Hello, Granby! Let me take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Mike Walsh, and March 4 was my first day of work as your town manager.
After a comprehensive search and an intensive vetting process, I was extended an offer by the Granby Board of Selectmen. It was an easy decision to accept their offer and join the ranks of the many capable employees who work for this vibrant community. Granby is a special town, as I found out when I did a little research. Here are some analytics that I’d like to share with you.
In Connecticut, there are 169 cities and towns, and the State produces a financial compendium of information on all of them. Because I’m an analytical guy by training, let me share the story of why Granby is special by the numbers.
As I unpack the numbers, I see a community with an impeccable bond rating, low bonded indebtedness, a fully funded pension plan, a solid fund balance, a string of annual balanced budgets, and a community with above average per capita and household incomes that delivers educational excellence. In short, I see that Granby is a very well-run community that should be the blueprint for other cities and towns.
In fact, compared to the other 168 Connecticut communities, the financial condition of Granby is a testament to the hard decisions on spending and taxation that your elected officials have made. Based on the data, it was easy for me to see how Granby is the “Pride of the Valley.”
Let me ask for your help as I begin my job. You’ll quickly find that I am a public servant who enjoys public service, and while I come equipped with a toolbox full of municipal experience and ideas, I need to better understand the community of Granby from your perspective.
How I’ll begin that education is by listening. First by listening to your elected officials, then by visiting businesses, attending high school football, soccer, and basketball games to talk to the parents, and by accepting invitations from civic groups to hear from you. Please, my door is open, and I consider everyone a friend, some of whom I just haven’t met yet, so come by and say “hello”!
