NORWICH – When asked why voters should re-elect him, 6th Ward Alderman Robert Jeffrey said: “I want to continue to serve the people of the 6th Ward to improve and keep our neighborhoods safe. I care about the City of Norwich and I want to see us continue to move in the right direction.”

And what qualifies candidate Dan Palmer to replace him? “That I’ve been able to run a successful business for the past seven years through the rising costs of doing business in New York state,” Palmer replied. “I plan to be easily available. Any problem you have, I’ll work with you until we come to some resolution.”

Jeffrey beat Palmer 94-15 for the Republican ticket in the September primary. His priorities if re-elected: Mitigate the city’s rising state retirement costs; continue to secure funding for cleaning up blighted properties in the 6th Ward and elsewhere; encourage developers and landlords to build and rent quality housing; and keep working to restore the safety and sense of civic responsibility once prominent in his neighborhood and others before manufacturing jobs faded.