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STAMFORD, Conn. After feeling that his district has been under-represented and his city representative unresponsive, James "Jay" Fountain will try to improve the dialogue in the seventh district by running for the seat.
Glenbrook needs someone to respond to them, Fountain said was one reason he is running.
Fountain was appointed to the city's Board of Representative in September 2010 after Cynthia Martin left. His appointment allows him to serve only one year. He must run for election to serve the final two years of Martins term.
The move into politics is something Fountain has wanted to do for a while. But he has spent his working life working for municipalities and was the assistant director of research for the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. He couldnt serve because of a potential conflict of interest.
If elected, the Democrat said one of his goals is to try to change the neighborhood to make it feel more like a village. He suggests making the area around Glenbrook more pedestrian friendly, specifically around the train station. He also hopes to take advantage of the change in the city's master plan to allow commerce in village districts.
We want to be ready when/if the economy changes, he said. Maybe there is a possibility to bring people here.
He has lived in the Glenbrook section of Stamford since 1986 with his wife Christie, president of the Glenbrook Neighborhood Association. He has three adult sons and four grandchildren.
After graduating from the University of Florida, Fountain went on to live and work in New York City, Atlanta, Baltimore and Dallas before moving to Stamford. The Florida native said Stamford offers him the type of community he wants to live in. This is the most enjoyable place Ive lived, he said.
He is running unopposed. Republican Jerry Pia holds the other seat in the seventh district.
The Daily Stamford will be writing similar profile stories on all major candidates running for office in Stamford this Election Day, Nov. 8.
Contact reporter Anthony Buzzeo by email, tbuzzeo@TheDailyStamford.com.
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