Treasurer

Sandy Grimes

I was born and raised in Stonington and have lived here my entire life along with my wife of 52 years, Terry Santos Grimes (retired Registrar of Voters), our three sons: Michael, Ethan, and Timothy, our three daughters-in-law, and our six grandchildren. I graduated from the University of Hartford and hold a master’s in education from Connecticut College. I retired after 40+ years of teaching sixth grade: elementary level and middle school math.
 

My commitment, service, and volunteerism include former President of Deans Mill School Parent Teacher Organization, former President of the Board of Directors for the Stonington Community Center, 25-years on the Sandy Point Patrol, soccer coach, and Meals on Wheels volunteer. I am a lifetime member of the Stonington Borough Fire Department, St. Mary’s Church, Knights of Columbus, Portuguese Club, Elks Club, and the Westerly Yacht Club. Town of Stonington committees served on include facilities, dog park, and fields where I helped create new athletic fields.
 

I have had the honor of holding a series of elected positions in town including over 40 years as a member of the Stonington DTC where I am currently serving as Vice Chair. I have been elected to multi terms on the Borough Board of Warden & Burgesses as fire and water commissioner, Justice of the Peace, Constable, and a six-year term on Board of Finance serving as liaison between the board and all Stonington non-profits as well as the Board of Education. I introduced the public comment portion of the board's agenda alongside John O'Brien. I am now serving in my second term as town Treasurer.
 

As the current town Treasurer, I am aware of where all the money is spent. With that in mind, I feel responsible to maintain an ongoing, productive relationship with the Boards of Finance, Education, and Selectmen.

I have always believed that I should give back to the community I was raised in and I hope that the voters will allow me to continue that privilege as Treasurer.

Board of Education

Sara Baker

When I was a kid, my favorite "game" to play was school complete with my stuffed animals as students, a chalkboard given to me by my grandmother for lessons, and textbooks composed of my father's childhood Encyclopedia Britannicas. Looking back now, it is not a surprise that 90% of my life has been spent in the context of education: first as a student and then as a professional. I have been fortunate to attend and work at schools on both coasts and in two midwestern states in between. My educational journeys have afforded me the opportunity to learn from a diverse set of perspectives along the way. This diversity informs my day-to-day practice as an educator.
 

I am currently in my sixth year teaching at Southern Connecticut State University: my educational home. As a faculty member at Southern, I am proud to be a part of our faculty union: the American Association of University Professors. I am currently serving as one of my university's representatives to our state council and have long been active in our contract campaign efforts. I am grateful to have been associated with a teacher's union since my very first teaching job in graduate school. I am also a board member for Higher Edge, a New London based non-profit with a mission to assist young people in getting TO and THROUGH college offering assistance to them and their families throughout the journey from applications to graduations.
 

I am running for Board of Education because I want to put these perspectives into practice to serve our local community, to provide a voice for students, and to be an advocate for our friends and neighbors who work within our Stonington Public Schools system. I am most thankful to the Stonington DTC for their endorsement.

Board of Education

Chris Donahue

I have the honor and the privilege of running for the Stonington Board of Education this November. Having gone through the Stonington Public School System myself, I know first hand how special the quality of education is here in town. Admittedly a rambunctious student, I was blessed with some great educators who were patient and guided me to find my passions and strengths. The profound life lessons I learned in the halls of Stonington Schools still serve me on a daily basis. On top of that, most friendships I formed there have become important lifelong relationships. The learning environment of the Stonington School System allowed me this opportunity. That is why I understand the importance of making the best decisions possible to ensure that your children are afforded the greatest opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Having served as a volunteer firefighter for 10 years, vice chairman of the Stonington Public Facilities committee for two years and living here my entire life I've been presented the unique opportunity of meeting and speaking in depth with a lot of people from every part of town. Many have different views on what's best for our community but all of them have the same core principle in common which is: we want what's best for our town and for our children. I wholeheartedly agree with this goal and believe that despite all of the recent division in the nation, and in town, if we work hard we can meet the diverse needs of our children.

If elected I vow to work tirelessly to achieve the goal of a school system that effectively meets the needs of your children on a daily basis

Board of Education

Dan Kelley

I’ve lived in Stonington for almost 20 years. My wife, Pam Deary Kelley, and I have a 17-year-old son who’s currently a senior at Stonington High School. Throughout his education in the town, I’ve been active in the school community; I served as PTO president at Deans Mill Elementary and at Mystic Middle School. We are members of St Michael Church in Pawcatuck.

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Other kinds of community service have also been important to me over the years. I’ve been a Boy Scout leader, and I’ve coached baseball at the Pawcatuck Little League, and soccer and basketball at the COMO. I’m currently a board member of the High School Athletics Boosters.

