Leadership Is More than A Flag

By Erika Higgins, Board of Selectmen Candidate

A few months ago, I noticed that American flags that once hung in every room prior to the updating at the High Plains Community Center were not put back up. So, I pulled out my phone, and our Cub Scouts said the Pledge of Allegiance to a virtual flag instead.

The rooms had been painted and looked beautiful after the much needed updating years ago, but the flags had not been replaced. I emailed elected officials and department heads, following up multiple times. After personally spending hours on this issue, they finally purchased and installed new flags in every room and there is no need to pull one up on a cell phone again.

Do not get me wrong—I was thrilled to see them go up, but I was disappointed by how hard it was to get even a small issue addressed. This experience is not unique.

Over my 15 years in Orange, I have raised concerns about things that affect ALL of us, from unsafe conditions at the pool to infrastructure planning at Fred Wolfe Park. I know our town leaders care deeply about Orange, but even with the best intentions, residents are often left feeling unheard. And that is something we can fix together.

Public service should never be about politics or personality. It should be about listening, following through, and working together to get things done. Leadership means treating every resident with respect, no matter how long they have lived here, what party they belong to, or whether their concerns are going viral on social media.

I love this community and believe Orange is a wonderful place to live. I am running for the Board of Selectmen to help make our Town Hall more responsive, more transparent, and even more connected to the people it serves. I am proud to be running alongside Daniel Fitzmaurice for First Selectman, and a team committed to doing this work with care and integrity.

We are not just running to get fancy titles and attend monthly meetings in Town Hall. We are running to earn your trust and get things done for Orange.

Sincerely,

Erika Higgins

This letter to the editor originally appeared in the Milford-Orange Times, August 7, page 4.