https://www.taraochmanfordarien.com/home daily 1.0 2021-08-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1627829820417-G4UO7RN8I4BF93WHNYZL/IMG_3811.JPG Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.taraochmanfordarien.com/about-1 daily 0.75 2021-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1628815670488-WYKSMRA7UYNHCDU0JPAZ/Image+from+iOS.jpg Meet Tara - My name is Tara Ochman, and I am the 2021 Democratic nominee for First Selectman in Darien. I’m running because I believe that Darien needs a new kind of forward-thinking leadership. For too long the talents and experience of residents have been undervalued. For too long our town government has simply managed the status quo, rather than built for the future. I think we can do better. I’m ready to do the hard work necessary to ensure that Darien is a competitive and desirable 21st century town, a place where the next generation of young families choose to live and raise their children. In 2017, I ran for the Darien Board of Education because I believe that our strong public schools are the most important cornerstone to our community. I worked hard and did my best to build bridges across the political aisle—an instinct that paid dividends when I was voted in as Chair by the majority Republican Board in 2018. I was proud to be elected as chair for each of the next three years, leading the Board of Education through three of its lowest budget cycles in history, easing the burden on taxpayers while maintaining the nationally renowned quality of Darien’s public schools. Now, I want to take that same bipartisan spirit to Town Hall and address our town’s most pressing challenges. https://www.taraochmanfordarien.com/issues daily 0.75 2021-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630452593924-2I28ZUJ5A2I6MHKDJTTP/darien-3.jpg Issues - New Life for Downtown A thriving commercial center is essential for homeowners and businesses alike. We’re lucky to have a charming downtown in Darien, but the businesses there need a town government that works with them. Local shops and restaurants thrive when they have the best public facilities possible. Unfortunately, the area around the Post Road and the train station in downtown Darien hasn’t received the maintenance and care that it needs. Crosswalks are fading, sidewalks aren’t routinely updated, and poorly-planned traffic patterns cause back-ups and delays for shoppers and commuters alike. As First Selectman, I’ll make the basic fixes we need to keep our downtown beautiful and accessible, then work with small business leaders to create the best possible environment for growth and development. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630452649533-RMKYCEG19EPHH4KM9XP4/pear%2Btree.jpg Issues - Real Strategy for Town-Owned Land For years, Darien has purchased public lands, then failed to invest in them adequately. Developing local green space is crucial, but purchasing land without having a long-term plan to maintain them just leads to empty, underused lots. When local leaders have tried to develop those spaces, they have failed to bring local neighbors into the process, leading to stalled projects and frustration. The result of that poor planning is expensive, underused areas like Highland Farm. As First Selectman, I’ll build a long-term, strategic plan for spaces like Pear Tree Point and Highland Farm and make sure that projects are properly budgeted before work begins. Even more importantly, I’ll bring local residents into the process so that we’re building parks and spaces that match the needs of the people who live here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630454158376-NQTDPNYB6QUN7I6EZ0RR/DzPOivFBGkaXvRi-800x450-noPad.jpg Issues - Spotlight: Highland Farm In 2018, the Town of Darien purchased land on the site of the former Ox Ridge Hunt Club — now called Highland Farm — to avoid an unwelcome developer purchasing the site. At the time of the original purchase, there was not a determined plan for how the site would be used. The town eventually decided to turn the area into a mixed-use recreational space and began work in 2019. The landscaping, leveling, and drainage of Highland Farm has since run over budget, forcing the town to approve more than $45,000 in overruns as recently as April of 2021. Later this year, the town will invest another $92,000 from a public grant to add additional plantings and landscaping, but as yet has no long-term plan to maintain or properly water the new plantings in the future. These overruns are not due to “surprises”. They are all real costs that could have been anticipated and were brought up by many during debate on the property, but were not factored into the budget. