Freddie Camillo announces for First Selectman, promises a better dog park and an unneeded Eastern Civiic Center

even with a flag in the background … no

We probably get what we deserve

Camillo said his priorities on the campaign trail would include parking, which he said has long been a problem, especially downtown. He opposes building new parking garages, but said other solutions could be explored with town-owned land in the area.

A longtime volunteer with local sports leagues, as well as a former chair of the town’s Board of Parks and Recreation, Camillo also touched on the need for more and better fields as well as improved facilities. He acknowledged the budgetary costs of possible upgrades and the impact on taxpayers.

He said he would continue to explore public/private partnerships in town, which could make a big difference in projects such as a new Eastern Greenwich Civic Center and a new Cardinal Stadium at Greenwich High School. Camillo said he wanted to avoid the kind of “piecemeal” construction that happened at the Dorothy Hamill Rink, which needs to be replaced.

I’m positive that there’s not a single person who has ever met Fred who doesn’t like him, but while that distinguishes him from Peter Tesei, does it qualify him to run the town? I think not. We need someone mean enough to tell Riverside and Old Greenwich that there’s no justification for a new civic center — sell off the property and put it on the tax roll — and inform the rest of the town that we don’t need a new high school stadium, or another parking lot. The ability to say “no” is a powerful thing, and I don’t think Camillo has it.