Planning and Zoning commission
Mike Karam
A proud resident of Higganum, Mike Karam is a dedicated and community-minded individual with a passion for preserving our small-town charm while encouraging thoughtful growth and economic prosperity. With a strong background in strategic planning, community engagement, and a commitment to improving the quality of life in our town, Mike is the ideal candidate for the Planning & Zoning Commission. His unwavering pride and dedication to our town is evident in the volunteering he does throughout the community. Mike is the founder of the Haddam Beautification Committee, working to enhance Haddam’s appearance and vitality for its residence, small businesses, and visitors. He is also a member of the Haddam Economic Development Committee, POCD Implementation Committee, a lifetime member of the Haddam Land Trust, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Haddam Historical Society.
Mike Karam’s vision for the Planning & Zoning Commission is rooted in understanding the unique needs and aspirations of the people who call Haddam home. In a small town like ours, where community values are deeply cherished and progress is pursued with care, it is essential to have a Planning & Zoning commission that reflects the interests of all residents. Mike is committed to transcending partisan lines and advocating for the best interests of our community as a whole. He is committed to fostering a transparent and collaborative decision-making process that encourages input from all stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and developers. His goal is to strike a balance between growth and preservation, ensuring that our town continues to evolve while preserving its historical and cultural heritage.
For his day job, Mike is a brand strategy consultant with over two decades shaping some of culture’s most iconic brands such as Coca-Cola, Mastercard, Tiffany & Co. and Google. Mike is also working on an exciting small business plan in hopes of bringing his home store concept to Scovil Hoe in the near future.
Vote for Mike Karam to ensure Haddam’s growth is guided by thoughtful, community-focused planning principals. Together, we can build a better future for all residents.
Tim teran
My family and I have been part of the Haddam community for over 80 years. My grandparents (Mr. & Mrs. Cecil M. Moore) moved to Higganum Landing in 1951.
I grew up spending summers & holidays on the Landing. My wife, Gretchen, and I moved here full time in 2014. I am active in our community: I serve on the board of The Haddam Historical Society, The Higganum Cove Committee and serve as an alternate on The Planning & Zoning Committee; I also am a loyal supporter of our volunteer fire and ambulance teams and the Brainard Library as well as The Haddam Scholarship Fund. In the past I have also served on the Haddam Board of Finance.
Haddam is a remarkable town with a rich past and a promising future. Its natural beauty is beyond compare and its school system top notch. As a result, we continue to attract more young families to our town. Our challenge is to maintain the rural charm of our special town while we continue to find new ways to grow – attracting new residents, businesses and tourists. “Thoughtful Growth” — growth that preserves the best of the past and fosters the best of what could be – is the challenge. And I believe that P&Z must play the pivotal role in achieving that thoughtful growth. To deliver against this goal P&Z must spend more time planning, not just zoning. Many P&Z meetings were cancelled this year because there was no zoning matter on the agenda; they could and should have been used to talk about and strengthen our plan for the future. And P&Z must better communicate with the town residents, soliciting more input and making its actions more transparent to the town at large. I want to embrace this challenge and I am ready to do so.
The biggest issue facing us is encouraging economic growth and development while maintaining the character of our town with the most opportune areas for growth being Higganum Center, Higganum Cove and Tylerville. That requires a great infrastructure and a commitment from all of us.
Higganum needs a community septic system to handle more business; with the grants that have been approved it will have septic plans in place to demonstrate its “readiness” to welcome more business when new businesses want to locate here. Tylerville needs better traffic control; with the new roundabouts planned Tylerville will get that. Higganum Cove needs a well-managed action plan to carefully develop it into a sought-after destination. While the Higganum Cove Committee and master plan they developed with Kent & Frost for the development of the cove is a start, there is still much to do to bring it to fruition. But we will get there. I believe we are poised to begin a new era in Haddam.
As a consummate believer in Haddam’s possibilities as well as my track record — rebuilding an older home in town to more fully resemble the look of the 18th century house it once was, and my more recent ideas about how Higganum Cove could be a powerful attraction for Haddam (published in The Haddam Bulletin in 2021 and carried forward now via The Higganum Cove Committee) — I believe I have the passion, commitment and ideas to be a force for thoughtful growth that benefits all.
Haddam is one of a kind with a rich past and one of the most beautiful sites in New England — from Higganum Cove to Haddam Meadows; from the Beaver lodges to Swan Hill; from the swing bridge to The Thankful Arnold House and from Higganum Landing to Rock Landing and Engine Hollow Road– we live in a very special place graced by a wide variety of wildlife and greenery.
Haddam residents are one of a kind. While we don’t always agree on the right path forward, we all deeply care about our town and its future – and we are not shy about having our opinions heard! We can work through our differences to achieve balanced growth and prosperity for our town.
Given the strength of conviction we all feel for our town and what our town experience has to offer I believe Haddam can grow in ways that benefit us all – in ways that maintain the character of our town while creating economic growth.
Scott Brookes
My name is Scott Brookes and I am running for a position on the Planning & Zoning Board. Both myself and my wife Audrey are life-long Haddam residents. I hold a bachelors degree from St. Anselm College in New Hampshire.
I am a life member of the Haddam Volunteer Fire Department where I served as a fire fighter for 25 years. I also served as Haddam fire marshal for 23 years. I am a Knight of Columbus and a lector at St. Peter Church.
After a lengthy career with the U.S. postal service and serving 8 years as the Haddam town clerk, I chose not to run for re-election in November of 2021. One of the essential boards that oversee our town is that of planning and zoning. They must make important decisions about Haddam’s future while safeguarding our historical past. It is my belief that careful consideration must be paramount in moving the town forward and maintaining our beautiful historic homes and properties.
I feel strongly that my track record at working with all town residents and my observations of how Haddam has grown over my lifetime will be beneficial to the planning and zoning board. I respectfully ask for your consideration and your vote in the upcoming November election.
Dorothy Gillespie (Alt)
My husband Mike Jantsch and I moved to Higganum 30 years ago. Dublin Hill was the perfect place for us with its natural beauty and small town vibe. I was teaching science in Cheshire at the time and Mike, a 30 year Navy veteran, was still stationed in New London with his beloved submarines. We are retired now and have the time to become more involved in the community we love.
I am running for the position of Planning and Zoning Alternate because I want to be a part of preserving and enhancing this lovely place we call home. As a town we are moving forward on several fronts at this time: sidewalks, community septic, housing, HES, Higganum Cove, the Swing Bridge.
We have many balls in the air and the Planning and Zoning Board will bear much of the responsibility for ensuring that what we end up with is aligned with what the people want.
I am prepared to do the work to help make that happen and I believe I have the knowledge and skills to do so. Perhaps more importantly it’s that I have the desire to do so.