed above do you feel needs to be on the city’s radar?

A: I want the city to begin the planning process for a new business park somewhere in the vicinity of Exit 47/Rand Road. Our opportunities for such a venture elsewhere in the city are limited by the amount of available land we have and the location of that land. Our existing business and industrial parks while not yet full may be at some point. We need to be ready to invite businesses into our city and have them placed in the right spot to be the least impediment to our residents. My goal over the next two years will be to begin that planning process.

I also will work with the U.S. Postal Service to relocate and redesign the entrance and exit to the post office on Main Street. What we have now is an accident waiting to happen.

I will work to finish the William Clark Drive project, taking it out to the New Gorham Road and Main Street intersection. Like it or not, William Clark Drive is a safer roadway with the improvements made to it. We now need to complete it.

And, we will come to resolution as to what to do with Saccarappa Park. If it is not going to be developed into office space, then I want to put it back as a true downtown park and make the necessary improvement to it. It is a gem of a property that is not being utilized to its fullest potential.

Bruce Chuluda