Killingworth’s World Class CEO

In a small town like Killingworth leadership can be a subtle, slippery thing to get your hands around.  There are many well meaning individuals who know this town in a deep, spiritual way who don’t want to see this wonderful town change too much.  There are those who have been involved, since childhood, in protecting the town and it citizens who wake up every day thinking about how to better do that.  There are those who moved in recently who feel as though national political ideologies should be put into play on a local level and who have personal political agenda to fulfill. 

For me Killingworth was the first rural small Town that I have ever lived in.  Shortly after moving here I had the pleasure of being asked to get involved in several Town functions.  In getting involved in the day to day functions of the Town and amazing thing happened.  The people of Killingworth, long timers and newbie’s alike opened their arms in a warm embrace.  After experiencing that kind of acceptance Killingworth has become not just a place to live but a home unlike any other that I have had.  Like a family home small town Killingworth is a home that involves admiration, disappointment, respect and responsibility. 

Over the past decade I have come to learn of First Selectpersons that we have had in the past.  I know that there have been some that have held full time jobs while serving as First Selectpersons.  I also know that there were some who also had a personal political agenda. 

I serve in Emergency Management and I have seen with my own eyes the level of dedication that Cathy Iino has demonstrated to the town of Killingworth at that deep spiritual level.  I have seen the weariness and worry in her eyes as she poured over storm information at the Emergency Operations Center after having not slept for days.  I have seen with my own eyes how Cathy listens to every person in town’s ideas and opinions and actually researches the ideas viability before offering an opinion. 

Under Cathy’s leadership on top of the $500,000 Emergency Operations Center grant that Cathy has frugally tried to utilize to help to offset the cost of other badly needed Town infrastructure we also received a grant to hold a long-overdue Community Conversation about Education which brought together seventy members of our school district for a conversation about education. She also brought in grants to support community projects ranging from the preservation and development of Parmelee Farm to the planting of blight-resistant elms along Recycle Way.

I know this economic downturn has hurt Killingworth as it has hurt every other community in the region but, in these difficult economic times, Cathy has proven to be a fiscal conservative. Taxes did not go up because of town spending and in FACT, Town spending went down. Cathy has found ways to advance projects that bring the community together without increasing the tax burden. That takes dedicated effort, knowledge of governmental procedures, and attention to detail.

No matter how you look at it Cathy Iino is a world class, full time Chief Executive who brings all of her dedication energy and intelligence to the job of First Selectperson.  Cathy feels this town at that deep spiritual level and her concern for every citizen is clearly her number one priority.  Cathy has clearly been one of the most successful First Selectpersons in Killingworth History.