Hi there!
My name is Brian Meissen and I’m running for re-election for President of the Village of New Haven.
I’ve lived in the Village of New Haven since 2015. We fell in love with our house and were extremely excited to move into the community.
Shortly after moving in, I joined the HOA board to get a better understanding of how the subdivision worked. I learned about running an HOA subdivision – bylaws, dues, and events. I quickly rose to HOA President and made it my mission to (a) enhance the subdivision’s presence with technology, creating decorapark.org for our sub, but also (b) to create a community that people WANT to live in. I was extremely lucky that my Board also was aligned with my vision and we worked to put together some amazing activities for our subdivision: movie night in the park, coffee and donut social mornings, Easter egg hunt, Halloween parties, etc. The reality that we discovered is that if you create a fun community that people want to live in … adherence to the bylaws comes naturally.
While my focus was on the subdivision and I was creating a sense of community in our sub, I was tapped on the shoulder to apply for an opening on New Haven’s Village Council. There was a unique opportunity to join the Council by appointment. I’ll be the first to point out that I had zero ambition to get into politics. I was reluctant to join the Village Council but I figured if I’m doing good for my subdivision, maybe I can do good for the broader community. On March 20th, 2017, I was officially sworn in as Village Trustee. Where possible, I applied the same mindset to the Village — increase technology, and promote community through events.
In 2022, again I was tapped on the shoulder. This time I was tapped to run for Village President. I was reluctant – I have a full time job, and I wasn’t sure if I could devote enough time to the position. I was reassured that it’s only a part time position, so I ran.
It’s now been almost 4 years. I can confidently say that it’s not a part time position. While I struggle juggling the role with my full time day job, I’ve always tried to give the Village the attention it deserves. I will not ignore the fact that the Village and the position deserves someone who can give full time hours to the role.
So all that said, why should I be trusted to be the next Village President? Please follow along to learn more!