Duff: I Bring A 'Fresh New Beginning'

William Duff is only 45, but he's had 20 years of involvement in Bethel government. At age 24, he was the youngest elected selectman in Bethel history, following in the footsteps of his father -- a former Republican Town Committee Chairman who sat on the Board of Assessment Appeals. Since then, he's beaten cystic fibrosis, received a double lung transplant and been elected to the Board of Education.

Now Duff is seeking to challenge First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker for the top seat in November. With a primary challenge from former First Selectman Robert Burke to deal with first -- Republicans chose Duff at caucus, but Burke gathered enough signatures to mount a campaign -- Duff is the only of the three men in the race to have never held the position before.

But Duff says his age and comparative freshness gives him an advantage.

"My youth really plays a big role in this," he says. "There's not too many people my age with the experience I have who can stand up and be an incredible candidate."

Duff retired at 39, but adds, "Don't get the idea I live in a 4,500 square-foot house somewhere." His struggle with cystic fibrosis around that time nearly took his life, but he rebounded after the operation.

"God blessed me with a second chance on life," he says. "I'm healthier now than when I was 18. I've got good health, a great background and I just want to give back to my community."

Duff compares the infrastructure he sees in Bethel to what he remembers from his two-year selectman stint two decades ago.

"The infrastructure of Bethel is in such disrepair," he says. "Cliff Hurgin, God rest his soul, never envisioned the lack of attention to Bethel."

Duff was a vocal critic of the proposed Aquarion water deal, and says he's skeptical of Knickerbocker's plans to address the town's ailing water department.

"If you're going to maintain the infrastructure you have to pay for it," he says. "It doesn't repair itself. If you want clean water, workable sewers it's gotta be paid for. The good Lord is not going to come down and grant a wish. But the first step is to address it."

Asked how he'd handle a town budget, Duff describes himself as a fiscal conservative.

"I'm a pragmatist," he says. "This year I supported the budget, and there were some increases. But I made sure every single increase had a justification ... There needs to be a valid reason to spend every tax dollar."

"I leave it up to the people of Bethel to decide if they want to continue on with politics as usual," he says. "Or do they want to trust in a younger candidate for a fresh new beginning? Away from the old, behind the doors buddy system. That's how I'm going to leave it."