Borough Burgess Candidate Q&A: Howard Park

Stonington-Mystic Patch asked each candidate to answer a questionnaire to give residents information about his or her background. See other election coverage here.

Name As It Will Appear On The Ballot: Howard Gray Park

Party Affiliation: Republican

Brief Biography: Howard Park is the current Burgess of Parks, Trees and Rights of Way. A borough resident for 10 years, Park has been involved in the borough for 40 years. His business, Four Starr Fine Art Conservation & Framing, is an art gallery, frame shop and also does art restorations.

Park, 64, was born in San Francisco but went to school and college in New England. He was in the Master of Fine Arts program at Tufts University and did a stint in the Military Sea Lift Command during the Vietnam War.

What is the primary reason you are running for this office?
I want to give back to the community in which I live.

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected? 
Right now the highest priority for me is to re-vamp La Gruea park. It is a historic little piece of land, which has been neglected.

How long have you lived in the borough?
10 years.

What’s your favorite thing about the borough?
The borough is special because of the variety of people who live here.  Though the demographics have changed considerably over the past 20 years it is still a place where you can walk down the street and say hello to any one you meet, and you'll get a hello back. The fact that the Borough has its own government gives everyone a chance to be involved what is happening around them.  

Where do you work and what is your job title?
Owner of

What’s been the biggest success of the borough government over the past two years?
One of my biggest successes has been to bring together the government and the people on several large projects with our parks.

What’s been the biggest failure?
The biggest failure is that our friends and neighbors have not taken full advantage of the Borough Government by coming to all the Board of Warden and Burgesses meetings and voicing their opinions.   

Contact Information: Howard Park, 860-535-1844, tootsweet46@yahoo.com.