Blankley Plans to Modernize Greenwich Town Hall

GREENWICH, Conn. – Democratic candidate John Blankley has a few ideas to modernize Town Hall, including updates to Greenwich’s website, if he wins Tuesday’s election for first selectman.

“As a business manager with over 40 years' experience, I know that it is always possible to make administrative functions more efficient,” said Blankley. “For example, my private company has recently won a contract from another Connecticut town to update their [information technology] system. As I look at Town Hall, there are a number of ideas we can consider.”

If elected, on Day 1 of his administration, Blankley would update and revamp the town’s website to make it more user friendly. “If you want to find any particular thing, it takes you a long time to get there. It’s not set out in any logical form,” he said. His company, Flagship Networks, updated its website in a similar manner.  

Blankley also wants to implement software, called CityView, to consolidate various databases in the different departments at Town Hall. Consolidation would make planning and permitting processes quicker and easier for residents, he said.

“You go to the different departments, and they all have different databases and different ways of storing that makes it extremely difficult for professionals who deal with timing and reconstruction and development projects,” he said. Blankley hopes ultimately the user will be able to go online and navigate the entire database system from one website. He would put in the software within six months to a year.

Blankley has criticized incumbent Peter Tesei for having a “closed door administration.” He says that under his administration, his door would always be open to residents.

“It’s a totally unnecessary high-tech security system,” said Blankley. Tesei said at a debate that his office’s security system is to protect employees. “Why are there not high-tech security systems to protect other employees in the town then? It’s all to do with him hiding behind this wall between him and the outside world,” said Blankley, adding he would be receptive to new ideas to improve efficiency and performance.  

Blankley also says the town needs to be more proactive in collecting delinquent taxes. He says the current tax collector - Republican Tod Laudonia – “doesn’t seem to think it’s a good idea to go after delinquent taxpayers.” Laudonia’s Democratic challenger Bill Grad is a proponent of the idea.

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