To celebrate national Foursquare Day (Saturday, April 16) we went on a mission to find Wilton mayors. We found Aaron Schlecter, Wilton resident and mayor of the Wilton train station. Here is the interview:
Reporter: How do you feel about being the mayor of the train station?
Aaron Schlecter : Well, it is quite an honor and I am very protective of my domain. Bill Brennan needs to be very careful about recognizing his diminished authority at the station, in the parking lot and rail ROW. I take jurisdiction very seriously and he has way too many press conferences and meet and greets on my turf. Did you know the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has its own police force? Reporter: Have people treated you with more respect as a result of being mayor? Aaron Schlecter: I am quite humble and I have not sought any special treatment. I don't even expect my wife to call me 'Mr. Mayor' -- she doesn't. I think my profile will rise when I am able to launch a single-payer universal health care system and turn all the non-paved areas into an organic farm that produces vegetables for the hungry and commuters. Reporter: Why are you at the train station so often? Where are you going, coming from? Aaron Schlecter: I am not at the train station very often these days. During the 'campaign,' I was there five days a week picking up a baby nurse to care for our newborn daughter, born Jan. 25. We live in south Wilton about a mile from the station. I wasn't driving far. I actually commute in my Toyota Prius, but in all seriousness, I would prefer to ride the rail and really wish it were an option for environmental as well as psychological reasons ?- traffic is hazardous to quality of life. Reporter: Why do you like Foursquare? Aaron Schlecter: Back to serious answers: I guess I used to be more enthusiastic about Foursquare when I first began using it. I was introduced by a friend, Mark Smith, who just opened a Tasti D Lite franchise in Fairfield. I got into Foursquare by seeking to become mayor of Mark's shop. I did it and gloated to him. I'm a competitive big brother, so I then set my goal of becoming the mayor of my little brother's office -- Euro RSCG4D in Wilton. I got that too, but it was a hollow victory as he was completely uninterested. I was often waiting for the baby nurse's train in Wilton and just 'checked in' when I was there and passing the time. I was jockeying for mayorship for a while before I won the 'campaign.' That was fun. I honestly haven't been there or checked in there in a while, so it is a slight surprise that I remain the mayor. I suppose that is the story of dot coms -- excitement and participation for no reasonable motive followed by growing user apathy and rapid decline of the enterprise. Foursquare seems like an interesting tool for marketing. I have been checking around for the specials that show up in certain geographic locations. That seems like a good use of the technology and a good way to get some foot traffic. I did enjoy racking up points for a while, but there wasn't enough sense of real competition like many other games that are available in the brave new electronic world (Mafia Wars, Farmville, School of Wizardry, etc.). Reporter: Thank you Mr. Mayor.
How are you celebrating Foursquare Day? Please leave comments below.
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