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630452675517-JZV8UIYR9RIKH1E29SGU/IMG_8495.jpg Issues - Emergency Response for a Changing Climate Storms in the northeast are becoming more severe. Unfortunately, our infrastructure here in Darien isn’t prepared to deal with the multiple once-in-a-century storms that we’ve seen over the past decade, like Irene, Sandy, and Isaias. Darien has consistently failed to invest in sewer and drainage projects, despite routine flooding of roads and residential properties. As First Selectman I will prioritize smart, forward-thinking investments in our storm infrastructure to cut down on flooding and power outages. I will also work transparently with Eversource to strengthen our electrical grid against outages without destroying neighborhood tree canopy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630453253784-R9SYQ20HDZTMBOJFPGRP/Screen+Shot+2021-08-30+at+3.11.10+PM.png Issues - Spotlight: Flood Mitigation Darien contracted two studies in 2010 and 2014 to investigate local flooding and identify potential infrastructure solutions. Unfortunately, local leaders did not act on either of them. In 2016, the Western Connecticut Council of Governments conducted its own 28-page report on flooding in Darien, but this too did not lead to significant investments at the town level. In the summer of 2021, a single rainstorm required seven property owners to apply for FEMA reimbursement due to major flooding. When FEMA fails to match fair market value, it falls on the Town of Darien (and its taxpayers) to pay the balance — sometimes in excess of $100,000. https://www.taraochmanfordarien.com/endorsements daily 0.75 2021-09-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630454990053-A9BFKXQOS8YF7GD0ZPI6/Himes1.jpeg Endorsements - “I’m so excited that Tara’s running for First Selectman in Darien. She served this town beautifully on the Board of Education for five years, and she is now dedicated to making sure that the businesses on Main Street thrive, improving our quality of life, and maintaining the beautiful parks and beaches here. Most importantly, we’re going to work together on something that is important to everyone in this part of Connecticut, which is making sure that we have the 21st century infrastructure that improves our quality of life and attracts businesses to our area.” -Congressman Jim Himes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630455159559-XDYMKHZP56Y6NVVTT46P/SusanBysiewiczPic.jpg Endorsements - “I am very proud to endorse my friend Tara Ochman for First Selectman of Darien. Tara has served on the Darien Board of Education, including as its chairperson, and she has been a long time town resident and community volunteer. During her years of service on the Board of Education, she has been a consistent advocate for Darien students at the State Capitol. I am supporting Tara because she will continue to work hard to strengthen public education, support small business development and retention, protect the environment, and keep our children safe. And she will be an advocate for our seniors and veterans.” — Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630456016666-W917DG0RCQ2RSJ713MLY/David_Martin-768x929.jpg Endorsements - “Having served on the Darien Board of Selectmen for years, I know what it takes to make a real difference in town government. That's why I'm supporting Tara Ochman for First Selectman. Tara has the skills, expertise, and vision to guide Darien into the next decade and maintain our status as a competitive, desirable suburb. I look forward to voting for her.” — Dave Martin, Darien Board of Selectmen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630456134502-WBYSOYGBNSRXWP1LYVOH/Michael-Burke_Sara-Parent-1170x726.jpg Endorsements - "Tara Ochman will make a terrific First Selectman for Darien. Having served with her on the Board of Education, I have seen firsthand her ability to work across the aisle and make a real difference for Darien's students and parents. I can't wait to see what she'll do from Town Hall. She has my full support for November." — Sara Parent, Darien Board of Education https://www.taraochmanfordarien.com/order-a-lawn-sign daily 0.75 2021-09-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1630691490184-A0I12WJE4RP1SYHX7GPT/2.png Lawn Signs Order a Lawn Sign! All it takes is 2 clicks and about 30 seconds. Click the button below, us your name and address, and we'll drop off a lawn sign as soon as we can. https://www.taraochmanfordarien.com/contact-1 daily 0.75 2021-09-04 https://www.taraochmanfordarien.com/volunteer daily 0.75 2021-09-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60e9a22d95516b266b943edb/1631052864853-BYOZIP831NLUUA0Z2N0H/IMG_4193-preview.JPG Volunteer Volunteer Campaigns are won and lost at the margins. To be successful, we’ll need to reach thousands of voters in Darien and let them know about Tara’s vision for our town. Sign up at the button below and a member of our campaign team will reach out ASAP about opportunities. https://www.taraochmanfordarien.com/donate daily 0.75 2025-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce82d5d7cff9a0001025c64/1565807681737-B0SD7OH81DVOGLQR0A6C/20160125-A05A0708.jpg Donate