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I’m a retired correction officer for the State of Connecticut and I’ve worked in several different security positions. I’m currently Director of Security for the Providence Marriott.

I graduated from UConn and went through the ECSU Teacher Certification program.

Giving back through serving in local government is one of my core values. I was a councilor, treasurer and deputy mayor in the City of Groton, and member of the Representative Town Meeting. I also served on the city’s parks and recreation committee.
 

“The search for and the hiring of a new superintendent is critically important.  Our new superintendent will lead our school district into the future under the guidance of the Board of Education.  We will need a new superintendent to build upon what we have and bring fresh ideas and programs to the district.

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Our schools and staff have received recognition for their excellence, and we need to build on that excellence and not remain complacent.  The recent pandemic has shown us both the positive and negative affects to our children.  We need to grow the positives aspects and address the negatives.  Smaller class sizes demonstrated both academic and social gains, yet virtual learning resulted in some students falling behind.  We need to continue to identify these areas and implement policy and programs to address them.  We will initiate new programs that will make our district a leader where every student can reach their potential.”

Board of Finance

Mike Fauerbach

I first ran for the Stonington Board of Finance in 2015 because I wanted to give back to my community, and I felt that I had the relevant financial skills and business experience to make a positive impact. I’m seeking re-election in 2021 because I believe I can continue to make a difference and because I feel passionate about making Stonington a great place for all of us to live, work and play.

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I am a firm believer that once you commit to something you need to give it your all. And that is what I’ve done as a member of the Board of Finance for the past 6 years. I’ve always come to meetings prepared and have applied my skills and experience to make recommendations and decisions that I believe are in the best interest of the town overall. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time on the Board of Finance and believe that we’ve been very effective in developing budgets that address the need for investment in our infrastructure and services, while also being fiscally responsible and managing the increase in taxes for residents of Stonington. It has been rewarding to see the annual budget pass on the first vote in recent years.

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Prior to joining the Board of Finance, I served as a member of the Town’s K-12 School Building Committee. I was proud to be a part of the team that helped renovate Stonington’s elementary schools and enhance the learning experience for our elementary school students. I feel that my educational background and professional experience have proved useful while serving on both the K-12 School Building Committee and on the Board of Finance. I have an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MBA with a concentration in Finance. In addition, my entire professional career has been in various roles within corporate finance, consulting, and business operations.

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I’d be thrilled to earn your vote again on November 2nd and look forward to continuing to represent all residents of our community as an ongoing member of Stonington’s Board of Finance.

Board of Finance

Chris Johnson

I am proud to be the third generation of my family to live in Connecticut, after my great-grandparents immigrated from Greece. My father and grandfather were active participants in their town governments and taught me that volunteering on the local level is the best way to positively impact the community. I believe every resident deserves a chance at success.

I moved to Stonington in 2007 after attending UConn for Computer Engineering. I love Stonington for its history, the small-town downtown character of its villages, and its engaged, passionate community.
 
I am excited to run for the Board of Finance. I want to help Stonington prepare for the shifting challenges of the future while continuing to be a great town to live in. I plan to work transparently with the Selectman, Boards, Commissions, and residents of Stonington to promote a collaborative environment that benefits all.
 
I currently work in the IT Department of A/Z Corporation, a local construction management company. Prior to 2018, I managed the service department at The Computer Lab, Inc. If you had an Apple computer repaired in Southeastern Connecticut before 2018, I probably fixed it! My experience in IT has taught me to be flexible, to shift priorities to meet changing needs, and to provide cost-effective solutions to difficult problems. My career has also taught me the value of assessing and managing risk and adapting policies to ensure the best opportunities for success. I will bring all of this experience with me to the Board of Finance.

I am proud to serve on the Board of Directors for HOPE Inc, a local nonprofit that rehabilitates homes for low-income families. I have also volunteered at Mystic Seaport and have loved bringing cheer to our community through holiday Lantern Light Tours. I also helped establish and run stoningtonhelps.org during the pandemic to assist high-risk residents in need. I look forward to finding new ways to way to contribute to our community.
 
When elected, my top initiatives will include bolstering climate resilience, promoting public health, supporting entrepreneurs and working families, and serving the needs of all Stonington’s people and businesses.

Board of Finance

Tim O'Brien

Tim is Chairman of the Democratic Town Committee and Chairman of the Board of Finance. He and his family have a long history of supporting the town in countless ways. In fact, Tim's father John was a tireless member of the Board of Finance for many years. Tim is a business owner and, like his dad before him, focuses all his many talents on selflessly helping his fellow residents. Check back to the website for his full bio coming soon, but hey -- everyone knows Tim!