The Board of Finance is responsible for wise management of Salem’s finances.  While keeping taxes low is a priority, it cannot be at the expense of essential services.  The following areas may need different solutions.

• Declining volunteerism may require an increase in paid staff, especially in emergency services.  The Board of Selectmen and the emergency serves team are actively managing this.
• Efforts to keep the Board of Education budget have created challenges in maintaining services which the new superintendent and his staff will need to evaluate.   

• The best boards have members with diverse opinions who work together and compromise, thus reaching a decision that most residents can accept.

• Disagreement within the Board is fine, but that respect between members and with the public is mandatory
• Transparency in government is essential
• A town boards have different, but complementary responsibilities.  Each board must fulfill their role (only theirs) and allow the other boards to handle their roles and responsibilities.

Experience:

• Board of Finance senior member – 3 terms (18 years )
• Board of Education 3+ years– Chaired the Budget Committee
• 45 year resident of Salem
• Served on many committees and commissions, including Salem Vision Committee (chair), Town Charter Commission , Public Safety Service Committee, Salem School District Strategic Planning Working Committee

Education:

BS in Psychology University of Connecticut

MS in Computer Science Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

David Bingham, MD  

Board of Finance, 6 year term.

I am running for Salem’s Board of Finance because of my concern that this board has short-changed the students and staff at Salem School for years, consistently paring down reasonable budget requests made by the bipartisan Board of Education.  Our School is a good one, but the current BOF has put our children at risk by turning its back on the pleas of our educators. Salem can do better. My experience?

• Education: Salem School, Groton (prep) School, Yale (BA), Columbia (MD), Univ. of Michigan (OB-GYN certification)
• Major, Medical Corps, US Army (Ft Bragg) 1971-73
• Founded OB-GYN Services, Inc. , which now provides all obstetrical care and gynecologic surgery available at Backus Hospital
• Directed the investment of retirement funds successfully for 6 physicians and 25 employees for over 30 years
• Founded the Salem Land Trust, helping raise over $4 million for land conservation in Salem from outside sources, while providing trails for recreation and environmental education for hundreds of visitors
• Founded the Salem Valley Farms Ice Cream Company, a successful business that has provided decades of summer jobs for dozens of local students.

Board of Finance 2 yr Term

Education:

Providence College – Bachelors of Science – Business Management

University of Hartford – MBA

Matt is a life-long Connecticut resident, originally from Waterford, moving to Salem in 2013 with his wife and two daughters. He is a graduate of Providence College with a degree in Business Management and Minor in Political Science, and an MBA from the University of Hartford with a concentration in Finance.   He worked for over 10 years at The Hartford in Hartford, CT where he managed a team of IT professionals and a multi-million dollar IT budget. He is currently an IT Systems Engineer working for Poly, Inc. He is passionate about fiscal responsibility and effectively managing budgets in an efficient way, while also ensuring services and programs are delivered as promised.